Guyana’s tourism sector is maintaining its strong growth trajectory, while expanded support for businesses and strengthened consumer protection measures are helping to create a more enabling environment for economic development.
Speaking during an interview with the Department of Public Information (DPI), Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce Susan Rodrigues said the progress recorded across the portfolio reflects sustained investment, improved capacity and initiatives aimed at broadening participation in the economy.
Tourism remains a major driver of that growth, with the expansion of Guyana’s events calendar, the country’s 60th Independence Anniversary celebrations and increased investment in accommodation and infrastructure contributing to rising visitor arrivals.
According to the minister, for the first seven months of 2026, Guyana recorded more than 271,000 visitor arrivals, while July saw over 45,000 visitors, making it the highest-performing July on record.
Minister Rodrigues said the continued growth is being supported by investments made over the past several years, including new hotels and improvements in infrastructure, while ongoing training, standardisation and capacity building are aimed at improving customer service and the reliability of tourism services.
“Tourism is going to be a major pillar of Guyana’s economic diversification efforts. And so the investments in accommodation, infrastructure and training and capacity building will continue over the next four years,” she said.
The minister said added that the objective is no longer simply to increase the country’s visibility as a destination, but to ensure that tourism contributes meaningfully to economic diversification.
“It is one thing to build the profile of your country internationally by increasing visibility and marketing of Destination Guyana, but the more important thing is expanding our economic diversification, promoting sustainability and ensuring that the benefits of tourism touches every single Guyanese,” she noted.
That approach includes expanding community-based tourism, with investments in smaller accommodations and community-owned guesthouses creating opportunities for Indigenous and other communities to develop tourism products and generate additional income.
Beyond tourism, the ministry has expanded direct support to entrepreneurs through training, capacity building and business clinics.
“Through my office, we’ve conducted close to 10 business clinics for this year alone, it’s not only training and the services offered through my ministry, but we have brought together several other ministries and agencies,” she said.
Another major development the minister lauded was the establishment of the Guyana Development Bank, which is expected to improve access to finance for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises while providing mentorship, business planning assistance and training in financial management, accounting and marketing.
Meanwhile, legislative and regulatory reforms are strengthening consumer protection and the wider business environment.
Amendments to the Hire Purchase Act are intended to improve access to justice and redress for consumers, while changes to the Security Interests in Movable Property Act are designed to expand access to finance using movable assets.
Minister Rodrigues said these measures form part of the ministry’s broader effort to improve the ease of doing business while ensuring that consumers are adequately protected.
Looking ahead, the ministry plans continued investment in tourism infrastructure, smaller accommodation options, business incubators, agro-processing, manufacturing and access to finance.
With visitor arrivals targeted to surpass 500,000 by the end of 2026, the minister said “Guyana is no longer an emerging destination for tourism, but a destination that is competitive and sustainable.”