Young Guyanese are being given a stronger voice in shaping the future of the country’s tourism industry, as students from across Guyana participated in the Regional Tourism Youth Congress at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC).
The congress forms part of Guyana’s preparations to host the Caribbean Tourism Organisation’s (CTO) State of the Tourism Industry Conference (SOTIC) 2026 and the Regional Tourism Youth Congress in October.
On the sidelines of the Regional Tourism Youth Congress, the Department of Public Information (DPI) interviewed the Director of the Guyana Tourism Authority, Kamrul Baksh, who underscored the importance of incorporating young people into tourism policy and development.
“We can’t be having a discussion on tourism development and promotion without the ideas and inputs from our youths. So it’s very important that we have them here,” Baksh said.
He noted that the local initiative provides an opportunity to identify emerging young leaders while exposing them to the issues and opportunities shaping the tourism sector.
“They’ve presented very, very well and they’ve made some interesting recommendations, and we’d want to have further discourse with them,” he said.
Meanwhile, Senior Manager of Destination Marketing at the Guyana Tourism Authority, Annarie Seecharran, said the initiative is intended to move youth participation beyond discussion by creating a platform where their perspectives can contribute to the industry they will eventually lead.
“Young people have an important role in the decisions that will shape Guyana’s tourism industry. Your perspectives, ideas, and experiences are valuable to developing a sector you will help lead and strengthen in the years ahead,” Seecharran said.
The local congress featured presentations on community-based tourism, sports tourism and youth engagement, sustainable tourism futures and digital innovation.
Participants also responded to a mystery topic, testing their ability to think critically and articulate solutions under pressure.
At the regional level, participants will assume the roles of junior ministers or commissioners of tourism and engage with issues including climate resilience, smart technology and inclusive growth.
For Guyana, the event also provides an opportunity to place its tourism product and young talent on a regional platform, as the country prepares to welcome tourism stakeholders and youth representatives from across the Caribbean.
Following the national competition, Himanshi Kumar emerged as Guyana’s Junior Tourism Minister and will represent the country at the Regional Tourism Youth Congress during SOTIC 2026.