Collective action needed to elevate “Destination Guyana” by 2030 – President Ali

– plans in pipeline to expand cruise line, maritime offering, art & craft

President Dr Irfaan Ali on Tuesday night issued a rousing call for united, strategic pressure and stakeholder collaboration to transform Guyana into a globally competitive tourism destination by 2030, outlining ambitions to expand cruise tourism, maritime offerings, and commercial creative industries.
The President delivered the remarks during the Guyana Tourism Awards and Gala 2025, where he signalled plans to bid for one of the world’s largest and most extraordinary global events in 2030 – an initiative already formally activated.
“Because these are small opportunities that we can start buying into,” President Ali said, referring to emerging offerings that appeal to niche visitor markets. “If we want to create ‘Destination Guyana’, I’m going big in 2030 for one of the largest global events,” he added, hinting at a mystery yet to be unveiled.
“We already put the letter in. I’m not going to tell you what it is yet. No, no, no. Bigger. Bigger. We are going for something that is extraordinary. Something that sells the world who we are,” the President teased with deliberate intrigue. “I’m going to keep it to my chest a bit longer, but know that we’ve already put a letter in.”
With intent to multiply Guyana’s cruise tourism footprint, President Ali advocated for a collective diplomatic and commercial push targeting global cruise operator Royal Caribbean, calling for competitive re-routing pressure supported by physical infrastructure investments.
The President spotlighted regional diplomatic alignment, singling out strategic support expected from Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley, whose administration historically secured strong Caribbean home-porting advantages for cruise lines.
“We’re expanding what Guyana offers. We’re developing our market for luxury cruise tourism,” he said. “And when we build out the waterfront, I want you guys to come together. Go to Royal Caribbean and say, ‘If you come to Trinidad, you have to add Guyana to your destination.’ We must pressure them.”
“We have friends who will fight with us,” Ali reaffirmed. “Barbados is a home port for cruise liners. One of the top home ports. And I know my Prime Minister in Barbados would fight with us to get one of those cruise liners to come here – but help us fight. Help us push together.”
Further, the Guyanese leader anchored the next stage of Guyana’s tourism evolution in the “orange economy” – a model driven by creativity, culture, and ideas, integrating local art, music, drama, heritage, and design into commercial visitor experiences.
The President delivered a comprehensive definition, clarifying that the orange economy derives value not from natural resources, but from people, imagination, cultural expression and artistic skill-building.
“The orange economy ties all of this together—investments in culture, music, drama, craft, and the wider creative industries,” Ali explained. “We’re enriching the visitor experience and creating new opportunities for Guyanese talent.”
“It is called ‘orange’ because the colour is often linked to creativity and culture,” the President elaborated. “This economy helps countries earn more, not only from natural resources, but from the skills and artistic strengths of their people.”
He outlined the sectors encompassed by the orange economy, including music, film, theatre, dance, visual arts, fashion, design, craft, festivals and cultural events, along with creative services like advertising, architecture, publishing, animation, gaming and digital media. Cultural heritage in the form of museums, historical sites, and traditional practices, he noted, also plays a central role.
Guyana, he noted, has already drafted a formal vision for its own orange economy strategy. “Our national vision is to build a vibrant creative economy that empowers our people, enriches our tourism product, strengthens national identity, and drives sustainable, diversified growth where culture and creativity become engines of opportunity,” the President declared.
Ali insisted that the orange economy is not intended to replace Guyana’s traditional tourism advantages but to elevate them into premium, culturally entangled offerings.
“Together these elements produce goods and experiences people value, enjoy and are willing to pay for,” Ali explained. “In this way, the orange economy turns creativity into economic opportunity.”
“This synergy will pair pristine eco-resorts with a night of world-class music and entertainment or cultural heritage tours, giving deeper, authentic experiences that evolving traveller markets demand,” he explained. “We must see this investment not as competition – we all have a role weaving these threads together to build a destination that will truly be the envy of the world.”