Guyana eyes Netflix-style film hub as Pres Ali pushes orange economy expansion 

With the Guyanese Government ready to invest heavily in the creative and cultural industries, President Dr Irfaan Ali is turning to foreign investors to help the country to accelerate the build-out of its orange economy.

The head of state sounded the call for investors while addressing a recent US-Guyana Business Exchange Reception in Houston, Texas. This event was held on the side-lines of the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) in Houston, where the Guyanese leader led a 100-member delegation and delivered the keynote address at the opening on Monday.
According to President Ali, “We are going to invest heavily in the orange economy. We want to be the destination for movies, [and/or] Netflix series. We want the life of Hakeem to be written and produced in Guyana. We want Guyana to be a mega hub of culture, entertainment, and sports. These are things that we are going after.”
The Guyanese leader pointed to Colombia, where the entertainment industry has grown from US$35 million in 2010 to some US$219 in 2023 and is expected to reach US$5.7 billion this year, saying Guyana has the potential to establish a similarly-successful sector.
But the President pointed out that the country needs investors to hasten the pace at which it advances the orange economy.
“There is no better place to film a series like “Survival” or “Naked and Afraid” than Guyana. We have the ecosystem to support the orange economy in unbelievable ways. And that is why we want people who will help us to shorten the time to get to these products. We can’t go in a linear fashion. We have to leapfrog to that destination. We have to use every available tool to leapfrog us to save us 30 years of straight-line development. That is why partnership and networking are so important for us. We want the partners that will take us there faster,” the Head of State declared.
Guyana’s cultural diversity and expanding orange economy are being positioned as strategic tools to strengthen the country’s influence in regional and international diplomacy. Led by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, as part of a broader strategy to leverage culture, creativity, and heritage for national development.
Already, the Guyanese Government has set aside some $3.7 billion in Budget 2026 for the Orange Economy initiative, which was launched in late 2025 and seeks to boost Guyana’s creative industries.
To push this initiative, the Government has established a national multi-stakeholder taskforce to craft a medium-term strategic plan for the local orange economy. National consultations are expected to be held across the country later this year on eight priority areas: cultural heritage, tourism, gastronomy, literary, visual and performing arts, film, fashion, and festivals.
Meanwhile, just last month, Public Service, Government Efficiency and Implementation Minister Zulfikar Ally said Guyana’s rich cultural heritage and diverse population provide a unique opportunity to enhance the country’s global presence while fostering economic growth.
“We live in a very diverse country…six races, this whole pot that’s infused with everybody’s different religion and culture. It’s very unique, and it’s not something you find everywhere in the world,” Minister Ally stated.
He went on to note that the country’s cultural identity, combined with its growing economic strength, positions Guyana to continue playing a more influential role regionally and internationally.
The Minister added that expanding the orange economy will create new opportunities in culture, tourism, entertainment, and creative industries.