Guyana ready for big leagues in tourism – Pres. Ali declares

– as US$18M Plaza Court Hotel opens on Main Street

With the number of hotel rooms rapidly growing, coupled with heavy investments to enhance experience and infrastructure across the country, President Dr Irfaan Ali says Guyana is positioning itself to be a major player in the regional tourism market.
The Head of State made this remark on Saturday while delivering the feature address at the commissioning of the US$18 million Plaza Court Hotel on Main Street, Georgetown.
“Today, as we open the Plaza Court Hotel on Main Street, we’re making a statement – a statement that says, ‘Guyana is ready, ready for the big league in tourism. We are going to play in the league. We are not spectators anymore. We’re coming for the market. We’re coming hard, and we’re coming to be successful.’”
“We have a vision, which we are converting to a mission. It is to establish Guyana as a premier sustainable tourism destination in the Caribbean and South America, where unparalleled natural wonders, culture and world-class hospitality converge to create transformative experiences for visitors and shared prosperity for all Guyanese,” President Ali noted.

According to the Guyanese leader, Guyana has been described, for decades, as a country with great potential – potential for ecotourism, cultural tourism, adventure tourism and so on. Today, he stressed, the country is realising this potential in its quest to emerge as one of the premier tourism destinations in the Caribbean over the next five years.

“To turn [potential] into reality, you must build a platform, and we recognise that the foundation of any serious tourism industry is infrastructure. Tourism does not happen in brochures. It happens on runways. It happens in ports. It happens in hotels. It happens in communities that are accessible, prepared and proud. That is why Guyana has been investing decisively in this physical and social infrastructure,” the President posited.
Already, the fruits of these investments are showing. President Ali disclosed that he had discussions earlier on Saturday with at least nine different groups that are coming to Guyana to host conferences this year.
He said, “…a common theme in all of those groups was ‘we are now looking at Guyana because you now have the infrastructure, you now have the rooms, and you now have the capability.’ All morning, I spent with these groups ensuring that we are supporting what they’re doing and we are going big. As I said, I don’t want to jump the gun, but hopefully we can get something huge that we’re going for – huge, and if we get that, we have to accelerate 100 times faster in the next four years.”

The Head of State pointed out that these conferences are coming because Guyana has positioned itself in the market by creating a space it never had. This, he outlined, is as a result of the investments made by the private sector and their confidence in his Government’s vision of creating a thriving tourism and hospitality sector.
According to the President, there is more to be done. “Over the past five years, Guyana has experienced a remarkable transformation in its accommodation landscape… But the next phase is to match the eco-lodges and match investment in a nature-based product or eco-based product with the same intensity for the development of hotels. And we’re going to match it. We don’t have a choice. The only choice before us is success,” the President stated.

Plaza Court Hotel
The newly opened US$18 million Plaza Court Hotel, which was constructed by Dayuan Construction Group, is a 60-room modern state-of-the-art facility with a large Presidential suite. It features a spacious lounge, a fully stocked indoor bar, a restaurant, a meeting room, a private dining room, a modern gym, and a rooftop bar that offers a stunning view of the Demerara River flowing into the Atlantic Ocean.
Chairman of the Plaza Court Hotel, Ravin Prashad, said this project was born out of vision, commitment, and an unwavering belief in Guyana’s future.
“We reflected deeply on the consistent message shared by His Excellency, President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, regarding the growing demand for quality hotel accommodation in Guyana, particularly during major events such as CPL (Caribbean Premier League), the Global Super League, the Guyana Energy Conference, CARICOM Conferences and visiting international delegations, among others. The demand is real, the need is pressing, and we felt strongly that we could contribute meaningfully to Guyana’s hospitality landscape,” he stated.
His father, Manniram Prashad – formerly Tourism Minister of Guyana – recalled back in 2007, when Guyana first hosted the Cricket World Cup, how difficult it was to secure accommodation. Today, he said, the landscape has changed dramatically.
“Wherever you turn, you see hotels rising; clear evidence of Guyana’s rapid growth, opportunity, and confidence in the future… When we look across the Caribbean, roughly 95 per cent of the region’s hotels are owned by foreigners. What is particularly encouraging about Guyana is that our hotels are 90 per cent owned and developed by Guyanese. This not only promotes local tourism but also strengthens local content, local investment, and national pride,” Prashad declared.
Meanwhile, also speaking at the hotel opening was Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce Susan Rodrigues, who said the Plaza Court Hotel is opening at a critical point in Guyana’s tourism and economic trajectory.
“Tourism today is no longer a supporting industry. It is a strategic sector that contributes to employment, private investment, foreign exchange earnings and the international positioning of Guyana as a destination for business, leisure and sustainable development,” she noted.
Pointing to the 22 per cent increase in visitors to Guyana recorded in 2025, Rodrigues said this sends a clear signal of market performance and regional competitiveness. According to the Tourism Minister, the Plaza Court Hotel will strengthen Guyana’s room stock, easing pressure on existing facilities, and raising the overall standard of accommodation available in the capital. This, she added, will further improve the local capacity to secure repeat visitors, support major events and attract both business and regional travellers.
Guyana has developed nine major hotels over the last five years, adding more than 1000 rooms to the national inventory. Locally branded hotels, along with international players such as Marriott, Courtyard by Marriott, AC Marriott, Aiden by Best Western and soon, Four Points by Sheraton, will all be complemented by several additional major brands that are projected to deliver more than 1300 new rooms in the coming years.