Infrastructure development crucial as Guyana emerges as tourism hotspot – British Diplomat

As Guyana positions itself to become one of the most buzzing tourism destinations both regionally and internationally, British High Commissioner to Guyana, Jane Miller believes that the country must make significant infrastructural investments to fully capitalise on its tourism potential.
She was at the time speaking during an edition of the Energy Perspectives Podcast during which she highlighted some of the strategic steps authorities must take to elevate Guyana as a world-class destination.

“I mean, first, it’ll be about infrastructure. We’re already seeing that being developed. So, I think that’s really important. It’s very expensive to get into the interior and I think how infrastructure is being improved, that will become more accessible.”
Whilst infrastructure enhancement will play an integral role in bolstering the country’s tourism sector the British High Commissioner added that stakeholders must also invest in the capacity building of staff within the country’s tourism industry.
“I think the other thing is training, it’s about really improving opportunities for people to understand hospitality and what world-class hospitality looks like. You know, in Georgetown, the number of new hotels is growing enormously. And in the interior, there are new lodges, there’s new eco-destinations. But having good training, I think, is going to be really important to really nail Guyana as a real global eco-destination.”
Moreover, Miller highlighted even though Guyana is now becoming popular due to its booming oil and gas sector which has led the country to become one of the fastest growing economies in the world. She added that Guyana has another unique feature that sets it apart from other competitors, its biodiversity.
“The world is beginning to hear about Guyana now and I think they’re beginning to hear about oil and gas and economic growth. But one thing I think is unique about the country is the incredible biodiversity. When you go into the rainforest, when you go up the creeks, the wildlife, the bird life is incredible. So, I think that makes it a very unique country at the moment.”
Additionally, she revealed that to strengthen diplomatic ties with Guyana the United Kingdom (UK) in the coming years will partner with Guyana in several areas such as trade. Particularly she noted that the UK is eyeing opportunities in the areas of biodiversity and forestry.
“The third area is forestry and biodiversity and the nature of the country. So, we work on sustainable forestry, working on indigenous people’s rights and their livelihoods. So those are the areas I see amazing opportunities for collaboration, where we can bring in expertise from around the world, where we can learn as well as Guyana learning from our experience elsewhere.”
Earlier this month, during the launch of the Annual One Guyana Christmas Village, President Dr Irfaan Ali announced that, thanks to robust policies and government interventions throughout the year, Guyana’s tourism sector has experienced significant growth in 2024.
On this point, the President revealed that come 2025, the tourism sector will reach its all-time high.
Only recently, the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) launched seven new tourism experiences, in collaboration with the tourism private sector.
These include the Rupununi Hiking and Cultural Expedition, Jaguar Tour, Jungle Survival Tour Rockstone, Kato Hiking and ATV adventure, Essequibo River Jungle Trip and Jonestown Memorial Tour.