Private Sector urged to invest in eco-tourism

Guyana’s tourism industry has, over the last three years, made significant progress with critical investments from both public and private stakeholders.
The Tourism Industry includes hospitality (accommodation, restaurants); transportation (airlines, car rental); travel facilitation and information (tour operators, travel agents, tourist information centres); and attractions and entertainment (heritage sites and theme, national, and wildlife parks). However,
the sector is still underdeveloped when compared with other countries in the Caribbean.

At the Private Sector Commission’s Annual Dinner on Monday, President Dr Irfaan Ali issued a call to the local Private Sector to invest in Guyana’s flora and fauna, noting that the country is ready to “sell the luxury of ‘being one with nature’.”
He said that through the Tourism Ministry, Government, in collaboration with serious local investors, will soon host expeditions to various tourist destinations in order to examine what Guyana has to offer; after which engagements would be had with the Private Sector about capital and business development plans.
According to the Head of State, eco-tourism is a low handing fruit, and investors within the Private Sector must recognize its potential.
He explained that while there are partnerships with Caribbean member states to boost tourism here, the sector must be developed by Guyanese and local investments.
“I want to see the local Private Sector investing in tourism, because we will back the investment with marketing; we’ll back the investment with infrastructure; we’ll back the investment by fiscal incentives; we’ll back the investment as a Government; because this is an important future for us,” President Ali disclosed.
Further, he encouraged the local Private Sector to partner with small-scale entrepreneurs who specialize in culture and arts and craft to market Guyana’s local products. This, he highlighted, would provide the opportunity for local operatives in the tourism sector to expand.
“We have people who are designers, and we have people in the interior who do specific crafts, more local types of products. We have to get the larger companies to adopt these small innovators and bring them into their business model, and help them to push their products…,” he said.
“The tourism sector has major opportunities. We need the Private Sector to move into that direction and invest in the tourism sector,” President Ali explained.

Tourism in Region 8
In 2023, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), one of Guyana’s 10 administrative regions, was highlighted as being filled with tremendous potential for tourism and business expansion, which can contribute to Government’s drive to bolster the nation’s tourism industry. Specifically, Mahdia was emphasised as one of the areas for business development, since the township gives direct access to the mining community.
Already, Government has advertised for proposals to develop eco-lodges and resorts in pursuit of developing Guyana’s tourism product. It is anticipated that there would be proposals for a resort to be established in Region Eight.
Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister Oneidge Walrond has already explained that it is imperative for Guyanese to shift from potential to actuality, since the nation has a supportive Government.