GEORGETOWN, Guyana – Investments in the tourism sector over the past five years have led to a significant increase in passenger movement, and according to President Dr. Irfaan Ali, this increased to 450% during this period.
In 2025, he noted that passenger traffic across all ports of entry surpassed 1.2 million.
Speaking at the opening ceremony for the AC Marriott Hotel at Ogle, East Coast Demerara (ECD) on Saturday evening, he noted that international landing increased by 254 per cent in the last four years while the number of aircraft seats grew by 400.5 per cent.
“International carriers servicing our market grew by 220 per cent. Destinations served by the airport increased by 184 per cent. Those are some numbers that speak for itself.’
“You live in a constantly changing world and our public policy approach, our development approach and our business approach must take into consideration the changes that are occurring in our world and our region,” he noted.
According to reports from the Ministry of Public Works, international passenger movements at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) and the Eugene F Correia International Airport (EFCIA) rose from 205,297 in 2020 to 938,715 in 2024.
The President pointed to plans to expand the Eugene F. Correia International Airport located a short distance from the AC Marriott Hotel.
“We already have recent flights landing here, and eventually more of those flights will arrive. The hotel exists because, as investors now know what Ogle is today, they saw what it will become tomorrow. They did not wait for expansion; they anticipated it, they did not hesitate, and belief is the most powerful economic force of all,” he highlighted.
In this regard, Ali committed to sitting with the hotels, resorts and other tourism outlets before the end of January to formulate a joint strategy to target tourism markets outside of the nationalities who travel to Guyana regularly.
Noting that the private sector and the government work hand in hand, he said his government is ready and willing to work with investors.
Minister of Tourism, Susan Rodrigues noted that the growth in visitors to Guyana reflects the growing confidence in Guyana as a destination and is an achievement to be proud of.
“But we are not stopping there. Our vision is ambitious but achievable. By 2030, we are aiming to welcome 1 million visitors annually,” she said.
To achieve this vision, she highlighted that there is need for sustained investment in accommodation, airlift, infrastructure, and service industries.
