Guyana’s tourism sector is poised for further growth, with the country’s accommodation capacity projected to approach 6,000 rooms by the end of 2026, as increased hotel investment positions the destination to welcome more visitors and accommodate a growing conference and leisure travel market.
Director of the Guyana Tourism Authority, Kamrul Baksh, outlined the sector’s expansion while addressing the State of the Industry Conference (SOTIC) 2026, noting that the country’s room stock has grown significantly from the relatively small number of rooms available in 2020.
The expansion has been supported by increased investment in the hospitality industry, including the entry of international hotel brands such as Hyatt, AC by Marriott, Four Points by Sheraton and others, alongside the development of additional accommodation properties.
The director said a further 15 hotels are expected to come on stream after 2026, signalling continued growth in the country’s capacity to accommodate visitors.
The increased room stock is particularly important as Guyana strengthens its meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) market.
Baksh noted that the country had hosted more than 20 conferences and exhibitions during 2026, attracting significant numbers of visitors and generating business for restaurants, bars and other tourism-related services.
The expansion of accommodation is also expected to support the growth of leisure travel and diaspora tourism, while providing greater capacity to accommodate visitors attending major events and exploring Guyana’s natural and cultural attractions.
He emphasised that the development of the sector must be matched by improvements in service delivery and workforce capacity to ensure that visitors receive quality experiences.
“At the heart of this, Guyana is at a place where we need to upscale our human capacity” he stated.
In this regard, the Hospitality and Tourism Institute is expected to be completed by the end of 2026, providing an important foundation for developing the skilled workforce required to support the expanding industry.
He also highlighted the introduction of approximately 80 new tours and experiences across Guyana over the preceding six years, developed in collaboration with the private sector to give visitors more opportunities to explore the country.
As hotel investment continues and new tourism products enter the market, Guyana is positioning itself to accommodate increased visitor demand while strengthening the infrastructure, services and human resources needed to sustain long-term tourism growth.
