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New Amsterdam could be reshaped into a cleaner, greener and more pedestrian-friendly town under a redevelopment plan that includes a modern municipal market, an organised vendors’ hub, a transformed Esplanade, upgraded roads and drainage, recreational spaces, fire hydrants and expanded security-camera coverage. The wide-ranging concept, presented to residents during a public consultation under the Government’s ‘Model Village’ Initiative, seeks to address some of the longstanding problems confronting Guyana’s oldest townships while preserving the character and history that have helped define New Amsterdam.
President Dr Irfaan Ali and Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh, outlined a vision extending well beyond repairing roads and cleaning drains, with Ali arguing that the ultimate goal is to create a town in which residents can take pride and enjoy a better quality of life. “We want your community to be livable, and for you to love living in your community. We want people to find peace in their community. For the community to be their place of joy, their sanctuary of peace, of upliftment, of hope,” the President told residents. He said achieving that requires infrastructure, the environment and people to work together, stressing that physical structures alone do not create a community. “At the centre of this is the people in the community. A community is just a set of infrastructure, buildings and other facilities, and not what a community is made up of. A community becomes alive and becomes a community because of the people that live in that community,” Ali said. The plans presented to residents offer one of the most comprehensive proposed makeovers of New Amsterdam in recent years. Among the most striking concepts is a complete transformation of the historic New Amsterdam Municipal Market. Renderings presented during the consultation envisage a modern, organised complex with designated areas for fresh produce, meat, fish, dry goods and clothing, together with a food court and spaces capable of sustaining commercial activity throughout the week.

Modern commercial centre
Meanwhile, Singh acknowledged that the existing market has played an important role in the town for generations but said its physical condition and layout no longer meet the requirements of a modern commercial centre. “The New Amsterdam Market is an important historic market, and it perhaps has served its role historically, perhaps for more than a century. It has been a major marketplace in the town, but you know that it has outlived its useful life,” he said. The concept, he explained, is not to remove the vibrancy traditionally associated with a Caribbean market but to marry that character with greater order, cleanliness and comfort.
The proposed market would be properly zoned, ventilated and organised to improve the experience of both vendors and shoppers. A separate vendors’ hub is also proposed as part of efforts to deal with roadside vending without depriving persons of their livelihoods. Surveys conducted ahead of the consultation identified roadside vendors at numerous locations around the town. Singh stressed that the intention is not simply to clear them away. “The objective is not to want to move roadside people. The objective is to place them in the places that are hygienic, safe, attractive and so on,” he said. The proposed vendors’ facility incorporates organised vending areas, improved drainage, pedestrian access, parking, lighting, landscaping and a traffic-flow system allowing vehicles to enter and leave more efficiently. Singh said designated vending locations could improve conditions on both sides of a transaction, providing vendors with secure and orderly places to conduct business while allowing customers to shop in greater comfort.

Reimagined
Another major component is the proposed redevelopment of the New Amsterdam Esplanade. Concept images show the existing green space transformed into a landscaped recreational park incorporating walking areas, children’s facilities, sporting spaces, seating and shelters, lighting and areas for families and community gatherings. Ali said the objective is to create quality recreational spaces rather than simply leaving open areas undeveloped. The Esplanade, he added, has the potential to become an attractive community destination where families can spend time, children can play safely, and residents can use the grounds for recreation, exercise and social occasions. Under the plans, green spaces in New Amsterdam would also be preserved, upgraded and incorporated into the wider beautification programme. He pointed to its architecture, churches, cultural traditions and diversity as assets that could be combined with modern infrastructure to create economic, social and tourism opportunities. “Here in New Amsterdam, you have a rich history of diversity, great cultural strength, traditions and other socio-economic indicators and factors that really make the township a very special place,” he said. The President said that history should not be viewed separately from the town’s future development. He raised the possibility of using waterfront and historic spaces to create new tourism and entertainment attractions, including a boardwalk with restaurants and other amenities, while also exploring opportunities linked to the mangrove environment. That development, he said, could complement investments already made in sporting infrastructure in the wider New Amsterdam-Palmyra area and help attract more people to the town.

Street by street
The designs were not developed solely from broad concepts. Minister Singh said an interdisciplinary and inter-ministerial team carried out an extensive survey of New Amsterdam, walking streets and mapping roads, drains, bridges, utility infrastructure, public facilities and other features before assessing their condition. The exercise also documented many of the physical problems affecting the town.
At least 235 locations were identified where construction materials or waste were occupying road reserves or other public spaces, according to Singh. Derelict vehicles were also mapped, while garbage was found at scores of roadside locations. Singh said these encumbrances are not simply unsightly; they interfere with the functioning and appearance of communities and would have to be addressed as part of the transformation. But he warned that new infrastructure alone would not solve those problems permanently. “Maintaining this pleasant, world-class community environment will also require some kind of cultural and behavioural change on the part of our citizens,” he said. Residents, he argued, would have to play their part by avoiding indiscriminate dumping and keeping road reserves, drains and public spaces free of materials and abandoned vehicles after the rehabilitation works are completed.

Tackling New Amsterdam’s drainage problem
Drainage occupies a major place in the proposed transformation, particularly New Amsterdam’s longstanding problems with community and interlock drains. Singh acknowledged that the town has historically struggled with drainage and said the assessment found channels affected by vegetation, garbage and siltation. Several engineering concepts have consequently been developed for the interlock drainage network. Depending on the location, width and drainage requirements, the proposals include reinforced concrete channels and other configurations intended to provide better flow, durability and easier maintenance. “We want these interlock drains to serve their intended purpose,” Singh said. A town-wide drainage map has also been prepared, identifying major canals, community drains and waterways considered important to flood mitigation and the overall livability of New Amsterdam. The drainage works are expected to be carried out before major road rehabilitation in areas where both interventions are required, avoiding the repeated excavation of newly completed streets.

New-look streets
Residents were also shown before-and-after concepts for several streets, including Benjamin Street, Theatre Alley Street and Fifth Street, Tucber. While the individual designs vary, they depict resurfaced or reconstructed roads complemented by concrete drains, sidewalks or hard shoulders, road markings, landscaped verges, modern utility poles and improved lighting. School roads would receive additional safety treatments, including standardised signage, pedestrian facilities, road markings and speed-control measures where required. Depending on the available reserve, some streets could receive sidewalks while others would have properly constructed hard shoulders that could accommodate pedestrians or allow vehicles to pull safely off the carriageway. The condition survey also identified approximately 200 utility poles requiring replacement, reinforcement or other intervention. Additionally directed attention to redundant and dangling utility cables, which Singh said should be removed as part of efforts to improve both safety and the appearance of the town.

Hydrants, cameras and public safety
Public safety forms another component of the proposed works. A network of fire-hydrant locations has been mapped across New Amsterdam as Government moves towards giving firefighters more dependable access to water during emergencies.
Singh said the objective is to move away from situations in which firefighters responding to a blaze must first locate a trench, canal or river from which to draw water. “We want functioning fire hydrants,” he said, noting that reliable hydrants would be particularly important to households and the town’s commercial sector.
Security cameras are also proposed as Government expands its smart-surveillance network beyond selected locations. Singh said the wider programme is intended to improve police capacity to identify and track suspects and respond to criminal activity, with additional camera sites planned for urban centres and major thoroughfares.

Beyond physical appearance
Ali, however, repeatedly stressed that his vision for New Amsterdam extends beyond its physical appearance. He said communities must also be safe from violence, flooding and social deterioration and must create environments where children and elderly persons can use public spaces without fear. “Today, we are talking about a future that is safe and secure. When we speak about safe and secure, we are not only talking about policing,” he said. “How is the community safe against violence? How is the community safe against flooding? How is the community safe that you are confident to allow your children to go and play in parks?” The President also spoke about strengthening primary healthcare, including community health facilities where residents could routinely check blood pressure and blood sugar and have information linked to the health system. He said communities should encourage walking and exercise and contain infrastructure that promotes healthier lifestyles. Ali also announced that the Government intends to introduce an intervention targeting persons living in extremely vulnerable circumstances, including some persons with severe disabilities, single parents and elderly residents facing exceptional hardship. One-bedroom social homes could be constructed for qualifying persons who already own land, he said, while stressing that the programme would be specifically targeted at extreme cases. Economic programmes for young people were also raised, including potential hatchery, poultry and agro-processing ventures.

Phased transformation
The redevelopment will not be undertaken as one simultaneous construction exercise. The proposed implementation sequence begins with coordination among utility providers, including Guyana Power and Light and Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI), to relocate or address infrastructure that could conflict with civil works.
Drainage preparation would follow, then the construction or rehabilitation of drainage and access infrastructure, pedestrian facilities, road improvements and finally landscaping and greening. Before construction begins, the concepts are also expected to undergo further review based on feedback received from residents.
Where fences, structures or other items encroach on reserves needed for the works, Singh said occupants would be given notice and time to make the necessary adjustments. New Amsterdam, the administrative capital of Guyana’s East Berbice-Corentyne region, is one of the country’s oldest urban centres, with its modern settlement tracing its roots to the late 18th century when the Dutch established the town near the confluence of the Berbice and Canje rivers. And while the renderings presented to residents offer a dramatic picture of what a new New Amsterdam could look like, both Ali and Singh stressed that the designs are still being shaped.
“We want to hear from you,” Ali told the gathering. “We want to hear your ideas, your thoughts, and the challenges you believe the community faces.” It is that feedback which will now help determine the final design of what Government hopes will become a new New Amsterdam.

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For decades, Guyana’s bauxite industry was treated as an old story—one of our traditional extractive industries, important to Linden and the national economy but increasingly overshadowed by the spectacular arrival of oil. That story may now have to be rewritten. The announcement that the U.S. Department of War’s Economic Defense Unit, working with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of War for Industrial Base Policy, is committing US$85.5 million in equity investment to Strategic Bauxite USA LLC for refractory bauxite production is not simply another foreign investment announcement.
It is a strategic signal because the U.S. government is putting its money behind a Guyanese mineral since it has decided that secure supplies of refractory bauxite matter to America’s industrial base. The US government investment is to be supplemented by another US$64.5 million from private investors – presumably from Strategic Bauxite – bringing the announced financing package to US$150 million.
Strategic Bauxite recently acquired First Bauxite, whose Bonasika operation in the Essequibo region has been producing high-quality non-metallurgical bauxite. This is where the significance becomes considerably greater than the dollar figure because Guyana’s old mineral suddenly acquires a new strategic value. We have known for generations that we possess unusually high-quality bauxite. Indeed, our bauxite was once dominant in the global refractory market. The World Bank noted that Guyana supplied nearly three-quarters of global demand for refractory and related high-grade bauxite products in the 1960s, before losing market share to competitors – including China and Brazil – after Burnham nationalized Demba and could not meet delivery schedules because of politicized magement.
Refractory bauxite is not simply another raw material for making aluminium but is used in materials capable of withstanding extremely high temperatures in furnaces, kilns and other industrial processes. That makes reliable supplies important to steel, cement, foundry and other heavy industries. The American investment therefore reflects the increasingly open Washington doctrine of economic security: supply chains for strategically important materials cannot be left entirely to market forces or concentrated in countries regarded as geopolitical competitors.
We have therefore found ourselves sitting on something Washington considers strategically useful when China is already the dominant player in Guyana’s conventional bauxite industry through Bosai Minerals. The US has declared it intends to checkmate China’s increasing economic presence in the hemisphere. So the American investment in Strategic Bauxite should not be viewed in isolation: it is part of a much larger contest over who will supply, finance, process and ultimately control access to the strategic minerals required by the industrial economies of the future.
But Guyana must be careful about celebrating the investment merely because the money is foreign; the investor is American or more bauxite will be exported. The critical question how much value Guyana will retain. Guyana’s Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud has already made the government’s position clear: American investment is welcome, but Guyana wants value added to its bauxite and other minerals, including processing and improvements in energy generation. That is precisely the right ambition.
The country should now insist that its mineral resources become another foundation for industrialization along with natural gas and not merely increased exports. If refractory bauxite can support beneficiation, calcination, specialized refractory products, ceramics, industrial materials and eventually other downstream manufacturing, then the US$150 million announced investment could become the beginning of a much larger industrial ecosystem. The US said they will implement a follow-on project to establish a brown-fused alumina (BFA) facility in the US and we should start by encouraging located the facility locally since we can provide the necessary electricity.
There is wide demand for refractory bauxite from our other western allies and this should produce better terms, more technology transfer, greater local employment, stronger environmental safeguards, Guyanese ownership opportunities and, above all, downstream processing. The fact that the American government itself is prepared to invest alongside private capital demonstrates something important: strategic minerals are no longer being left entirely to the invisible hand of the market.
While oil may have made Guyana rich perhaps bauxite can help our continued industrialisation.

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With the foundation set for the Guyana Development Bank (GDB) to be operationalised, President Dr Irfaan Ali has touted a number of proposals that residents of Port Mourant in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) can capitalise on. Addressing residents during a public consultation on the ‘Model Village’ Initiative on Saturday, the Head of State recognised that Port Mourant is a predominantly agricultural community. To this end, he presented some business models that the persons there can tap into with financing from the GDB. However, President Ali pointed out that persons would have to come together and form consortiums in order to benefit from this small business support initiative.
“[We will] establish clusters that we want to work with on the Guyana Development Bank so that we can have hatchery here, we can have the tunnel house programme here [and] we can have the shade house programme here, but working in clusters,” he emphasised. The Guyanese Leader told the residents that a team comprising Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh, Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha and Government Efficiency and Implementation Minister Zulfikar Ally will return to Region Six in two weeks’ time to launch the GDB. They would collaborate with other officials including regional representatives to engage the Port Mourant community with the aim of forming these clusters. “Those persons [come here] to start working with you in clusters so that you can have the maximum gains out of the Development Bank,” Ali posited. Just last month, the National Assembly passed the GDB Act 2026, paving the way for existing and aspiring Guyanese small business owners to start access financing and other support services.
This, coupled with the President’s subsequent assenting into law, now allows for the operationalisation of the Development Bank, which will see loans of up to $3 million being provided to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across a wide spectrum of sectors, free of collateral and free of interest.

Housing support
In addition to business support, the Head of State also assured residents that the Government is working to address 100 per cent of the housing needs in Region Six by the end of 2026. He indicated that every household with existing housing applications is expected to receive allocation letters before the end of the year. Moreover, to ensure allottees move towards homeownership, the President also outlined measures to assist families who have received land but require support to begin construction, including affordable assistance with establishing the foundations of their homes. Ali also announced plans to roll out the social housing programme in the region. This initiative targets persons living with severe disabilities, single parents facing extreme circumstances and other vulnerable groups. With approximately 300 persons targeted initially, the Guyanese Leader said an assessment would have to be done to ensure that the beneficiaries are those with urgent housing needs. “So, there will be a team that will do such an evaluation. And we want to start this programme before the end of the year that will look at building these social houses… So, we want before the end of this year, to have these houses ready in those areas,” he noted.

Model Village
Port Mourant is the latest community to benefit from the Government’s ‘Model Village’ Initiative. During Saturday’s engagement held at the University of Guyana’s (UG) Tain Campus, residents were presented with the plans to improve and transform the community. In Port Mourant, the initiative will focus on upgrading roads, road shoulders, walkways and drainage, alongside improved street lighting, CCTV cameras, fire hydrants and other safety measures.

Plans also include upgrades and expansion of the Port Mourant Market to create safer and more hygienic spaces for vendors and small businesses, as well as improvements to public spaces, parks and recreational facilities. The proposal further includes tree planting, the development of a children’s play park and the construction of a Port Mourant Recreational Park. In addition to Port Mourant, the Guyanese Leader also held public consultations at Rose Hall, Skeldon and New Amsterdam, where the blueprint was also presented for the enhancement of those communities across Region Six. These are part of 23 villages being targeted under the pilot phase of the ‘Model Village’ Initiative. So far, discussions were held with 19 villages in Regions Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara); Four (Demerara-Mahaica), and Five (Mahaica-Berbice). The remaining four communities are Supenaam, Charity, Suddie and Anna Regina in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), where consultations will be held today.

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The United States (US) and Guyana have continued their security cooperation with a recent technical training engagement between the US Air Force and the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Air Corps. The US Embassy in Georgetown on Saturday posted on its social media page that a Mobile Training Team from the US Air Force’s 571st Mobile Support Advisory Squadron partnered with the GDF Air Corps for the second security cooperation engagement between the two countries this year.
The latest engagement focused on engine maintenance for the GDF’s King Air aircraft, with US personnel providing hands-on technical training to Air Corps personnel. According to the embassy, the training is intended to strengthen the Air Corps’ maintenance capabilities, improve aircraft turnaround times and increase sortie generation rates. The embassy said improved operational readiness would allow the GDF Air Corps to respond more effectively to regional security challenges and natural disasters. The engagement is part of ongoing efforts by the US and Guyana to build defence capacity and improve interoperability between their respective forces. “The United States is proud to work alongside the Guyana Defence Force to build capacity, enhance interoperability, and advance our shared commitment to regional security,” the embassy said in its social media post.
The latest training follows the first security cooperation engagement between the US Air Force and GDF Air Corps earlier this year, as both countries continue to expand defence and security collaboration.

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Days after the United States (US) Government announced a whopping US$150 million investment in Guyana’s bauxite sector, Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau will travel to Georgetown to advance bilateral talks on critical minerals, energy and other sectors. According to the Department of State, Landau will travel to Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana from August 9 to 12, 2026.
In Guyana, Deputy Secretary Landau will meet with President Dr Irfaan Ali and Cabinet Members to discuss expanding bilateral economic cooperation and strengthening bilateral investment opportunities. “The visit will also focus on enhancing collaboration in strategic sectors including energy and critical minerals,” the State Department said in a brief statement on Sunday. It was further noted that this visit underscores the US’ commitment to strengthening partnerships across the hemisphere and advancing shared priorities, including regional security, energy resilience and economic prosperity. Just last month, Landau held discussions with a Guyanese Government delegation led by Senior Minister with Responsibility for Finance Dr Ashni Singh in Washington DC. During that meeting, the Deputy Secretary of State reiterated the US commitment to position its private sector to tap into the vast investment opportunities available in Guyana across multiple industries, including mining. “They agreed that US private sector capital, expertise, and technology could unleash a wave of investment opportunities in all sectors of the economy, including agriculture, critical minerals, energy, infrastructure, and housing,” the Spokesperson at the US Department of State, Tommy Pigott, stated about the meeting. Moreover, Landau, in a subsequent post on X (formerly Twitter), lauded the Guyana Government’s plans to promote economic growth in both the energy and non-energy sectors, such as mining and agriculture, as well as its commitment to ensuring that such growth benefits the Guyanese people now and in the future.

US$150M investment
Deputy Secretary Landau’s visit to Georgetown comes mere days after the US Department of War (DOW) announced a US$150 million investment in bauxite operations in Guyana as Washington moves to secure a regional supply chain for refractory-grade bauxite – a critical material for national defence and key industrial base sectors. In a statement on Friday, the Department’s Economic Defence Unit (EDU), in partnership with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of War for Industrial Base Policy, announced an US$85.5 million equity investment agreement with Strategic Bauxite USA, through the Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment (IBAS) programme. This contribution is complemented by an additional US$64.5 million co-investment from the private sector.
“These funds will be used to acquire and expand the First Bauxite (FBX) mine in Guyana, develop new calcination facilities for primary processing, and contribute to a follow-on project to construct a brown-fused alumina (BFA) facility in the United States,” the DOW said in its missive. This announcement comes less than a month after Canada’s First Bauxite revealed in a July 2026 statement that it entered into an agreement under which Strategic Bauxite USA has acquired the company – a deal it says would allow continued growth, investment and long-term success.
First Bauxite, through its local subsidiary Guyana Industrial Minerals Inc (GINMIN), operates the Bonasika Bauxite Project located in Region Three between the Demerara and Essequibo Rivers.

Secure, vertically integrated US supply chain
Meanwhile, the US DOW explained in Friday’s missive that this strategic partnership will establish a secure, vertically integrated US supply chain for refractory-grade bauxite, which is a critical material for national defence and key industrial base sectors. “Our defence readiness relies on secure, regional access to critical minerals,” Assistant Secretary of War for Industrial Base Policy Michael Cadenazzi said. “This partnership with Strategic Bauxite through the equity funding and analysis provided by the IBAS programme ensures that critical materials in the western hemisphere stay in supply chains that protect the United States and its allies.” According to the Department, this US$150 million initiative addresses an over-dependence on imports for refractory-grade bauxite for the US supply chain, with the vast majority sourced directly from China or Chinese-owned entities. It noted that once fully operational, this project is expected to meet 100 per cent of US military demand for BFA and 100 per cent of US demand for refractory bauxite.
The Department said IBAS equity and direct investments are strategically targeted at critical supply chain bottlenecks, particularly where private venture capital has historically been hesitant to invest due to long developmental timelines. “The Department of War is no longer waiting for supply chain dependencies to be exploited,” Director of the Economic Defence Unit George K. Kollitides II stated. “This agreement shows how EDU and the Department can partner with the commercial sector to rapidly turn opportunities into advantages for the warfighter.”
Refractory-grade bauxite is necessary for manufacturing high-temperature-resistant materials used to make critical components for our warfighters, such as heat shields, thermal barriers, and turbine engines in guided missiles, rockets, military aircraft, and space systems. Beyond defence, this high-purity bauxite is a vital raw material for steel and aluminum production, energy infrastructure and industrial furnaces, making it a cornerstone of a modern industrial economy.
The DOW said this agreement also serves as an example of how the Department is coordinating across the interagency to support national security requirements. As part of the broader effort, the Department of State provided critical funding to support infrastructure associated with the project, enabling the US Government to act quickly and reinforce the long-term viability of the supply chain. In fact, the need for infrastructure investments to expand the local bauxite industry was previously highlighted by the US. Under Secretary for Economic Affairs, Jacob Helberg, during a visit to Georgetown back in May. At a press conference with local reporters, Helberg told the Guyana Times that Guyana has a lot of natural reserves but not the capacity to get this mineral into markets – something which the US is ready to work with the country on and this, he noted, was indicated to the Guyanese Government during high-level discussions. “We talked about the opportunities surrounding bauxite and expanding Guyana’s economic activities in the bauxite sector with additional private investments. We also talked about ways that infrastructure investments, especially in roads and potentially autonomous trucking technology, can actually be catalytic to getting more Guyanese bauxite on the global market,” Helberg stated. According to the US Government official, “Bauxite minerals were a focus because the reserves are already known, and there are already a lot of investors with active investments in Guyana today. We did talk about surveying land where large amounts of new reserves for many types of other minerals are believed to be located, but where the land needs to be surveyed in a more extensive way. So, we did talk about things that were prospective, but because the reserves of bauxite are known and there are already investments today, we talked a fair amount about those.”

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The local tourism sector continues to see sustained growth, with the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) reporting an increase in visitor arrivals during the first six months of 2026. In its half year highlights, the GTA said Guyana recorded 226,463 visitors from January to June 2026, representing a 12 per cent year-to-date increase. Based on current trends, the Authority predicts more than 500,000 visitors are expected by December 31, 2026. According to the GTA, major events and conferences contributed to sustained travel demand during the first half of this year, including the closing of the Diamond Jubilee Visual Arts Exhibition, Guyana Restaurant Week, International Building Expo, Institute of Chartered Accountants of the Caribbean (ICAC) Annual Conference, Voting Rights & Electoral Justice Conference, ECONOME Business Conference & Mixer, Caribbean Port State Control Conference (CPSCC), and the WeLeadAssociation Conference, among others.
Moreover, it was reported that Guyana welcomed 40,002 visitors in June 2026, representing a 16.8 per cent increase compared to June 2025. This trend, the GTA noted, continues the country’s strong tourism growth trajectory. Leisure travel remained the largest contributor to arrivals, accounting for 61 per cent of visitors, followed by business with 16 per cent and other at 23 per cent, the Authority disclosed. Only last week, the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce reported 45,127 visitors for July 2026 – the highest number ever recorded for this month in the history of Guyana’s tourism and marking an 11.1 per cent increase compared to July 2025. The Ministry said the Origins Fashion Show (July 3–5) brought regional designers and audiences together, while CARICOM Day celebrations, including the One Guyana Worship Experience (July 6) showcased Guyana’s rich culture and strengthened regional ties. The Global Super League Cricket tournament (July 23–Aug 1) also attracted teams and fans from around the world. “Together, these events contributed to a vibrant month that not only boosted visitor arrivals but also reinforced Guyana’s growing reputation as a destination for culture, fashion, and sport,” the Tourism Ministry noted. It added that this record reflects Guyana’s continued momentum as a destination where visitors can enjoy unforgettable adventures, world-class events and authentic cultural experiences.

International recognition
Meanwhile, the GTA said in its mid-year highlights that in addition to visitors’ arrival, progress was also seen in other areas within the local tourism industry including capacity building, product development, destination marketing and industry partnerships. In fact, the Authority noted that Guyana’s tourism sector continued to receive international recognition for sustainability, community involvement and conservation efforts. For instance, Toka Village in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) received the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) Community-Based Tourism Award 2026 for its community-led tourism model, traditional cultural experiences and support for local livelihoods. The Iwokrama International Centre for Rainforest Conservation and Development was also recognised among Travel and Tour World’s “50 Best Eco Tourism Destinations in the World for 2026.”
Moreover, ‘Destination Guyana’ has also been featured on the Green Destinations – Good Travel Experiences (GTE) platform, highlighting three of the country’s flagship eco-tourism experiences: Rewa Eco Lodge: Arapaima Conservation & Research Initiative; Caiman House Eco Lodge: Yupukari River Turtle Conservation Project; and Atta Rainforest Lodge: Iwokrama Canopy Walkway Trail. Additionally, the Backyard Cafe was featured in TIME’s List of the World’s Greatest Places 2026, which named 100 extraordinary destinations to visit and stay.

Destination Guyana also signed a contract to participate in Expo 2027 in Belgrade, Serbia. The Expo 2027 will take place from May 15 to August 15, 2027 under the theme “Play for Humanity – Sport and Music for All.” According to the GTA, Guyana’s participation supports stronger international cooperation while providing another platform to showcase our country and place Destination Guyana further on the global tourism map. Further, CTO has named Guyana as the host nation for the State of the Tourism Industry Conference (SOTIC) from October 5 to 9, 2026. This marks the first time the country has been selected to host and it underscores growing regional confidence in Guyana’s leadership and its expanding role in shaping tourism dialogue across the Caribbean.

Capacity building
Meanwhile, the GTA continued to strengthen tourism standards through inspections, licensing, and regulatory support for tourism businesses across Guyana. For the January to June period, the Authority licenced: 13 accommodation establishments; 34 tour operators; nine lodges and resorts, and some 151 tour guides including 12 from 2024, 117 from 2025 and 22 from 2026. These efforts, according to the Tourism Authority, supported improved service standards, increased industry compliance and continued growth in Guyana’s tourism offering. In fact, to further strengthen this process, the new licensing portal was officially re-launched allowing for industry stakeholders to apply online in various categories, including Tour Guides, Tour Operators, Tourism Accommodation Establishments (Hotels), Lodges & Resorts, and Bed & Breakfast Facilities.
Moreover, between January and June, some 1,176 persons received training in key areas including First Aid & CPR, Introduction to Tourism, Bird Guide Accreditation, Tour Guiding, Business & Financial Management, Business Etiquette and Delivering Quality Service. Through these training programmes, the GTA continues to strengthen the skills and capacity of tourism stakeholders across Guyana, supporting improved visitor experiences and stronger tourism businesses.
“Through targeted initiatives across communities, continued engagement with tourism businesses and strategic promotion in key markets, the Guyana Tourism Authority continued to support the development of a more resilient, diverse and sustainable tourism sector,” the agency said in its 2026 mid-year highlights.

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