The tourism sector is expected to generate over 1500 direct jobs in the next five years, according to Minister of Finance Winston Jordan who noted that a tourism hospitality school is also on the cards.
The minister told the National Assembly in his maiden budget speech on Monday that improving product development and enhancing the visitor experience with strategic approaches, including event creation, are anticipated to bring more visitors to Guyana. He said that development and enforcement of service standards and hospitality training will continue to be priorities for the sector to boost the quality of the experience.
“A project, which will attract financing from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), will be initiated, and an appropriate model of a tourism hospitality school will be executed,” Jordan said.
“Further, in bridging the coastland-
hinterland divide, government will accelerate efforts to implement the Hinterland Tourism Development Plan and aim to generate vibrant and sustainable livelihoods within communities across our country,” he added.
The minister said that the cost of internal travel as well as the cost of airlift to Guyana will also be reviewed to improve accessibility among the regions. Altogether, the sector is expected to generate over 1500 direct jobs in the next five years and witness a higher rate of increase of visitor arrivals with an expanded menu of tourism products and services, Jordan asserted.
