Committed to Tourism of Guyana
Although a latecomer to the club of tourism destinations among the 32 countries of the Caribbean and the West Indies, Guyana has long been a niche attraction for international travellers seeking adventure. An early 20th-century publication, British Guiana as a Holiday Resort (first published in 1910) by British author Edith A. Browne, highlights colonial officials as precursors to modern-day international tourists.
Before 1966, tourism in Guyana manifested mainly through retreats organised by foreign-owned companies and senior government officials who availed themselves of leisure, rest, and relaxation at government-constructed and managed resort bungalows. During this period, the industry was managed by the Guyana Development Corporation. However, since gaining independence from the United Kingdom in 1966, tourism in Guyana made little progress as a large, viable industry for the next 30 years, with only a handful of initiatives marking its development.
One significant initiative was the completion of Guyana’s first international hotel in 1969. This project, a partnership among the Guyana Development Corporation, British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC), and the leading British hotel company Trust House Forte (THF), resulted in the iconic Guyana Pegasus Hotel. For over 40 years, this remained the only internationally branded hotel in Guyana.
Tourism in Guyana – The Present (1994)
As the General Manager of the Guyana Pegasus Hotel and its sister eco-resort, Timberhead, in the mid-1990s, I recognised that my role differed from the traditional responsibilities of international hoteliers elsewhere. My mission extended beyond the confines of the hotel, necessitating collaboration with all stakeholders to craft a unified vision for the future of tourism in Guyana. I prepared my team to set trends in world-class hospitality and introduced a dynamic sub-culture of colourful events, festivals, and eco-tourism experiences, all delivered safely and sustainably.
Tourism in Guyana progressed slowly between 1966 and the mid-1990s, mired in doubt and scepticism. Presidential attitudes at the time reflected this uncertainty. President Forbes Burnham, in his famous “nation of waiters and pimps” formulation, expressed concerns about the social repercussions of tourism. Similarly, President Cheddi Jagan, buoyed by the strength of the sugar, rice, and bauxite industries, saw little need to diversify the economy through tourism. However, more positive attitudes began to emerge toward the latter part of the 20th century, aided by a growing recognition of tourism’s potential.
During the 1990s, two key tourism bodies were established: the Tourism Association of Guyana (TAG) and an association for small hotel owners. Additionally, the period saw a surge in private-sector investment in tourism and the designation of 1996 as ‘Visit Guyana Year’. Another milestone was the introduction of tourism education at the University of Guyana, which launched a degree programme in the field.
Following my first meeting with Donald Sinclair, an inspiring academic who spearheaded the University’s tourism degree programme, he recommended me for a Visiting Professorship in Tourism Marketing. Teaching the future leaders of Guyana’s tourism industry became a deeply fulfilling endeavour for me. I also regularly participated in national roundtables on tourism, often serving as a panellist or panel chair.
Developing tourism in a country like Guyana, which was relatively new to organised tourism, required thinking outside the box. Innovation and unselfish partnerships were essential. The Guyana Pegasus Hotel assumed a leadership role in promoting sustainable tourism and elevating industry standards.
Within three months of my arrival in Guyana, on July 6, 1994, the Guyana Pegasus Hotel hosted the country’s first-ever National Roundtable on Hospitality Training. Donald Sinclair honoured me with the opportunity to deliver the welcome address. At the conclusion of this roundtable, I pledged to establish and lead Guyana’s first-ever hotel school within months. This institution —Pegasus Hotel School would train not only the managers of the Guyana Pegasus Hotel but also those from competitor hotels across the country. Although this decision initially faced resistance from some of my superiors at Forte’s corporate office in London, I eventually convinced them of its necessity in uplifting industry standards nationwide.
These mega events in the Caribbean, often attended by over a thousand delegates, allowed me to showcase Guyana on a broader stage. I also learnt more about my future home and the most tourism-dependent region in the world. The Caribbean now attracts over 32 million tourists and additional 13 million cruise passengers a year. The total population in the Caribbean today is 44.5 million, slightly fewer than the total number of visitors they welcome to the region in a year!The Guyana Pegasus Hotel also partnered with the national carrier, Guyana Airways, in an innovative tourism promotion venture. Additionally, I contributed to marketing and sales efforts on behalf of the Tourism Association of Guyana (TAG), representing the Guyana Pegasus Hotel, Timberhead Eco-Resort, and the country at major regional events organised by the Caribbean Hotels Association (CHA) and the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO).
I soon became recognised as an industry leader in Guyana’s tourism sector, and a couple of years later in the Caribbean. In later years, Donald Sinclair and I collaborated on conference presentations about Guyana in the United States and Canada, as well as in British scholarly publications about tourism in Guyana. In 2018, we co-edited eight academic articles authored by leading tourism researchers in Guyana, culminating in a themed issue published in the UK by Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes (Emerald Publishers). This issue, titled “What Innovative Strategies are Needed to Develop Tourism in Guyana for 2025?”, explored forward-thinking approaches to tourism development.Tourism in Guyana – Towards a Bright Future…
In our three joint articles within this publication, as well as the editorial, we predicted that “2025 would be a pivotal year for Guyana as it redefines itself as a tourist destination.” We argued that Guyana, while geographically part of the Caribbean, shared much in common with its Amazonian neighbours to the south. We also anticipated that the commercial viability of recently discovered oil reserves would triple the country’s revenue base, providing unprecedented funds for tourism development. Among the proposed initiatives was a Jonestown tourism project. This leveraged the tragic history of the 1978 mass murder-suicide of over 900 American followers of Jim Jones to attract dark tourism traffic to Guyana.
Friendships in Tourism
For me, the essence of tourism lies in connecting with people and appreciating their history, culture and stories. Among the many fascinating individuals I met in Guyana during 1994 and 1995, a dozen of them keep in touch with me 30y years later… One such person is: Leah Hibbin, then the Executive Director of the Tourism Association of Guyana (TAG). With a British father and Guyanese mother, Leah had returned to Guyana after completing her degree in England in 1993. Intelligent, innovative, fun-loving, and hardworking, Leah quickly became a valued friend and partner in several tourism projects.
Our shared love for visual art deepened our bond. After I left Guyana, Leah visited Jamaica briefly, and I met her a few times in London during my tenure as Worldwide President of the Hotel & Catering International Management Association (HCIMA, now the Institute of Hospitality, UK). Leah now resides in South Africa with her partner, and I enjoy following her spiritual outlook and daring adventures on social media.
Upon reading the last episode of this series, Leah wrote to me: “Dear Chandi, I have so many wonderful memories of those days, and many of them involved being your partner ‘in crime, mischief, and mayhem!’ I will never forget the twinkle in your eyes when your imagination took flight, lighting up your face and the room. Your brilliant ideas always brought magic, culture, sparkle, and fun to a place that desperately needed them.”
After I responded to Leah’s kind message, she replied, “You stood out like a big shiny beacon of my soul family… the laws of physics—time, distance, and absence—do not apply to such people. Even if we never see them again, their memories are backlit in gold with a soundtrack of laughter. You are one of those people for me, and I will always be grateful to have met you.”
Conclusion
Reflecting on my time in Guyana, I am filled with gratitude for the opportunities to contribute to its tourism industry. From hosting the first National Roundtable on Hospitality Training to establishing the country’s first hotel school, my journey in Guyana was marked by collaboration, innovation, and the forging of lifelong friendships. As the country continues to redefine itself as a tourist destination, I remain optimistic about its future and honoured to have played a small role in its story.

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