Latest update January 28th, 2026 12:35 AM
Govt. boasts of increased visitor arrivals last year
(Kaieteur News) – Guyana has reached a significant milestone in its tourism industry, recording a total of 453,489 visitor arrivals in 2025, representing a 22% increase compared to 2024.
The Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) in a statement released on Sunday, stated that these figures mark the highest annual total in the country’s history. According to the statement, the United States and Caribbean markets continued to dominate visitor arrivals, while countries in Canada and Europe showed steady growth.
In the final two months of 2025, the country saw strong numbers, with 34,706 visitors in November, an 8% increase from the previous year. December recorded 47,337 arrivals, a 21% increase over December 2024. This surge in December marked the highest number of visitors for the month. “This performance was driven by seasonal holiday travel, festive events, expanded regional connectivity, and targeted marketing in both diaspora and leisure markets. While the United States and Caribbean continued to lead source markets, notable growth from Europe and Latin America signalled Guyana’s expanding international appeal,” GTA stated.
Additionally, GTA shared that throughout 2025, the United States accounted for 40% of visitor arrivals, followed by the Caribbean at 33%. Other markets included Canada (7%), Latin America (7%), Europe (6%), and various other regions (7%). “Key contributors to this performance included expanded airline connectivity and competitive fares, strong post-pandemic diaspora demand, successful sports and cultural tourism events, and continued improvements in digital data monitoring systems. Effective collaboration between public- and private-sector stakeholders also played a critical role in strengthening tourism infrastructure and promotion,” GTA stated.
Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce Susan Rodrigues
As a member of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO), Guyana’s 2025 performance was also noted in the CTO’s December regional tourism report. GTA stated that the country recorded a 23.8% increase in international arrivals between January and October 2025, marking the highest growth rate among Caribbean destinations during that period. In comparison, neighbouring countries such as Dominica (+16.2%), Trinidad & Tobago (+13.0%), and the Cayman Islands (+2.1%) experienced lower growth rates. Guyana’s performance also represented a 45.2% increase in arrivals compared to 2019, positioning it among the strongest tourism recoveries in the region. “Further, the CTO explicitly identified Guyana as a leader in growth and recovery, positioning the country as a rising star in Caribbean tourism. While destinations like Cuba (-19.9%) and Jamaica (-2.0%) struggled, Guyana’s performance stood out as a model of resilience and strategic success,” GTA stated.
Looking ahead, the GTA projects that visitor arrivals will reach 550,000 by the end of 2026, based on current trends.
Meanwhile, during the opening ceremony of the AC Marriott Hotel on Saturday, Minister Susan Rodrigues emphasised the increasing global recognition of Guyana as a top tourist destination. She noted that the country is gaining international recognition from prestigious outlets such as Bloomberg, which named Guyana one of its Top 25 Destinations for 2026, and the New York Times, which included Guyana in its list of “52 Places to Go in 2026.” “Guyana’s global profile is raising decisively on the world stage; our destination is now earning recognition from some of the most respective international News networks and travel publications. Guyana has been named a Bloomberg top 25 destination for 2026. It has been featured in the New York Times 52 places to go in 2026, clear signals that the world is taking notice of what Guyana has to offer,” she said.
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