For Candace Phillips, of Lokono (Arawak) heritage, the winding river journeys of her childhood shaped more than just memories—they shaped her life’s work. Born in Santa Rosa, Region One, and raised in Georgetown by her mother, she often longed for the trips to Moruca and the comforting embrace of her grandmother’s home.
Those moments, she says, “sparked a curiosity about culture and place” that would later blossom into her career.
Though she first studied Economics and spent time working in law, her true calling revealed itself when she joined the Amerindian Peoples Association (APA).
“It opened my eyes to Indigenous life in Guyana. I started to see the strength of our people, and I wanted to be part of preserving that,” Candace recalled.
That decision led her to the Rupununi, where she embraced a new path dedicated to heritage and community development.
In 2015, she accepted a role with Conservation International-Guyana, coordinating tourism in Region Nine and building what would become Visit Rupununi. For Candace, it was not merely about establishing an organisation—it was, in her words, “a labour of love.”
Her passion soon brought her into the national fold. In 2019, she joined the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) as a Product Development Officer, working alongside tourism stakeholders across the country to shape their visions into reality.
Today, she serves as the GTA’s Senior Manager of Product Development, overseeing an impressive expansion that has seen the launch of 65 new tourism experiences since 2020, many of them designed with Indigenous communities at their core.
Her work has always been anchored in patience, empathy, and respect—qualities that earned her the Tourism Angel Award from the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG) earlier this year. The recognition affirmed her reputation as someone who listens deeply, collaborates authentically, and ensures that the people behind the products remain at the centre of the tourism story.
But Candace’s influence stretches beyond her professional role. Through her personal brand, A Path to Travel, she highlights the beauty of Destination Guyana while advocating for tourism that creates opportunities, protects traditions, and amplifies Indigenous voices.
For her, tourism is not simply about attracting visitors, it is about building bridges between the coast and hinterland, tradition and innovation, people and possibilities.
As Guyana celebrates Amerindian Heritage Month 2025 under the theme of unity, resilience, and cultural pride, Candace’s journey reflects these very ideals. From the rivers of Santa Rosa to the boardrooms of national tourism planning, she has carried her heritage with grace, ensuring that Indigenous communities remain not just beneficiaries of tourism, but leaders and storytellers in their own right.
