President Dr Irfaan Ali on Saturday made a direct pitch to Sandals Resorts International chief executive Adam Stewart to open a resort in Guyana, calling it one of the strongest tourism investment opportunities in the Caribbean.
Ali made the approach at the launch of CAM Motors and the introduction of FOTON and JETOUR vehicles at Railway Courtyard in Georgetown.
“You will be doing your brand a great disservice if you don’t have the bold capacity that I know your brand carries… That decision is to work with our private sector as partners in creating Sandals’ number one eco-destination, all-inclusive resort here in Guyana,” Ali said.
The president argued that Guyana’s biodiversity, cultural richness and natural assets gave it a competitive edge no other Caribbean destination could match, and that the absence of a Sandals property in the country represented a missed opportunity for the brand.
Sandals operates all-inclusive beachfront resorts across eight Caribbean destinations.
Ali said Guyana’s tourism expansion was already being driven largely by domestic investment, and called on the local private sector to mobilise further support for the sector.
He added that Guyana’s economic future must extend beyond oil and gas to include stronger investments in tourism and long-term private sector growth.
