Last Updated on Saturday, 17 January 2026, 0:12 by Writer
Well-known Guyanese educator and tourism industry player, Donald Sinclair died on Thursday, according to the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG).
He was 74 years old.
He was also a lecturer in tourism and sustainable development and had pushed the development of the sector through numerous thematic areas such as the coconut industry.
Mr Sinclair also helped to push bodybuilding in Guyana in its early years.
He also reportedly taught at North Georgetown Secondary School in the 1970s.
President of THAG, Mitra Rajkumar said, “it’s a sad day for us. He was an outstanding gentleman in every sense of the word. He gave his all to the sector for decades.”
In a statement, the association said Mr Sinclair’s passing was greeted with “profound sadness” and described him as a distinguished tourism advocate, educator, and public sector leader whose contributions helped shape Guyana’s tourism landscape.
Mr. Sinclair amassed over 35 years of local, regional, and international experience in the tourism and hospitality industry.
In 2015, he was appointed by then Minister of Tourism, Cathy Hughes, as the Director-General of the Department of Tourism, a position he assumed on October 1, 2015.
Prior to that, he advised several ministers of tourism and was instrumental in advancing policy, planning, and institutional development within the sector.
THAG said he was “a passionate educator” who lectured at universities in Guyana, the United States, and Canada, and served as a senior lecturer in sustainable tourism management.
He also played a key role in regional capacity building as a lecturer and director at the Suriname Hospitality and Tourism Training School.
His academic contributions extended globally through research articles on tourism published in several international journals and publications.
Beyond academia and policy, Mr. Sinclair was deeply committed to practical tourism development.
Through his work within the Ministry of Tourism, he initiated and executed several impactful tourism programmes and events, including community-based and product-development initiatives such as the Coconut Festival, which highlighted agro-tourism, cultural heritage, and local enterprise, while fostering greater community participation in tourism.
His legacy is one of vision, mentorship, and service—bridging education, policy, and on-the-ground tourism development. THAG extends its deepest condolences to his family, colleagues, students, and the wider tourism community. His contributions to Guyana and regional tourism will be remembered with respect and gratitude.
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