Planned US$300 million hotel will increase Guyana’s competitiveness as major conference destination

Last Updated on Sunday, 18 February 2024, 20:50 by Denis Chabrol

The construction of an almost US$300 million hotel by a Qatari group on the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) ground on Carifesta Avenue is part of a plan to increase Guyana’s competitiveness to host major conferences, Tourism Minister Oneidge Walrond said at Sunday’s symbolic bricklaying.

By adding 400 rooms to the existing 330 rooms in first class facilities within one mile, she said the majority of Guyana’s 1,000 high-end rooms would be within that short stretch.

“This capacity will immediately impact in a positive way the feasibility of our hosting larger regional conferences and events which is part of our strategy for the industry,” Ms Walrond told local and foreign private sector investors, diplomats and government officials including Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley.

The five-star hotel, Georgetown Seafront Resort and Convention Centre, is to be constructed by the privately-owned Qatar-headquartered Asset Group. The property would include 260 hotel rooms and 150 service apartments for long-stay and other high-end facilities. Vice Chairman of the Asset Group, Ramez Alkhayyat said the property would occupy 76,000 square metres. He echoed Ms Walrond’s forecast that the hotel and convention centre would  give Guyana a competitive edge to host events. He said the world-class convention centre with the “best and cutting edge technology” will help Georgetown to “host an extensive and wide range of international conferences and events.”

Mr Khayyat later told reporters that the Asset Group had been “studying the market for the past 12 months” and “we found out that Guyana is the land of opportunities” in hospitality, oil and gas, services, banking and healthcare.  He said almost 1,500 persons, “who would come from abroad” would be involved in the construction of the hotel and convention centre and almost 1,000 persons who would staff the facility after completion.

Construction is expected to take three years.

Minister Walrond said the construction of other internationally-branded hotels in Guyana is part of an “integrated framework” for Guyana’s hospitality sector. More airlines are adding Guyana as a destination, and a US$7.2 million hospitality training institute is t0 be built at Port Mourant, Corentyne, Berbice.

President Irfaan Ali said by yearend the construction of several new hotels, at a cost of more than US$250 million, would be completed,  adding more than 1,500 world class rooms to the local market. They are Aiden Best Western, which is expected to open in June with 150 rooms; the Marriott Courtyard Marriott, which is expected to open by the last quarter with another 150 rooms; the Four Points Sheraton in Providence, which will have 172 new rooms, the AC Marriott at Ogle which expected to open his door by December, adding 152 new rooms and the Hyatt Place at Providence on the East Bank of Demerara which would add 136 rooms.

Dr Ali said there would be increased airline passenger lift to Guyana this year with 15,000 new seats this year from the Dominican Republic on Sky High airline, and 137,000 new seats on United Airlines and American Airlines.

President Ali said the investment by the Asset Group is indicative of the strong emerging relationship between Guyana and Qatar. In that regard, he announced that the Qatari  government would be building a second stadium in Region Three (West Demerara-Essequibo Islands).