Guyana and Jamaica have signed a memorandum of understanding to work together on tourism and hospitality. Ministers from both countries signed it at the State of the Tourism Industry Conference (SOTIC) 2026, held at the Atlantic Suites by Hyatt.
Guyana’s Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Susan Rodrigues, signed for Guyana. Jamaica’s long-serving Tourism Minister, Edmund Bartlett, signed for Jamaica. Officials from the Guyana Tourism Authority, Jamaica’s Ministry of Tourism and the Caribbean Tourism Organization looked on.
What the agreement covers
The MOU sets up a framework for the two countries to:
- share expertise and experience in running a tourism sector
- build links between tourism businesses and stakeholders on both sides
- encourage travel between Guyana and Jamaica
- cooperate on investment, air connectivity, training, sustainability and resilience
Why it matters
Jamaica is one of the region’s most established destinations. Guyana is still building its visitor economy around rainforests, waterfalls and eco-tourism. Minister Bartlett described Guyana’s natural heritage as a valuable addition to the regional offer. He said the bigger goal is to keep more of tourism’s earnings inside Caribbean economies, not just to raise arrival numbers. Minister Rodrigues said the deal would let both countries learn from each other and open doors for people across the region.
For travellers, the idea worth watching is “multi-destination” tourism: trips that pair Jamaica’s beaches with Guyana’s interior. Better air links between the two countries would be the first sign that this is taking shape.
Source: Kaieteur News
Photo: Bill Cameron, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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