Guyana opens first international airport hotel, creating 100 jobs

Courtyard by Marriott, Guyana’s first international airport hotel, has officially opened its doors near the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), representing a US$20 million investment and creating roughly 100 jobs for Guyanese workers.

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President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali commissioned the six-story property on Wednesday, describing the 150-room hotel — which includes five executive suites — as both a symbol of ambition and a vote of confidence in Guyana’s future.

“This newest addition to our hospitality landscape demonstrates our determination to make tourism a strong, sustainable pillar of the economy,” President Ali said at the ceremony. “If we are to avoid the mistake of depending on a singular pillar, then tourism must rise.”

Designed to appeal to airline crew, diplomats, business travelers, and transit guests, the hotel offers modern amenities within walking distance of CJIA. Built by local company Cardinal Investments Inc. on 2.5 acres of government-leased land, the project was completed with a workforce that is 99 percent Guyanese.

President Ali emphasized that the development aligns with his government’s broader strategy to diversify the economy, expand tourism, and modernize CJIA into a global hub. “Guyana is not on the margins of the map. We are the centre of it,” he said, pointing to ongoing upgrades at the airport.

The president also praised the Bassoo family, the hotel’s developers, for their decades-long commitment to Guyana. In response, Managing Director Roy Bassoo Sr. credited the administration’s leadership for inspiring the investment and announced plans for a 130-room Staybridge Suites along Heroes Highway in 2026.

United States Ambassador to Guyana Nicole Theriot welcomed the opening, noting it reflected “strong confidence in the government’s vision for Guyana’s economic development.”

The new Courtyard comes as Guyana expands its high-end hospitality offerings. To support this growth, the government is also investing US$7.2 million in a Hospitality and Tourism Training Institute at Port Mourant, designed to prepare thousands of Guyanese for careers in the industry.

Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, Tourism Minister Oneidge Walrond, and members of the diplomatic corps also attended the commissioning ceremony.