Durrant Pate/Contributor

As the development of Guyana’s tourism sector shifts into high gear, Trinidad & Tobago businesses are pumping hundreds of millions of US dollars into hotel construction in the South American/Caribbean territory.

At least two international leading hotel brands, AC Marriott and Hyatt are setting down roots in Guyana with each constructing a branded hotel, adding at least 300 quality rooms to the hotel room stock. The hotels are being developed by T&T investors led by John Aboud of Superior Hotels and businessman, Imtiaz Ahamad.

Both hotels are expected to be completed by 2024. Trinidad and Tobago’s Business Guardian has confirmed that another Trinidadian investor, Jerry Narace has submitted a successful bid to a Request for Proposal for another hotel.

However, details concerning that development have not yet emerged.  Last month, Superior Hotels signed on to undertake the AC Marriott at Ogle project in an area formerly populated with sugar estate lands on the East Coast of Demerara, which will see that area transformed into a 160-room hotel.

High optimism about hotel projects

Aboud confirmed the group had invested US$45million into the project noting that building a hotel in Guyana will be a little different than previous work done in T&T. However, he is very optimistic about the project.

Last February, the group opened The Brix, Autograph Collection, another Marriott branded hotel in Trinidad while plans were also made for another Marriott hotel at Rocky Point in Tobago.

Aboud explained Guyana served up an opportunity to further expand the group’s partnership with the Marriott. Work on the project is only about a month along. 

It is estimated the new hotel should be able to welcome guests by the last quarter of 2024. Abound explained Guyana’s enthusiasm was encouraging, as the company looked to expand its development of Marriott branded hotels.

Imitiaz Ahamad, owner of Southern Sales along with Arthur Lok Jack, once the largest shareholder of Guardian Holdings, confirmed that they are part of a group called SIR Investments Guyana that would be responsible for a brand new 136-room Hyatt Place, set to be located in Providence.

“We expect that the main contractor should break ground around October or November,” Ahamad told The Guardian explaining that the development was awaiting one outstanding approval. He advised that the hotel should be completed by the first quarter of 2024.

Ahamad explained the decision to invest in a hotel in Guyana was born out of a search for new opportunities. Guyanese President Irfaan Ali has stressed that the development of Guyana’s tourism sector was part of the government’s sustainability plan for the future referring to two other large hotel projects under way.

They are the 13-storey Pasha Global Hotel at Liliendaal, which is set to have 200 rooms and the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel, which is set to bring 172 rooms to Houston, Guyana. The Four Points Hotel is to be completed by the first quarter of 2024, while the Pasha Global is expected to have 150 of its rooms available in that year, but will officially have all 500 rooms available by 2025.