After pandemic downturn, Guyana expects growth in passenger arrivals this year

Guyana should record a marginal increase in the number of air passengers arriving in the country by year end, as the country continues to rebound from the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Minister within the Ministry of Public Works Deodat Indar has said.

Minister Indar, speaking at the Conference on International Air Transport Cooperation in the Republic of Korea, lamented the “economic troubles” presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.

To slow the spread of the deadly coronavirus, ports were shut and as such, there was a reduction in travel

In Guyana, the Public Works Minister said that international air traffic declined by some 72 per cent in 2020 and then 47 per cent in 2021, compared to the records of arrival for 2019. Some declines were also recorded in the domestic aviation sector too.

“Fortunately, we are recovering much faster than the industry, and as of May 2022, we are 95 per cent of the pre-pandemic passenger numbers.

“… and we expect to close 2022 with five per cent more passengers than in 2019,” the minister happily told the conference.

With much attention being placed on Guyana currently, Minister Indar underscored that the government is seeking to create a “robust” aviation industry by making the much-needed investments. Completed and forthcoming works at the expanded Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), at Timehri on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD), he said, illustrate the government’s commitment to this goal.

Even so, Minister Indar said that collaboration with other states will help Guyana’s aviation sector advance.

“Strengthening technical cooperation in civil aviation can foster improved social and economic conditions as well as help foster improved relations among countries.

“Partnerships in areas such as human resource capacity building, infrastructure services and

environmental protection which all of these can strengthen relations on both the institutional and on a country level,” the minister said.

Climate-smart aviation, too, must be a key focus, according to the minister.