Georgetown, Guyana – September 23, 2025 – Guyana’s booming tourism push is facing a serious challenge as major Western nations continue to warn their citizens to stay away from the country, citing crime and border tensions. Tourism Minister Susan Rodrigues has vowed to get answers, telling stakeholders that the basis for some of these hard-hitting advisories remains unclear.
“We need to know why these advisories are being issued, why the risk levels are suddenly raised when there’s no major incident here at home,” Rodrigues stressed during a meeting with the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG). She promised closer coordination with the Home Affairs Ministry and security forces to restore confidence in Guyana as a safe destination.
At present, the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia all have advisories in place for Guyana. Earlier this year, the US State Department bluntly told its citizens to “reconsider travel,” citing murders, armed robberies, and violent attacks, crimes it said are often difficult for local police to control due to limited resources.
Canada doubled down just last week, urging its nationals to exercise “a high degree of caution,” especially near the volatile Essequibo border region. Its warning flagged gang-related activity, homicides, and carjackings, and even listed Georgetown neighborhoods such as Agricola, Albouystown, Sophia, and Tiger Bay as high-risk zones.
The advisories further discouraged the use of public minibuses, carrying large amounts of cash, or changing money on the streets, calling them unsafe practices. With Guyana preparing to brand itself as a premier oil-and-tourism hub, Rodrigues argued that these advisories are undercutting national efforts and must be directly confronted through diplomatic engagement.
