Guyana battling to provide accommodation

Battling to get sufficient accommodation for the estimated 25,000 people expected in Guyana for the 2007 World Cup, Guyana is building new hotels, upgrading existing ones and establishing bed-and-breakfast homes.

Karran Singh, the chairman of Guyana's organising committee, admitted that he was worried about the small number of approved hotel rooms for teams, officials, media, sponsors and spectators. He said: "My main concern is our ability to accommodate - not loosely accommodate - but accommodating comfortably, that's my big worry."

But with four new hotels being built and several others being upgraded in time for the eight matches to be played in Guyana, Singh expressed confidence that Guyana would be able to make available a total of 5,000 rooms plus accommodation provided by families and friends.

Donald Sinclair, director of tourism studies at the University of Guyana, who is integrally involved in planning for Guyana's hosting of the World Cup, said authorities would shortly outline the required standards for bread-and-breakfast accommodations at privately-owned houses. "Obviously, our stock of rooms will have to be complemented by the bed-and-breakfast arrangements and this has a lot of implications for some things that need to be happening now or perhaps things that should have started earlier."

Unlike other Caribbean countries that are tourism-dependent, Guyana would also have to recruit and train hospitality workers as well as upgrade entertainment venues such as bars and restaurants to acceptable international standards, said prominent Guyanese hotelier, Shawn McGrath.

A brand new stadium, with a capacity for 15,000 people, is being built with assistance from the Indian government in time for the World Cup.