THIS YEAR’S Junior Minister of Tourism, Chloe Walker, will leave the island later this month to take part in the Caribbean Tourism Organisation’s (CTO) Regional Tourism Youth Congress 2015.
The Youth Congress, which is a featured event of the CTO’s State of the Industry Conference, will take place at the World Trade Centre in Willemstad, Curacao, from October 21 to 23, under the theme Caribbean Tourism – Growth through Innovation.
The 17-year-old Harrison College student will compete with other Junior Tourism Ministers from across the region to become the next Caribbean Junior Minister. The competition will mirror a CTO board of directors meeting, and participants will discuss a number of topics, including volunteerism, greening tourism events and film-induced tourism. There will also be a mystery question which is expected to test their knowledge of tourism in their country.
Participants in the Youth Congress will also have the opportunity to attend various conference sessions; share information about their countries as tourist destinations; and visit various tourist sites and attractions in Curacao.
In preparation for the competition, and as part of planned activities as a Junior Minister of Tourism, Walker completed a three-week internship at the Crane Beach Hotel in St. Philip.
She also spent the summer familiarising herself with the Barbadian tourism product through visits to a number of attractions across the island and participating in a number of Crop Over activities planned by the National Tourism Host Programme of the Barbados Tourism Product Authority.
Barbados has had some success in the Youth Congress over the years. In 2002, the island placed second, while in 2005, it placed first. In 2008 and 2012, Barbados achieved second place.
This activity is part of the Barbados Together component of the National Tourism Host Programme, and seeks to provide a forum for young people to express their views on tourism matters. It also aims to enhance their communication skills through the preparation and presentation of speeches. (BGIS)
