BARBADOS TOURISM YOUTH CONGRESS SHOWCASES STUDENTS’ SPEAKING SKILLS
New Junior Minister of Tourism 2024 Announced!
Bridgetown, Barbados, 25th July, 2024: A new Junior Minister of Tourism has been crowned! One point is all it took for Hailee Harding of the Graydon Sealy Secondary School to emerge victorious as the Junior Minister of Tourism 2024, following the Barbados Tourism Youth Congress (BTYC) held at Hilton Barbados Resort, Needham’s Point, St. Michael, on July 22nd, 2024. The nationwide competition, opened to public and private secondary school students ages 14 to 17, was contested by six (6) pupils this year.
Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI) facilitates the BTYC, which aims to boost tourism awareness and sensitization among Barbadian youth. It provides an avenue for engaging students and facilitating meaningful discourse on topics related to both Barbados and the Caribbean region’s tourism industry. During her remarks, Chief Executive Officer of BTMI, Andrea Franklin spoke directly to the contestants, “Throughout the years, the Barbados Tourism Youth Congress has been an integral part of shaping this island’s future tourism leaders. We recognize that today’s youth are tomorrow’s decision-makers who will directly influence the sector’s sustainable expansion. Students, your participation in the Barbados Tourism Youth Congress has presented an incredible opportunity to have your individual and collective voices heard on pertinent issues regarding tourism.”
In addition to being awarded the coveted title of Junior Minister of Tourism 2024, 16-year-old Hailee Harding will have the privilege of joining the Barbados delegation at the Caribbean Tourism Organisation’s (CTO) State of the Tourism Industry Conference and Annual Meeting; receiving an all-expenses paid trip to Cayman Islands to represent Barbados at the CTO Regional Tourism Youth Congress 2024. She also received a trophy, a laptop, a cash prize of BDS $600, a staycation for two(2) with breakfast at the Atlantis Hotel and a four (4) week 2025 summer internship within the tourism sector. Harding, who was overwhelmed with her win, noted that she did not want to let her supporters down. She added, “I was thinking the entire time that I can’t aim for just first place locally if I want to do well, I have to aim to go to the regional competition. I feel so happy for this moment, and I just want to thank everyone who was there for me – my mom, friends, family and my teachers. So many people pitched in to help me and of course I can’t forget to thank God.”
Mikkel Robertson of The Alexandra School placed second and received a trophy and cash prize of BDS $500 while Malika Straker of The Lester Vaughan School placed third and received a trophy and cash prize of BDS $400. They both will benefit from a four (4) week summer internship within the tourism industry during 2025. Their respective teachers received restaurant gift vouchers and copies of the book Island in the Sun – History of Tourism in Barbados.
Other participants of this year’s competition included Makayla Lowe of The Ellerslie Secondary School, Jadyn Gill of Harrison College, and Dalinda Maynard of Princess Margaret Secondary School. All contestants received a certificate of participation, a laptop bag and copies of the Heritage Barbados book.
As the winning school, The Graydon Sealy Secondary School earned a BDS $1,000 donation and will be presented with a banner and an official photo of Hailee Harding, Junior Minister of Tourism 2024, to be displayed on the school compound. Cheryl Williams, Head of the Department of English at The Graydon Sealy Secondary School and colleague Jamie Carrington who teaches Mathematics and Information Technology, successfully coached Harding and received a gift voucher at one of the island’s eateries in addition to the book Island in the Sun – History of Tourism in Barbados.
Speaking on the competition, Chief Product Development Officer of BTMI, Marsha Alleyne noted, “Each year, we are excited to host the Barbados Tourism Youth Congress as a testament of BTMI’s commitment to ensuring the future development of the tourism sector. This year’s competition did not disappoint, and I’m pleased to extend congratulations to Hailee Harding on behalf of BTMI. It is imperative that we teach our young people about the allure of our island home – highlighting all the attractions, events and activities, which entice thousands of travellers to visit our shores – so they can better appreciate and subsequently assist in enhancing Barbados’ tourism product.”
Jordan Greig, the outgoing Junior Minister of Tourism 2023, also shared his thoughts on the BTYC, “This has developed me as a person far beyond what I could have even imagined and allowed me to gain better communication and interpersonal skills, confidence, and thoughtfulness. I am profoundly grateful to the BTMI for providing me this truly once in a lifetime opportunity, to make my and many other youth voices heard and providing me this outlet to get more youth involved in the tourism sector.”
Barbados Tourism Youth Congress (BTYC) – Competition Overview
The first stage of the BTYC required each participant to present themselves to the panel of judges for a five (5) minute interview. Each student briefly shared their respective views on why they should be chosen as the Junior Minister of Tourism 2024 and how they will use the title to increase awareness about tourism among young people in Barbados in order to take the industry forward. Additionally, each participant was required to attend an island tour. The points accumulated from these activities were added to overall scores at the end of the competition.
Similar to the Regional Tourism Youth Congress, the BTYC competition required students to simulate a CTO Board of Directors meeting, which was chaired by Jordan Greig, Junior Minister of Tourism 2023. Three (3) minutes were allotted on a choice of one discussion topic from the four areas of Adventure Tourism, Solo Travel, Collaboration Across Cultures and The Blue Economy.
There was also a “Mystery Question” segment whereby students selected a number and responded to a corresponding question – with thirty (30) seconds given to craft their response and one (1) minute given to reply. Participants answered their respective questions based on general knowledge about Barbados and its tourism product.
The concept of a Junior Minister of Tourism was developed by the late Dr. Jean Holder, former CTO Secretary General, as a means of creating a forum for future tourism decision-makers to develop the aptitude required for leadership within the sector. In 2000, The Ministry of Tourism developed and implemented a Secondary Schools Speak-Off Competition to prepare Barbados’ representative – the Junior Minister of Tourism – for the CTO Regional Tourism Youth Congress. The programme, currently titled, The Barbados Tourism Youth Congress, falls under the purview of the Product Department of BTMI.
Hailee Harding, Junior Minister of Tourism 2024, is scheduled to attend the Regional Tourism Youth Congress from September 4th to 6th, 2024 in Cayman Islands.
