The Tourism Youth Congress panel was held Friday as part of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation’s State of the Industry Conference. Photo: PROVIDED

After beating out the local competition, Virgin Islands Junior Minister of Tourism Maya Bazar travelled to Curacao to represent the territory during the Tourism Youth Congress on Friday.

 

The Tourism Youth Congress panel was held Friday as part of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation’s State of the Industry Conference. Photo: PROVIDED
Youth ministers advised conference attendees to use social media to emphasise their destination’s unique appeal, and encouraged programmes that would have tourists mixing more with the local population, according to the Caribbean Tourism Organisation.

Ms. Bazar, an 11th grader at the Elmore Stoutt High School, competed with students from 15 other Caribbean destinations to be the region’s junior tourism minister, but she did not place.

The youth congress is a highlight of the CTO’s annual State of the Industry Conference, according to the BVI Tourist Board.

“Through this competition students learn to research, speak and debate about issues that are taking place within the international tourism industry and present their views,” said BVITB Training Coordinator Natalie Penn. “At the Tourist Board, we believe that the competition also provides additional exposure for the territory by showcasing our success in tourism through the strengths of our students in their academic pursuits.”

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