ANTIGUA & BARBUDA TOURISM AUTHORITY

"Tourism Youth Ambassadors Relay Positive Feedback after an Enlightening 2013 CTO Youth Congress Experience"

Antiguan & Barbudan youth who participated in the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s (CTO) Youth Congress recently held in Martinique have expressed their profound appreciation for the opportunity to represent their country. 

In summarizing her overall experience, Junior Minister of Tourism, Autumn Odlum,  was very upbeat about her enriched learning, stating that ”the experience really helped to broaden my knowledge about tourism.”  Continuing she said “I learnt so much about Tourism through the keynote address and the different seminars featuring presentations from the best of authorities in travel, tourism trends and marketing.

A’shante O’Keiffe, 2nd place winner in the local run-off for the Junior Minister of Tourism title expressed extreme joy for the opportunity to be present at the event.  She said “most memorable were the Opening Ceremony and the tourism-related information discussed, which provided me with a deeper understanding of the state of the industry.”  Continuing, A’shante noted “I was quite happy to meet individuals of my age from around the region and in our leisure time, we became engaged in passionate intelligent debates.  I foresee that as young persons who have begun to critically study and analyze tourism that we may well be influential players in the tourism sector in years to come.”

Cynthia G Simon, Manager, Tourism Education, Training and Awareness who accompanied Autumn and A’shante as their chaperone, expressed her view that the twin-island nation of Antigua & Barbuda was well represented.  Their participation in the regional tourism event also exposed them to cultural and historical aspects of another Caribbean country, to include arts and crafts, architecture, language, music, dance and food.  Simon considers the Youth Congress a strategic initiative for youth to be exposed and engaged in tourism education project which will raise their awareness of tourism, the engine of economic growth and development of the Caribbean region and a driving force of the world’s economy.   It is hoped that programs like these will continue to complement the National Tourism Education programs and will hopefully encourage youth to pursue careers in tourism.

Nevis’ Jr. Minister of Tourism, Neila Jones, was selected by the judges as the winner of the 2013 CTO Tourism Youth Congress with St. Lucia and St. Kitts adjudged 2nd and 3rd place respectively.