Each Tourism Action Club is invited to select one (1) representative to participate in this national competition.
Student representatives must be:
- Between the ages of 14-17 years as at October 2023
- Active members of their school’s Tourism Action Club.
Staff Advisors must complete and submit the registration form by email to tacjamaica@visitjamaica.com
The deadline to register for the competition is Monday, May 1, 2023.
Competition Details
In the first round of the competition, students will be required to deliver a three (3) minute presentation on any one of three (3) listed topics.
Each student will also be required to give a one (1) minute response to a tourism-related mystery topic.
The winner of the competition will go on to represent Jamaica as Junior Minister of Tourism at the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) Regional Youth Congress in September 2023.
Topics
Students should prepare to present their ideas on ONE of the three topics outlined below. Each student will be given three (3) minutes to to express his/her ideas on the chosen topic.
1. WELLNESS TOURISM BEYOND THE NORM
Globally, there has been an increased focus on health and wellness. The Caribbean is well placed to take advantage of this by utilizing its nature-based assets; its affinity with herbs and medicinal plants; and its access to alternative therapies, such as forest bathing and the ability to use Caribbean foods as medicine. Given that each destination is different, there is always something unique to offer individuals or groups who are travelling for wellness experiences. (Caribbean Community-Based Tourism Network Forum, CTO October 2022)
As Junior Minister of Tourism, share your Ministry’s plan to undertake a Wellness Tourism project, which will offer visitors three (3) unique and sustainably developed wellness tourism experiences in your destination.
2. ACCESSIBILITY TOURISM
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 15% of the world’s population (1 billion people) lives with some form of disability. Accessibility for all to tourism facilities, products, and services should be a central part of any responsible and sustainable tourism policy. Accessibility is not only about human rights. It is a business opportunity for destinations and companies to embrace all visitors and enhance their revenues. (https://www.unwto.org/accessibility)
As Junior Minister of Tourism share three (3) innovative ways in which tourism stakeholders and their partners from disabled people’s organizations and civil society can work together to provide/enable access, safety, use and enjoyment to/by vacationing visitors with disabilities, without imposing unnecessary obstacles.
3. BUILDING A RESILIENT AND SUSTAINABLE TOURISM WORKFORCE
The competitive advantage of the Caribbean Tourism Industry will increasingly depend on the availability of skilled labour as well as a high-quality and innovative tourism workforce. The industry is therefore required to create and cultivate a positive environment and peak performing culture where workers can thrive, excel and grow.
As Junior Minister of Tourism, highlight three (3) significant tourism workforce issues or challenges presently impacting/facing your country’s tourism industry, and share your thoughts on a winning formula for addressing these issues or challenges identified.
Competition Schedule
| Deadline to submit registration form | May 1, 2023 |
| First Round of Competition | June 2023 |
| Training Sessions and Activities for finalists | June 2023 |
| Final Round | August 2023 |