2014 TOURISM YOUTH CONGRESS

Caribbean Tourism Through the of Tomorrow Caribbean Tourism Through theEyes Eyes of Tomorrow

17-19 September 2014 US VIRGIN ISLANDS

The 2014 TOURISM YOUTH CONGRESS will be held during the Caribbean Tourism Organizations STATE OF THE INDUSTRY CONFERENCE to be held in the US Virgin Islands from 17-19 September 2014

2013 Tourism Youth Congress Delegates, Martinique

For more information, please contact:

Sharon Banfield-Bovell / Marvelle Sealy at E-mail: banfields@caribtourism.com / msealy@caribtourism.com Tel: 246-427-5242 / Fax: 246-429-3065 www.onecaribbean.org

Administrative Notes
VENUE
The 2014 Tourism Youth Congress will be held during the Caribbean Tourism Organizations State of the Industry Conference scheduled to take place from 17-19 September 2014 in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.

PROCEDURE
Persons between the ages of 14 and 17 from CTO-member countries are invited to participate. The person who is selected to represent his/her country at the CTOs Tourism Youth Congress, will be given the title of Junior Minister/Commissioner of Tourism by his/ her country. This title will be held for one (1) year until a new Junior Minister/ Commissioner of Tourism is selected in the following year. Each country will provide the necessary funding to cover the cost of airfares, hotel accommodation and meals for two (2) persons (the Junior Minister/Commissioner of Tourism and a chaperone) for their participation in the Tourism Youth Congress.

STRUCTURE
The Youth Congress is structured to mirror a CTO Board of Directors Meeting. There are two topics on salient tourism issues which are to be discussed. Participants must come prepared to share their knowledge and views with their fellow Junior Ministers and Commissioners of Tourism on one of the two topics. Tourism Youth Congress participants will also be asked to address a mystery topic. The two topics to be discussed at the Tourism Youth Congress 2014 are outlined below. Ministries of Tourism/Tourism Authorities are expected to help in the preparation of the participants. While in St. Thomas, Tourism Youth Congress participants will attend the State of the Industry Conference as well as have an opportunity to visit various tourism sites and attractions on the island. The names of participants and chaperones who are attending the Tourism Youth Congress must be sent to CTO no later than the 15 August, 2014 Students are expected to be at the conference for the entire duration (two (2) full conference days plus travel).

Administrative Notes
JUDGING CRITERIA The judging criteria includes:

Knowledge of subject area Level of preparedness Presentation Skills

Mystery Topic Relevant Content PRIZES

Attractive prizes will be provided for the winner and runners-up.

REGISTRATION
Each student and chaperone is required to complete the registration form provided and return to CTO by the 15 August, 2014

NOTE
The Junior Ministers/Commissioners of Tourism are expected to put forward their own views and the views of their country on the various topics to be discussed. It is not a debating competition, it is a discussion among the Junior Ministers/Commissioners which generates practical ideas that can be implemented at the national/regional levels.

For more information, please contact: Mrs. Sharon Banfield-Bovell, Regional Human Resource Development Consultant or Marvelle Sealy, Secretary Caribbean Tourism Organization Ground Floor, Baobab Tower, Warrens, St. Michael, Barbados Tel: 246-427-5242; Fax: 246-429-3065; E-mail: banfields@caribtourism.com or msealy@caribtourism.com Website: www.onecaribbean.org

TOPICS
Students are required to prepare ONE of the two topics below to discuss at the Tourism Youth Congress. Each student will be given three (3) minutes to express his/her ideas on the chosen topic.

TOPIC #1:

Accessible Tourism
Worldwide, the number of disabled persons is estimated at between 600 million and 900 million, out of a total world population of seven billion, representing roughly 10% of the worlds population who need barrier-free or accessible travel. The ITB World Travel Trends Report 2013 relates that millions of disabled people around the world want to travel, have the time and money to do so, but are forced to stay at home because of insufficient facilities. With improved accessibility, however, the US$136 billion travel and tourism market for people with disabilities or physical restrictions, including the ageing population, has the potential to be a very profitable market for the Caribbean. As Junior Minister or Commissioner of Tourism of your country, share two (2) major recommendations that you are making to your government to better cater to this market, and state clearly the benefits that you believe can be derived from targeting this market.

TOPIC #2:

Experential Tourism
Travel is not just about where youve been anymore (the destination) its about what you did while you were there, how it made you feel, the people you met while you were there, and the memories you took home. A product is what you buy; an experience is what you remember. Through crafted experiential tourism opportunities, experiences provide our visitors unique, entertaining, and/or educational activities that make it possible for them to have a personal connection to [our destination] and its people. It is about visitors becoming an active participant where they can try a new skill, learn about who we are or how we live, or challenge themselves. It is about meeting the locals the fishermen, farmers, chefs, artisans, guides, musicians, storytellers, and all of those people in our communities that have a special skill to share or an interesting story to tell and which make our [destination] a great place to live and visit. (Government of Nova Scotia, Canada) As Junior Minister or Commissioner of Tourism in your country, convince your fellow Junior Ministers and Commissioners of Tourism about the importance of developing experiential tourism products and share two (2) great experiential tourism products currently being offered in your country and describe the factors that have made them successful.

Mystery Topic
A mystery topic will be presented at the Youth Congress and each participant will have one (1) minute to respond to the question.