Press Release
Premier and Caribbean Tourism Organization in call for more involvement in tourism
Category: Bermuda Government CommunicationsHamilton, Bermuda: Tuesday, July 03, 2007 -
Premier Dr. Ewart F. Brown has joined forces with the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) in its strong plea for member organizations to recruit their countries' brightest citizens to get involved in tourism.
It's a call Premier Brown, who is also Minister of Tourism, has made on several occasions to Bermudians - particularly young people. At a town hall meeting of young people this past Friday Premier Brown said it was time to build a hospitality training and education facility that could be partly funded by Government and partly funded by the tourism industry's private sector.
The Premier said, "I will not allow Bermudians to be left behind in the continuously growing success of the tourism industry. We will energize and educate young people about tourism while they're in school. And if they have an interest in the industry the training facility will be ready to equip them for a career in hospitality."
Blake Sonnenfeld is one young person who has latched onto the Premier's call for youth involvement in the tourism industry. He is a 15-year-old Saltus Grammar student who has participated in the Youth Tourism Council at CTO. The Premier believes Blake exhibits the kind of talent the CTO is calling for.
Blake said, "As the Premier has indicated people perceive the tourism industry as a waiter carrying drinks, but when I was at CTO they showed us videos that taught us there are a lot of other careers in tourism - they need lawyers and accountants and all sorts of things. And when the Premier spoke at National Youth Tourism Day he asked, 'How many of you have thought about owning a hotel?' I had not thought about it, but I definitely consider it possible now. It's not beyond our reach; it's not beyond the reach of anyone."
Blake's dedication to the local hospitality industry won him the honorary title: Youth Minister of Tourism.
CTO Secretary General Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace led the call for bright professionals in the tourism industry at last week's Third Tourism Human Resources Conference in Pointe a Pitre, Guadeloupe.
He said, "We have a natural advantage in the area of tourism. Tourism chose us, we didn't choose tourism. The world told us 'you guys are very good at tourism,' let's listen to it and begin to do those things that are very important for us to get together.
"If this is the most important part of our industry we have to get the best people we have involved in the industry. We have to identify them, recruit them, then train them in addition to the people who are already here."
The CTO boss stressed that the region is facing mounting competition from other tourism destinations and "the best of our citizens" must be involved globally in order to successfully face competition.
Premier Brown believes an industry education program and training facility in Bermuda will help meet the challenge laid down by the Secretary General.
The Caribbean Tourism Organization, with headquarters in Barbados and marketing operations in New York, London and Toronto, is the Caribbean's tourism development agency and comprises membership of more than 30 governments and a myriad of private sector entities. Bermuda is a member of CTO. Based on first quarter statistics Bermuda showed superior statistical improvement in air arrivals versus other member organizations widely considered comparable to the island.
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