(September 19, 2005) -- Tourism officials today launched another aggressive campaign to honor tourism professionals and bring awareness to tourism issues through National Tourism week, which will include the National Tourism Conference and The 10th Cacique Awards in January.

            National Tourism Week will be held January 8 – 13, 2006.  The initiative will begin with church services throughout The Bahamas on January 8, and town meetings in urban areas of the country on January 9.  The tourism careers fair that introduces students to the myriad of tourism career options will be held January 10.  The National Tourism Conference is scheduled for January 11 – 13 at Wyndham Nassau Resort and Tourism Week will culminate with the Cacique Awards on January 13 at the Rainforest Theatre, Wyndham Nassau Resort.

The public will be intimately involved with National Tourism Week, which will go forward under the theme, “My Bahamas – To A Common Loftier Goal,” said Tourism Permanent Secretary Colin Higgs.

            Mr. Higgs said the public will once again nominate deserving individuals for the Cacique Awards.  The nominees from eight categories of the awards traditionally come from members of the public.  A nomination committee within Ministry of Tourism narrows the nominees down to finalists and the winners are chosen by a Blue Ribbon Panel that is headed by Dr. Davidson Hepburn, Mr. Higgs said.

            This year, nominations are being received for eight categories – Transportation, Human Resources Development, Creative Arts, Handicraft, Sustainable Tourism, Sports Leisure & Events, The Minister’s Award for Hospitality and The Clement T. Maynard Lifetime Achievement Award.  Nomination forms are available at Ministry of Tourism offices throughout The Bahamas.  On islands where no Ministry of Tourism office is located, forms may be collected at the Island Administrator’s Office.  Nominations close October 14, Mr. Higgs said.

            “This year, we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Cacique Awards so we have some special things planned,” said Mr. Higgs.  “We will be paying special attention to past winners of the Cacique Awards.  We will be using the media of newspapers, radio and television to highlight them.”

            The Cacique Awards will also contribute to the development of our nation this year through the reactivation of the Cacique Awards Scholarship Fund, said Janet Johnson, coordinator of National Tourism Week.

“We are pleased to announce that deserving students pursuing hospitality and tourism studies will be selected this year to receive financial assistance out of the Cacique Awards Scholarship Fund,” she said.  “The fund is increased each year through generous support of our sponsors and the sale of box office tickets for the Cacique Awards Ceremony. We will re-activate the fund this year and present scholarships to students for studies within tourism fields.”

            The criteria for selection of students for scholarships includes:  demonstration of leadership capabilities in academics and involvement in extra curricular activities, including service clubs and sporting associations, and at what level.  Applicants will be required to send in their Curriculum Vitae, along with two references from two different sources, as well as a short essay on what they are hoping to achieve through the scholarship.  The Committee will offer various levels of scholarship including full or partial tuition, study grants and travel credits in conjunction with our airline partners.

            Applications will be considered strictly on their merit and in addition to studies in the tourism and hospitality fields, the Committee will also consider deserving applicants in business, languages, IT etc., all avenues through which the best and the brightest enter this dynamic industry.   Applications must be accompanied by the CV, two references and the essay to make the shortlist; failure to include all three addendums will result in the disqualification of the applicant.

            Ms. Johnson encouraged industry workers and the general public to register early for the National Tourism Conference, which will delve into pressing issues of national concern.

            “The National Tourism Conference has proven to be the single-most important gathering of our tourism stakeholders in any given year,” Ms. Johnson said.  “Over the past two years, we have engaged in meaningful discussion and fruitful debate over the issues that confront us in this important industry.

“It is this exchange of ideas that has led us to fine tune our philosophies and, in some cases, our procedures.  We have continued to improve ourselves and our product each year.  And it is these improvements that help us to make it through the many challenges that confronted us.  There are still many challenges that we must face.”

Further details of National Tourism week will be released regularly over the course of the next few months, tourism officials said.