J’can Bryanna Hylton cops win at Caribbean Tourism Youth Congress
Junior tourism minister impresses judges with original presentation
ANassau, BAHAMAS: UTHENTICITY, ORIGINALITY, and a demonstrated mastery of the subject matter, were among the winning combination that propelled Jamaica’s Junior Tourism Minister, Bryanna Hylton, into stardom at the Caribbean Tourism Youth Congress in The Bahamas.
Hylton, a 17-year-old student of Westwood High School, in Trelawny, competed against 17 other dynamic youngsters from the region, taking home the coveted first-place position. Her presentation focused on ‘Wellness and Rejuvenation – enhancing the Caribbean’s Tourism Product Offering’.
Delivering her topic with immense confidence, Hylton highlighted the rich diversity and medicinal quality of the herbs in the region, telling the audience that the things needed to heal their bodies can easily be found in their backyards.
Backing up her presentation with extensive research, the young junior minister said the wellness industry was valued at trillions of dollars, and ripe to tap into.
Hylton did not win without stiff competition; however, her delivery, ability to articulate, professionalism and persuasive manner seemed to have won over the judges.
Created to inspire the region’s next generation of tourism leaders, the Youth Congress, staged as part of the Caribbean Tourism Oganisation State of the Tourism Industry Conference, now on in The Bahamas, has become one of the most dynamic and valued sessions of the annual event.
This year, 18 countries were represented, the largest group of junior ministers and commissioners in a number of years.
“As judges, we had a challenging time to reach consensus on the top performers, as we sometimes found ties across a few criteria. But overall, we got what we were looking for as it relates to authenticity, originality, and a demonstrated mastery of the topics,” head judge Barry Brown told The Gleaner.
He revealed that the judges felt Jamaica and the other winners provided great original thinking, with recommendations unique to their destinations and cultural distinctions.
Based on the provided topics as well as a mystery topic revealed at the session, Brown said he felt all represented their countries with “dignity and great ability”.
St Maarten’s Kiara Meyers placed second, while Martinique’s Caroline Pain earned the third position.
Lauding the contestants, chief executive officer of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourist Association, Frank Comito, said all the youngsters showed a keen understanding of tourism’s importance and the need to protect, enhance, celebrate and share with the world the natural beauty, rich culture, and history of their home and the Caribbean.
“Bryanna impressed us with how she was able to effectively communicate this value, backed with facts and creative ideas for marketing Jamaica,” he added.
Praising the CTO he noted that all of the participating destinations are to be commended for supporting this important initiative.
“It is an investment in our future, as it opens the minds of young people to the incredible range of opportunities in tourism, now the world’s largest industry, and how important it is that we protect, nurture and enhance it.”