Tobago’s Jolé St. John named 2025 CTO Regional Tourism Youth Congress winner

BRIDGETOWN, BARBADOS – Sixteen-year-old Jolé St. John, Junior Secretary of Tourism for Tobago, has been crowned the winner of the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s (CTO) 21st Regional Tourism Youth Congress, held last Thursday at the Hilton Barbados Resort.

Part of the State of the Tourism Industry Conference (SOTIC), the annual Congress brought together 15 students from across the Caribbean, each serving as their territory’s Junior Minister or Commissioner of Tourism. Participants delivered presentations focused on reshaping the region’s tourism future through sustainability, digital innovation, and inclusivity.

St. John impressed judges and delegates with her compelling ideas on sustainable tourism, digital transformation, and heritage-based visitor experiences, earning her the title of Regional Junior Minister of Tourism until the next Congress in 2026.

Second place was awarded to Caleader Lewison, Junior Minister of Tourism for Jamaica, who will serve as the CTO’s Junior Secretary-General of Tourism, while Aylani Morris Seymour of the Cayman Islands placed third. Isaiah Toney from St. Vincent and the Grenadines received an honorary mention for demonstrating exceptional qualities beyond the competition’s formal scoring.

This year’s Congress theme encouraged participants to move beyond the traditional “three S’s” of Caribbean tourism – sea, sun, and sand – and embrace a new trio: smart technology, sustainable practices, and social inclusion. Delegates also responded to spontaneous “mystery questions” designed to test creativity and problem-solving, tackling challenges such as destination branding, product innovation, and community engagement.

The judging panel included Rosetta West-Gerald, CEO of the Montserrat Tourism Authority; Paul Pennicook, Interim CEO of Experience Turks and Caicos; and Chief Judge Charlene Drakes, Manager of Stakeholder Engagements, Caribbean Region at Carnival Corporation & plc. The session was chaired by Keyana Warner of Nevis, last year’s winner.

In the lead-up to the event, participants took part in educational and networking activities organized by the CTO and partners. These included a masterclass on AR/VR in tourism delivered by Winged Whale Media, a career readiness and leadership workshop by Davina Layne of Your Corporate Image, and a field trip with Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. to explore sustainable tourism projects such as the Oceana Innovation Hub.

Ian Gooding-Edghill, Chairman of the CTO Council of Ministers and Commissioners and Barbados’ Minister of Tourism and International Transport, praised the delegates: “What I saw in each and every one of you is not only dedication, commitment, but I saw passion, real passion … you certainly were not shy and you delivered with grace.”

Event emcee Sharon Banfield-Bovell, CTO’s Director of Resource Mobilization and Development, underscored the significance of the forum: “Our Congress is more than a friendly competition … it is a launchpad propelling the next wave of tourism visionaries, advocates and innovators who will guide the future of this vital industry for the Caribbean.”

Also read → CTO to spotlight sustainable transformation at event in Barbados

The 2025 edition featured students representing Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, the British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Nevis, Saint Lucia, St. Eustatius, St. Kitts, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Tobago.

Sponsors and partners included Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc., Carnival Corporation & plc, Acordis International Corporation, Marketplace Excellence, Breeze Travel Solutions, Caribbean Media Exchange, Caribbean Travel and Tours, Tropical Shipping, Liberty Business Barbados, and Winged Whale Media.

The CTO’s Regional Tourism Youth Congress remains a cornerstone initiative in the organization’s mission to empower Caribbean youth, nurture leadership talent, and instill regional pride in tourism – one of the Caribbean’s most vital economic sectors.

The article Tobago’s Jolé St. John named 2025 CTO Regional Tourism Youth Congress winner first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.

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