BVI Tourist Board reaching youth through tourism education
BVI Tourist Board - Tuesday, November 22nd, 2011 at 1:16 PM
Tortola, British Virgin Islands, 22nd November, 2011 – How many children know the meaning of tourism? Do they understand the role they play in representing the territory?
These questions and others have been posed as more attention is placed on the value of instructing youth on tourism from an early age. In response, the BVI Tourist Board has begun conducting presentations in a number of schools throughout the territory on “The Importance of Tourism to the BVI” as part of their tourism education initiatives.
Thus far, presentations have been given to Class Two students at Ebenezer Thomas Primary School and to over 100 students at the Alexandrina Maduro Primary School. Tourist Board staff will conduct additional presentations during the week of 25th November to upper and lower primary students at Isabella Morris Primary and Francis Lettsome Primary Schools.
To familiarise youngsters with the elements comprising tourism, Tourist Board staff covered a numbered of topics using text and graphics to illustrate one of the territory’s most fundamental pillars. Their presentation included tidbits on the arrival of the first cruise ship to the territory, the year in which the first hotel opened, and the year in which the territory began using U.S. currency.
Children were given examples of the different types of tourists travelling to the BVI; cultural and historical facts; and descriptive ideas on what it means to have a BVI tourism product. Students also learned about the principle benefits of tourism development and how they can positively contribute. Messaging included how students can proudly represent the BVI, participate in cultural events, protect the environment, and consider the numerous options which exist for them to pursue a career in tourism.
“The presentations were very interactive and equally rewarding for all involved,” said Mrs. Natasha Chalwell, Policy and Product Development Manager at the BVI Tourist Board. “The BVITB would like to thank all the teachers and students that participated in the school tourism presentations and we look forward to working with them in the 2011-2012 school year.”
Presentations will be conducted at all schools on a variety of tourism-related subject matters based on requests from schools. They are designed to provide students with pertinent knowledge of the tourism sector and the wide variety of lucrative career opportunities that are available. They will be highly interactive and conducted by staff of the BVI Tourist Board, in collaboration with tourism industry partners. Five standard presentations are offered to schools: Tourism and the British Virgin Islands, Careers in Tourism, the British Virgin Islands Tourist Board, Sustainable Tourism and British Virgin Islands, and Marketing Tourism.
During the BVI Tourist Board’s Annual Tourism Stakeholders Meetings held in October the promotion of tourism education among BVI youth was a major focus. The importance of tourism to the socio-economic well-being of these islands means that the BVI must have in place a cadre of well-educated and trained tourism personnel to work in, and manage the industry.
“Each one of us plays a significant role in tourism and we must recognise how instrumental tourism education is for our youth. These are our future leaders, entrepreneurs, marketers and hospitality providers. It is essential that we begin teaching them about the many facets of tourism from an early age,” said Ms. Hadassah Ward, Director of Tourism.
School Tourism Presentations are provided on a request basis. For more information on the BVI Tourist Board’s Tourism Education Programme, principals and teachers are encouraged to contact Mr. Carnel Clyne, Sr. Product Officer, BVI Tourist Board 494-3134. [email protected]
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y u aint ga tha whole school
How come Ms. Ward is not in one of those chairs being educated?
How many PEOPLE WHO WORK AT THE BVI TOURIST BOARD know the meaning of tourism? Do they understand the role they play in representing the territory?
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