NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (August 28, 2024)- Ms. Keyana Warner, Nevis’ Youth Junior Minister of Tourism, was pleased to engage with Premier of Nevis and Minister of Tourism the Honourable Mark Brantley ahead of her participation in the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) Regional Tourism Youth Congress in the Cayman Islands. 

Premier Brantley met with the 16-year-old tourism enthusiast on Tuesday, August 27, at his office at Pinneys Estate. He offered hearty congratulations and encouraged Ms. Warner to use the opportunity to garner even more knowledge and ideas on sustainable tourism that she can share with him and his Cabinet upon her return.

“I’m really wishing you all the very best there and I wanted to just renew our commitment as a government. So congratulations first of all on winning the Youth Congress here and becoming the Youth Junior Minister, and who knows in a few short years you could be the real minister of tourism, making important decisions.

“So I want to wish you all the very best in the Cayman Islands as you engage with your colleagues from around the region. Nevis has quite a good track record at the event having won on quite a few occasions, but for me it’s not all about winning. It’s about your having the experience, meeting new people, sharing ideas, and hopefully coming back and helping me and Nevis to do a better job with what we do.”

Ms. Warner, a fourth form student at the Charlestown Secondary School (CSS) said her interest in tourism was sparked at a very young age due to her mother’s field of study, prompting her to want to pursue a career in the vital sector. She was inspired to contest the local Youth Congress after seeing other Nevisians compete in and win the CTO Regional Tourism Youth Congress.

“When I was really young, I heard a lot about tourism and so I just decided that I really want to work in that [area]…So I talked to my teachers and I decided to sign up for this and I’m very grateful and I appreciate this opportunity, and Nevis I will not disappoint you. I will do my very best,” she pledged.

Premier Brantley underscored that it is critically important that young persons get involved in tourism going forward as tourism is the life blood of the Nevis economy, and therefore is everybody’s business.

Ms. Evania Thibou, a teacher at the CSS, along with Ms. Warner’s chaperone for the Regional Congress Ms. Anthea Caines, Product Development Officer in the Ministry of Tourism, accompanied her on the visit.

The Tropical Shipping Regional Tourism Youth Congress will take place September 05, bringing together students from 14 CTO member countries and territories. The Youth Congress is a key element of the CTO’s annual State of the Tourism Industry Conference (SOTIC).