Career opportunities in tourism available to young people, were highlighted by Director General in the Ministry of Tourism, Miss Carole Guntley, at a Tourism Youth Expo and Career Fair, held in Ocho Rios, St. Ann, on November 5.

Miss Guntley, who deputised for Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, told the young people that their support and co-operation with the tourist industry was of critical importance if the sector is to continue to achieve the success with which it is associated.

She noted that their participation in the expo and career fair, would expose them to the numerous opportunities at their disposal in the industry, adding that the many layers of tourism existing in the resort areas should provide enough career options to enable them to make a choice.

Miss Guntley noted that she chose a career in tourism, despite an earlier decision to pursue a different career path, and encouraged the young people that whether they chose to become involved in tourism or not, they should endeavour to achieve excellence in whatever they decided to do.

She said the necessary facilities existed to enable the provision of professional guidance for those who choose to pursue careers in tourism related fields, and that she was confident that the industry would continue to be an attractive career path for young Jamaicans.

The Director General pointed out that Jamaica has a lot of powerful instruments which could be used to market its name throughout the world, adding that the country's well known and outstanding tourism product has enabled the island to record positive growth in its tourist industry, at a time when most other tourist destinations are recording negative growth.

The function, which was staged under the Spruce Up Jamaica Programme, was intended to provide a forum to facilitate the young people to become more familiar with the tourism product.

Students representing several schools attended the event, which also featured display booths highlighting the activities and operation of a number of tourism related enterprises, including hotels, guest houses, and entertainment related businesses.

Among the entities which staged exhibitions during the day were Chukka Caribbean Adventures, Dolphin Cove, Sunset Jamaica Grande, University of the West Indies, Jamaica Tourist Board, Tourism Product Development Company and Spruce Up Jamaica.

Source:- JIS