The Caribbean’s $50 billion tourism industry, the region’s largest economic driver, is taking a major step forward to close the gender gap in sector leadership with a new targeted scholarship initiative announced by the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO).
Dubbed “From Her to Her: From Today’s Female Leaders to Tomorrow’s Tourism Stars,” the annual program will provide direct financial support to outstanding young Caribbean women pursuing higher education and careers in tourism. The initiative will be formally launched on June 1 at the Caribbean Women in Tourism Leadership Dinner & Awards, a flagship event held as part of 2026 Caribbean Week in New York, hosted at the InterContinental New York Times Square.
All proceeds raised from the June 1 ceremony will be contributed to the CTO Foundation, which will manage the long-term operations and disbursement of the scholarship. Beyond the scholarship launch, the evening will also celebrate the contributions of trailblazing women across Caribbean tourism, honoring sitting tourism ministers, national tourism directors, recipients of the CTO Secretary-General’s Distinguished Service Award, and new inductees into the sector’s Women in Tourism Hall of Fame, which recognizes extraordinary leadership in the field.
For Dona Regis-Prosper, the first woman to hold the post of CTO Secretary-General, the scholarship is both a professional commitment and a deeply personal mission. “Fostering clear pathways for women to advance into leadership roles across tourism is core to our work as an organization,” she explained in an official statement. “This scholarship isn’t just about financial aid—it’s about building a legacy of mentorship, passing the torch from current leaders to the next generation that will shape the future of our region’s most critical industry.”
Jacqueline Johnson, chair of the CTO Foundation, echoed this enthusiasm, noting that the program aligns perfectly with the foundation’s core mission of investing in sustainable tourism development through human capital. The initiative has already secured early backing from key private sector partners, including cruise line Virgin Voyages, luxury retailer Diamonds International, and sustainable brand TRÈFLE, with the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority stepping forward as the official sponsor of the launch dinner.
Organizers emphasize that the scholarship is far more than an isolated program—it reflects a growing regional movement to advance gender equity and expand inclusive leadership opportunities across the Caribbean tourism sector. This year’s Caribbean Week in New York, a major annual gathering that brings together regional tourism stakeholders, industry partners, and global buyers to promote Caribbean travel, draws support from a broad network of sponsors across multiple tiers. Top Platinum Elite sponsorship comes from the United States Virgin Islands, while Gold Elite backing is provided by Antigua & Barbuda and the British Virgin Islands. Additional gold support comes from The Bahamas and St. Kitts, with silver sponsorship from industry leaders including Sandals Resorts, Global Ports Holding, and SITA. A range of bronze and contributing sponsors, including Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc., Sojern, Expedia Group, Royal Caribbean, and the Inter-American Development Bank, also support the full week of programming, which includes the Regional Nex-Gen Tourism Showcase.
Anyone interested in attending the Caribbean Women in Tourism Leadership Dinner & Awards or learning more about the new scholarship can find full details at the official registration portal: https://forms.gle/m5cmQBVaT5hir2sp7. More information about the full schedule of 2026 Caribbean Week in New York is available on the event’s official website: caribbeanweek.onecaribbean.org.