After a compelling day of debate and policy-focused presentations at the Sir John E St. Luce Financial Center, Janica Adams has emerged victorious as Antigua and Barbuda’s newly appointed Junior Tourism Minister, selected through the country’s annual Tourism Youth Congress Competition held last Thursday. A standout competitor representing the Antigua and Barbuda College of Advanced Studies, Adams brings an impressive resume to the role: she is a former Tourism Cadet and a regional Leeward Islands debating champion, who outperformed seven other finalists drawn from secondary and post-secondary institutions across the twin-island nation. In the final results, Pete Charles of Sir Novelle Richards Academy claimed first runner-up honors, while Soleil Williams of Antigua Grammar School secured second runner-up. The competition was structured to test participants’ depth of tourism knowledge and ability to think on their feet: in the opening round, each competitor chose one of four pre-released tourism-focused topics to deliver a three-minute prepared presentation, before advancing to an impromptu segment where contestants received a surprise topic, had just one minute to outline their argument, and delivered a one-minute off-the-cuff address. As the national champion, Adams will go on to represent Antigua and Barbuda at the regional Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) Youth Congress, which is held alongside the annual State of the Tourism Industry Conference. This high-profile gathering brings together tourism ministers, senior policymakers, leading academic researchers, and private sector tourism executives from across the Caribbean, giving young participants a front-row seat to high-level conversations about the future of the regional tourism sector. For decades, the CTO Youth Congress has served as a critical talent development pipeline for the Caribbean, with many past participants going on to build successful careers in tourism, public service, law, communications, hospitality, and international relations. For small island nations like Antigua and Barbuda, where tourism is a cornerstone of the national economy, the competition also offers young leaders a unique opportunity to showcase their country’s unique tourism assets, cultural heritage, sustainability commitments, and long-term tourism vision to a regional audience of industry stakeholders. Charles Fernandez, Antigua and Barbuda’s Minister of Tourism, served as guest of honor at Thursday’s event and delivered remarks congratulating Adams on her win. “The Tourism Youth Congress continues to provide an invaluable platform for developing the next generation of tourism leaders, and today’s winner has proven to be an exceptional ambassador for Antigua and Barbuda,” Fernandez said. “I congratulate our new Junior Minister on this well-deserved accomplishment and commend all the students who participated in this year’s competition. As you prepare to represent our nation, I encourage you to embrace this opportunity with confidence, knowing that your voice will help shape conversations about the future of tourism in our region.” The next regional CTO Tourism Youth Congress is scheduled to take place from October 5 to 9, 2026, in Georgetown, Guyana. All competitors who reached the national final earned praise for their strong performances representing their schools: Jahniya Cornelius from St. Mary’s Secondary School, Danae Foster from Christ the King High School, Julissa George from All Saints Secondary School, Deanna Lando from Clare Hall Secondary School, and Kayleigh Martyr from Divine Academy of Excellence. The national iteration of the Tourism Youth Congress is organized by the Tourism Education Training and Awareness Department within Antigua and Barbuda’s Ministry of Tourism, led by department manager Tracey Browne.