As a new chapter of regional Caribbean tourism youth leadership gets ready to unfold, Nevis is preparing to send its brightest young tourism ambassador to the 2026 Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) Regional Tourism Youth Congress, set to take place in Georgetown, Guyana.
Eighteen-year-old Rondre Daniel, a Charlestown Secondary School student who earned the title of Nevis’ Youth Junior Minister of Tourism after winning the island’s national 2026 Bank of Nevis Tourism Youth Congress competition in May, will depart for Guyana on October 4 ahead of the main Youth Congress proceedings kicking off on October 8. The regional congress is a core youth-focused component of the CTO’s 2026 State of the Tourism Industry Conference (SOTIC), which will run in Georgetown from October 5 to 9, gathering young delegates aged 14 to 17 from across the Caribbean. Each delegate serves as a Junior Minister or Commissioner of Tourism for their home territory, bringing fresh, youth-centered perspectives to regional tourism development.
Ahead of his departure, Daniel held a pre-trip meeting with Nevis’ Premier and official Minister of Tourism, the Honourable Mark Brantley, at Brantley’s office on September 30. During the meeting, Brantley emphasized the Nevis Island Administration (NIA)’s longstanding commitment to creating transformative growth opportunities for young people, noting that experiences like the Regional Youth Congress foster both personal and professional development that serves youth for years to come.
Brantley encouraged Daniel to prioritize putting forward his best effort and representing Nevis’ unique cultural identity and tourism values with pride, rather than focusing solely on winning the top regional title. “If you can win, we’ll be very happy. But what we are most happy about is that you do your best and that you represent to the best of your ability. If you walk out of that room and from that SOTIC experience and you are confident that you’ve done your best, then that is enough,” Brantley shared. He closed by extending formal congratulations to Daniel and wishing him a successful, rewarding trip representing the people of Nevis.
Daniel expressed gratitude to Brantley for his guidance and encouragement, and asked for continued prayers and support from the Nevis community as he competes to become the fourth Nevisian delegate to claim the regional Youth Tourism Minister title. In comments ahead of the trip, Daniel reflected on the life-changing impact of the tourism congress program, crediting his faith for opening the door to the opportunity. “I thank Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for allowing me to be able to have this opportunity. To win firstly on the local level, but now traveling regionally to Guyana is an amazing feat,” he said.
Daniel added that he would encourage any young person with an interest in tourism or community leadership to participate in the program, noting that it expanded his own understanding of his home island’s unique tourism assets in unexpected ways. “This experience, joining the Tourism Congress, is something I would recommend to any young person because you get information about Nevis that you never knew before. So, it’s a valuable experience and I hope when I go to Guyana that I will bring back the fourth championship to Nevis. I just want everyone to continue to keep me in your prayers and know that I will represent well,” he said.
Daniel’s path to the regional competition follows his winning local presentation earlier this year, which centered on innovation in cultural industries. He outlined targeted strategies to grow and strengthen Nevis’ tourism product by centering the island’s distinct cultural heritage and creative industries.
Daniel will be accompanied on the trip by three companions: his mother, Reverend Trecia Daniel, his school teacher and official chaperone Mrs. Lencia Percival, and Akina Anthony of Nevis’ Ministry of Tourism. Beyond the main Youth Congress competition, Daniel will take part in a full slate of professional development and cultural activities during SOTIC 2026, including an official welcome reception, the regional Future Leaders Forum, a youth congress social gathering, two skills-building workshops, a guided tour of Georgetown, and a regional cultural night.
The CTO Regional Tourism Youth Congress is one of the organization’s flagship long-running youth development initiatives. Designed to cultivate the next generation of Caribbean tourism leaders, the program gives young participants the chance to conduct original research on pressing regional tourism challenges, share innovative solutions to strengthen the sector, connect and collaborate with peer leaders from across the Caribbean, and build core transferable skills including critical thinking, public communication, and collaborative leadership.