CHARLESTOWN, Nevis – May 15, 2026 – A 17-year-old Charlestown Secondary School student has stepped into the spotlight as the new face of youth-led tourism innovation on the Caribbean island of Nevis, after claiming top honors at the 2026 Bank of Nevis Tourism Youth Congress.
Rondré Daniel outperformed five fellow student competitors to secure the coveted title of Nevis Junior Youth Tourism Minister, capping off a tightly contested national competition held May 12 at the Nevis Performing Arts Centre. Modeled after the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) Board of Directors meetings, the annual event challenges young participants to tackle pressing industry challenges facing regional tourism, testing both their preparation and critical thinking skills.
Competitors were required to deliver a tightly timed three-minute prepared presentation focused on one of four core issues impacting Caribbean tourism, followed by an unscripted one-minute response to an unexpected surprise question. Daniel, who presented on the topic *Cultural Industries Innovation*, earned a winning total score of 189.01 points, edging out second-place finisher Alison Gishard of Gingerland Secondary School by less than half a point. Gishard scored 188.6 points for her analysis of “The New Age of Tourism Professionals”, while Ajeernee Hodge, also from Gingerland Secondary, took third place with 182.7 points for her work on multigenerational travel product development.
In his winning policy platform, Daniel laid out a bold vision to reposition Nevis as a global leader in culturally rooted sustainable tourism. “As Junior Minister of Tourism, I boldly assert that Nevis can be a leading tourism destination if we adhere to the mantra that we are stronger with culture,” Daniel shared in his presentation. “My strategies will support sustainability by preserving Nevisian heritage, empowering local creatives and generating inclusive economic opportunities within the tourism sector.”
His proposals center on transforming the island’s tourism offering through immersive, community-led cultural experiences. A key priority is reimagining the historic Bath Hotel as a dynamic central hub for festivals, wellness programming and interactive Culturama events run by local artists and creators. Daniel also called for targeted investment in young creative entrepreneurs through the establishment of a new Creatives Academy and Innovation Incubator, which would provide emerging talent with funding, professional skills training, and apprenticeship opportunities to turn their ideas into marketable tourism products.
To deepen visitor engagement with Nevis’ unique history, Daniel also outlined plans to leverage cutting-edge digital technology for innovative storytelling. His ideas include 4D cinematic experiences, a live original musical centered on Nevis-born founding father Alexander Hamilton, and interactive virtual reality exhibits that let visitors actively explore and connect with the island’s heritage rather than just observing it.
The competition, sponsored by Bank of Nevis Ltd., drew praise from government and industry leaders for its role in cultivating young leadership for Nevis’ core tourism sector. Prizes and the official title were presented to Daniel by Denrick Liburd, CEO of Bank of Nevis Ltd., alongside Acting Premier the Honourable Eric Evelyn, who delivered remarks on behalf of Nevis Island Administration Premier and Minister of Tourism Mark Brantley.
Evelyn commended all participating students for their thoughtful, high-quality presentations, and highlighted the long-term value of the youth congress initiative. “It is very important that we expose our young people to these types of activities. This initiative gives them an opportunity to develop their confidence and their public speaking skills, and also the opportunity to learn more about our destination,” he said. “As young persons they should be aware of what is happening on beautiful Nevis, how nice Nevis is, and they must be armed with that knowledge wherever they go, whether they here in Nevis or whether they travel overseas. They must be ambassadors for Nevis.”
Vanessa Webbe, Product Development Manager in Nevis’ Ministry of Tourism, also extended congratulations to Daniel and all competitors, emphasizing that young people play a critical role in shaping the future growth of the island’s tourism industry. Evelyn also praised the Ministry of Tourism for its consistent commitment to youth engagement through the annual congress.
Next up for Daniel is a new milestone: he will go on to represent Nevis at the 2026 CTO Regional Tourism Youth Congress, set to be hosted in Guyana this coming October, where he will share his youth-centered vision for Caribbean tourism with delegates from across the region.