CTO Foundation offering opportunities for hospitality studies

Caribbean students pursuing tourism and hospitality or foreign language studies can get assistance from the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO). The regional tourism institution, through its scholarship program, the CTO Foundation, is offering a number of scholarships and grants for 2004.

“The CTO Foundation has contributed to the development of highly skilled Caribbean tourism professionals since 1997 through the scholarship program,” said Bonita Morgan, CTO’s director of human resources, “and with the support of major CTO Foundation sponsors like American Express, American Airlines, Interval International, the CTO Chapters worldwide and numerous CTO allied members we are looking forward to continuing such support.”

The Foundation offers two types of assistance - scholarships of up to US$20,000 to individuals wanting to study tourism or hospitality at the Master’s (post graduate) level and study grants of up to US$2,500 to individuals pursing tourism/hospitality studies at

the certificate, diploma, associate degree or first degree level. Industry personnel who want to gain proficiency in a second language to assist them in their job can also qualify for study grants.

Studies can be pursued both within and outside the region, Ms. Morgan said. Application forms are available at all CTO offices, the local Ministries of Tourism, Boards of Tourism and Hotel Associations. Forms are also available on the CTO intranet website

www.onecaribbean.org. Interested persons must fill out the forms, supply all of the necessary information and return them directly to the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s headquarters in Barbados by April 15, 2004. Winners will be announced by the end of June.