The Tribune

THE business of Tourism will be on display at the Baha Mar Convention Centre on April 8 as the Ministry of Tourism presents the 17th Cacique Awards.

The prestigious awards represent the highest honour in Tourism as they celebrate the brightest and best in the country’s leading industry.

Categories for the awards include Transportation, Local Airlines and Tour Operators, Creative Arts, Handicraft, Special Events, Cecil Rose Sports and Leisure, Sustainable Tourism, Human Resources, Manager of the Year, Chef of the Year, Employee of the Year – Front of House, Employee of the Year – Back of House, Sales Executive of the Year, Hotelier of the Year, the Minister’s Award, Clement T Maynard Lifetime Achievement Award, the Blue Ribbon Panel Award, the Willie Love Award and the People’s Choice Award.

Writer and Chorography Director of the programme, Ian Poitier, said he is excited about this year’s gala as it is the first event of this magnitude being held at Baha Mar.

“We are going to bring the usual glamour and excitement that people have come to know and love over the years,” he said. “In addition, this year we want to draw people into the world of tourism, hospitality and what it is like if you’re involved in tourism. The Business of Tourism is our theme and we are going to look at the mechanics. There are thousands of people involved in that process and each one of them plays a vital role.

“Baha Mar is spectacular for the region and for the world and one of the reasons why breaking ground for Baha Mar has been of such interest is the scale of it. That is now coming to fruition and so having the Cacique Awards here makes it all worthwhile.”

Tickets for the Cacique Awards are $50 and all proceeds go to a scholarship for deserving students of the Tourism and Hospitality programme at the University of The Bahamas. On sale now, they can be purchased at the Ministry of Tourism by contacting Evamae Ferguson at 302-2078.