16-y-o Taj Melbourne named Junior Tourism Minister

The Manning’s School in Westmoreland secured its third consecutive victory in the annual Junior Minister of Tourism Competition after 16-year-old Taj Melbourne captured the 2024 title on Tuesday.

In 2022, Sanecia Taylor won the public speaking competition for Manning’s, with Deja Bremmer repeating the school’s success in 2023.

At Tuesday’s 2024 finals at Beaches Ocho Rios in St Mary, Taj finished ahead of 15-year-old Hassan Smith, also of Manning’s, and will represent Jamaica at the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s (CTO) Youth Congress in the Cayman Islands.

Lyndsay Isaacs, regional public relations manager at the competition’s sponsors, Sandals, said the consistent excellence demonstrated by Manning’s was “truly inspiring” and augurs well for the future of tourism in the Caribbean.

“We are proud to support this competition that nurtures the next generation of tourism leaders,” Isaacs said.

Taj expressed delight at the victory.

“I am extremely grateful and excited to be this year’s winner,” he said.

“The competition has been an incredible learning experience, providing invaluable insights into Jamaica’s tourism industry,” he added.

He said he is looking forward to the experience to be gained by representing Jamaica at the Youth Congress and other activities during his tenure as junior minister.

Taj received the winner’s trophy, a certificate, a Dell laptop, and a day pass for four to Chukka Caribbean Adventures, and Hassan Smith picked up a certificate, a Samsung Galaxy tablet, and a day pass at Chukka.

The staff advisor for the finalists, Shalia Lewis, was also recognised for her role in preparing the students. She said the institution was thrilled to win the title for the third consecutive time.

“This achievement reflects our commitment to excellence in tourism education and the dedication of our students and staff. We will continue to set the bar high and promote active participation in the Tourism Awareness Action Club at our school,” Lewis pointed out.

Donovan White, Jamaica’s director of tourism, praised the finalists for their high-quality performances, stating that both Taj and Hassan demonstrated exceptional growth and commitment.

“Their presentations showed a deep understanding of Jamaica’s tourism sector and its challenges. We are confident that they will be outstanding ambassadors for brand Jamaica, using their knowledge to highlight the vital importance of tourism to our island,” White said.

The competition is open to students aged 15 to 17 who are members of their school’s Tourism Action Club.

At this year’s final, each student delivered a three-minute speech on their chosen tourism-related topic and then answered a question from the panel of judges.

editorial@gleanerjm.com