When a scholarship fund reaches a milestone anniversary, it usually celebrates with a gala. The Caribbean Tourism Organization Scholarship Foundation instead chose a challenge: get 30 students into tourism studies by 2027 — and it’s already lining up government backers.
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA — October 21, 2026 — The Caribbean Tourism Organization Scholarship Foundation (CTOSF) used the stage of the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s (CTO) State of the Tourism Industry Conference (SOTIC) in Guyana to unveil “30 Years, 30 Futures: Our Pearl Scholars.” The campaign is built around a straightforward target: award 30 scholarships and grants to Caribbean nationals in 2027, which marks the Foundation’s 30th (Pearl) anniversary year.
Jacqueline Johnson, who chairs the CTOSF and serves as President of MarryCaribbean.com, brought the proposal directly to the Council of Ministers meeting. Her ask was pointed: each Caribbean government should mark the Foundation’s Pearl Anniversary by sponsoring a scholarship for one of its own citizens to pursue studies in travel and tourism-related fields.
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The pitch landed quickly. Seven Caribbean governments stepped forward with immediate pledges. Antigua and Barbuda was first to commit, with the Honourable Charles “Max” Fernandez — the newly elected Chair of the CTO Council of Ministers and Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Transportation and Investment — pledging a scholarship in honor of Dame Yvonne Maginley, a former Deputy Governor-General and a trailblazer in Antigua and Barbuda’s tourism sector.
Other pledges followed from across the region. Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, the Honourable Edmund Bartlett, committed a scholarship, as did the Turks and Caicos Islands’ Minister of Tourism, Agriculture, Fisheries, Heritage and the Environment. Anguilla’s Minister of Health, Tourism and Sports, the Honourable Cardigan Connor, also pledged, along with Barbados’ Minister of Tourism and International Transport, the Honourable Ian Gooding-Edghill. The U.S. Virgin Islands’ Commissioner of Tourism, the Honourable Jennifer Matarangas-King, and the British Virgin Islands Director of Tourism and Film Commission, Clive McCoy, each committed to supporting a student from their respective destination.
CTO Secretary-General Dona Regis-Prosper welcomed the initiative with strong words of endorsement. “For nearly three decades, the CTO Scholarship Foundation has helped Caribbean people pursue their ambitions and build careers in tourism,” Regis-Prosper said. “Its commitment to education has strengthened our industry by investing in the people who shape it. As the foundation approaches its 30th anniversary, we celebrate that legacy and its lasting contribution to developing Caribbean talent.”
The challenge underscores the CTOSF’s long-running mission to cultivate Caribbean talent and ensure the region’s tourism industry is equipped with the knowledge, skills, and leadership required to stay competitive in a rapidly shifting global market.
Johnson expressed satisfaction with the early response. “We are gratified by the immediate commitments to our challenge and will continue reaching out to Caribbean governments to make our Pearl Anniversary a milestone in investing in the next generation of tourism leaders,” she said. “Our goal is to award 30 scholarships to deserving Caribbean students pursuing studies in travel and tourism-related fields.”
She also tied the moment to broader industry shifts. “As technology, including artificial intelligence, transforms the travel landscape, it is imperative that we prepare the next generation with the knowledge and skills to lead the future of tourism,” Johnson added. “As leaders, we have a responsibility to ensure they are equipped to promote and protect an industry that is a vital driver of economic growth throughout our region.”
The Pearl Challenge serves a dual purpose as the Foundation reaches its 30th year: honoring a legacy of advancing tourism education while reasserting the region’s collective commitment to developing the next wave of Caribbean tourism professionals.
Founded in 1997 as a New York–registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit by the Caribbean Tourism Organization, the CTOSF was created to help build a globally competitive and sustainable Caribbean tourism industry by supporting nationals pursuing higher education in tourism-related fields. To date, it has distributed more than $3 million in student financial support, including over 150 scholarships and more than 200 grants across 25 CTO member countries. Its alumni network includes tourism directors, ministry permanent secretaries, university deans, and industry executives throughout the region.
Why it matters: The success of this challenge will determine whether the Caribbean can close its tourism talent gap as technology reshapes the sector. With seven governments already on board, the Foundation has momentum — but the remaining 23 member countries will decide whether the Pearl Anniversary becomes a turning point for regional workforce development.
Contact:
Ian Nal, PM Group
E: ian.n@pmgroup.bz
T: 917.224.6863
Ian Nal
Portfolio Marketing Group
+1 917-224-6863
