On August 24, 2016, the Belize Tourism Board (BTB) announced that five students have been awarded a scholarship to enter the tourism field of studies. The Honorable Manuel Heredia, Jr., the Belize Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation, was personally on hand to present each of the selected students with their scholarships.
Janeen Nal, a student at the University of Belize, was awarded a two-year tuition scholarship to complete a Bachelor’s Degree in Tourism Management at the University of Belize.
Clarita Ack of Toledo Community College and Akheem O’Brien of St. John’s College were each awarded a two-year scholarship for an Associate Degree in Tourism studies at the Junior College of their choice in Belize.
Nissa August, a student at the University of Belize, was awarded the prestigious Jean Shaw Scholarship which will provide two years of tuition in the Tourism Management program at the University of Belize.
The Jean Shaw Tourism Scholarship was established to commemorate the achievements of the late Jean Ursilla Shaw, a tourism pioneer and leading business woman who played a pioneering role in the development of Belize’s nascent tourism industry. The Jean Shaw Tourism Scholarship is awarded to outstanding female Belizean students who wish to pursue a career in tourism.
Heredia also was on hand to award Einar Marin of St. John’s College a $10,000 scholarship to pursue a culinary degree at the institution of his choice.
The Belize Tourism Board began awarding scholarships to students wishing to pursue a degree in tourism in an effort to help further develop the field of tourism in the country. By providing financial support that includes tuition fees and books, the scholarships will help assist academically-promising students to focus on their courses as they pursue a degree and later a career in tourism.
Since gaining full independence from Great Britain in 1981, Belize has invested a significant amount of time and effort in developing and attracting tourism destinations by protecting large parts of the country as natural parks and nature reserves as well as training Belizean citizens on the fundamentals of operating a tourism economy. Today, Belize is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the region with tens of thousands of visitors arriving annually.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, the Belize Tourism Board congratulated all of the 2016 scholarship recipients and wished them success in their academic pursuits.
“Chabil Mar heartily applauds this forward-looking initiative established by the Belize Tourism Board,” said Larry France, the marketing manager of the award-winning resort of Chabil Mar on the Placencia Peninsula. “We warmly congratulate the winning students and look forward to their contributions to the tourism field.”
