Barbados receives nominations for the 2024 World Culinary Awards

Barbados has been nominated in several categories of the prestigious World Culinary Awards, solidifying the island’s status as the premier culinary destination in the Caribbean.  Now in its 5^th year, the World Culinary Awards is a global initiative which recognizes and rewards excellence in the culinary industry through its annual awards programme.

For 2024, The Barbados Food and Rum Festival has once again been nominated in the category of the Caribbean’s Best Culinary Festival; an accolade which the festival previously copped during the 2023 awards. Additionally, the city of Bridgetown received a nomination for the Caribbean’s Best Emerging Culinary City Destination, while the Jean and Norma Holder Hospitality Institute of the Barbados Community College has been nominated as the Caribbean’s Best Culinary Training Institution.

Andrea Franklin, Chief Executive Officer of the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI) expressed her delight regarding the nominations. “We at BTMI are beyond pleased that destination Barbados has yet again been considered by the World Culinary Awards.” Speaking specifically on the Barbados Food and Rum Festival she continued, “On the heels of winning the Caribbean’s Best Culinary Festival in 2023, this year’s nomination is apt recognition for the concerted efforts BTMI continues to make in marketing Barbados’ rich culinary heritage and its vibrant food scene, through what has become one of the most sought-after festivals. This nomination is also a fitting mark of appreciation to all our sponsors, partnering food establishments, culinary professionals, chefs, mixologists and other entities who work with us to make the Barbados Food and Rum Festival the ultimate dream weekend for food enthusiasts from around the world.”

Aprille Thomas, Director of Public Relations and Communications at BTMI with responsibility as Director of the Barbados Food and Rum Festival commented, “This consecutive nomination for the Barbados Food and Rum Festival is testament to the calibre of this most exciting epicurean experience on Barbados’ calendar of events and reflects BTMI’s commitment to culinary excellence as a hallmark of our island’s tourism product. We are eagerly looking forward to having another successful season when this year’s Barbados Food and Rum Festival is hosted during October 24^th to 27^th.”

She further noted, “I am also thrilled at the nomination garnered by the Jean and Norma Holder Hospitality Institute, especially as BTMI is partnering with them to facilitate the training component of this year’s Junior Chef Cook-Off Competition.”

Under the theme of “Feed the Future” the Junior Chef Cook-Off Competition is one of the highlights of the Barbados Food and Rum Festival. The competition seeks to empower the next generation of Barbados’ culinary talent by way of creating developmental and training opportunities for young aspiring chefs as they compete against each other for the title of Junior Chef Champion.  

The 2024 edition of the Barbados Food and Rum Festival will also feature signature events including Liquid Gold Feast, Rise & Rum Breakfast Party, Rum Route, Chef Classics, Oistins Under the Stars, Culture of Cuisine Talks and the newly added Bajan Fair which will offer a host of family-friendly activities. The ever-popular community pop-ups will also be held during the festival. 

For more information on all of the activities of the Barbados Food and Rum Festival, interested parties are invited to follow on Instagram (@foodandrumbarbados) and Facebook (Barbados Food and Rum Festival).

The 2024 World Culinary Awards winners will be determined through a voting process. Voting is currently open and will close on August 30^th, 2024. During the voting window, industry professionals, the media and general public are all invited to vote by visiting https://worldculinaryawards.com/nominees/2024/caribbean  (PR)

THE Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA) has promoted two of its team members. They are Tessalee Moore and Rhea Walker who recently assumed the positions of Special Projects Manager and Member Relations Marketing Officer, respectively.

Moore, who started with the BHTA in 2019 as an intern while pursuing studies in Tourism Management (Special) at the University of the West Indies, Centre for Hotel and Tourism Management (CHTM) in the Bahamas, is now responsible for the effective assessment, development and implementation of special projects created by the BHTA, among other duties.

Excited about her new role she said, “My journey with the BHTA has been a true testament to my passion for tourism. I am privileged to progress to this role. This promotion not only signifies career growth but also validates my dedication to advancing destination Barbados through the Association, a responsibility I hold in the highest regard. As a young leader, I am driven by the belief that success transcends age, focusing instead on resilience, capability and unwavering determination.”

Moore, who was also recently selected to serve on the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) Young Leaders Forum class 2024-2026, explained that she is committed to fostering valuable partnerships in her new role at the BHTA, while leading innovative projects, and achieving remarkable results with her dedicated team. 

Walker, who has served as the Association’s Administrative Assistant/Receptionist for the past six years is also honoured by her promotion, “My time with the BHTA has been rewarding and has moulded my professional path, while instilling excitement for future endeavours. I appreciate the exposure to the various aspects of the tourism industry provided through working with the Association.

“From advocacy to stakeholder engagement, working with the BHTA has broadened my scope and has given me a world of experience which has contributed to my professional as well as personal growth. I recognise this as an opportunity to make a real impact and drive innovation within the organisation and the industry as a whole. With the commitment to enhancing our membership experience and advocating for industry interests, I am eager to use my skills and vision to propel the BHTA to even greater success. I welcome the new challenge.” 

In her new capacity, Walker will be responsible for overseeing various BHTA initiatives aimed at enhancing the membership experience and fostering organisational growth including crafting strategic membership development programmes and networking opportunities, 

CEO of the BHTA Ryan Forde congratulated Moore and Walker on their promotions and stated, “Tessalee and Rhea have been instrumental in the development of the BHTA Secretariat in more ways than one and their promotions are well justified. Many of our members and board have worked with them and have only had positive words to say. 

“Tessalee led the BHTA’s project management of the just concluded 2023 CHTA Marketplace 41 hosted in Barbados and that was a huge undertaking as the island welcomed 800 plus industry partners and media to the destination and the behind the scenes work with our partner tourism agencies and members was key to the success. 

“Meanwhile, Rhea would have led the execution of the marketing campaigns for all of our recent tradeshows and worked in numerous advocacy capacities on behalf of the membership. Both would have excelled in their roles and beyond in many more areas, so for the Board and I it was an easy selection process to promote two young, bright and goal driven individuals.”

Forde added that the BHTA aims at keeping young people active in the industry through opportunities for training and development, “We are not the everyday Secretariat. We wish to be leaders in the direction of our industry’s development and one main area is through our people. As such, I am very excited to have them and others lead our team.” (PR)

-certificate ceremony for Tour Guide Training Graduates-

The Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI) proudly announced the completion of its Community Tourism and Tour Guide Training courses, aimed at enhancing service quality and tourism awareness. 

A brief ceremony was held recently to present Certificates of Achievement to the participants who have successfully completed these rigorous training sessions. The primary objective of these training sessions is to fortify human capital by equipping participants with essential skills in service quality and tourism awareness. The Tour Guide Training initiative, in particular, is designed to develop a proficient cadre of tour guides who can effectively support the BTMI and other stakeholders whenever needed.

“At the BTMI, we understand that the reason our visitors keep returning to our shores is because of the warmth and hospitality of our Barbadians. We are thrilled to see such a passionate and dedicated group of individuals complete the Tour Guide Training program. Their commitment to excellence in service quality and tourism awareness is inspiring, and we are confident that they will significantly enhance the tourism experience in Barbados. Our ongoing efforts to develop skilled tour guides are vital to preserving and promoting our rich cultural heritage, and we look forward to the positive impact these graduates will make,” said Marsha Alleyne, Chief Product Development Officer, BTMI.

Conducted in collaboration with the Department of History at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Cave Hill and facilitated by Dr. Henderson Carter, the Tour Guiding program spanned two cohorts from September to October 2023. This program attracted a diverse group of participants, including individuals from Worrells Tour Guiding Company, The Archives Department, The St. Andrew Independence Committee, Codrington College, Culture Tours, The Moravian Church, UWI, and various independent participants. Out of the 40 registered attendees, 23 participants will be present to receive their certificates at the ceremony.

The comprehensive training emphasized the importance of knowledgeable and passionate tour guides who can effectively communicate the rich historical, anecdotal, and geographical narratives of Barbados. While historical expertise is not a prerequisite, a fervent interest in tour guiding and storytelling is essential.

The intensive 6-day course covered a wide range of crucial topics, including; Communication skills; Conducting guided tours on a bus; Presenting information in a chronological order; effective body language; and First Aid training.

The BTMI is committed to continuous improvement and is pleased to announce that the next cohort for the Tour Guide Training program is scheduled for August 2024. (PR/BTMI)