A record number of Caribbean nationals are to receive scholarships from the CTO Foundation, the scholarship programme of the Caribbean Tourism Organization, this year. The Foundation is granting 10 scholarships to persons pursuing tourism/hospitality studies, the highest number ever awarded since the first scholarships were given in 1998.

Two of the 10 – Amanda Charles of Dominica and Diana Maldonado of the Dominican Republic - are among last year’s scholarship winners who were promised further assistance this year if they achieved high levels of academic performance. Of the remaining eight, two are from Jamaica and the others are from Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, the Netherlands Antilles, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines and Trinidad & Tobago.

The students are all studying at the Masters level in various tourism disciplines at institutions both within and outside the Caribbean. They received scholarships ranging from US$2800 to US$8,000 – plus airline tickets on American Airlines for those studying in a country which the airline services.

In addition to the scholarships, the CTO Foundation is offering study grants of US$2000 each to 10 nationals from Anguilla, Barbados, Grenada, Jamaica, the Netherland Antilles, St. Kitts and Trinidad & Tobago.

The total amount in scholarships and grants is US$70,000, just short of the record US$72,000 awarded in 2006.

“These are all very deserving candidates who we are confident will not only make the Caribbean proud, but will make significant contributions to the sustainable development of the region after completing their areas of study,” said Jacqueline Johnson, the chairman of the CTO Foundation.

The CTO Foundation, set up in 1997, is registered in New York State as a Not-for-Profit Corporation, formed exclusively for charitable and educational purposes. Its main aim is to provide scholarships and study grants to students and industry personnel who are Caribbean nationals, from CTO-member countries, who wish to pursue studies in the areas of tourism/hospitality and language training. The Foundation supports individuals who demonstrate high levels of academic achievement and leadership potential and who express a strong interest in making a contribution to Caribbean tourism.

Since its inception, the CTO Foundation has provided 42 major scholarships and 84 study grants. Major CTO Foundation sponsors include American Express, American Airlines, Interval International, Universal Media, the CTO chapters worldwide and numerous CTO allied members.