The Tribune

By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella@tribunemedia.net

MINISTRY of Tourism officials yesterday pledged that its upcoming 16th annual Cacique Awards will have a “new and fresh feel” as the ministry celebrates 50 years of tourism in the country.

The ministry announced the launch of nominations for the “prestigious” event at a press conference yesterday. According to Director of Events Charity Armbrister the show will be “extraordinary” as the ministry tops off its Golden Jubilee celebrations.

One lucky and outstanding student entering a full-time undergraduate degree programme in tourism management & hospitality or a related field of study at the College of the Bahamas will benefit from the event’s proceeds, officials said.

“This year the awards ceremony will celebrate the climax of our 50th anniversary of tourism by highlighting product and culture and including as many islands as possible in the production,” Ms Armbrister said. “As the venue is a new one, attendees can expect a new and fresh feel of the overall event with fabulous entertainment throughout the evening. In addition, we have included two additional categories and finally we will also bring back the red carpet entrance for the fashion conscious attendees.”

The awards will honour the contributions of the “best of the best” of individuals and organisations “throughout the islands of the Bahamas whose performance continue to define excellence in service delivery and tourism management,” organisers said.

Individuals and organisations will be honoured in areas such as transportation, local airlines and tour operators, human resources development, sports and leisure, special events, creative arts, handicraft and sustainable tourism.

Winners will also be chosen for the Clement T Maynard Lifetime Achievement Award, the Minister’s Hospitality Award and the People’s Choice Music Award, given for the best in gospel and secular music.

Any member of the public can cast a nomination for the general awards, the Minister of Tourism’s Hospitality Award and the Lifetime Achievement Award. They may also nominate as many persons as they wish. The same person may be nominated for more than one award if he/she is making a contribution in more than one area, according to the event’s organisers.

Interested persons can nominate individuals and organisations by completing nomination forms and sending them to online@caciqueawards.com.

The event is scheduled for Saturday, January 24, 2015, at 7pm at the Melia Nassau Resort.