Eleutherans to benefit from Tourism's Summer Programme 2009 "Flying High with Tourism"

Smart Group of Students in the Summer Programme stand with Officials from the Ministry of Tourism at their orientation on May 11.

A select group of students including two from Eleuthera, will receive formal training in the nation’s number one economic sector through the Ministry of Tourism and Aviation’s Summer Program.

The Eleutheran caught up with 12 successful candidates at the orientation held at the British Colonial Hilton on Monday May 11,  with officials from the Ministry of Tourism.  Some candidates eagerly displayed their enthusiasm and shared their anticipation of learning from this opportunity.

The two bright students from Eleuthera selected as a part of this elite group of youngsters are Ms. Dericka Gibson of Gregory Town, and Ms. Melissa Butler of Tarpum Bay.  Both young ladies are currently studying at the College of The Bahamas in Culinary Arts and Tourism Management respectively.

Ms. Dericka Gibson

Having celebrated her 20th birthday on  Friday, May 1st 2009, Dericka Gibson, who entered COB in January of 2008, shared with The Eleutheran that she is geared up and ready to take in all she can from the experience, explaining, "I applied for the program, because I wanted to get a feel for what working in the Tourism Industry is like… It seems like it’s going to be a good learning experience for me.”  She is contemplating switching her college major from  Culinary Arts to Tourism and Hospitality Management. Dericka is scheduled to be in Eleuthera on May 12th and is expected to begin her summer experience soon thereafter.

Ms. Melissa Butler

Seventeen year old, Melissa Butler, who grew up in Tarpum Bay and attended Central Eleuthera High School before joining COB in August 2008, currently majors in Tourism Management and considers herself a newbie in the Tourism Industry. She shared with The Eleutheran, “I wanted to get a basic understanding of the tourism industry, before I actually get further into my major [the first year they don’t really focus on the tourism aspect, you have to get the general courses out of the way, with just a few classes in your major] so I thought the Ministry of Tourism would be a good place to do that.  I’m excited!”

Melissa says she looks forward with great anticipation to working with the Visitor Experience section in the Ministry of Tourism in Nassau.