Search on for Tourism Stars

John "Billy Joe" Gilbert receives the Cacique Award for Lifetime Achievement at the 13th Cacique Awards ceremony.

(MOT, Nassau, The Bahamas) - Nominations for the Cacique Awards are now open, the Ministry of Tourism and Aviation announced. The awards that honor the brightest and best performers in tourism and related fields will be held January 28, 2010.

The road to the gala event in January begins with nominations from the public for eight public categories – Transportation, Human Resources Development, Creative Arts, Handicraft, Minister’s Award for Hospitality, Lifetime Achievement Award, Sustainable Tourism and Sports, Leisure & Events.

Members of the public can submit information on outstanding professionals for consideration. Winners are selected by the Blue Ribbon Panel, a distinguished group of Bahamians with a wealth of experience in various professional and technical fields.

“The Cacique Awards are extremely important to the health of the Bahamian economy,” said Janet Johnson, director of Onshore Communications in the Ministry of Tourism & Aviation. “Since tourism is one of the pillars of our economy, we must do everything possible to encourage it and motivate those who build it up. The Cacique Awards is one of the important ways that we give some recognition and support to our tourism stars.”

Members of the public may nominate individuals, groups or companies online at www.tourismtoday.com. Nomination forms may also be downloaded from the website and returned to any Ministry of Tourism & Aviation office on any island. Islands without Ministry of Tourism & Aviation offices may return their forms to the Island Administrator’s office or mail them to P.O. Box N-3701 in Nassau.