Tobago’s Jolé St John is the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s Junior Regional Minister of Tourism 2025.
The Bishop’s High School student emerged the winner of the debate and claimed the coveted title at the CTO’s Regional Youth Tourism Congress in Barbados on Thursday.
Seventeen youth delegates presented innovative and spirited debates during the Congress, but it was the 16-year-old Junior Minister of Tourism from Tobago who impressed the judges after she delivered a presentation on developing Tobago’s heritage tourism through “Living History Initiatives.”
The three ideas Jolé outlined were titled ‘Tobago Time Sail’, ‘Tobago Coco Fortress’ and ‘Tobago Truvu’.
“Visitors answer conch shell boarding calls as they embark the Galleon’s Passage vessel. Upper deck they peer through periscopic systems on board. 1628 to 1899 ancestral resilience comes alive through actors as Tobago dialect weaves the story. Holographic projections on the ship’s wall map the island’s 33 historic battles. The finale: drones display re-enactments of battles and shifts colonial flags in the night sky.”
Jolé was the only presenter to include sign language in her presentation.
For the mystery topic category, she was asked to speak about the recipe for the perfect tourism experience in her destination. She highlighted the historical tours available and the variety of events hosted on the island.
“With community-based events throughout the month of July and the experience concluding on August 1st. If you choose to extend your stay into August you may just see the return of the DODs Diving World Championship, a recently welcomed sports tourism initiative. Culinary tourists can also expect the introduction of a Caribbean Cuisine Showdown in 2026. We are home to the oldest brain coral and the forest reserve in the Western Hemisphere, catering to marine enthusiasts and marine lovers. With such a diverse tourism product, I am sure you see there is no better place you know than the land of sweet Tobago.”
In addition to earning the top regional honour, Jolé received a suite of prizes including an educational scholarship, a 2026 Future Innovators Fellowship, and an all-expenses-paid trip to attend a CTO event in 2026, along with tech gadgets.
Jamaica’s Junior Minister of Tourism placed second, and the Cayman Islands’ Junior Minister of Tourism took the third spot.