FIRST SCHOLARSHIP IN MEMORY OF LATE CTO DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH TO BE AWARDED THIS YEAR

~Arley Sobers Memorial Scholarship offered  to Caribbean national working in tourism research ~             BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (March 7, 2009) –  The first scholarship in memory of the late Director of Information Management and Research at the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) will be presented to a Caribbean national this year.

The CTO, through its scholarship programme, the CTO Scholarship Foundation, launches the annual Arley Sobers Memorial Scholarship by offering up to US$5,000 to Caribbean nationals working in tourism research and/or statistics.

Persons already employed at Caribbean national tourism organizations and who are seeking to enhance their skills in these areas through a short term training programme or course, are eligible to apply.The annual Arley Sobers Memorial Scholarship has been established – with a US$10,000 contribution from the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) and support from CTO Member Countries – to honour the late Arley Sobers, the CTO’s Interim Secretary General and Director of Information Management and Research, who died suddenly last August, while on an overseas mission for the organization.Mr. Sobers dedicated over two decades of his working life to the service of the Caribbean Tourism Organization.  He was very determined to ensure that Caribbean tourism statistical information and research was accurate, reliable and properly validated. From very early in his career he recognized tourism’s importance to the economies of the Caribbean, and while Mr. Sobers worked primarily in the area of research and statistics, his overall influence and contribution to Caribbean tourism was wide reaching.   Caribbean nationals wishing to apply for the Arley Sobers Memorial Scholarship  have until 30 April 2009 to apply. Information on how to apply for this, as well as other scholarships being offered by the CTO Foundation scholarship, can be found at www.onecaribbean.org.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. 

Major CTO Foundation sponsors include American Express, American Airlines, Interval International, Universal Media, the CTO chapters worldwide and numerous CTO allied members.