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Introduction
As part of our local tourism awareness programme, the Cayman Islands Ministry of Tourism & Trade Development and Department of Tourism will host the 2026 Tourism Speak-Off Competition. The multi-phase competition, which forms part of the Tourism Ambassador Programme, is open to students across the Cayman Islands enrolled in a homeschool programme or secondary schools who are between 14 and 17 years of age.
The Tourism Ambassador Programme helps to develop students’ in-depth knowledge of tourism and the issues which impact the business locally, regionally, and internationally, giving them valuable experiences through their interaction with each other. Through the video competition and Speak-Off, students will develop useful communication, reasoning, and public speaking skills that will serve them throughout their lives.
The winning student will be designated as the “Tourism Ambassador” for a period of one year, providing them with valuable learning, experiences, and personal and professional development opportunities. The Tourism Ambassador may also be given the opportunity to take part in various tourism activities throughout the year, including Ministry of Tourism and/or Department of Tourism-sponsored events.
The 2026 Tourism Ambassador will have the opportunity to represent the Cayman Islands and participate in the Regional Tourism Youth Congress, which takes place during the State of the Tourism Industry Conference held in Georgetown, Guyana 5 – 9 October, 2026.
Age Group: 14-17 years old
Submissions for video competition deadline: Monday, 23rd March, 2026 at 11:59PM
Finalists Announcement: Wednesday April 1st, 2026
Finalists will debate at the 2026 Tourism Speak-Off to determine the 2026 Tourism Ambassador
2026 Tourism Speak-Off Event: Wednesday, May 6th, 2026
2026 Tourism Ambassador Winner Announcement: Wednesday, May 6th, 2026
2026 Tourism Ambassador Activities: Partake in suitable year-round events sponsored by the Cayman Islands Ministry of Tourism & Ports and Department of Tourism such as the Caribbean Tourism Organisation's 2026 Regional Tourism Youth Congress.
Criteria for submission:
- Must be a student enrolled in a Cayman Islands secondary school
- Must be 14 - 17 years of age as at 1 October 2026
- Must not have been a past Tourism Video Competition winner or Ambassador
- Actively involved in school debates and general knowledge quizzes
- Knowledgeable of tourism
- Create a video presentation on the question provided by Cayman Islands Department of Tourism
- Reasoning, Persuasion & Evidence of Research
- Creativity
- Delivery
- Originality
Video presentation must be audible, well-lit, and of good quality
Video Presentation must be 3 minutes maximum
Business attire to be worn in video presentation
Students will choose from four (4) topics to speak about in their video presentation. Topics provided on registration form and in student’s information packet.
Finalists from the public speaking video competition will then choose from one of four (4) topics to present on at the 2026 Tourism Speak-Off.
To register for the 2026 Tourism Speak Off Video Competition, click here.
Click here to download the Student Information Packet.