There's no use lamenting it now, tourism has emerged as Belize's most promising industry. So instead of learning about agriculture, many of our students are learning tourism skills. And for future resort and hotel owners and tour operators, that means a competent knowledge of social studies. And that's why the Tourism Board has been staging its annual social studies quiz. We stopped in today and found students who were sharp with their studies.
Lloyd Enriquez, Registrar of Hotels, BTB
"Well tourism is the foreign exchange earner in the country. If you look at the whole global market right now, agriculture is struggling, our prices for sugar and banana and all the other crops we produce are really finding it difficult to compete. Tourism is one area in which we've made strides and I would dare to see we're only at the tip of the iceberg when it comes to tourism potential and many people have come, many investors have come to Belize and it is a gold mine we are sitting on in terms of our tourism potential. So there is a whole a lot ahead of us in terms of growth of tourism. So getting the students sensitized on this from a very early age I think is a very very key point."
And one way the Belize Tourism Board has been sensitizing the country's young population is through an annual social studies quiz contest. Today the Belize District Finals were held at the Holy Redeemer Parish Hall. Seventeen primary schools were represented but in just over two hours, only two students would walk away with prizes.
Jacqueline Godwin,
Were you nervous?
Ismael Kay - 2nd place winner
"Well not really. Starting I wasn't because I've already gotten used to it from the spelling bee to social to reading but when we got the round I really got nervous and I was trembling. I couldn't even hold the mic."
Ismael Kay, a twelve year old student from San Pedro R.C came in second. He says he did well because he got help from his standard six teacher and classmates.
Ismael Kay,
"Every afternoon we stayed for him to tutor me. Every morning we would work with my classmates they would help me. When I am climbing the stairs, every question I get correct I climb one step and the one that I get wrong, I go down. So all my community helped me in all different kind of ways."
But it would be Queen Square Primary school student 11 year old Kayla Gentle to top the scores.
Jacqueline Godwin,
Kayla when they announced you as the winner how did you feel?
Kayla Gentle - 1st place winner
"I was surprised and also excited that I came in first. I studied very hard and my teachers and parents and friends helped me. They took me up."
As for BTB registrar of hotels and quiz coordinator Lloyd Enriquez, he is proud of all the student's performances and he knows they will help to meet the overall objective.
Lloyd Enriquez,
"It covers a wide variety of Belizean culture, Belizean geography, Belizean topography, the whole nine yards. So if the students are aware of what Belize is, not just as a people but as a country they will be able to sell the country and that is what tourism is all about - selling Belize out there in the global market."
Ismael Kay took home a bag of arts and craft supplies, a fifty-dollar gift certificate and a dinner ticket. Kayla Gentle received a tour to either the Belize Zoo or Lamanai, a gift certificate and a bag of arts and craft supplies. Ismael Kay and Kayla Gentle will now represent the Belize District in the nationals that is scheduled to take place sometime after the general elections. The annual social studies quiz is held as one of many activities to commemorate tourism awareness week which will be celebrated from January twentieth to the twenty fifth.
