BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – The tourism industry has become a target for hackers and cybercriminals due to the large and valuable quantities of customer data gathered by tourism companies, according to the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), making it essential for those in the sector to protect themselves and their customers against cyberattacks.
It is against this background that the organization’s scholarship program, the CTO Scholarship Foundation, has added cybersecurity and data science to the areas of study that it will fund this year.
The foundation is also offering scholarships for Caribbean nationals seeking to enhance their skills in brand management and information technology, bringing to four, the number of new subjects of study that the charity will support.
The foundation is this year offering four scholarships of between US$3000 and US$5000, including the Audrey Palmer Hawks Memorial Scholarship (US$5000), Arley Sobers and Bonita Morgan memorial scholarships (both US$3000) and the Thomas J. Greenan scholarship (US$5000), which was introduced for the first time last year to provide financial support to Caribbean nationals pursuing qualification in agro/gastronomy-related subjects, community-based or sustainable tourism.
Study grants of up to US$2000 are also being offered to Caribbean nationals seeking to improve their skills in any tourism-related field of study that will enhance the development of a sustainable tourism industry and boost service excellence in the region.
The foundation selects individuals who demonstrate high levels of achievement and leadership both within and outside the classroom and who express a strong interest in making a positive contribution to Caribbean tourism.
