The International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association is providing six students from North and South America with scholarships to attend its 29th Annual Global Convention in Florianopolis, Brazil, 12-14 April. The awards allow the selected students to receive hands-on mentoring at the world’s premier LGBT tourism conference.
 
In 2011, when the Student Tourism Awards were launched, two students were chosen to participate in the IGLTA Annual Global Convention. This year saw more than 70 applicants compete for six conference scholarships.
 
“We are proud to see growth in our student tourism participation at this year’s Annual Global Convention in Brazil,” says IGLTA President/CEO John Tanzella. “This awards program gives hospitality students exposure to an international tourism conference, providing education and networking for their professional development – which in turn contributes to the healthy future of the LGBT tourism industry.”
 
The 2012 Student Tourism Award winners are:

• Mariana Rodrigues Alvares, Universidade Anhembi Morumbi, Sao Paulo, Brazil
• Allister Chang, Tufts University, Boston, Mass., USA
• Silvia Cobeiros de Godoy, Universidade Anhembi Morumbi, Sao Paulo, Brazil
• Bruno Henrique Maralhas Correia, Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
• Armando de Paiva Muniz, Senac High School, Sao Paulo, Brazil
• Chris Petrucci, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pa., USA

IGLTA would like to thank its generous donors, without whom the Student Tourism Awards would not be possible: the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority and Delta Air Lines.