A hotel worker whose aim in life is to encourage young people into the hospitality industry was crowned as the best tourism employee of the year.

For Reefs maitre'd Wyman William Lindsay, the Visitor Industry Partnership top award was the second within days -- having just returned from winning "best waiter in the Caribbean''.

Mr. Lindsay won a $20,000 money market fund from the Bank of Butterfield after being named as the Minister of Tourism's "best of the best'' at the VIP Excellence Awards.

He was selected out of 500 nominees from the hospitality industry and beat out competition from 51 finalists to win at the ceremony, at the Fairmont Southampton Princess on Sunday night.

A graduate of Bermuda College, and former Stonington Beach worker, he encouraged others to follow him into the trade.

"It is tough and hard work, but there are great rewards.'' He won the award after first being chosen as best host in the "food and beverage section''. And only recently won accolades as a waiter in the Taste of the Caribbean competition contest in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Seventeen others won holidays and dining experiences after being chosen as the best in fourteen categories, ranging from front of house, retail store, food and beverage and airline worker.

The list of winners is as follows: Front of House; best bell /doorman, Stan Young, Sonesta; best front desk, Maria Evelyn Carreiro, Hamilton Princess; best concierge, Tori Sheppard, Elbow Beach.

Food and Beverage; best waiter, Wyman William Lindsay, Reefs; best bartender, Neil Virgil, Henry VIII; best chef, Manfred Seibert, Harmony Club.

Airline Employee, Judith Butterfield, American Airlines; Best Performing Artist, Gloria Joell-Robinson; Heart of the House, Willie Ferguson, Hamilton Princess; Housekeeping, Constance DeLight (Patsy) Wilson, Pink Beach.

Convention sales and marketing, Dennie O'Connor, Southampton Princess; Transportation, Judithann Hunt; Hospitality Support Services, Brenda E. I.

Smith, Immigration.

Activities and attractions, E. Michael Jones, Town Crier; General Administration, Richard Quinn, Daniel's Head Village; Young Person with Most Promise, Nichelle Sticca, Stonington Beach; Best Retail Store employee, Ruby Simons, Solomon Jewellers.

Everyone's a winner : Visitor Industry Partnership "best of the best'' award winner Wyman William Lindsay is pictured right of Tourism Minister David Allen and the other category winners.

TOURISM TOU