FOR the second year in a row, the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Montego Bay has retained the championship of the TPDCo Infomania Tourism Quiz Competition.

The Ritz Carlton Hotel was crowned western champions and won the national title after defeating eastern zone finalists, Goblin Hill of Portland.

The winning team received a cash prize of $60,000, courtesy of TPDCo, the Ministry of Tourism trophy, five medals and scholarships for the team members and coach from TPDCo and five reggae watches courtesy of Tropicana.

They also received two round trip tickets, courtesy of Air Jamaica and Air Jamaica Express; five weekends from Swept Away, Sandals Ocho Rios, Couples Negril and Breezes Runaway Bay; a six-month free subscription and trophy from the Gleaner and custom designed outfits from Ankenata and Fabric Smart.

The winning coach received a cellular phone from Cable and Wireless Jamaica Ltd, a gift basket from Star Fish Oils and a weekend for two at Hedonism II.

The runners up, Goblin Hill Villas, received a trophy and $40,000 in cash from Cable and Wireless; a Caribbean trip for two courtesy of BWIA and a clock courtesy of Bijoux. They were also awarded five weekends for two at Sandals Dunn’s River, the Ritz Carlton Hotel, The Wexford, Jack Tar Village and Grand Lido Negril. They also received a TPDCo plaque as the eastern zone winners.

“Infomania is a powerful tool in widening the reservoir of knowledge — not only about tourism itself, but of current affairs and many other aspects of national life,” said senior director in the tourism ministry, Paul Smith.

He was speaking recently at the competition finals and awards ceremony at The Ruins, in Ocho Rios. In his address, Smith also noted that the goal of the quiz was to foster awareness and knowledge of the island’s multi-faceted tourism product.

TPDCo’s executive director, Karl Binger declared the competition a success, and added that it had achieved its goal of imparting information about the industry. According to him, it had complemented the other human resource development programmes conducted by TPDCo.

Some 15 teams entered the three-year-old competition.

Other sectional prizes were presented to the Challengers from Negril for being the most professional team. Team members received five cellular phones courtesy of Cable and Wireless while Floyd Speid of Goblin Hill was presented with a cellular phone and a weekend for two at Sandals Royal Caribbean for being the most outstanding team player.

The Police were also named runners up in the eastern zone, and regional champions. It is the first time since the inception of the competition that the Jamaica Constabulary Force has fielded a team.