“The time is ripe for the Caribbean to capitalize on the health and wellness industry”.
This was one of the closing comments from Executive Director of the Caribbean Export Development Agency , Pamela Coke Hamilton, in her opening remarks at the two-day Regional Spa and Wellness project closing meeting that commenced on Tuesday in Barbados.
Hosted by the Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export), in collaboration with the Caribbean the Caribbean Development Bank and the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID), regional industry practitioners convened to review the results to date and identify the next steps of the implementation strategy to support the regions health and wellness tourism industry.
As noted by Coke Hamilton, the Caribbean has a strong history as a major tourist destination and consequently tourism is the most significant contributor to many of the economies across the region. In view of this Mrs Coke Hamilton expressed that “the onus was on us in the Caribbean to take ownership and responsibility for the diversification of the industry to ensure that the region benefits from the changing demands of visitors”.
The global Spa and Wellness industry is said to worth some $2 trillion USD according to Mrs Coke Hamilton and thus “we must address issues such as ensuring that across the region, international standards are being implemented, that the Caribbean brand is receiving adequate visibility and representation in key markets and that the policies and regulatory frameworks are in place to facilitate the development of the sector”.
Following the review of the project over the next two days including the lessons learnt across the region, the group hopes to chart a clear path forward with revision to the regional strategy accordingly to support the growth and sustainable development of the regional spa and wellness sector.
Great idea! Dominica is giving away the store by charging only around $20.00 to visit places like SCREWS. Where else in the world can you enjoy a very hot water bath au naturel. In the U.S. you would pay at least US$50.00.
Health and Wellness is becoming an important Tourism Niche Market that Dominica should continue to take advantage of… Dominica has significant economic advantages over many destinations such as our natural environment, natural hot water springs, 365 rivers, pristine forests and small exotic family operated properties and tourism related enterprises, lots of out door and adventure tourism opportunities, and an active Community Tourism Product that if well packaged and marketed could present a wealth of opportunities for creating a sustainable tourism sector for the nature Island at least in the area of Health and wellness
I think that Dominica could do well with the wellness centers that we already have here. This is the nature island of the Caribbean. We would not have to advertise like other Caribbean Islands, we have the hot springs, natural springs, the boiling lake, we have everything we need to make this idea work and bring it reality.
As long as no one has to go to the PMH hospital here! The passing recently of Trevor is a case in point. At 30 years old you do not die of appendicitis in the modern world. RIP Trevor and condolences to all your friends and family.
maybe do not print the above. Thank you.
Dominica does not need too many wellness centers.
It is sad that he passed away, young and in this manner. If he had appendicitis, it probably ruptured, inside of him. This could poison his blood. Therefore, there was nothing that could have been done for him.
Did he feel a pain a few days prior to going to the hospital and he did not go soon enough? Was it sudden? This needs to be investigated.
The global Spa and Wellness industry is said to worth some $2 trillion USD.
Not Wellness Tourism Industry.
This is misleading.