 The 3rd Caribbean Health Tourism & Spa Symposium was recently held at the Hilton Kingston Jamaica Hilton. This year’s theme was “Uniting the Caribbean Health Tourism Market”. It was produced and organized by Positive Tourism Limited and very ably coordinated by Sharon and Theo Chambers.
Individual presentations and round table sessions covered the following issues and topics:
- Standardization and Accreditation of Caribbean Health & Spa Tourism Sector
- Integrating Indigenous Healers into the Health Tourism Domain
- Financial Institutions marketing to the Health & Spa Tourism sector
- How to Market Caribbean Health Tourism Overseas
- Developing private label products for hotels and spas
- Promoting Health Tourism effectively via the Internet
- Health Tourism Domain Integration
- Health Tourism Education & Training
- The use of natural foods in treatment modalities
The Symposium welcomed over 300 delegates / attendees from the “Caribbean region” (Jamaica, St. Lucia, Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago, Grenada, Dominica and Belize), the USA, Canada and the Mediterranean.
Presenters / Panelists and Moderators numbered about 24 (several of whom were hosted) came both from the Caribbean and further afield (the USA, Canada and Greece).
The Symposium, rich in content, presented opportunities for intimate interactions between the delegates themselves and networking opportunities with the health tourism experts.
The keynote speakers steered away from platitudes and delivered essential, insightful and impacting messages. Ambassador Hon. Dr. Richard Bernal OJ, Director General, Regional Negotiating Machinery, who delivered the first day’s address had delegates furiously taking down notes. He focused on globalisation and how this impacts the offering and consumption of health-related services.
The Hon. Aloun Assamba, Minister of Tourism, Entertainment & Culture, with her usual intelligence and humour, referred to the five objectives of her Ministry’s Master Plan for Sustainable Tourism Development (which includes Health Tourism):
- Growth based on a sustainable market position
- Enhancing the visitor experience
- Community based development
- An inclusive industry
- Environmental sustainability
She ended with the challenge: “give us the product and we will market it”.
Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace, the charismatic and tireless Secretary General of the Caribbean Tourism Organization commented that the lives and habits of the people of Health Tourism destinations must reflect health & wellness. “We must begin to live it,” he said.
Finally, His Excellency, Volker Schlegel, German Ambassador to Jamaica, faithful friend of the region and champion of virtuous globalisation and health tourism gave a comprehensive rundown on how to market Caribbean Health Tourism overseas. He provided apt examples and astute suggestions and ideas for product / service development and promotion. The Symposium was immediately followed by the Caribbean Health and Wellness Sector Planning Meeting – at the same venue.
The Caribbean Health and Wellness Sector Planning Meeting
The Caribbean Health and Wellness Sector Planning Meeting – which immediately followed the Health and Spa Symposium, was a separate but clearly related event. It started off with Denzil Phillips (of the eponymous consultancy) presenting the highlights of his review report on the “Caribbean Export Wellness Road Map”. The meeting then turned to the main topic on the agenda which was an open discussion on issues of concern to the Health and Wellness Sector. These included definition, regulation, segmentation, education / training, standards and accreditation, integration, collaboration, development and services promotion.
The discussion led to important decisions and resolutions for “action” which are sure to impact the whole Caribbean Health Tourism Domain. Specifically it was voted that a Caribbean Health Tourism Council be formed to address and deal with the several issues and matters relevant to the Sector.
The Council would fall under the patronage and oversight of the Caribbean Tourism Organization. A ten-member Leadership Circle Team was elected which was given the mandate to get things started and ensure they keep moving.
The Team was instructed to draft a Memorandum of Intent – to be distributed as broadly as possible amongst the stakeholders (individuals and legal entities) for comments and suggestions – as part of a “stakeholder consultation process”. This consultation should not last longer than 60 days, to ensure that the momentum is maintained and actions initiated.
The Team was to also look into initiating a domain integration project (which amongst other things, will aim to define the Domain, map and manage its stakeholders and proceed with actions aimed at rendering it efficient and promoting development). The Caribbean Health Tourism website (www.caribbeanhealthtourism.com) would become the portal for the Caribbean Health Tourism Council.
Theodore Koumelis - Monday, May 28, 2007
Source: http://www.traveldailynews.com |
