Call for development of regional health and wellness sector

NOW IS THE time for the Caribbean to capitalise on the multi-trillion dollar health and wellness industry, said executive director of the Caribbean Export Development Agency Pamela Coke-Hamilton.

She was giving the opening remarks at a recent two-day Caribbean Aid for Trade and Regional Integration Trust Fund Spa and Wellness Project close-off meeting held in Courtyard by Marriott, Hastings, Christ Church and hosted in collaboration with the Caribbean Development Bank and the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development.

The aim of the project was to review the results to date and identify the next steps of the implementation strategy to support the region’s health and wellness tourism industry. 

Coke-Hamilton told regional industry practitioners the Caribbean had a strong history as a major tourist destination and consequently tourism is the most significant contributor to many of the economies across the region.

“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,” she said.

The global spa and wellness industry is said to worth some US$2 trillion according and as such Coke-Hamilton said “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”.  (CA)