MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica– Showing just about on the fifth staging of the Jamaica Well being and Wellness Tourism Convention on the Montego Bay Conference Centre at this time (November 16, 2023), Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, stated creating the well being and wellness subsector was among the many ministry’s development technique targets, “providing guests an unmatched worth proposition, based mostly on innovation, diversification, and differentiation of our tourism product.”
He stated this type of differentiation would produce tourism experiences that would not be replicated by different locations.
“The richness of our biodiversity and the potential for nutraceutical merchandise which are in demand and provide a lot risk for well being and wellness put Jamaica as a premier vacation spot within the Caribbean particularly, as we’re the nation with maybe extra choices for well being and wellness than all of the English-speaking Caribbean islands mixed,” stated Mr. Bartlett.
With an elevated demand for well being and wellness and security requirements following the COVID-19 pandemic, he pointed to an exponential development in spas and different well being merchandise globally and “even right here in Jamaica, as we’ve got seen a proliferation of well being and wellness actions in numerous areas.”
Globally, the well being and wellness subsector of the tourism trade is alleged to be valued at some US$4.3 trillion, and in accordance with the managing director of the worldwide healthcare and actual property investing agency NovaMed, Dr. David Walcott, “on this hemisphere we haven’t even begun to scratch the floor.”
Well being and Wellness Convention
Dr. Walcott was a panellist on a fireplace chat on the convention, which is operating over two days underneath the theme “The Blue Ocean Revolution: Unlocking the Potential of Well being and Wellness Tourism.” Nevertheless, pinning his remarks on “Investing in a Complete New Period of Well being and Wellness,” Dr. Walcott says, “We’ve to recognise the developments that the worldwide viewers is responding to.”
He gave as examples the urge for food for personalised, customised choices, a wellness expertise that’s much less product-oriented however extra on a curated expertise, echo-friendly wellness merchandise, “an enormous space that we haven’t even scratched the floor on,” and built-in wellness expertise.
In the meantime, Chairman of the Well being and Wellness Community of the Tourism Enhancement Fund, Mr. Garth Walker, stated the convention was a celebration of the strides that had been made and the potential that lay forward within the vibrant realm of well being and wellness tourism.
He stated the wealthy range of experiences and views introduced collectively within the convention was testomony to the worldwide influence and significance of well being and wellness tourism, and “Jamaica is about to advertise present services whereas strategically creating and advertising spa services all through the island.”
The purpose, stated Mr. Walker, was to reinforce and develop Jamaica’s well being and wellness merchandise and packages, positioning it as a regular area of interest on the earth of tourism and showcasing the nation as a premier vacation spot for these searching for not only a trip however a holistic wellness expertise.
President of the Jamaica Lodge and Vacationer Affiliation, Mr. Robin Russell, additionally underscored the rising pattern of holiday makers travelling for well being and wellness and famous {that a} pattern was now creating with native resorts introducing extra natural merchandise into their meals and integrating fresh-grown gardens on their properties.
He confused that “the patron is now demanding it, and we’ve got to provide it to them, and we do it naturally, which is why it’s straightforward for us to do.”
Mr. Russell additionally acknowledged that there was a transfer to get Jamaicans right into a more healthy way of life, to dwell a greater life, “and once we talk about these individuals coming to Jamaica and experiencing wellness, I might say that we’ve got to be properly additionally.”