With beautiful beaches, breathtaking ocean vistas, balmy weather, and hospitable, culturally rich communities, it’s no wonder the Caribbean is known for its booming tourism industry. However, as tourists from around the world shift their focus away from laying on the beach all day, overindulging in-all inclusive fare, the Caribbean tourism sector has taken notice and is following suit. Travelers are now looking to incorporate their home-based healthy lifestyle into their vacations, and the Caribbean has responded with numerous options—ecotourism, culinary, spa and wellness, preventative and health retreats—during which consumers can enjoy the sun, sand, and sea all wrapped up in a healthy getaway.

“With the tremendous ‘baby boom’ generation in the United States reaching middle age, more and more consumers are interested in vacations that offer not just recreational activities, but restorative and wellness options,” reports Anne Corning, vice president of marketing and market research for Michael Brown Healthcare in New York, a company specializing in business development and marketing for medical and health tourism venues. “The Caribbean offers close proximity to North American consumer markets,” Ms. Corning continues, “and already has a very well-developed tourism reputation. It’s becoming a growing destination for travelers who seek to combine resort, spa and treatment amenities all in one.”

Health tourism is not a new concept in the Caribbean. There are many examples of well-established health and wellness tourism venues within the region, including Le Sport in St. Lucia, Rainforest Paradise in Dominica, Crossroads Center in Antigua, and even a fertility center in Barbados.

One of the first and most popular destinations for health and well-being holidays is located right in St. Lucia. The center is known for its slogan, “Give us your body for a week and we’ll give you back your mind.” It’s called “The BodyHoliday, LeSPORT.”

“The award-winning Centre of Health and Well-being – The Oasis at the BodyHoliday, LeSPORT has recently observed a growing interest among spa goers for life-changing experiences and pursuits available here that either lead to ‘positive health’ or ‘prevention of illnesses’ due to increased vitality and better immunity of body,” reports Dr. Abhishek Jain, senior leader of Spa Operations at The BodyHoliday, LeSPORT. “An interesting trend,” he continues, “is that people wish to be guided by our team of spa professionals and in-house experts and quite enjoy ‘need-based’ treatments more than the conventional ‘want-based’ offerings.”

Many of the other islands have established tasks forces to diversify their tourism sectors to include this growing niche market, as well as establishing strategic partnerships to work together to promote and market their services to consumers.

Barbados has certainly recognized the importance of health and wellness tourism. Barbados Minister of Tourism Richard Sealy stated, “Health and wellness tourism is growing at a higher rate than that of global tourism, which is the fastest-growing industry in the world. So we need to add that niche to our other offerings.” In fact, the World Bank estimates that health and wellness tourism worldwide exceed $40 billion a year, an annual increase of 30%, while the entire tourism industry is only growing at a rate of 4% to 5% annually.

Spa goers and wellness enthusiasts want to be treated to the Caribbean spa experience, and Barbados’ day spa, Soothing Touch Da Spa, does just that. It is a perfect example of a Caribbean spa that truly provides a uniquely Caribbean experience, allowing spa goers to truly get away from it all during treatments in exotic, open-air treatment rooms. It is a recharging and rejuvenating get-away from it all.

As a master therapist, Mr. Andrews knows the opportunities ahead for the region first hand. He has big plans for Caribbean Spa Village, which will be much more than just a spa. It will have cottage accommodations, restaurants, and health and wellness facilities, all set in an ambiance that will incorporate the traditional, natural resources and rhythm of the Caribbean to create a truly Caribbean experience for visitors.

Cuba has a long-standing reputation as being a medical tourism destination, offering treatments from surgery to quality-of-life programs and everything in between for very affordable prices. Over the years, the Dominican Republic has also earned itself a niche reputation for affordable, high-quality cosmetic surgery procedures for Americans who by law cannot partake in Cuba’s programs.

Although data on the health and wellness industry in the Caribbean are still limited, its development as a primary industry is quite evident. The region has hosted many conferences on health and wellness in the past three or four years, and the momentum seems to be toward greater investment and coordination at the highest level in order to fully take advantage of the opportunity. With great leadership and a strong commitment by the regions’ governments, the Caribbean is destined to be the health and wellness tourism capital of the world.

[Editor’s note: Reprinted with permission of BoomersAbroad.com]