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Health and wellness tourism is now an international trend set by the health conscious consumers seeking to enhance their well being through their travel experiences. This type of consumer seeks to look and feel better, to lose weight, to slow the effects of aging, to relieve pain or discomfort, to manage stress, or to partake in the use of natural supplements like vitamins and minerals to improve their health.

Resorts and hotels are joining the health spa development craze, although only some resorts are moving into the scope of services currently offered by destination spas. Likewise, a growing number of day spas are adding health and wellness programming options.

A distinction is made between the health and the wellness aspects.Health tourism refers to those clients with medical conditions who would travel to experience healing therapies. A person who seeks a wellness travel experience, is generally healthy to start with, and seeks therapies to maintain his or her well being.

In Jamaica, most up-market hotels have expanded their services to facilitate guests who now see spa therapy as the deciding factor in a resort vacation, rather than just an additional amenity.Jamaicans are also leaning towards this form of recreational/health activity, resulting in a proliferation of day spas especially in Kingston.The increasing demands for this type of activity could be a window of opportunity for potential investors in tourism!

Sector Profile:
The spa industry segment is regarded as the leading player in health and wellness tourism. In searching for health and wellness travel experiences, travelers can find structured and professionally-delivered programmes at several types of spa venues. These include:

Mineral Springs Spa: A spa offering on-site natural mineral, thermal, or sea water, which is used in professionally administered hydrotherapy treatments. This spa typifies the European spa product offering focusing on health and wellness.

Resort/Hotel Spa: This category represents the second largest group of spa facilities in North America. The majority have been or are being developed where the spa is a profitable amenity added to traditional resort vacation opportunities.

TPDCo and Jamaica’s Mineral Springs
Two of Jamaica’s mineral springs, Bath Fountain Hotel and Spa in St. Thomas and Milk River Hotel and Spa in Clarendon, are recognized as being among the most powerful and therapeutic springs in the world. They and which now play a significant role in Jamaica’s health tourism offerings. Jamaicans provide the largest client base for these facilities.However, the potency of these springs has attracted a steady flow of overseas visitors over the years.

The Milk River Spa water quality is said to be among the most radioactive in the world and is comparable to the Lucerne Spa in Switzerland.

Repairs are being effected to both facilities. However, they will require significant capital injections to upgrade them to international standards.

The Milk River development project is part of the Government’s Millennium project, which is targeted for assistance, while the Bath Hotel and Spa is being considered for divestment.

World Trends 2004
It is important to note these ongoing trends gleaned by Spa Finder, the largest travel wholesaler of spa vacations in the world, with the largest audience of spa consumers.

1. Spas are becoming more and more relevant to today’s traveler, as more and more people turn to spas to improve their looks and well-being.

2. Medical spas will provide the prescription for health and wellness. Cosmetic treatments were the rage in 2003, but in 2004, baby boomers will use medical spas for truly medical purposes – namely preventative health treatments and regimens, nutrition and fitness, and health and wellness education.

Enjoying the sauna
3. Spa experience will become more mainstream in the corporate world. Mixing business with ‘spa’ pleasure,businesses will engage the use of spas to build relationships, motivate employees, and manage employee health. Innovative businesses, including insurance providers, will underwrite regular spa visit to promote employee health and productivity and to lower medical costs. (Interestingly, the American Academy of Family Physicians estimates that 60% of all problems brought to physicians are stress-related. US corporations lose approximately $150 billion each year to stress-related disorders.)

4. The ‘Destination Day Spa’ will become a new spa facility category. Moving beyond the typical day experience, destination day spas offer a holistic mind/body/spirit experience similar to experiences normally associated with destination spas, minus accommodations. One-day mini retreats will include education programs, fitness programs, and healthy meals, in addition to spa/beauty treatments.

5. The spa experience will become more affordable and inclusive, thanks to the continued explosion of affordable spas geared to middle income earners seeking professional treatments and wellness programs.

6. International spa tours will replace international spa treatments. Rather than seeking specific treatments from specific facilities, the international traveller will seek to sample a variety of spa experiences within the same destination.

7. Spa cuisine will break out of the spa and into our dining rooms, thanks to popular spa cuisine cookbooks and recipes. High-end spas will enlist celebrity chefs, expand menus, employ innovative branded diet programs, and accommodate special diets.

8. Spas will become the primary consideration for many travellers. In recent years the fastest growing segment of the hospitality industry was hotels with spas. Indications are that spas with hotels will become an even bigger factor in consumer travelling decisions. Rather than being an ‘amenity’ offered at hotels or resorts, spas will be the deciding factor or the primary draw.

9. Spas will increasingly cater to pets, offer kennels and pet treatments and programs.

10. Spas will continue to attract men and offer male-focused activities like golf, outdoor adventure, male cosmetic programs, and high-octane fitness programs. Men will use spas in record numbers and more spa facilities across the spectrum will offer equal facilities for men and women.

A hot tub has its pleasures.
11. A strong family orientation will prevail. Teenage girls used spas in record numbers in 2003 for beauty treatments and the glamour of a luxurious spa experience. It is predicted that spas will cater to even younger visitors, including boys. These young spa-goers will come with their families seeking health and wellness programs. Spas will cater to them by offering more family-oriented activities, spas-for-kids, and or kids-only spa programs.

source: http://www.tpdco.org / Home> Government of Jamaica / Tourisim Product Development Co. Ltd