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Wellness tourism is one of the most promising niche markets within the tourism field, but it remains an area which needs to be expanded within Barbados.

Across the island, there are numerous hotels which offer spa packages, but there is somewhat of a lack of other well-being facilities that package accommodation and treatment together to attract long-stay visitors. According to a recent study conducted by the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA) entitled “Study on the competitive tourism environment which Barbados faces”, more needs to be done to capitalise on this profitable niche market.

“Wellness tourism is not seasonal, and many of the specialist areas of treatment are in major growth spurts, notably cosmetic surgery and non-invasive treatments. Many of these disciplines should also attract Barbadians as clients, ‘Staycations’ with a purpose.”

A study compiled by Deloitte in 2008, suggested that wellness/medical tourism could jump by a factor of ten over the next decade, making it the fastest growing tourism niche in the world. According to the BHTA report, it is Central and South America, Cuba and Argentina that are benefitting from this growing trend.

However, given the success of the Barbados Fertility Centre (BFC), Hastings, Christ Church, which in 2005 launched an IVF holiday package, there is some suggestion that Barbados has both the history and the infrastructure to become a major player in this field.

Minister of Tourism, Richard Sealy, has 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 intend to add that niche to our other offerings.”

In fact, the World Bank estimates that health and wellness tourism worldwide exceeds US$40 billion a year, an annual increase of 30 per cent, while the entire tourism industry is only growing at a rate of four to five per cent annually.

source: Karen Alleyne – barbadosadvocate.com