GRAND CAYMAN,
Cayman Islands -- Global warming, health and wellness tourism,
developing a spa business and protecting the fragile coral reef
system in the Caribbean were prevalent topics at the Caribbean
Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development here.
More than 300
delegates and government tourism officials from the region attended
the annual event this week, which was organized by the Caribbean
Tourism Organization in collaboration with the Cayman Islands
Department of Tourism and the Caribbean Hotel
Association.
Among the topics
discussed was the idea of developing the Caribbean region as a
wellness center aimed at tourists seeking more than just a
suntan.
Steve Andrew, CEO
of Soothing Touch Da Spa in Barbados and a board member of the
Caribbean Spa and Wellness Association, advocated marketing the
Caribbean's abundance of indigenous products and healing
techniques.
As an example, he
said, "Europeans do not want to travel to the Caribbean for a
Swedish massage. We should brand a unique Caribbean treatment and
call it the Irie Massage."
Delegates also
discussed the potential for developing community-driven tourism,
such as the Grand Cayman Go East Initiative, which promotes tourism
on the island's less-crowded east coast.
Charles Clifford,
the Cayman Islands' minister of tourism, environment, investment
and commerce, called for a balance between environmental, economic
and sociocultural aspects of tourism development.
"Clearly, the
future of the Cayman Islands tourism industry does not lie in mass
tourism," Clifford said.
The Cayman
Islands, keenly aware of its status as a prime dive destination,
passed amendments to its marine conservation law to regulate
interactions between marine life and divers. The amendments take
effect in June.
Recently enacted
restrictions at the Sandbar and Stingray City dive locations
include their designation as Wildlife Interaction Zones, which
prohibits dive boats from anchoring in water that is less than four
feet deep or closer than 20 feet to any reef.
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