Spa & Wellness Expert to Address STC-9 on the Cayman Islands

Eric Light, president of the International Medical Spa Association, says health tourism is a growing interest, with more and more people looking beyond the cosmetic or orthopedic surgery market.

“There is an alternative strategy that responds directly to the needs of a larger potential market while building on the natural resources of the Caribbean,” Mr. Light says. “Often called ‘wellness,” the rapidly growing consumer interest in lifestyle improvement will offer anyone, from the single practitioner to boutique hotels to large scale resorts, ways to create differentiation in the marketplace.”

Mr. Light, is recognized as a leading expert in spa, medical spa and wellness center development, and has helped develop facilities around the globe. He will discuss global consumer trends and how they will affect the marketing of today’s business while positioning it for the future in a session during the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s (CTO) 9th Annual Caribbean Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development (STC-9), on the Cayman Islands in May 2007.

Mr. Light’s presentation will focus on how to expand this potential market all while developing strategies to employ the natural resources of the Caribbean.

Themed Health and Wellness: Communities, Environments & Economies, STC-9 will be held May 21-24, 2007, at the Westin Casuarina Resort & Spa in Grand Cayman, the Cayman Islands. The annual Caribbean Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development is part of the information dissemination and regional awareness component of CTO’s Strategy for Sustainable Tourism.

STC-9 is organized by CTO in collaboration with the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism, and in consultation with the Caribbean Hotel Association (CHA). It is co-financed by the European Union within the framework of the Caribbean Regional Sustainable Tourism Development Program (CRSTDP).