Jesson & Co / MNI Media
Monday, February 28, 2022
The Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority (ABTA) is consulting with all the key players within the wellness sector, this March, as it prepares to launch a destination-wide wellness initiative geared towards further promoting the destination to wellness-minded travellers.
Talks are set for Thursday, March 3, and Thursday, March 24 with the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority and featured speaker Anne Dimon, President/CEO of the North American-based Wellness Tourism Association, and Owner/Editor of the consumer-facing online resource www.TravelToWellness.com.
Dimon led a Wellness Tourism Audit and Forum organised by the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority with wellness service providers in 2019. The audit and forum identified the destination’s untapped selling points, gaps and marketable qualities within the wellness space of the tourism industry.
On March 3, Dimon will present her findings from the 2019 wellness audit to stakeholders during a virtual wellness tourism webinar taking place at 1:00 p.m. on the Zoom platform.
"As travel resumes and the tourism industry recovers, “wellness” is a hot topic. Antigua & Barbuda is ideally positioned not only to host the wellness-minded traveller for a Wellness Vacation, but to become a key player in one of the fastest growing sectors of the global tourism industry,” said Dimon.
Director of Tourism (Ag) – Canada and Lead on the ABTA’s Wellness Pillar, Tameka Wharton added, “We are looking forward to welcoming all stakeholders aligned with our wellness sector to the webinar and are excited to have the discussion with them on the next stage of our wellness journey.”
A number of programmes followed the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority’s 2019 audit, including the award-winning #CoolisClean campaign, along with a stronger focus on incorporating wellness experiences into tourism marketing efforts.
“Particularly during the pandemic, health and wellness was of significant global importance, and our #YourSpaceInTheSun campaign, tapped into the destination’s natural attributes. We are committed to moving forward with our wellness programme in 2022, and are calling on wellness service providers to join us in this initiative,” said Wharton.
The one-hour Zoom webinar will address what Antigua & Barbuda currently offers under the umbrella of wellness, and answer the question: “Can the country become a recognized Wellness Destination?” Attendees will hear about who is driving demand and why demand will grow post pandemic, the factors that are extremely important to wellness-minded travellers as travel resumes, and the “must haves” for a supplier and/or individual looking to become a wellness tourism stakeholder, as well as other relevant topics.
The Tourism Authority is inviting agro-processors, farmers, restaurants, tour and excursion operators, fitness and outdoor activity providers, hotels and hospitality providers, spas, yoga, meditation and indoor fitness consultants, educators in food & beverage and hospitality, preventative medical care providers and anyone with an interest in providing a wellness product or experience in Antigua and Barbuda, to join the session.
Persons are invited to register for the webinar being held on the Zoom platform using the following link: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_yIc4PM05TC-uapD8ervfIw
Once registered, participants will then receive a link to access the webinar on March 3, 2022.
For more information, contact the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority on 1 (268) 562 7600.
