The second staging of the Caribbean Health Tourism & Spa Symposium will be held at the Hilton Kingston Jamaica Hotel on February 12 and 13th.

The event, which will take place from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on both days, is being held in Jamaica, xheadquarters of the Caribbean Chapters of the International Medical Spa and Day Spa Associations and the Health Tourism Destination of Choice.

There will be presentations on 'Wellness and Destination Health: Important Trends in the Resort Industry, by Eric Light, president of the International Medical Spa Association.

Dr. Tony Vendryes, complementary and alternative medicine specialist, author and medical
journalist, who has been appointed president of the International Medical Spa Association Caribbean Chapter, will be speaking on 'Health & Wellness Revolution: Challenges and Opportunities'.

The launch of the Caribbean Chapters will take place on February 12, at a special reception where new members will be awarded certificates by Mr. Light and Hannelore Leavy, founder and worldwide executive director of the International Medical Spa and Day Spa Association.

Caribbean hotel among 'Tourism for Tomorrow' award finalists

One Caribbean property has been included in a shortlist of the world's leading examples of best practice in tourism development.

Belize's Chaa Creek is one of the 12 finalists for the 2006 Tourism for Tomorrow Awards, sponsored by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC). Chaa Creek is one of three to qualify for the Global Tourism Business Award, according to a news release from WTTC.

Eighth annual conference on sustainable tourism development

The 8th Annual Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development will take place at the Condado Plaza Hotel in San Juan, Puerto Rico, from April 25 to 29.

The conference, which is being held under the theme 'Keeping the Right Balance ­ Economic Progress and Sustainable Tourism', will focus on the economic benefits of sustainable tourism and its social contribution, best practices and case studies for developing sustainable projects as well as sustainable tourism initiatives being implemented in the Caribbean and Puerto Rico.

Interested persons can contact the Caribbean Tourism Organisation at (212) 635-9530 or (246) 427-5242.

Bermuda cruises offer hassle-free, close-to-home getaways

What could be better than vacationing in Bermuda, a destination so popular that 50 per cent of visitors return a second time? Cruising to Bermuda.

This year, 13 ships from the member companies of the Cruise Lines International Association will offer convenient cruises to Bermuda from eight North American homeports, eliminating the hassles and costs associated with air travel.

Airline passengers reach record four billion

A record four billion passengers took to the skies in 2005, up 5.5 per cent on the previous year despite higher fuel costs and concerns over terrorism and bird flu, the main airport operators'
association said.

According to a Reuters report carried by MSNBC, international passenger traffic jumped 6.7 per cent, while domestic traffic grew 4.4 per cent from 2004, the Airports Council International said.

Asian ports become new destination for cruise tourism

The world cruise market, which up to now has been dominated by the U.S. market, sees Asian ports an increasingly popular option for travellers around the globe, with Southeast Asia tipped to become a red-hot cruising destination in the long term.

A report in eTurboNews states that unpredictable weather problems, security threats and spiralling oil prices have pushed cruise line operators to look at Asian ports as alternative ports of call in place of the traditional cruise markets around the Americas, Mediterranean and European waters.