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When visitors embark on a wellness vacation, they look forward to returning with a renewed source of energy and vitality. Given the relatively low levels of COVID-19 throughout the Caribbean the region remains a good vacation option for visitors who want to incorporate wellness activities into their travels.  With the resumption of slow but steady travel to the region, the Caribbean Connection Walk for Wellness will connect travel advisors with fitness enthusiasts in the destinations that they sell, to focus on a day of action in support of wellness.

The virtual event organized by Travel Advisors Selling the Caribbean (TASC) will be held on September 12, 2020 which will be celebrated as Caribbean Wellness Day.  The event is designed to log “miles and minutes” in support of Caribbean wellness. It will feature Caribbean sportsmen, fitness groups and trainers and will be hosted by Mark Jenkins, a Caribbean personal trainer based in Los Angeles. Among the personalities and groups that will be participating in the virtual walk:

Antigua and Barbuda – Sir Richie Richardson, former captain of West Indies Cricket Team, Rambling Soles and  Team Island Girls —  the Female Row Team that sailed 3,000 miles across the Atlantic, breaking records and barriers.

Dominica – Get Fit Don’t Quit and Elite Club – fitness groups that host local explorations and fun hikes.

Grenada –  Keisha Bridgeman, Soca Fit USA.

Jab in Shape, Chrislyn Lashington

Montserrat – Delon Searles, Yoga Instructor

 St Kitts and Nevis – Nevis Sun Tours and Caribbean Journey Masters

Saint Lucia – Sweat 758, a fitness group that will launch the Caribbean’s first Wellness Music Festival in 2021, Soca Fit – Clinton Didier

St. Vincent and the Grenadines – Lindon James, fitness instructor of BeFit and 2018 Wellness Ambassador for the Caribbean Tourism Organization.

Turks and Caicos – David Bowen – Yoga Wellness Director, Grace Bay Club

This novel virtual walk will connect travel advisors with the Caribbean community in a digital experience across time, space and borders, to highlight Caribbean wellness via ZOOM technology. Participants will engage in a simultaneous 30-minute virtual walk, motivated by a live Caribbean DJ Trauma Unit Music. They will record and post their activity in “miles and minutes” using a fitness app.  At the end of the walk there will be a Virtual Fitness Fair featuring a line-up of wellness experts and influencers. They will conduct interactive demonstrations and showcase various wellness attractions throughout the Caribbean.

This virtual experience will provide advisors with up-to-date information to address their clients’ health and safety concerns. They will be better equipped to reassure clients about the diverse options to remain active and motivated while maintaining health and safety standards.

“Over the years, wellness has become a big part of the Caribbean culture as many destinations celebrate Caribbean Wellness Day with a range of events to raise community awareness. Because of the pandemic, however, there is a myth that residents and visitors may be totally restricted in meeting their fitness goals.  We will highlight the Caribbean as a region that continues to offer a diverse array of options for wellness and rejuvenation of the body, mind and soul, even as we adapt to the ‘new normal,’” says Kelly Fontenelle-Clarke, TASC Founder.

“It is so important to keep the mind healthy, because a healthy mind produces a healthy attitude. Wellness is a personal and professional responsibility and you really cannot discount the motivating qualities of a connected community in promoting a healthy lifestyle,” said celebrity Mark Jenkins, one of the most in demand trainers in the business. His large client roster includes superstars such as Mary J. Blige, LL Cool J, Q-Tip, Beyonce, D’Angelo, DJ Khaled, Raphael Saadiq, Busta Rhymes, P Diddy and Missy Elliott.  Jenkins will discuss his new fitness app, demonstrate some of his fitness techniques and share tips on how to maintain a wellness lifestyle on the road.

This Caribbean Connection Walk for Wellness will raise awareness about the new experiential landscape brought about by a significant shift in health and wellness behaviors and visitor expectations.  The event will highlight the beaches, remote locations, clean air quality and natural environment. These are just some of the region’s unique selling points that are still in high demand as part of sustainable and authentic wellness and relaxation packages. 

Strict enforcement of protocols to address the pandemic, has caused many resorts and other stakeholders to make operational adjustments to accommodate visitors in meeting their fitness goals. Many guests are logging miles on their room balconies, resort gardens and other safe outdoor spaces to remain active. Additionally, with the imposition of curfews and limitations on social gatherings most marathons, sporting events and other community fitness activities have either been postponed or transformed into “digital-only” affairs like the Caribbean Connection Walk for Wellness.

For more information about the Caribbean Connection Walk for Wellness go to Eventbrite or www.tastc.org.

About TASC

Travel Advisors Who Sell the Caribbean (TASC) is an organization with a private Facebook Group that facilitates a peer networking environment to promote Caribbean Tourism. Its 6,000+ members mostly throughout North America, unite digitally on a daily basis to converse, problem-solve, inspire and learn from each other.