| Because of the rise in wellness tourism business | | | | Authority that this (wellness) offers a great |
| owners on the Big Island of Hawaii have got | | | | opportunity for the whole state of Hawaii and not |
| together to promote a travel initiative that they | | | | just the Big Island." Over the last nine years the |
| collectively hope will prove so successful that it will | | | | Center has offered a range of cancer retreats |
| eventually be adopted by the rest of the state. | | | | and meditative healing programs and Whitney |
| The Hawaii Island Wellness Travel Association, | | | | admits that it has been a struggle getting the |
| composed of 120 business owners and holistic | | | | message across to tourism chiefs. However, |
| professionals, has set up a meeting with both the | | | | Whitney highlights that the Center, located on the |
| Big Island Visitors Bureau and Hawaii County | | | | northern tip of the Big Island, has been |
| officials to take the initiative further at which they | | | | successfully trading for almost 10 years, and with |
| hope to agree marketing strategies, develop | | | | little promotional help from the Hawaii Tourism |
| effective packaging and adopt a set of rules for | | | | Authority has managed to remain in business, |
| health and wellness travel to Hawaii, which they | | | | albeit with the help of some charitable |
| regard as a booming business. | | | | contributions. |
| As recently as 2005 almost $50,000 was set | | | | Indeed, leading research group Mintel produced a |
| aside by Hawaii Tourism Authority to be used to | | | | comprehensive Market Research document which |
| quantify how well wellness tourism could be | | | | looked at wellness tourism being offered |
| developed in the archipelago. A leading research | | | | throughout the world in places as far flung as |
| company was approached to produce a | | | | Japan, Hungary, India, Austria and Thailand. It |
| comprehensive study of the health and wellness | | | | concluded, amongst other things that markets |
| tourism market for the state of Hawaii. However, | | | | were expanding as more and more people, of all |
| significant progress stalled once the report had | | | | ages, made their vacation choices based on health |
| been produced, and only now, some two years | | | | and wellness travel demonstrating that that the |
| later, is the idea being re-launched. | | | | sector had a bright future. |
| One of the most vociferous proponents and | | | | As more people take to using alternative and |
| advocates of wellness tourism Lew Whitney, | | | | natural remedies, tying wellness into hotel deals in |
| co-founder of the Kokolulu Farm and Qigong | | | | Hawaii could herald a bold new initiative that in the |
| Center based in North Kohala said: "We've been | | | | long run may well add an extra string to the |
| trying for years to persuade the Hawaii Tourism | | | | already well developed tourism bow for the state. |