Positive Tourism News

Countrystyle Community Tourism Network (CCTN), a Jamaican entity, in partnership with Global Spiritual Forum (GSF) will host a free webinar on Spirituality and Peace: Lessons from the Caribbean for a Holistic Way of Life on September 30, 2020. GSF was founded by Dr. Chandana (Chandi) Jayawardena, based in Canada. He is supported by three Administrators and 20 Moderators.

Diana McIntyre-Pike, Founder & President Countrystyle Community Tourism Network and President International Institute for Peace through Tourism (IIPT) Caribbean was a featured speaker in the August 2020 GSF Forum. Since then, she has ignited wide acclaim and has returned to coordinate and present on the panel Spirituality and Peace – Lessons from the Caribbean for a Holistic Way of Life. McIntyre-Pike, international Community Tourism pioneer says “The foundation of my work with communities is spirituality and peace, its enduring influence fuels sustainable tourism development.”

Date of Webinar: September 30, 2020
To Register and Receive Meeting ID & Passcode: Click or copy the link in your Browser: https://forms.gle/upnSW6JHNq1Rby1k7
ACCESS TIMES: 10:00 am - 12:00 noon - Kingston, Jamaica; 11:00 am - 1:00 pm - New York; 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm – London; 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm – Dubai and 8:30 pm - 10:30 pm – Sri Lanka.

Elizabeth Terry, Webinar Moderator and Presenter, welcomes spiritual enthusiasts with these words: “As we traverse this time of challenge and change, ‘staying inside’ has become a metaphor for spiritual renewal and the deepening of our spiritual connection to our Source, God, I Am Presence, or whatever name we choose to call our Divine Creator. We welcome the Global Spiritual Community to this Webinar where we will explore various Caribbean interpretations of how we may deepen our Spiritual Connection and gain resilience and strength to remain ever positive, aligned and focused on developing a world that works for everyone.”

The GSF Panelists are: Diana McIntyre-Pike, GSF Webinar Facilitator; Elizabeth Terry, Certified Trainer & Master Coach of NLP, Time Line Therapy and Hypnosis; Sharon Oshun Parris-Chambers, President, PanaCarib Business Solutions Ltd. (Founder, Wellness Tourism Network) and Founder, Temple of Inner Peace (Spiritual Wellness Company) and Prince Matthew, Founder – It’s All Good Holistic Movement.

St Ann’s Bay, St. Ann, Jamaica. July 16, 2020. Jamaica is poised to begin recovering some of its lost revenue from tourism as it enters its second stage of re-opening its borders to the international market. According to Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett “The sector reopened to visitors on June 15, 2020 and since then, has welcomed over 35,000 visitors and resident Jamaicans. It is estimated that during the month of July, Jamaica will welcome a total of 41,000 passengers (visitors and resident Jamaicans). This will result in approximately US$80 Million in earnings.”

In an effort to assist the resurgence and resilience of Jamaica’s tourism industry, Marva Hewitt, CEO, Food Hygiene Bureau (FHB) and Occupational Health & Safety Specialist has convened a virtual ZOOM webinar entitled: “COVID-19 Risk Management & Workplace Protection,” July 29, 2020 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Meeting ID: 5542825022 | Password: 7TPteP

Recently returning from assignments in the UK, Ms Hewitt has told Minister Edmund Bartlett that she is duty bound to assist Jamaica at this time with the training and compliance within the industry. Speaking in the newly minted South Coast Tourism WhatsApp group of stakeholders which was founded by Wolde Kristos, CEO, Reliable Adventures Jamaica (RAJ Tour) and includes among others Diana McIntyre-Pike, President Countrystyle Community Tourism Network and Jason Henzel, Chairman, Jakes Hotel, Villas & Spa, Hewitt said “Whilst a protocol checklist might prove of benefit to some or our hoteliers, the smaller ones (MSMTEs) may still need, as Sharon Parris-Chambers, said some degree of ‘hand holding’. I do have knowledge and experience of the COVID-19 Protocols and with my background in public health, food safety, occupational health and safety law, I have a good understanding and technical competency to ensure property compliance. I am ready to help in audit, inspections, drafting and implementation of the Protocols and ensure the systems are sustainable. I stand ready to work with you in this regard.”

The FHB Webinar is staged in association with Wellness Tourism Network, represented by Sharon Parris-Chambers, founder Caribbean Health Tourism & Spa Conference. The Network recently staged a Zoom Digital Wellness Tourism Roundtable of industry stakeholders with special guest speaker Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett on June 14, 2020. The following panelists & topics have been confirmed:  Lisa Ackerley, Hospitality Hygiene Doctor (“Risk Management & Re-opening the UK Perspective”); Snr Prof. & Research Shashi Vemuri, PJTSU, Agricultural University, India (“Risk Assessment & Food Contamination”); Dr Escoban Gonzales, Head Laboratory Services, Caribbean Public Health Agency (“Hotel Perspective Risk assessment & Protective Gears”); Mr Clifton Reader, General Manager, Moon Palace, Ocho Rios (“A Resort Perspective on COVID19 Protocol Management”) and Sharon Parris-Chambers, Tourism Consultant, PanaCarib Business Solutions (“How to Improve Workplace Wellness”).

Negril, Jamaica (June 25, 2020). Representatives of the Wellness Tourism Network recently met with Hon. Edmund Bartlett, Minister of Tourism to discuss greater inclusivity of the Wellness Tourism niche and its stakeholders on Sunday, June 14, 2020 on Zoom virtual platform. The Roundtable, moderated by Sharon Parris-Chambers, Tourism Consultant & Co-founder of the Caribbean Health Tourism & Spa Conference (2005 -2009), set a standard in the emerging industry. Representatives of the evening’s session: Sharon & Theo Chambers, Diana McIntyre-Pike, Wolde Kristos & Elizabeth Terry engaged participants in insightful and purposeful dialogue.

The Roundtable Agenda unfolded with Prayer, Welcome Overview and Message, Response by Minister Edmund Bartlett, Questions & Answers and Wrap Up/Next Steps. Diana McIntyre-Pike, President, Countrystyle Community Tourism and Villages as Businesses, outlined the five goals and objectives of the Network during the Welcome Message. These included:  To establish an on-going close working relationship between the Wellness Tourism Network and the Ministry of Tourism and its partner agencies; Inclusion of the Wellness Tourism Network experts as active participants in wellness tourism governance – e.g. Boards, councils, committees; Recognize local wellness tourism experts’ eligibility as paid consultants in respective areas of expertise; Ensure inclusion of the Wellness Tourism Network in the planning of key wellness tourism events and to further develop and expand Wellness Tourism in Jamaica & the Caribbean.

The Wellness Tourism Network stakeholders are wellness professionals (complementary and alternative medical practitioners), farmers, herbalists, wellness consultants, naturopaths, manufacturers and wholesalers, researchers and students, owners of resorts and spas, spa technicians, lifestyle transformation centres, owners of yoga and fitness centres.

Sharon Parris-Chambers presented an Update of the Wellness Industry, wherein she called on the Minister to lead the industry through greater integration to include: Local expertise & stakeholders to play a more active role, awareness and utilization of natural resources; diversification of the Sector, which should include Complementary & Alternative Medicine (CAM).

She further added “Re-imagining of Wellness Tourism should be inclusive of the following: 1) greater awareness of the Jamaica Spa & Wellness Brand 2) Attracting Thought Leaders & Visionaries to Jamaica as a catalyst for more rapid implementation of strategies which, have been coined to positively impact and shape the future of the Caribbean, as the region seeks to fully capitalize on the $4.2 trillion Global Wellness Economy 3) Brand Jamaica must remain unique and include Rastafari, African & Taino healing methods. 4) Developing a Cadre of trained professionals to deliver exceptional Jamaica Spa and Wellness products, services and experiences 5) Inclusion of Spiritual and Mental Health within the definition of Wellness would bring us closer to tapping into the Personal Development Industry estimated to grow to US$13.2 billion by 2022.”

March 5, 2019 (Negril, Jamaica).  Living Life as a Sacred Practice: Discover Yourself as a Source of Creation authored by Sharon Parris-Chambers is now available online at Balboapress.com, Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com.  It is the long-awaited second publication since her 2011 book, excerpts of which has been shared with audiences on Social Media over the past year.

There is a buzz surrounding the book reviewed by Queen Mother Barbara Makeda Blake Hannah, author, film maker and former senator who shares her convincing perspectives with discerning readers on the merits of Living Life As a Sacred Practice. She states 
“Thoughtful people who seek answers to the mysteries of living life fully, often turn to books of sacred wisdom and advice. Whether it be the holy books such as the Bible, Koran or books by modern gurus like Iyanla Van Zant, the desire for spiritual guidance occupies a major part of many.  For those who thought such wisdom only came from ancient sages or well-promoted American, European or Asian gurus, it is a welcome surprise to find that our friend, cultural Sister and PR practitioner Sharon Parris-Chambers has given us such an excellent tome of spiritual healing.”

From beginning to end the author seeks to establish an inner vision into spiritual development of the self as a Divine being. The book is beautifully laid out in clear typesetting, with each chapter prepared as a daily teaching complete on its own. The reader has only to turn to a chapter to find an introspective meditation, sacred practice and affirmation to be used as a daily spiritual cleansing and healing ritual. Sample topics such as: “Pacify your restless mind”, “Let the Real you Stand Up,” “I live my Dream,” “Stop Suffering,” and “Insource before you Outsource” can be found and savoured in the way one enjoys a feast. The key to the exercises is journaling, which requires mindfulness meditation. When this is done, it is more likely that something profound will be left with the seeker more than just merely reading passages within the book.

Dr Glenville Ashby, Religion & Culture editor, The Jamaica Gleaner, penned the forward wherein he takes note of the author’s maiden voyage to Africa. “The author returned to her roots in Gambia 2012 which unveiled her calling and sealed her mission as a veritable messenger of Spirit. It is in Gambia that she was grounded and initiated into the innermost mystery. It is there that she drank from the well of the First People and was handed the fabled Philosopher's Stone.”

~Company to reach new milestone in ongoing commitment to environmental sustainability

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica, Jan. 3, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- As of February 1, 2019, Sandals Resorts International (SRI) will eliminate all Styrofoam from 19 Sandals and Beaches Resorts across seven major Caribbean islands – from Jamaica and the Bahamas to Grenada and Turks & Caicos – in a continued effort to protect the environment.

"As we enter the New Year, it's incredibly important to our Sandals family that environmental sustainability remains a key priority," said Adam Stewart, Deputy Chairman of Sandals Resorts International. "After eliminating plastic straws, stirrers, laundry bags and gift shop bags last year, we're choosing to eliminate Styrofoam from our resorts. We're proud that many of the islands in which we operate are also making this shift to ensure that future generations can enjoy the beauty of the Caribbean."

The elimination of Styrofoam is particularly important in the Caribbean region, where marine wildlife across the more than 700 islands and coastlines is abundant. According to Environment America's Wildlife Over Waste campaign, scientists have found plastic fragments including Styrofoam in 86 percent of all sea turtle species, 44 percent of all seabird species and 43 percent of all marine mammal species.

LET'S DO IT IN THE CARIBBEAN HEALTH CORRESPONDENT SPEAKS ON WORLD HEALTH DAY: The World Health Day is a global health awareness day celebrated every year on 7 April, under the sponsorship of the World Health Organization (WHO).

In 1948, the WHO held the First World Health Assembly. The Assembly decided to celebrate 7 April of each year, with effect from 1950, as the World Health Day. The World Health Day is held to mark WHO’s founding, and is seen as an opportunity by the organization to draw worldwide attention to a subject of major importance to global health each year The WHO organizes international, regional and local events on the Day related to a particular theme. Resources provided continue beyond 7 April, that is, the designated day for celebrating the World Health Day.

World Health Day is acknowledged by various governments and non-governmental organizations with interests in public health issues, who also organize activities and highlight their support in media reports, such as through press releases issued in recent years by State Hillaryand the Global Health Council.

World Health Day is one of eight official global public health campaigns marked by WHO, along with World Tuberculosis Day, World Immunization Week, World Malaria Day, World No Tobacco Day, World Blood Donor Day, World Hepatitis Day, and World AIDS Day.

Negril, Jamaica, W.I. (Tuesday, July 7, 2015). Spiritual Wellness is an emerging sub-sector of Wellness Tourism which comes to Jamaica in 2016. The growth of Spiritual Wellness is pervasive worldwide. Wellness is a journey towards holistic health of mind, body and spirit. Spiritual wellness is the underpinning essence of who we are and encompasses ...