Recommend July 2018 - 6

E d it o r 's N o t e s

➤

The focus: Wellness. If you are still
wondering if this is a niche you should at
least dip your toes into, wonder no more.
The wellness niche is no longer a trend-
it's here to stay. There's a new Wellness
Tourism Association, which, by the way,
accepts travel agent members, the Caribbean
Tourism Organization declared 2018 "The
Year of Wellness and Rejuvenation," and,
no surprise, resorts around the world, as well
That's me at Bauhaus
as cruise lines, are jumping on this niche
University in Weimar,
because it's what clients want. Says Ellen
Germany.
Bettridge, president & CEO of Uniworld
Boutique River Cruise Collection, "We...know how important wellness
is to [customers'] daily lives, not only at home, but wherever they are in
the world." Flip over to page 10 to the Expedition Cruising Takes Active
Luxury Off the Charts feature to see how cruise lines are upping their
offerings with active- and wellness-focused itineraries. For the Mexico
article (page 54), I interviewed two travel advisors who focus on wellness
vacations, with Jeri Donovan, the founder/owner of Well Traveled,
pointing out that "wellness travel is almost as broad as the various
definitions of wellness." That piece covers a range of wellness travel styles
across the country-from detox retreats and Mayan rituals to yoga and
meditation sessions. In the North America piece on page 56, Selling
Wellness Retreats, Jesse Tyler, spa director at Omni Mount Washington
Resort, notes that wellness travel is booming, pointing out that "it has
definitely moved to mainstream."
This issue also includes Tips on Selling Faith-Based Travel (page 8), and
first-hand reviews from around the globe, including Germany (page 58),
South Africa (page 61), and Santo Domingo (page 62), as well as from
the deck of the Norwegian Bliss (page 60).
Drop me an e-mail at paloma@recommend.com.
-Paloma Villaverde de Rico

S I NT LUCI
TRAVEL AGENT EXPERT (SLEx) PROGRAM

Boost Your Sales
Drum roll, please...we've just refreshed the Saint
Lucia Travel Agent Expert (SLEx) Program.
Learn, Earn &
If you are not a graduate of this program, you'll
Grow with SLEx
definitely want to become one as you'll receive
an array of benefits, including discounted FAM
& agent rates with Saint Lucia Agent Months
(SLAM), requests for quotes from consumers via
stlucia.org, an invitation to attend The Piton Awards-the Saint
Lucia Tourism Authority's premier event recognizing travel agents-
and special promotions and offers, among other benefits.
A Supplement to

Visit edu.recommend.com/saintlucia
to become a Saint Lucia Expert.
let's get social Hang out with us @Recommendmag on both Twitter
& Instagram, as well as on facebook.com/recommendmag.
And if you want to see what our editors are up to away from the office,
follow them @EdWetschler, @AreanWanderlust & @shedreamstravel
6 july 2018

group publisher/editorial director
editor-in-chief
managing editor
design/production manager
caribbean editor
cruise editor
web and copy editor/
social media coordinator
contributing writers

director of marketing
marketing manager
ad traffic manager
director of digital production
director of media & engagement

laurel a. herman
paloma villaverde de rico
michelle marie arean
janet del mastro
ed wetschler
vivian holley
jessica poitevien
carla hunt, susan farewell,
lane nieset, steve grasso,
geri bain, grisel diaz-ors,
regina baraban, eric barton
andrea f. sper
ali behar
daimee feliz
jorge bastidas
jennifer pichaco

To manage your subscription,
you must put your request in writing.
Visit www.recommend.com/subscribe
or e-mail subscribe@recommend.com.
regional sales directors:
northeast usa, indiana, ohio, pennsylvania, west virginia,
virginia, eastern canada, europe, africa, middle east:
monique agaliotis, monique@worthit.com; tel: (917) 244-7000
florida, caribbean, latin america, midwest usa,
arkansas, mississippi, alabama, tennessee,
north & south carolina, kentucky, hawaii:
brenda goodwin, brenda@worthit.com; tel: (561) 558-6400
colorado, utah, texas, louisiana, arizona, nevada:
karen smith, karen@worthit.com; (561) 419-8397
western canada, california, alaska, oregon, washington state:
lisa marie costa, lisamarie@worthit.com; tel: (949) 244-4760
mexico:
margarita alvarez, margarissima@gmail.com;
tel: 011 52 998 287 1545; fax: 011 52-998 884-1716

corporate headquarters:
5979 nw 151st. st., suite 120, miami lakes, florida 33014
tel: (305) 828-0123
chairman/founding editor hal herman
president/editorial director laurel a. herman
executive vice president gary herman
chief operating officer victor diaz-herman
executive editor paloma villaverde de rico

RECOMMEND, Vol. 33, issue number 10, (ISSN 0034-1452)
is published monthly by Worth International Media Group.
OFFICE OF PUBLICATION: 5979 N.W. 151st St., Suite 120,
Miami Lakes, FL 33014. Periodicals postage paid at Hialeah, FL
and at additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to
RECOMMEND Circulation Department,
P.O. Box 171070 Hialeah, FL 33017-1070.
RECOMMEND is distributed at no charge to qualified travel agents and tour
operators. Paid annual subscriptions are available for $48 in the U.S., $96 in
Canada, payable in U.S. dollars in advance. Published for North American
distribution. Canada Post: Publications Mail Agreement #40612608. Canada
Returns to be sent to Pitney Bowes International,
P.O. Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2 Copyright© 2005 Worth International
Media Group. All rights reserved.
Printed in the U.S.A. Recommend is not responsible for unsolicited
photography, art or manuscripts.

recommend.com
http://www.recommend.com/subscribe http://www.stlucia.org http://edu.recommend.com/saintlucia http://www.facebook.com/recommendmag http://www.recommend.com
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recommend July 2018
