BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – The Caribbean region has been encouraged to market itself to the United States, Canada and Europe as a Mecca for health and wellness tourism.

Tourism Minister Richard Sealy said since many Caribbean economies rely on tourism as a major foreign exchange earner, it was time for the region to create a new niche for itself.

“I think that it is a necessity for us given that tourism is our main industry, and given our limited resources and the fact that a hardworking and well educated work force is about all we have going for us,” he told regional participants Monday at a Caribbean Export Development Agency three-day seminar.

Urban Beach Week hits Miami this Memorial Weekend and there will be a host of celebrities there. Imagine the pool parties, the clubs, the beaches. The entire Miami Beach strip will be lit up like a Christmas tree on steroids. It’s also an exciting tourism boost for the city as participants travel from all over the US to get a taste of the urban flair.

The Urban Beach Week is the largest Urban Festival in the world that caters toward the Hip Hop Generation from 23 and over. Around 300,000-350,000 participants make the annual trek to South Beach for 4 days full of fun, food, festivities, entertainment, music and more.

The event started eight years ago as a small urban fashion show for a few thousand people interested in something different for Memorial Day Weekend in Miami.

A lot of urban clothing companies wanted a place where they could show off their new fashions. To model their clothes, those fashion companies brought in entertainers, actors and models to put a spotlight on their fashion. There were fashion shows every day all day. The response was extremely positive and very successful.

BERLIN, Germany - At least two Caribbean countries have embarked on a new drive to drum up business from Europe’s lucrative tourism market, it has emerged.

The tourism ministers of Barbados and Jamaica were among government officials, hoteliers, aviation experts and other industry stakeholders who attended the just concluded ITB Berlin conference - the world's largest travel fair.

Barbados has, over the years, recorded great numbers of tourists from Germany but the numbers have been on the decline in recent years and Barbados Tourism Minister, Richard Sealy, was at the fair eyeing new opportunities in Europe and beyond.

Rich in history and teeming with excitement, Jamaica’s capital, Kingston is the cultural Mecca of the Caribbean. Though a tiny section of the island, much of its neighbor, St. Andrew is heaped into the parish and called Kingston as well. And while there isn’t much of the sun, sand and sea appeal, Kingston offers a unique marriage of business and pleasure and is still one of the best places to be in Jamaica.

The renewal of Kingston and its environs will be visible at the port of entry at the Norman Manley International Airport, which is currently undergoing massive reconstruction and renovation to accommodate the growing traffic and to keep up with advanced technology.

For many business persons, Kingston is the city to stay when they visit Jamaica. And while for some it’s business as usual, for many it’s an opportunity to experience the other part of Jamaica. One of its busiest areas is New Kingston (really part of St. Andrew), a metropolitan area. Hotels such as the Pegasus, Courtleigh and Hilton Kingston lie side by side on Knutsford Blvd. in the bustling business district and offer comfort and serenity for those on business as well as for others who visit for pleasure.

The pundits are speaking and they are predicting tough times ahead. In fact, we are already feeling the pinch in our pockets, but should that stop us for traveling and enjoying ourselves??? No! In fact, in these tough times, we may need to take a break from our stressful and taxing lives before we go stalk raving mad. Wouldn’t you rather spend the money basking in the sunshine somewhere, than on a therapist’s couch? I thought so.

So here are some practical ways of getting every cent out of your dollar when you travel:

Booking your tickets in advance, no matter how you travel, will usually reduce your spending. If you travel by plane, be sure to do some homework. Shopping for cheap tickets on line can save you time and money. And, that will give you a chance to compare prices. E-tickets are popular now, so ensure that you have some kind of receipt you can print as proof of purchase.