The island of Saint Lucia and its southern town of Soufrière have inaugurated a bold, strategic move to capture more of a rapidly growing segment of the travel market with the hosting of the first-ever Saint Lucia Health and Wellness Retreat.

The four-day workshop which opened yesterday is supported by the Soufrière Regional Development Foundation and the Saint Lucia Tourist Board, and has attracted some of the world’s foremost lifestyle authorities for a weekend of yoga, feng shui, personal development and relaxation.

“Wellness tourism is about healthy lifestyles, and Saint Lucia with our natural and therapeutic attractions is naturally positioned to offer travelers a taste of Eden in the Caribbean,” commented Saint Lucia’s Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation Senator Allen Chastanet, who warmly welcomed guests, locals and the international media to the retreat.

Internationally recognized Iyengar yoga instructor John Schumacher is leading daily yoga workshops in the serene environs of The Jalousie Plantation, a stunning resort nestled between Saint Lucia’s iconic and mountainous Pitons, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Dr. Stephen Brewer, celebrated author of “The Everest Principle”, is teaching a two-part seminar on “The Path to Optimal Wellness”, while Feng shui expert William Spear is holding sessions on the Eastern art’s role in vital design, health and inner wellness. William’s wife, Joan Spear, is sharing a wide range of environmental topics inspired by her sensitivity and passion for safe, natural approaches to personal health. Joan Spear is a facilitator for the “Awakening the Dreamer, Changing the Dream” symposium.

Other speakers at the event include Caribbean photographer Danielle Devaux and Saint Lucian artists Luigi St. Omer and Michelle Elliot-Rebo.

Health and Wellness Retreat participants are also reveling in daily culinary demonstrations by leading Saint Lucian and visiting chefs, a roster of workshops in photography, pottery design and painting, and a host of activities in Soufrière, including hiking, mountain biking, snorkeling and scuba diving.