Delle Chan is a London-based writer and editor who covers everything from food and travel to science and sustainability. She has contributed to various publications including The Guardian, CNN Travel, the South China Morning Post, and WIRED UK.

From action-packed hiking expeditions to rejuvenating spa breaks, wellness tourism – defined as “travel associated with the pursuit of maintaining or enhancing one’s personal wellbeing” – is booming. 

 According to the figures from the Global Wellness Institute (GWI), the wellness tourism segment was worth $639 billion in 2017 and is projected to reach $919 billion by 2022. 

Notably, the sector is being fuelled by travellers with considerable spending power – a 2018 report from the GWI highlighted that international wellness tourists spent an average of $1,528 per trip in 2017, which was 53% more than the typical international tourist. Meanwhile, domestic wellness tourists spent $609 per trip, which was 178% more than the average domestic tourist. 

“As an increasing number of consumers adopt healthier lifestyles, they will look to work elements of wellness into their travels,” says Anne Dimon, the president of the 

. “More consumers are using their vacation time for self-care, and this may mean learning more about themselves and the tools they need to meet their desired state of health, wellness, and wellbeing.” 

 These views are echoed by Stella Photi, the founder of wellness travel agency 

, who says: “Wellness tourism has developed alongside people’s awareness of preventative health and the need to take more responsibility for their own health. More people are expecting to continue with their healthy lifestyles while they are away on holiday.” 

The industry is expected to grow even further in light of the COVID-19 crisis. With the health ramifications of the pandemic still being deeply felt, wellness has taken on a central role in travel and leisure decisions. Gen Yers, in particular, are increasingly basing their trips around experiences that put their wellbeing front and centre. Indeed, research conducted by the Wellness Tourism Association between March and July 2020 found that 36% of Yers were planning a wellness vacation, compared to a fifth of Zers and Boomers. 

 But what exactly are these tourists looking for, and how can businesses help them re-energise and restore some peace of mind?

“If there is one good thing that has come out of the pandemic, it is that many more of us realise the true value of good health,” says Dimon. “Once social distancing restrictions are lifted, borders are reopened, and more planes take to the skies, our personal health and safety will top our list of priorities.” 

 In light of this, wellbeing-focused retreats are growing in popularity. The Future of Wellness report predicts that immunity-boosting products and services will be a major wellness trend for 2021, led by “evidence-backed approaches with metabolic health, the microbiome, and personalised nutrition.”

Hospitality brands are taking note of this emphasis on wellbeing. For instance, hotel operator Six Senses has launched a wellness programme called Boost Your Immunity, which is described as a “great immunity reboot if you’re feeling sluggish, sniffly or fatigued from a stressful few months or a long-haul flight.” Available at selected resorts, the experience includes breath work, yoga classes, personal training sessions, spa treatments, and sleep tracking. 

Other brands are adopting highly scientific approaches. In Spain, SHA Wellness Clinic’s seven-night Rebalance & Immune System offering includes an immunotherapy consultation, a lymphatic system profile, an energy health consultation, two infrared heat sessions, and more. Guests are also entitled to a wide range of treatments including physiotherapy, colon hydrotherapy, and electro lymphatic drainage. With prices starting at £4,915 per person for seven days, the programme is clearly targeted at high-net-worth individuals. 

Heightened health concerns have impacted holiday choices

The pandemic has not only taken a toll on people’s physical wellbeing but also their mental health. “A lot of people have developed mental health issues as a result of the pandemic and lockdowns,” says Photi. 

 According to research carried out by Deloitte in early 2021, 41% of Gen Yers and 46% of Zers globally feel stressed or anxious most or all of the time, and around half said they feel more stressed now as compared to before the pandemic. What’s more, 33% of Yers and 35% of Zers say that their physical health is contributing ‘a lot’ to their stress levels. 

 As the uncertainties surrounding COVID-19 and future variants persist, mental health could deteriorate further. Research published by Saarland University highlighted that people in Germany struggled more with their mental health during the country’s second lockdown than they had during the first. 

Amid continued uncertainty, some people are turning to travel for mental respite. Research suggests that travel can reduce stress and mitigate symptoms of anxiety and depression, and even planning a trip can benefit one’s mental health as it encourages an optimistic outlook and keeps our minds interested. 

In spite of constantly changing travel restrictions, people are delighting in 

, with a survey commissioned by American Express finding that 87% of people say that having a trip planned in the future gives them something to look forward to. 

 “Even before the pandemic, a lot of people struggled with their mental wellbeing,” says Paul Joseph, the co-founder of 

. “A lot of clients today come to us for bespoke mindfulness and wellness trips. In particular, what we’ve seen in the past year is clients going away on holiday to work remotely in order to stay sane.” 

Some brands are designing offerings specifically geared towards improving travellers’ mental wellbeing. Upscale health resort 

 in Germany conducts psychological consultations, stress management coaching sessions, and even trauma therapy. In Portugal, EPIC SANA Algarve Hotel offers a Sayanna De-Stress Retreat (starting at €2,356 for eight days), which includes an osteopathic evaluation to ‘identify and remove stress blockages’, meditation classes to ‘balance body and mind and relieve stress’, and a Shiatsu massage to ‘restore balance and release fatigue’. 

Even a convention break can offer much-needed stress relief

COVID-19 has given many people the opportunity to rethink how to travel better – both for themselves and the environment. Indeed, the overlap between wellness travel and sustainable travel is becoming more significant, with health-focused travel offerings such as forest bathing and organic cuisine often being rooted in nature. In 2019, the Wellness Tourism Association unveiled a list of attributes that tourist spots should possess when marketing themselves as wellness destinations. “Since wellness tourism and wellness travel encompass wellness for the planet, the destination must have substantial sustainability policies and practices in place,” reads the press release. 

The spotlight is now shifting to regenerative travel, which is essentially defined as “leaving a place better than you found it.” 

 In practice, this translates to measures such as paying attention to nature, culture, human health, and local communities while visiting a destination. 

 “People are thinking about [the hotels or resorts they choose]. Are they staying in a place that applies wellness principles to the environment, the community, and their staff?” says Photi. 

To this end, brands are increasingly seeking to marry wellness tourism with regenerative practices. Online agency Regenerative Travel offers itineraries that combine the two. As part of its seven-day Surf and Yoga in El Salvador trip, customers get to enjoy activities including surfing lessons, yoga sessions, kayaking tours, and spa treatments – all while staying at the eco-minded Las Flores Resort in El Cuco, which is “designed to create minimal impact on the landscape and maximises all resources through composting and water recycling.” 

 “A lot of the hotels and resorts we work with at Health and Fitness Travel have, in the last few years, gone very eco-friendly,” says Joseph. “That has become a big tick-box in terms of what wellness travellers expect. Wellness travel and sustainable/regenerative travel almost go hand-in-hand now.” 

33% of Gen Yers say their physical health is raising their stress levels ‘a lot’

Travel in the age of COVID-19 is fraught with risk and uncertainty. Even though people are still eager for new experiences and adventures, there’s a growing desire for calmer, slower trips that soothe the body and mind. A GlobalData survey found that 22% of people would prefer a trip longer than ten nights, while only 14% would choose a short break (from one to three nights) and 10% would opt for a day visit. 

 Sober travel is also rising in popularity – 29% of respondents to a June 2021 poll said they planned to take an alcohol-free holiday after the pandemic. 

 Travellers are increasingly prioritising their physical and mental health when on vacation – so tourism brands should capitalise on this behaviour by rolling out wellness-themed offerings.

After a year of lockdowns, the prospect of travel is more luxurious than ever. As a result, people are looking for holistic hospitality and expecting top-notch wellness offerings as standard. Instead of simply promoting health-centric retreats or itineraries, for example, they may consider embedding wellness into their physical spaces. The 

 in New York debuted seven ‘Wellness Suites’ focused on self-care. Each room features an Airweave mattress to promote deep sleep, lavender essential oils, and Tibetan singing bowls. Meanwhile, UK-based travel agency Bluebird Travel has launched a sister brand, 

, specialising in luxury wellness holidays, with each package tailored to the individual client. 

 “There are many businesses jumping into the wellness space, so acknowledging and defining your brand’s main points of differentiation is key,” says Dimon.

New audiences will create new wellness demands

Women make up a larger proportion of the UHNWI population (those with net assets of $30 million or more) than ever before. 

 This is a growing consumer segment for health and wellness tourism brands, but as Dimon observes, there’s a need to make wellness offerings even more inclusive. 

 “Wellness travel is evolving from the luxury spa experience to something that is accessible to all travellers regardless of budgetary restrictions,” she says. “For example, one can check into a lower-priced hotel, dine at restaurants serving healthy options, enjoy the peace and quiet of a nearby park, and that can be a wellness vacation.” 

 As such, brands should consider catering to travellers of various budgets, paving the way for a more democratic wellness tourism industry.

Anne Dimon is the president and CEO of the Wellness Tourism Association, which is a global network of travel brands in the wellness tourism industry. She has over 35 years of hospitality- and tourism-related experience, and is also the owner and editor of the online resource TravelToWellness.com.

Stella Photi is the founder and managing director of award-winning specialist travel company Wellbeing Escapes. She has lent her expertise to many different media publications and speaks regularly at events about living a happy and healthy lifestyle.

Paul Joseph is the co-founder of UK-based wellness tourism agency Health and Fitness Travel. He regularly contributes to the travel pages of various high-profile newspapers and magazines, where he offers his expert advice on wellness holidays.

Global

Health and Fitness

Travel and Leisure

Global Wellness Institute

Interview with Anne Dimon conducted by the author

Interview with Stella Photi conducted by the author

WTM Global Hub

Global Wellness Summit

Six Senses

SHA Wellness Clinic

Deloitte

WebMD

National Geographic

American Express

Interview with Paul Joseph conducted by the author

Best European Health Spas

Wellness Tourism Association

The New York Times

Regenerative Travel

GlobalData

Travel Weekly

Wealth-X

Luxury Lifestyle Magazine

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