Los Angeles USA-based Wellness Tourism Worldwide (WTW) expects the hospitality sector to focus on providing better hotel accommodation with the emphasis on ‘health and wellness’ for the guest and for new ‘detox’ tours to become more popular in 2013. Releasing its 2013 forecast of wellness travel trends, Camille Hoheb, WTW founder said: "Health opens the door to a whole new world. It is hoped our forecast will encourage individuals and industries to expand their perceptions on wellness and improved quality of life.” The forecast is based on an analysis of factors including consumer and B2B surveys, site visits, feedback from travel suppliers, destinations and sellers as well as extensive research. Other trends identified by WTW are branded: Reconnecting through Nature; Sleep at the Forefront; Spiritual Seekers; Indigenous Healing Experiences; Rewarding with Wellness Travel; Celebrity Instructor Retreats and the growth of inter-generational family holidays. And it’s not all about tours and resorts. To attract more passengers and increase revenue, airport renovations are featuring sleek ultramodern designs incorporating natural light, art installations, high-end dining and shopping venues as well as a plethora of health and fitness offerings. A wide range of offers from the ubiquitous spa to swimming pools, gardens, walking paths, private napping cabins and cultural centres all are designed to create an atmosphere of “terminal bliss”. "Hotels too have realised there’s an un-met need for guests to maintain health during travel that goes beyond gyms, pools and spas," said Hoheb. "Now hotel rooms are designed to alleviate altitude sickness, reduce jet lag, improve sleep, eliminate bacteria, waterborne chemicals and allergens and purify and humidify the air. Vitamin c-infused showers, dawn simulating alarm clocks and melatonin-producing lighting are other notable features. Guest can access in-room fitness equipment and healthy lifestyle education as well as take home tips, programs and wellness apps." Digital detox will be one of the next big trends to hit the hospitality industry, WTW says. A recent survey showed 80 per cent of smartphone users in the US almost never leave their home without their devices. Surrendering laptops, tablets and smartphones at check-in are a part of several hotel ‘un-plug’ programs.
Some destinations are also creating technology free vacation campaigns as a way to market their rustic settings.
Reconnecting through nature "Natural assets are the most critical component to wellness tourism product development,” said Hoheb. "Destinations are beginning to fully leverage their landscape in response for the human need to explore and relax outdoors.
“Deprivation holidays - coined by Euromonitor - is a growing trend where stressed out folks choose outdoor boot camp to improve fitness and induce weight loss by pushing to the extreme."
WTW also expects interest in non-religious spiritual practices to be a growth market around the world. "An increasingly secular global society seeking meaning and purpose opens the doors to spiritual pilgrimages, retreats, temple stays and workshops," said Hoheb.
“Asia, as the place of origin for mind/body lifestyles, practices and treatments is the home of traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurveda, various forms of meditation, yoga and other approaches to healing and wellness. An economic powerhouse, Asia has the resources to continue building its tourism platform and exceed traveller expectations."
In light of the economic downturn, companies seek peak performance and maximum efficiency.
Meeting planners are seeking destinations that align with corporate initiatives for maximum return on investment (RoI). "What better way than to co-ordinate transformative experiences for both the individual and business organisation sponsoring the meeting?" asked Hoheb. Most US companies plan to increase the dollar value of the incentives they offer employees to participate in health improvement programs, according to a recent employer survey.
Celebrity instructor retreats Wellness travel has taken off as a way to jump start a new health regimen or to deepen one’s practice of a healthy lifestyle, said Hoheb. "Studies show that sometimes the most transformative experiences occur far away from home. Yoga, pilates, meditation and fitness gurus have been elevated to rock stars with their own following and are taking their expertise on the road at exotic locations, regional weekend workshops. Spa destinations and resorts have been offering specialised, themed getaways for awhile, but now instructors have realised their own cache and are cashing in."
Multi-generational family travel is a hot trend that has been growing the last few years and is expected to develop further in 2013.
"Grandparents are connecting with grandchildren in a distinct way — by traveling," said Hoheb. "Grandparents are more active and fit, and have sympathy for their own grown children, who often are required to have two working adults to pay the bills. Vacations create memories and are taking their family relations from cyberspace to real space. The travel industry has designed programs to bring families together to learn, love and play. What could be more “well”?”
Los Angeles USA-based Wellness Tourism Worldwide (WTW) expects the hospitality sector to focus on providing better hotel accommodation with the emphasis on ‘health and wellness’ for the guest and for new ‘detox’ tours to become more popular in 2013. Releasing its 2013 forecast of wellness travel trends, Camille Hoheb, WTW founder said: "Health opens the door to a whole new world. It is hoped our forecast will encourage individuals and industries to expand their perceptions on wellness and improved quality of life.” The forecast is based on an analysis of factors including consumer and B2B surveys, site visits, feedback from travel suppliers, destinations and sellers as well as extensive research. Other trends identified by WTW are branded: Reconnecting through Nature; Sleep at the Forefront; Spiritual Seekers; Indigenous Healing Experiences; Rewarding with Wellness Travel; Celebrity Instructor Retreats and the growth of inter-generational family holidays. And it’s not all about tours and resorts. To attract more passengers and increase revenue, airport renovations are featuring sleek ultramodern designs incorporating natural light, art installations, high-end dining and shopping venues as well as a plethora of health and fitness offerings. A wide range of offers from the ubiquitous spa to swimming pools, gardens, walking paths, private napping cabins and cultural centres all are designed to create an atmosphere of “terminal bliss”. "Hotels too have realised there’s an un-met need for guests to maintain health during travel that goes beyond gyms, pools and spas," said Hoheb. "Now hotel rooms are designed to alleviate altitude sickness, reduce jet lag, improve sleep, eliminate bacteria, waterborne chemicals and allergens and purify and humidify the air. Vitamin c-infused showers, dawn simulating alarm clocks and melatonin-producing lighting are other notable features. Guest can access in-room fitness equipment and healthy lifestyle education as well as take home tips, programs and wellness apps." Digital detox will be one of the next big trends to hit the hospitality industry, WTW says. A recent survey showed 80 per cent of smartphone users in the US almost never leave their home without their devices. Surrendering laptops, tablets and smartphones at check-in are a part of several hotel ‘un-plug’ programs.
Some destinations are also creating technology free vacation campaigns as a way to market their rustic settings.
Reconnecting through nature "Natural assets are the most critical component to wellness tourism product development,” said Hoheb. "Destinations are beginning to fully leverage their landscape in response for the human need to explore and relax outdoors.
“Deprivation holidays - coined by Euromonitor - is a growing trend where stressed out folks choose outdoor boot camp to improve fitness and induce weight loss by pushing to the extreme."
WTW also expects interest in non-religious spiritual practices to be a growth market around the world. "An increasingly secular global society seeking meaning and purpose opens the doors to spiritual pilgrimages, retreats, temple stays and workshops," said Hoheb.
“Asia, as the place of origin for mind/body lifestyles, practices and treatments is the home of traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurveda, various forms of meditation, yoga and other approaches to healing and wellness. An economic powerhouse, Asia has the resources to continue building its tourism platform and exceed traveller expectations."
In light of the economic downturn, companies seek peak performance and maximum efficiency.
Meeting planners are seeking destinations that align with corporate initiatives for maximum return on investment (RoI). "What better way than to co-ordinate transformative experiences for both the individual and business organisation sponsoring the meeting?" asked Hoheb. Most US companies plan to increase the dollar value of the incentives they offer employees to participate in health improvement programs, according to a recent employer survey.
Celebrity instructor retreats Wellness travel has taken off as a way to jump start a new health regimen or to deepen one’s practice of a healthy lifestyle, said Hoheb. "Studies show that sometimes the most transformative experiences occur far away from home. Yoga, pilates, meditation and fitness gurus have been elevated to rock stars with their own following and are taking their expertise on the road at exotic locations, regional weekend workshops. Spa destinations and resorts have been offering specialised, themed getaways for awhile, but now instructors have realised their own cache and are cashing in."
Multi-generational family travel is a hot trend that has been growing the last few years and is expected to develop further in 2013.
"Grandparents are connecting with grandchildren in a distinct way — by traveling," said Hoheb. "Grandparents are more active and fit, and have sympathy for their own grown children, who often are required to have two working adults to pay the bills. Vacations create memories and are taking their family relations from cyberspace to real space. The travel industry has designed programs to bring families together to learn, love and play. What could be more “well”?”
