Wellness travel has gained significant importance in recent years. With stress becoming an increasing part of the modern-day hectic lifestyle, wellness travel has become a fast-growing sector, with people from every background looking for options that provide serenity, peace, and rejuvenation.
More and more travelers look forward to relaxing and gathering new experiences in order to recharge their minds and body. And wellness travel offers just that. And along with an increase in employment opportunities, this form of travel also boosts regional tourism.
While sustainable travel is progressively becoming a top priority for travelers in general, here are other top wellness travel trends that are expected to rule 2023.
1. The focus will be on recovery
A double shift at the gym or yoga class may not provide the necessary and timely benefits of fitness and performance leading to constant pressure for results and an increase in stress. But more often than not, recovery should do the trick.
With many innovative programs in the world- like a spa with a biohacking recovery lounge in Six Senses Crans Montana, Switzerland, OR Oxygen therapy and DIY massage devices in the Hythe, a Luxury Collection Hotel in Colorado, this year’s focus will be on recovery, with an increasing number of hotels providing innovative combinations of treatments and experiences that will speed up recovery- be it physical, or mental.
2. Travel focussing on Mental health
While many of us travel to places that show nature in full bloom, just to experience serenity, there has been an increasing trend of people opting for mental health boosting and restoring activities like yoga and tai-chi at such places.
According to stats, there are more than 20,000 yoga retreats in the world and more than 300 million yoga practitioners globally, with 86% of them reporting an increase in mental clarity, after practicing yoga.
3. Arts and crafts over Meditation
If meditation is not your cup of tea, try arts and craft!
Research has found that mindfulness-based art therapies improve psychological well-being. And capitalizing on this, right from crafting necklaces, to pottery, to weaving and watercolor painting, an increasing number of hotels around the world are enticing travelers to try such activities.
Also, rather than following a hectic travel schedule that comes with the added pressure of viewing every monument or place in the city, more and more people are opting for experiences that soothe their souls and mind, than just completing their never-ending itinerary
4. A hot way of socializing
Now this one’s interesting!
According to Scandinavians, stress melts away faster if you socialize while sweating. And that is why an increasing number of hotels around the world are introducing saunas and hydrotherapy set-ups with innovative activities.
For example, the Durango Hot Springs Resort + Spa in Colorado’s San Juan Mountains will let you enjoy live music performances while surfing around the outdoor complex of 41 soaking and plunge pools and eight Japanese-inspired Ofuro soaking tubs.
Other trends
There is a growing focus on ‘Prevention’ being better than cure. And true to this, many hotels and resorts are resorting to customizing travel plans and stays to accommodate therapies and programs that address emotional health, propagate spiritual activities, and also offer lab-based reports for health screening.
The hospitality industry is also using services from dermatologists to make travel stays a medium to pamper patrons’ skin and hair experiences, by providing the latest and contemporary technology-based procedures- like HydraFacial to improve dark spots and wrinkles, offering discounts on Helight Pro, a device that emits red light diodes to revitalize cells.
