Last updated November 15, 2022
Wellness luxury travel is on-trend. Combining wellness, luxury and travel is the best idea that the tourism industry has ever had.
The idea of wellness in travel isn’t something new to us at Vacayou. We like to think of ourselves as ahead of the pack on this one. Trendsetters, if you will. Vacayou brought forth new ways of implementing wellness into travel.
Luxury Wellness Travel
Be that as it may, the concept of LUXURY Wellness Travel is fairly new. Call it a combination of business strategy and psychology. Merge these two together and you have luxurious wellness travel.
There are a few factors that are driving the upward trend of luxury wellness travel.
Pent Up Travel Demand
For those of us who are used to traveling more frequently, being restricted from travel during the COVID19 pandemic was quite the adjustment. Travel lovers and spring-break travelers are two groups of tourists who have a lot of pent-up travel energy.
Humans want what they cannot have. When told “No,” the inner rebel comes into play.
Once bans started lifting and vaccinations were made accessible, the borders started opening. The demand for travel was back in full swing. Spring-breakers booked their vacations 6 months in advance so that they wouldn’t face any capacity issues.
Traveling post-COVID is on the rise
So much so that according to the Washington Post, “more than 37 million Americans [were] projected to travel this Memorial Day weekend…up 60% compared to this time last year.”
Let the travel flood gates open. Safely, of course.
Wellness And Mental Health
Wellness and mental health go hand-in-hand. This is pretty common knowledge for the current decade.
Humans are fear-driven when it comes to taking action. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. A lot of that fear can be turned into proactiveness. Being proactive is the ultimate goal of our health and well-being. However, we don’t always take to that modus operandi.
Health and Wellness Travel
Coming out of a year where health was the number one topic of conversation, it’s no wonder that it comes into play with wellness travel. Health is bound to pour over into the discussion of wellness luxury travel. That being said, hotels have taken notice.
Hotels Adapting to Wellness Luxury Travelers
It goes without saying that hotels need to advertise to their guests and potential guests. The marketing team of any given hotel brand knows that the guest’s well-being is top priority. Guests are being taken care of with on-site rooms, amenities, and staffing.
In accordance with this evolution in the tourism industry, the offerings on-site at wellness luxury resorts and spas have expanded since the beginning of the pandemic. Moreover, they have been doing this since early 2020.
Given the time to regroup, plan and implement, and noting the resurgence would come eventually, and that guests would expect health to be a priority, it’s no wonder most hotels now have fitness classes, cleaning stations, specialty waters, COVID testing on-site or nearby, and detox massages or body wraps on their spa menus.
(Saved) Disposable Income
For those who were spending money in the luxury travel market the years before, this was an opportunity to save. Overall, the stock market has done reasonably well overall, with many increasing their earnings in 2020-21 from investments and repurposing funds that were allocated towards expenses to be saved.
In addition, more mature age groups are embracing the YOLO mindset and willing to spend more on travel and at higher-end facilities.
This age group typically has more money to spend than younger generations; although, millennials are one of the most eager age groups to passport and go right now (myself included).
Higher Profit Margin for Luxe Wellness
Statistically, wellness travelers spend more during their travels than non-wellness travelers. To add to this, in business, you can either make higher profit margins using higher volume and low cost (more guests, lower prices) or lower volume and higher prices (fewer guests, higher prices).
The margins can work out similarly in certain business categories; however, given that the typical wellness traveler is already spending more, my business gut will bank on the fact that the wellness luxury traveler is far more likely to increase the profit margin faster and stronger than the average traveler looking for the cheapest option.
Personally, in an area focused on well-being, I’d prefer quieter, fewer guests, and seek a destination where it’s more spaced out, with fewer people and a greater focus on cleanliness and 5-star standards for health above all—now, and always.
(Are you a wellness traveler at heart as well? Five ways to tell!)
Bespoke/Unique Experiences In High-demand
Wellness travel has expanded far past being defined as just offering yoga, a free, refillable water bottle and getting a massage.
Wellness travel now can be defined by the luxury traveler as one-of-a-kind experiences, touring the local lands, cultural explorations and personalized wellness plans.
Pretty much, it’s keeping up with the Jones’ in wellness traveler offerings, including everything, all, above and beyond when it comes to reaching the next level.
A reminder as well, if you’re used to luxury, you’re used to catering. Unique and bespoke are second languages native to the luxury traveler, seeking new, more significant, and more story-to-tell when they return home, sharing with colleagues, friends and family.
Tech-Savvy Offerings
Touch-less key entries, concierge-free check-ins, Whatsapp private butler service, and in-room sleep devices are a few options that are taking wellness to the next tech level.
With everything at the touch of our fingertips, it’s easier than ever to touch, order, request, and on-demand service with near-frictionless delivery.
Perfect upgrades for the digital traveler or work-out-of-office entrepreneur looking for a 2-week to 1-month remote office setting.
On that note, if you’re a luxury wellness resort, make sure you have some 5G Wi-Fi for those morning Zoom and business meeting streaming calls.
“We could all use a splurge after what we’ve been through. That’s why upscale leisure travel is starting to sprint ahead for a phased, market-by-market recovery”.
Sean O’Neill, Skift
Start planning your next vacation with our selection of extraordinary luxury retreats.
Read some more Travel Trends articles:
- 5 Wellness Travel Highlights from the Global Wellness Summit
- 5 Dreamy Destinations According to Travel Experts
- 6 Newfangled Spa and Wellness Resorts Taking Off in the U.S.
- Boost Your Creativity at a Mental Wellness Camp
- Why wellness vacations?
Destinations:
About Vacayou
We believe that travel has the power to change lives. The power to revive, rejuvenate and redirect the inner self. That’s why we’re here. Take an online staycation with us. Change how you think about travel and let us make it easier for you to search, discover, and book wellness and active vacations. But we don’t stop there. We are with you every step of the way—before, during and after your journey—to make sure you enjoy the most meaningful vacation ever. It’s Travel That Moves You.
