The concept of wellness in hospitality is quickly evolving to encompass so much more than the average fitness center or traditional spa, and within the next decade, the new definition of wellness will become a central factor in the hotel sector, according to The Future of Wellness in Hospitality, a new report by Avison Young.
The presence of the wellness factor in the hospitality industry is a trend that is on the rise. In the report, Avison Young points to statistics from the World Travel and Tourism Council, which notes that wellness tourism is the fastest growing segment of global tourism, accounting for more than 10 percent of the world’s GDP and 10 percent of jobs. Hotels and resorts are recording the strongest growth as a result of the rise in wellness tourism, outpacing, day spas and salons, health resorts, medical facilities and thermal/mineral springs.
In the hotel industry, the wellness movement first became prevalent with the revitalization of the spa sector, but with demand on the rise, more hotel owners are accommodating guests with enhancements on the asset-light/soft wellness side and/or the asset-heavy/hard wellness side. Soft wellness or experiential elements include health and relaxation experiences such as yoga classes and running groups; environmental considerations, such as air quality and natural light; and self-care offerings ranging from apps for mental health or relaxation to yoga maps with online tutorials. Adoptees of the soft wellness or asset-light approach include the Even Hotels by IHG brand, which provides in-room fitness equipment and health food restaurants, as well as Locke by SACO, which makes free yoga classes available to guests.
The asset-heavy/hard wellness side in the hospitality arena entails such offerings as treatment rooms, beauty clinics, state-of-the-art gyms and cutting-edge spa facilities with amenities such as hydrotherapy pools, experience showers and hammam. Hotel brands that have embraced the asset-heavy option include Six Senses, which debuted in the U.S. with the opening of a 137-key Manhattan hotel in 2016, Aman and Banyan Tree. The newly launched Signia brand touts a list of wellness alternatives that includes infinity pools.
