Is your hotel prepared to attract wellness travel and tourism?

The good news is people are traveling again. According to Euromonitor International, business and leisure tourism are both expected to rebound to pre-2019 levels in 2024. The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) Travel Forecast 2023 expects business travel to generate $1.2 trillion before the end of the year. 

The challenge is attracting this business to your property. What do travelers want? What are they looking for in a hotel? How can your property distinguish itself from the competition? 

Wellness Travel is Priority No. 1 for Business, Leisure and Bleisure Travelers 

McKinsey & Company found that half of all consumers list wellness as a top priority in their day-to-day lives. And when they travel, people want to maintain that mental, emotional and physical fitness, whether they are traveling for business, leisure or blended business/leisure (bleisure) purposes. 

Wellbeing offers an essential way to attract and retain new visitors. During the pandemic, people needed safe places to exercise indoors, and doing so became an important part of many self-care routines. According to Lululemon’s Global Wellbeing Report, there is an increased focus on the three pillars of wellbeing, especially the physical part. 

• 51% focus on physical well-being 
• 48% focus on mental well-being 
• 41% focus on social well-being 

When thinking about luxury travel, 13% of affluent consumers would pay more for ‘custom health and wellness itineraries,’ according to YouGov 2023: What’s Next in Luxury Travel. 

Spas and medical tourism are set to increase by 11% in 2023 and increase by an equal amount year-over-over through 2027, according to Euromonitor. In fact, 88% of respondents to the AmEx 2023 – Global Travel Trends Report say they plan on spending the same or more on wellness vacations this year compared to previous years. 72% say they’re more focused on self-care than they were a year ago, and 57% intend to take extended vacations to focus on wellness. 

Hotels looking to attract travelers interested in fitness and wellbeing should focus on promoting what is offered on social media. Because of the willingness of this segment to pay for premium services, also develop ways to monetize access to fitness center programs in exchange for greater privacy and customization.  

If you want to attract wellness travel and health tourism, consider: 

• Promoting a variety of wellness offerings, including workout facilities, meditation spaces and outdoor activities, such as hiking trails, bikes, snowshoes, cross-country skis, etc. 
• Providing access to complimentary on-demand or app integrations that include virtual fitness classes, yoga, meditation and other wellness activities. 
• Offering packages for solo travelers. 
• Investing in online and social media content that highlights your hotel’s fitness and wellness amenities. 
• Creating a workout space that guarantees exclusive access to customized fitness training or private on-demand fitness/wellness programs.  
• Promoting spa, fitness and/or wellness packages on social media. 
• Partnering with a wellness/fitness influencer to promote your offerings to this niche travel segment. 

Business travel trends 

Health and wellness amenities business travelers want from hotels 

Business travelers are the most likely segment to seek out hotels for lodging. According to the AHLA Hotel Booking Index survey, 76% of business travelers prefer to stay in a hotel on a business trip. This segment is also brand loyal and pays close attention to the perks and points they receive at preferred hotels.  

The BCD 2022 Traveler Survey has revealed that a driving factor, at least for business travelers and the 50% of business travelers intending to blending leisure travel, are the three pillars of wellbeing – physical, social and emotional health.  

The three pillars of wellbeing show up as three of the five most influential factors: 

• 48% of business travelers make decisions influenced by their physical health 
• 36% are influenced by some routine, e.g, sports or scheduled activities 
• 36% are influenced by mental health  

The same study found that to maintain wellbeing on the road: 

• 93% of travelers regularly or sometimes eat healthy 
• 66% regularly or sometimes exercise  
• 32% regularly or sometimes meditate 
• 58% use mobile apps aimed at improving their wellbeing 

The BCD survey also determined the forms of wellbeing support business travelers value most: 

• 51% valued recommendations of restaurants with healthy menus 
• 43% valued nutrition, sleep and recovery advice 
• 35% valued gym membership while traveling 

Business travelers have tight schedules. They need to fit their fitness routines into breaks in-between meetings or before/after the workday. Your hotel gym needs to be comprehensive, easily accessible and connected to meet their expectations. 

To best serve this audience, consider: 

• Providing 24/7 access to the hotel fitness space/gym. 
• Purchasing equipment that interfaces with fitness apps so guests can track workouts or access custom training programs. 
• Offering on-demand programs guests can use in their rooms or in the fitness space. 
• Providing wellness tools they can use on the property and at home. For example, fitness exercises, sleep science classes or nutrition guidance. 
• Promoting fitness/wellbeing amenities to prospective guests online and on social media. 
• Developing fitness/spa programs where guests can redeem loyalty points in exchange for access or services. 

Leisure travel trends and needs 

Health and wellness amenities leisure travelers want from hotels 

Leisure travel is an important budget priority for 78% of travelers, according to the American Express (AmEx) 2023 – Global Travel Trends Report. In fact, the survey found that 85% of its respondents plan to take two or more leisure trips in 2023. 

‘Relax and rejuvenate’ is the main trip purpose for 50% of travelers globally, according to December 2022 TripAdvisor Research. The 2023 AHLA State of the Industry Report found that 60% of adults intend to take more vacation/leisure trips in 2023 compared to 2022. 

Attention to wellness shows up as a major trend among the leisure travel segment in the AmEx study: 

• 75% of travelers intend to decrease screen time while traveling to improve mental health  
• 68% are seeking to surround themselves with nature to focus on mental clarity 

Hotels can best serve leisure travelers by promoting how hotel wellbeing programs and fitness spaces can help them relax or kick-start energy levels by tying offerings into the ‘rest and rejuvenation’ theme. 

To meet the needs of leisure travelers, consider: 

• Providing quality, essential equipment that is commensurate with what they use at their daily gym. 
• Creating a welcoming experience personalized to their travel objectives. For example, fitness that helps them start their day energized or wellness programs that help them disconnect. 
• Offering a connected health route, for example: healthy menus, wellbeing programs. 
• Adding on-demand yoga, stretching and meditation videos to the in-room television menu. 
• Sharing outside amenities that can enhance their overall wellness journey, such as walking trails. 
• Encouraging them to share their experiences online or on social media. 

Bleisure travel trends and needs 

Health and wellness amenities bleisure travelers want from hotels 

Expedia Group’s Traveler Value Index 2023 found 76% of business travelers plan to extend their work trip for leisure purposes within the next 12 months. And 28% of those surveyed intended to take a ‘flexcation’ – a trip combining remote work with leisure travel.  

According to Skyscanner, one in six respondents are likely to take blended business and leisure trips in 2023. Euromonitor estimates the value of this ‘bleisure’ market will be worth $360 billion by 2027, double its 2021 value. 

Part of the reason for the astronomical growth of this market is that it allows people to get things done while spending more time with family or exploring the destination. In 2022, 48% of travelers extended business trips for leisure purposes, the 2023 AHLA study found. And 84% of business travelers are interested in bleisure travel. 

For business travelers planning bleisure trips, the BCD 2022 Traveler Survey found physical, social and emotional health considerations for partners or family traveling with them were as important as respecting the three pillars of wellness for themselves.  

Because these travelers are mixing business with pleasure travel, they tend to have a longer hotel stay. They’re looking for fitness amenities that help them stay healthy, disconnect from work and maintain their routine while away from home. In addition to the fitness and wellness considerations mentioned for the business and leisure segments, consider:  

• Adding family or group programs.  
• Creating healthy in-room and dining room menus that appeal to all age groups. 
• Promoting fitness and wellness activities people can enjoy in a group, such as hiking, boating or skiing. 
• Providing in-room fitness amenities. 
• Equipping your fitness space with a variety of machines and functional fitness equipment. 
• Designing post-workout wellbeing routines and plans. 
• Offering recreational equipment rentals or merchandise. For example: equipment for fishing, hiking, snorkeling, etc. 
• Sharing digital experiences that provide fitness/wellness benefits. 
• Promoting social activities, like board and trivia game nights, karaoke, or poolside activities. 
• Encouraging guests to share their experience with others online. 

Check out Part 2 in this series, "How Fitness Spaces Benefit Hotels" here.

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