New report predicts a bright future for wellness tourism

Wellness travel and wellness service sales are forecast to experience rapid growth between now and 2030, according to a new study by Health Tourism Worldwide in cooperation with the Wellness Tourism Association.

The Wellness Tourism 2030 report is based on information gained in spring 2020 from in-depth interviews with 131 industry representatives from 25 countries along with 59 academics from 24 countries.

The aim of the study was to predict what the main global and regional trends in wellness-motivated travel will be from 2025-2030.

While there was a lot of agreement between the two respondent groups, the greatest difference was in the assessment of motivation triggers for wellness travel. Industry representatives believed that de-stressing, recharging and relaxation will lead the demand for wellness trips, while academics stressed the importance of self-healing, fitness and also personal reward.

Industry respondents forecast that solo female travelers would remain a dominant market segment for the wellness travel product in the US, while academics highlighted same-sex couples as another important segment.

In Europe, the study results suggest a more balanced segment mix, comprised of couples, groups of friends, families and guests looking for healthy options.

The study was completed during the Covid-19 pandemic, so participants considered how travel would be once the pandemic controls begin to loosen.

The report confirms that the popularity of wellness services and facility types can vary by market segment as well as geographical areas. Although wellness as a concept enjoys global interest, the ways in which it is used in hospitality, healthcare and destination development can greatly depend on the local circumstances.

Industry representatives anticipated a significant growth in wellness travel while academics were more focused on the growth in wellness spend, but both said that wellness represents great opportunities for tourism, however, more short-term travel decisions should be expected, as well as shorter travel distances.

The report is a continuation of initial research first published in 2012 as ‘4WR Wellness Tourism 2020’.