Spa retreats and wellness tourism offerings are becoming increasingly distinct to meet growing demand. Here are 11 outstanding examples | Image: Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary, Koh Samui
More than just a last-minute menu bolt-on, spa and wellness retreats are increasingly becoming fully-fledged, curated offerings.
Wellness tourism clocked 36% annual growth between 2020 and 2022. The Global Wellness Institute (GWI) forecasts the the market will more than double by 2027, with a 16.6% annual growth rate over the next five years.
The Institute predicts wellness tourism will cross the $1 trillion mark in 2024.
Retreats are big business – wellness travellers spend far more than ‘regular’ tourists – on average 41% more in 2022 than the typical international tourist.
Unsurprisingly, with wellness tourism growing significantly faster than tourism overall, spas across Europe are upping their retreat game. Destinations and day spas alike are creating increasingly diverse offerings to attract a wider scope of guests seeking wellness tourism.
European Spa rounds up the most innovating retreat offerings to hit our inbox so far in 2024.
Costa Navarino, the sustainably driven destination in Greece’s southwest Peloponnese, has announced a transformative wellness retreat focusing on hormone health and wellbeing. It is aimed at women during peri menopause and menopause.
The first five-day Hormone Balance Clinic will take place in May and be led by Dr Sabine Wünschmann, a renowned obstetrician gynaecologist.
The West Sussex hotel has launched nature retreats combining sensual immersion, stillness practice and guided meditation.
South Lodge’s one-day wellness retreats embrace the evolving energy of the seasons. Forest-bathing expert Helena Skoog will harness the power of shinrin-yoku, the Japanese awareness meditation of forest bathing.
Guests also experience Qigong and breathwork sessions, to balance parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems.
Lefay Resort Lago di Garda has introduced new Yin and Yang Rebalancing Tuina massages and medical consultations.
The Tuina massages, an ancient form of Chinese massage, balance the yin and yang of the body by getting rid of blockages or imbalances that manifest as illness, disease or emotional issues.
Medical consultations take place with a spa doctor trained in the principles of Classical Chinese Medicine and include a Cortisol Curve Test to establish levels of cortisol in the body.
The Lakes by YOO has partnered with Halen Strength to offer a series of cold water and breath work retreats.
Led by Halen’s all ex-military team, the retreats teach guests about the science behind breath work and cold water therapy. before giving them the opportunity to try their hand at both.
Cold water immersion is complemented by yoga and meditation sessions, to help cultivate mindfulness and deepen connection with the present moment.
Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary and Holistic Spa in Koh Samui has launched four bespoke group retreat experiences designed to reconnect individuals to the essence of wellbeing and vitality.
“At Kamalaya, we fundamentally believe in the transformative power of our retreats to recalibrate the body’s natural equilibrium,” says Gopal Kumar, director of wellness development.
“Each retreat is an opportunity to step back, introspect, and realign with your core being, in the company of like-minded individuals seeking serenity and everlasting wellness.”
London’s Lanserhof at The Arts Club has created LIFE – its new Lanserhof Integrative Fasting Programme.
Drawing from Lanserhof’s established fasting protocols, LIFE focuses on detoxification, de-acidification and purification of the body to promote holistic wellness.
Participants can opt for a seven, 14, or 21-day programmes designed to reset the body and get the metabolism back on track.
AlmaLusa Comporta has curated a three-night retreat with double daily yoga classes, workshops to help individuals cope with daily challenges such as stress, insomnia, nutrition, focus, and spa treatments by Elemental Herbology.
The retreats include personalised private counselling with a programme mentor.
Blue Apple Beach on Tierra Bomba Island near Cartagena has created an innovative new kind of retreat focussed on connection, not withdrawal.
Aimed at combatting the modern era’s lack of community, the retreat focusing on connecting with other souls and a new culture, rather than disconnecting.
The retreat is in partnership with Bianca Dusic – founder and wellness coach at bWithin.
Global wellness brand COMO Shambala has launched five new Wellness Paths to sustainable wellness, to improve guests’ wellbeing from within.
Aimed at people dealing with common but distressing modern lifestyle challenges, the focus is on prevention, with each Wellness Path designed to be sustainable when a guest returns home.
The Buchinger Wilhelmi Wellness Clinic in Marbella has invited Buddhist monk and meditation instructor Lharampa Tenzin Kalden to teach guests traditional mindfulness meditation methods and Tibetan Lu Jong yoga for the five elements.
The UK’s leading Retreat Centre, located in the Yorkshire Dales, Broughton Sanctuary is offering a retreat series for 2024 that includes ‘Keeping it real in a frantic world’ led by writer and mental health advocate Ruby Wax, Buddhist monk Gelong Thubten and author Rahla Xenopoulos.
Sign up here to receive our weekly news delivered direct to your inbox
To read about more of the best recent spa and retreat openings, click below to download the Spring 2024 edition of European Spa magazine
European Spa Magazine is published by Spa Publishing Ltd | Company registration number: 6293825
About | Contact Us | Privacy Policy | Terms & conditions | Disclaimer
© Copyright 2024 - Spa Publishing Limited. All rights reserved.
