Boutique Travel Agency Showcases 2022 Wellness Travel Trends

The Covid-19 pandemic has made wellness and self-care important for one’s overall physical and mental well-being.  As we evolve during the third year of this pandemic, wellness enthusiasts are embracing urban bathhouses, wellness in the Metaverse, sound healing, as well as holistic trips to rebalance the mind, body and soul.

Did you know . . . 

• “The Global Wellness industry is a $4.4 trillion economy in 2020.” (Source:  Global Wellness Institute. 
• ​“The future of the wellness industry is incredibly bright, predicted to grow by 10 percent by 2025.”(Global Wellness Institute) 

 
Allen Marketing Communications, Inc., a boutique travel and lifestyle public relations agency based in New York City, spotlights the key wellness trends for 2022.

Wellness Travel
Wellness tourism – travel focusing on yoga, meditation, mindfulness, healthy eating and outdoor adventures– to improve one’s physical and mental health during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“World travelers made more than 500 million international and domestic wellness trips in 2020, down from 936 million in 2019.  International wellness tourists on average spend $1,601 per trip in 2020, 35 percent more than the typical international tourist,” according to Global Wellness Tourism.

Spa therapies have always been a key component of wellness tourism.  However, the Covid-19 pandemic has forced many individuals to focus on self-care and pursue opportunities to bond with nature, recharge and rebalance one’s mind, body and soul.

As we evolve in the third year of the Covid-19 pandemic, there has emerged a need to maintain a work-life balance and escape to improve one’s overall physical and mental well-being.

Urban Bathhouses 
Urban Bathhouses have been known throughout the ages for its healing mineral waters.  In fact, “bathing in natural waters has been referred to as “taking the cure,” and different waters have been sought, depending on the type of “cure” needed.” (Source:  Global Wellness Institute)

The Covid-19 vaccines and booster shots have sparked a renewed interest among wellness enthusiasts in indulging in the healing waters at bathhouses.  The Global Wellness Institute predicts “pent up demand fuels annual growth rates of 18 percent for thermal and mineral springs through 2025.”

“New and renovated bathhouses have begun peppering our urban landscapes, providing a new kind of “social wellness club” that not only brings urbanites together to relax, but also provides a gentle reboot of the mind, body and soul through the discovery and sensory delight of traditional bathing rituals,” according to Global Wellness Institute.

Urban bathhouses will make this wellness experience much more accessible for city dwellers.

Wellness in the Metaverse
The Metaverse is all the rage at the moment.  It is quite simply “a 3D virtual world focused on social connections.” Consumers simply wear “virtual and augmented reality headsets” and duplicate real world interactions in a virtual world.   
 
For example, “designed for Oculus Quest and paired with the user’s smartphone, Supernatural delivers precise coaching, fitness tracking and immersive workouts that blend the worlds of exercise and entertainment. As such, the move is expected to usher in a new era for VR experiences, a market predicted to grow at an annual rate of 18% to hit $69.60 billion by 2028,” according to WellToDo.

In terms of the wellness industry, there is an unprecedented growth as companies pivot and offer wellness experiences in the virtual world.  Several companies are already using “virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (VR) have been used in therapeutic capacities, have been used in therapeutic capacities.” (Source:  DesignWell 360)


Sound Healing
Sound healing is “an ancient meditative practice that uses different musical implements to create healing vibrations around the body in a meditative state,” according to WellSet.  It is not a new meditative practice since several cultures – Tibetan monks, indigenous Australians, and ancient Greek healers – have used sound vibrations to heal individuals.

Sound healing has been shown to support traditional medical practices by helping to “reduce anxiety and insomnia, lower blood pressure, improve circulation and reduce respiratory rates.” (Source:  Pure Wow)  The Covid-19 pandemic has made self-care the buzz word during the pandemic and sound healing is another way to help individuals cope during these stressful times.

Our travel and lifestyle public relations professionals are here to help you tap into the lucrative wellness industry.  Give us a call.

By Joanna Allen, chief executive officer, Allen Marketing Communications, Inc.

 

---