Wellness trends and wellness travel trends are essentially one and the same. That's because when something bubbles up as a trend in the wellness space, it's almost immediately put into practice by the hospitality industry.
Once "forest bathing" became a wellness trend, you could bet the activity was added to every health lover's itinerary who happened to be vacationing near trees.
In a way, resorts act as incubators for wellness trends — they're a space to find out what things will stick, and what will just be a gimmick. As Skift contributor Laura Powell discusses in her story below, the travel industry also drives wellness trends. Out of the need to conquer jet lag came apps like Timeshifter. Meanwhile, Schloss Elmau has been offering concerts to its guests for over a century — and now healing music is one of the key wellness trends this year.
Luxury hospitality, too, plays a meaningful role in wellness trends. Often the luxury traveler wants unique wellness experiences — as in, the trends before they become trends. So luxury properties have to look for ways to stay two steps ahead — or at least on pace — with the wellness trends or get left behind.
We'll see which properties put some of these movements from the Global Wellness Institute's latest trend report into practice, and track which companies look like they'll be setting the trends for next year. Stay tuned.
For feedback or news tips, reach out via email at lb@skift.com or tweet me @lesliebarrie.
