Topics Analyzed in this Report
- The different segments of wellness travelers.
- How current economic forces both feed into and hinder wellness travel.
- How wellness strategies abroad can be imported to US destinations.
- What travelers want to do on a wellness vacation.
- How wellness vacations stack up against other forms of travel.
- Attitudes about emerging wellness treatments.
Expert Insights from a Travel Analyst
This report, written by Terry Leggett, a leading travel analyst, delivers in-depth commentary and analysis to highlight trends in the US wellness travel market and add expert context to the numbers.
Wellness travel benefits from being a part of two popular and in-demand industries: wellness and travel. Though the pandemic was hard on travel, it also shined a brighter light on wellness and laid the groundwork for travel brands to address consumers’ increasing interest in wellness via wellness travel. Expanded ideas of what wellness is and how to achieve it mean that providers have numerous options in how to serve up wellness. The real skill is knowing how to speak to the different segments of wellness travelers.”
Mike Gallinari
Travel & Leisure Analyst
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Overview
- What you need to know
- This Report looks at the following areas
- Definition
- Market context
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Executive Summary
- Top takeaways
- Market overview
- Figure 1: Category outlook, 2022-27
- Opportunities and challenges
- Opportunity: Wellness travel is popular
- Figure 2: Wellness travel experience and intent, 2022
- Opportunity: Emerging treatments can be a draw for destinations
- Figure 3: Attitudes toward emerging wellness treatments, by age group, 2022
- Silver lining in a dark cloud: The American healthcare system
- Challenge: The wealthiest travelers are the least receptive to wellness
- Figure 4: Attitudes toward wellness on vacation, by HHI, 2022
- Challenge: Wellness vacations are hard to relate to
- Figure 5: Correspondence Analysis – Symmetrical map – Wellness vs other vacations, 2022
- Key consumer segments
- Wellness traveler demographics can be surprising
- Figure 6: Wellness travel experience and intent demographics, 2022
- Wellness Wayfarers: The champions of wellness travel
- Figure 7: Wellness Wayfarers, demographics indexed to all interested in wellness vacations, 2022
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The Wellness Tourism Market
- Wellness tourism is an important growth sector
- Figure 8: Stress experiences and behaviors since the start of COVID-19, 2021
- Wellness tourism is an important growth sector
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Market Factors
- Wellness travel is appealing to the current pandemic mindset
- Figure 9: Current perspective on COVID-19, 2022
- Inflation forces households into tough decisions…
- Figure 10: Consumer sentiment index, 2007-22
- …but can lead them to wellness travel later
- Mental health services are stretched thin
- Wellness travel is appealing to the current pandemic mindset
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Competitive Strategies and Market Opportunities
- Outdoor prescriptions enable wellness travel outreach through medicine
- Figure 11: PaRx expansion announcement tweet, 2022
- Floating saunas can bring wellness to new areas at new times
- Luxury’s wellness-forward approach provides blueprints for non-luxury brands
- A focus on sleep shows there can be specialization in wellness travel
- Wellness and sustainability are about to partner up
- Outdoor prescriptions enable wellness travel outreach through medicine
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The Wellness Traveler – Fast Facts
- Who are wellness travelers?
- What do wellness travelers want?
- What is a “wellness vacation?”
- “Wellness” can be nebulous; what does it mean?
- How does wellness travel fit in with wellness lifestyles?
- What’s new and what may be coming for wellness treatments?
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Wellness Travelers
- Wellness travelers need a push
- Figure 12: Wellness travel experience and intent, 2022
- Wellness travelers aren’t who marketers may think
- Figure 13: Wellness travel experience and intent demographics, 2022
- Wellness Traveler Segments
- Factors
- Figure 14: Factor affinity by wellness traveler segment, 2022
- Ambivalent Adventurers (31%)
- Figure 15: Ambivalent Adventurers , demographics indexed to all interested in wellness vacations, 2022
- Wellness Wayfarers (31%)
- Figure 16: Wellness Wayfarers, demographics indexed to all interested in wellness vacations, 2022
- Swayable Sightseers (38%)
- Figure 17: Swayable Sightseers, demographics indexed to all interested in wellness vacations, 2022
- Interest is high, but priorities vary
- Figure 18: Wellness focus, by wellness traveler segment, 2022
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- Figure 19: Wellness vacation experience and intent, by wellness traveler segment, 2022
- Wellness travelers need a push
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Wellness Focus Areas
- Physical and mental wellness are important, more so to wellness travelers
- Figure 20: Wellness focus areas, all consumers vs wellness travelers, 2022
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- Figure 21: Wellness focus areas, 2022
- Physical and mental wellness are important, more so to wellness travelers
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Wellness Vacation Activities
- Travelers want activities that fit their wellness goals
- Figure 22: Desired wellness vacation activities, 2022
- Swayable Sightseers value expertise
- Figure 23: Desired wellness vacation activities, by wellness traveler segment, 2022
- Desire for physicality largely tracks with age
- Figure 24: Desired wellness vacation activities, by age, 2022
- Higher earners demand exclusivity, expertise and personalization
- Figure 25: Desired wellness vacation activities, by HHI, 2022
- Workers want a break from their surroundings
- Figure 26: Desired wellness vacation activities, by workplace status, 2022
- Travelers want activities that fit their wellness goals
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Perceptions of Wellness Vacations
- Wellness activities can plant the seed for travel in more favorable times
- Figure 27: Correspondence Analysis – Symmetrical map – Wellness vs other vacations, 2022
- Wellness outlets can’t be separate from their surroundings
- Figure 28: Perceptions of wellness vacations, by wellness traveler segment, 2022
- Wellness activities can plant the seed for travel in more favorable times
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Desired Wellness Vacation Attributes
- Wellness travelers look for water, fun for the whole family
- Figure 29: Preferred wellness vacation attributes, 2022
- Wellness Wayfarer desires open door for competing vacations
- Figure 30: Preferred wellness vacation attributes, by wellness traveler segment, 2022
- Wellness may be a burgeoning family vacation option
- Figure 31: Preferred wellness vacation attributes, by age group, 2022
- Wellness travelers look for water, fun for the whole family
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Attitudes toward Wellness on Vacation
- Wellness activities are attractive, but travelers need goading
- Figure 32: Attitudes toward wellness on vacation, by wellness traveler segment, 2022
- Labels may not persuade wealthier travelers
- Figure 33: Attitudes toward wellness on vacation, by HHI, 2022
- Parents are interested in wellness, but need convincing
- Figure 34: Attitudes toward wellness on vacation, by parent status, 2022
- Wellness activities are attractive, but travelers need goading
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Attitudes toward “Wellness”
- Wellness travelers want control, but define wellness differently
- Figure 35: Attitudes toward “wellness,” by wellness traveler segment, 2022
- Wellness may substitute for health care as costs rise
- Figure 36: Attitudes toward “wellness,” by HHI, 2022
- Urban residents are body-focused
- Figure 37: Attitudes toward “wellness,” by area of residence, 2022
- Wellness travelers want control, but define wellness differently
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Travel and the Wellness Lifestyle
- Wellness travel is generally compatible with healthy lifestyle journeys
- Figure 38: Attitudes toward wellness travel’s role in lifestyles, by wellness traveler segment, 2022
- Wellness can help travelers feel better about aging
- Figure 39: Attitudes toward wellness travel’s role in lifestyles, by age group, 2022
- Cities and suburbs more inclined toward purpose-driven wellness
- Figure 40: Attitudes toward wellness travel’s role in lifestyles, by area of residence, 2022
- Wellness travel is generally compatible with healthy lifestyle journeys
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Attitudes toward Emerging Treatments
- Emerging wellness could be experiences for Swayable Sightseers
- Figure 41: Attitudes toward emerging wellness treatments, by wellness traveler segment, 2022
- Opportunities exist for emerging treatments across age categories
- Figure 42: Attitudes toward emerging wellness treatments, by age group, 2022
- Emerging treatments can reach Black and Hispanic travelers
- Figure 43: Attitudes toward emerging wellness treatments, by race and Hispanic origin, 2022
- Lower-income travelers may see value in alternate treatments
- Figure 44: Attitudes toward emerging wellness treatments, by race and Hispanic origin, 2022
- Emerging wellness could be experiences for Swayable Sightseers
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Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
- Data sources
- Consumer survey data
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Terms
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Appendix – The Consumer
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- Figure 45: Wellness vs other vacations, 2022
- Methodology
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