As distinct from fitness, wellness encompasses the quest for spiritual, emotional, and physical well-being, with an emphasis on the first two, rather than the last. Destination spas can focus on boot-camp-style weight loss, luxurious pampering or sports-oriented outdoor activities. Increasingly, though, all kinds of luxury spas are adding innovative programs focused on wellness. Here are some 2024 trends in luxury wellness travel to be aware of as you plan your next spa vacation.
2024 trends in luxury wellness travel
We love a good trend report here at Dandelion Chandelier, and we’ve done a number of them as a new year dawns this year, including forecasts and pronouncements on fashion, travel, fitness and nutrition.
The 10 trends of 2024 to consider in luxury wellness travel.
1. The quest for knowledge
The educational side of wellness is becoming more important as science advances and we become smarter and savvier consumers. Increasingly, guests at luxury spas are looking to learn from experts at the top of their fields, in addition to the on-site resort staff. As a result, chefs, athletes, healers, teachers, doctors, and even Buddhist monks are regularly serving as guest experts, sharing guidance about spiritual healing, healthier life habits, and skill-building. Sessions run the gamut from sleep training with world-famous CEOs to food prep with Michelin-star chefs.
2. Exercise
Exercise is as an opportunity to connect with others and with nature. Boot camps have long centered their programs around group hikes. Expect to see that spread to other types of destination spas.
3. Sugar-free detox
The idea is a purge that delivers the potential for clearer skin, a more efficient digestive system, and increased energy. (of course, it could result in weight loss, too.) Sugar-free diets are high in fat and protein, so satiation is less of an issue. To complement the nutrition component, some programs also include yoga, meditation, acupuncture and massage.
4. Good relationships are a key to health
Social isolation, loneliness, dysfunctional relationships — they’re all a fact of modern life for many, and they’re all detrimental to good health. Programs are increasingly available to address the underlying causes of poor relationships, and to help identify practical steps to address them with the goal of improving both health and wellness. Animal therapy, especially equine therapy, can be highly effective for some of these issues.
5. Gut health and functional foods
More and more is known about how microbiome bacteria affect our health and our weight. “Gut health” is a growing area of focus in health and wellness: cutting-edge weight management now involves optimizing the levels of “good” bacteria found in the digestive tract. Inflammation is a cause of disease, and eating poorly can raise inflammation levels. Functional foods can help reduce inflammation, so expect to learn more about them when you next visit a spa or retreat.
Ten trends in luxury wellness travel to consider in 2024.
6. The grief getaway
Whether its the loss of a family member or a tragic life event, more and more people are turning to destination spas as part of their journey to find solace and healing. A week away to regenerate can reduce the stress of grieving while trying to carry on with day-to-day life. Not everyone is mourning a literal loss: it could be a life change, such as a divorce or a change in employment. Whether its walking a labyrinth, or mediating, or creating a reflection journal, spas are equipped to help create a private space to grieve and remember.
7. Sleep
It’s well-settled that bettering the quality and duration of your sleep will improve your entire life. But how to achieve it? Sleep-specific programs assess the underlying causes of sleep difficulties, and then develop specific programs focusing on stress management, yoga, massage and meditation — as well as practical tips on bed linens, sleepwear and room ambiance.
Ten trends in 2024 to inform your luxury wellness travel plans.
8. Medical interventions
Fully-staffed medical facilities that can provide genetics testing and biometrics are more and more the norm. Highly-trained specialists can do diagnostic testing and then develop a personalized program, including customized diets and weight-loss plans based on individual DNA and blood type.
9. Silence
Social media and mobile devices can be a major source of stress, anxiety and even depression. As a result, more people are seeking a serious digital detox when they take a wellness vacation. The most extreme examples are visits to a monastery or a cloister. But short of that, destination spas are providing guestrooms with wi-fi blockers, blindfolded floating massages, quiet mindfulness sessions and meditative forest walks (also known as forest bathing).
10. burnout retreats
The founders of the concierge firm Quintessentially will launch a new hospitality brand this May. Bloomberg News reports that the Deep Rest “home” in Spain will be the first of a planned series of resorts “expressly aimed at treating people suffering from the symptoms of burnout.” More than three-quarters of white-collar workers reported suffering from burnout in March 2022 in a report from Deloitte. The World Health Organization first recognized burnout as a medical condition in 2019 (pre-COVID!!!)
If you can’t wait for Deep Rest to launch, consider the 30-Day Sabbatical Package offered by Sensei Lana’i (on the private island owned by Larry Ellison). It’s $25,000 per person. Or visit one of Istana’s wellness centers, where psychedelic-assisted programs will begin this May.
the important new 2024 trends in luxury wellness travel
There you have it: ten new ways to think about your next wellness trip. We hope they inspire you to take good care of yourself, whether at home or away.
