The coronavirus pandemic has forced countries to face ongoing waves of transmission that have remained both chaotic and yet predictable. Never before in recent memory has the health and wellbeing of so many people declined so rapidly and simultaneously, leading to a heightened awareness of the importance of maintaining good health and wellbeing.
The effects of the pandemic have led to a rise in several wellness tourism trends, including a preference for domestic travel, a growing interest in maintaining mental wellbeing, seeking solutions for boosted immunity and a shift towards the democratization of wellness, which will manifest in more provision of, and increased accessibility to, mid-range wellness offerings.
While the industry is predominantly driven by secondary wellness travellers, a rise in primary wellness travellers is also expected to emerge as more people look to travel with the sole purpose of seeking and experiencing genuine wellness.
This paper, published by GOCO Hospitality’s sister company Horwath HTL Health and Wellness, sets out to identify how the emergence of late- and post-coronavirus era travel, and the understanding around health and wellbeing are changing and becoming more significant than ever. Furthermore, it explores how the hospitality industry can leverage this growing interest to sustain and advance service offerings in resilient and effective ways over the next decade.