WELLNESS reimagined

Wellness is booming, but it looks a little different this year. Here are just some of the key trends reshaping the wellness industry - and the way we travel, writes Sarah Reid.

- Sarah Reid

Virtual wellness retreats, therapeutic baking and ‘hot girl walks’ were just some of the self-care strategies we embraced during the pandemic. In 2023, the raging success of Netflix dramedy Wellmania isn’t the only indicator that wellness remains a firm priority for many.

“According to the latest Global WelIness Institute research, the wellness tourism sector is worth US$436 billion globally, and it’s expected to grow 20 per cent annually for the next three years,” says Katherine Droga, Chair of the Global Wellness Institute’s Wellness Tourism Initiative and Founder of Well Traveller, which connects consumers with wellness retreats and travel experiences across Australia.

Not only are we putting more value on wellness post-COVID, adds Droga, the pandemic has also opened our minds to exploring new ways to achieve our wellness goals. And the global wellness industry is listening.

Mental shift

A renewed focus on mental health during the pandemic shows no signs of abating, with luxury hotels and retreats increasingly turning their attention to guests’ mental wellbeing. Last year Kimpton Hotels doled out 1,000 free psychotherapy sessions to guests as part of a partnership with mental wellness company Talkspace, and the Ritz Carlton New York, Central Park recently rolled out hypnotherapy sessions for guests. Outside Manila in the Philippines, The Farm at San Benito offers a two-day mental health retreat, while closer to home, the Gold Coast hinterland’s Gwinganna has added an extra day to its popular, five-night ‘Sleep, Sugar and Stress’ retreat designed to empower guests to manage stress.