RETREAT RECHARGE REEWIND

Longevity tourism is the new frontier for luxury travel, luring the ultra-rich with the promise of a longer life.

- BY SMITATRIPATHI

THINK CRUISES are all about deckchairs, daiquiris and days lost to the Mediterranean sun? Well, come 2027, this is likely to change. After all, who wants a cocktail when you can have a stem-cell infusion! And aren't Botox refinements so much more 'with it' than Bingo? Trade those cheeseburgers for meals inspired by 'blue zones'—regions where people live exceptionally long lives. The ship's produce comes from an onboard solar-powered organic farm. Welcome to the MV Narrative, scheduled to set sail in 2027, where residents can live on the ship for the 'lifetime of the vessel' by purchasing an apartment for just over $1 million. This is less a holiday at sea, more a floating enclave of wellness.

This is longevity tourism—the latest frontier in the booming $830-million wellness tourism industry, a market projected to grow exponentially by 2028, according to the Global Wellness Institute. More than just spa days or yoga retreats, these trips promise something far more ambitious: an extended healthspan, or the number of years one lives in good health.

The premise is simple. Instead of returning home with a tan, travellers return with new biomarkers, genomic reports, and personalised plans for slowing—or even reversing—the clock.

FROM SPAS TO SCIENCE

Luxury hospitality is leaning in. At the newly opened Fairmont Mumbai, an entire floor is devoted to longevity and wellness treatments. Guests can spend three minutes in a cryotherapy chamber cooled to -85°C (for ₹6,500) to reduce inflammation, accelerate recovery, and improve sleep. Another option: an hour in a hyperbaric oxygen pod, priced the same, promising enhanced circulation and cellular repair.

"Today's wellness traveller is savvy," says Rashmi Ambastha, the hotel's director of spa, wellness, and recreation. "They're looking for experiences that go beyond the traditional spa."