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In his book The Wellness Revolution, author Paul-Zane
Pilzer estimates that the wellness sector will grow to be a “"trillion
dollar industry" within the next seven years.
Florida Trend Magazine health columnist Diane Sears says,
"health is right at the forefront of people's lives and on their
minds. Either we are reaching an age, or our parents are reaching an
age where we are all dealing with a health issue." (Feb 2005) 
Poised to play an increasingly significant role in the
revolution called wellness, wellness travel is carving a niche for itself.
It's a natural spin-off that will appeal to the largest demographic
of the traveling public and the segment of the population most concerned
with health and wellness - aging Baby Boomers. According to TIA (Travel
Industry Association) Baby Boomer households "generate the highest
volume of travel in the U.S."
University
of Berne's Research Institute for Leisure and Tourism defines "wellness
tourism" as "the sum of all the relationships and phenomena
resulting from a journey and residence by people whose main motivation
is to preserve or promote their health." The Hawaii Wellness Tourism
Association offers a simpler definition: "travel with the intention
of enhancing balance and harmony mentally, emotionally, physically and
spiritually."
Travel to Wellness.com (the first online magazine devoted
to the growing wellness travel niche) defines "wellness
travel" as "travel with the prime focus of promoting and maintaining
good health and achieving a sense of all-round well-being." According
to wellness travel journalist and TTW founder/editor Anne Dimon, "wellness
travel involves the desire to find new energy, increase vitality, kick-start
a healthy-living lifestyle and find inspiration or empowerment through
a connection with nature." She adds that it can take various forms
including a solo trip to discover the simply art of pampering and taking-care
of oneself, a small group fitness adventure to exercise the body while
stimulating the mind and the spirit, or a couples or girl-friends' bonding
getaway. And just as "adventure travel" and "eco-tourism "
appeal to certain segments of the traveling public, so will wellness
travel and the "wellness vacation. "
Because "wellness" is linked to living longer,
better - it is no surprise that the demand for "wellness travel"
is being fuelled by Baby Boomers who refuse to accept the inevitable
aging process and want to live as well and as long as they possibly
can. They are embracing wellness and "active aging" into their
everyday lives (Pilzer clearly identifies Boomers as the driving force
behind the Wellness Revolution) and the natural extension is to carry
that over into their vacation time.
A wellness travel consumer is more educated about the
benefits of maintaining and promoting a healthy lifestyle. They are
non-smokers, are already participating in some form of regular physical
fitness, eat nutritiously and work as best they can to minimize stress
and maintain a balanced and healthy lifestyle. On the other end are
the wanna-bies. They want a healthier lifestyle and will look to the
wellness vacation to get themselves on the path to wellness. Because
"wellness" is associated with a higher level of education
and a higher disposable income, wellness travel is linked to a more
seasoned and sophisticated traveler looking for a perceived sense of
luxury. The "wellness vacation" says Dimon, "is not about
roughing it."
According to U.K.- based Mintel International Group Limited,
"the components necessary for this segment to develop fully are
falling into place creating what will be a significant force that will
shape tourist demand and supply across sectors in the coming decade."
The Mintel report says demand factors affecting
the development of wellness travel include:
- the ageing of a significant proportion of the developed
world's population
- an increasing desire across cultures to live longer
and live well
- a growing awareness of world health threats such as
SARS and "bird flu"
- the seemingly insatiable appetite for new and
different leisure experiences.
Dimon adds, a growing desire to be more pro-active in
the promotion and maintenance of our own health, and insecurities
about the future of the health care system, to the list of forces
shaping demand.
As demand drives supply and the marketing of this new
"supply," in turn, drives demand, what we're seeing, says
Dimon is an ambiguous understanding of the "wellness travel"
term. It has not yet been clearly defined in the minds of consumers
or in the minds of product developers. Plus, she adds, the very concept
of "wellness" is totally subjective.
The industry is still in a learning curve. And what we're
seeing in wellness travel can be compared to sticking your toes into
a hot mineral pool before taking the big plunge. The one thing that
remains ultimately clear is that in tandem with the wellness revolution,
wellness travel and the wellness vacation niche will continue to grow.
