Booming travel trend will soon be worth $1.35 trillion - and it's changing the way we holiday
Twenty years ago, two Aussie brothers established a small thermal bath on a patch of land in Victoria's Mornington Peninsula.
It wasn't anything extravagant, just a humble celebration of outdoor bathing in a grassy paddock.
But now, thanks in part to the phenomenon of 'wellness travel', Peninsula Hot Springs has turned into one of the world's most acclaimed wellness destinations.
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Peninsula Hot Springs has grown from humble beginnings. Peninsula Hot Springs
The way we're travelling has changed. Instead of typical "flop and drop" holidays or city breaks with a packed itinerary, travellers are gravitating toward a more mindful way of taking a trip.
Wellness tourism has seen a huge surge in search interest in the last few years, in part thanks to a post-COVID mindset shift toward prioritising our health.
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The numbers don't lie: the global wellness tourism industry is predicted to be worth around $1.35 trillion in 2028. That's more than double what it was just two years ago.
Hotels are jumping on board: offering guided yoga and meditation classes on in-room TVs, sleep tracking, custom dining menus, and a variety of dedicated wellness itineraries.
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Wellness packages are being offered by a number of travel providors. G Adventures
Tour company G Adventures has a 'wellness' tour category and one hotel in Phuket even offers wellness packages for children, with gentle spa treatments, kid-friendly Muay Thai, junior cooking classes, and sustainability activities.
Wellness travel on a budget
Though 'wellness tourism' might conjure images of $1000-a-night retreats and bougie spa experiences, it doesn't have to be a luxury holiday. DIY digital detoxes, camping trips, and alcohol-free holidays all fall under the wide umbrella of wellness travel.
Gen Z and Millennial travellers in particular are driving demand for mental and emotional reset holidays - the type of trip where you come home feeling refreshed and like you've actually had a break.
Wellness tourism can be as simple as getting out in nature. Getty
Holidays are no longer just about checking off tourist destinations: 73 per cent of Gen Z say they plan trips specifically for wellness benefits like relaxation or self-care activities.
Destinations like Bali, Thailand, and Mexico are known for more affordable retreats focusing on yoga, meditation, and detox.
Female-focused wellness retreats
Female-focused retreats are also having a moment, as part of the wider wellness travel trend.
For example: CNN labelled menopause retreats as "the next big thing in wellness"; South Korea's sanhujoriwon are hotels specifically for postpartum mothers; and there is a retreat in the Philippines designed to boost and nurture fertility.
Female-only retreats are increasingly popular. Getty
Closer to home, Aussie wellness leaders are creating their own retreats.
"We all know how easy it is to put our own self-care on the back burner, but a female-focused wellness retreat is your chance to prioritise you," Sarah Percy, a women's health physiotherapist who is hosting a wellness retreat at JW Marriott Gold Coast Resort & Spa from August 1, tells 9Travel.
"Wellness travel is a great way to step out of your comfort zone… When we stop and step away from the daily grind, we truly get the chance to tune back in with ourselves."
ClubMed is also gearing up to host an all-inclusive 'mumcation', for new mums to reconnect with themselves mentally, physically, and emotionally postpartum.
Iceland is a good spot for a detox. Getty
The future of wellness travel
Peninsula Hot Springs is perhaps the perfect example of how wellness travel has exploded. What was once just a single pool and café has evolved into a sprawling complex with spa treatment, onsite accommodation, eco-lodges, and cultural experiences for guests.
Experts predict the wellness industry will just keep on growing, as we seek out more experiences to relax and restore ourselves while travelling, and have tapped five destinations set to become leaders in the space.
These five countries are South Korea, Italy, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and Iceland.
"These countries are redefining relaxation and rejuvenation, setting the stage for a transformative travel experience that goes beyond the ordinary," said Amy Skelding, FINN's Managing Partner and UK Travel Lead.
