Wellness tourism is one of the biggest travel trends of the decade. This quickly growing sector of the industry is on schedule to reach a value of $1.4 trillion by 2029, according to a recent Phocuswright report.
To capture the demand, many destinations around the globe have been beefing up their wellness accommodations and attractions in recent years. The result is a bevy of new and unexpected places where the wellness-focused can unwind and reset on their next trip.
Here’s a look at four unexpected wellness destinations around the world, from total newcomers to destinations promoting age-old wellness traditions.
Sardinia
As one of the world’s Blue Zones, or areas where a high number of residents live to age 100 or older, the Mediterranean island of Sardinia is quickly gaining attention as a wellness destination. For a combination of timeless wellness experiences and Costa Smeralda glamor, head to Belmond Romazzino, which sits above the greenish-blue sea just a 40-minute drive from Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport.
The resort’s white-washed villas and scenic grounds are home to tennis and padel courts, a seawater pool, a freshwater pool, an open-air gym and pilates studio, a private sandy beach, and of course, the Romazzino Spa. The spa offers an innovative menu of massages, body treatments, facials, and more, plus a rosemary-infused sauna and steamroom. Wellness experiences, like a hike of the nearby Pevero Health Trail, are complimented by onsite restaurants that serve traditional Sardinian cuisine.
Moab, Utah
Turn your next national park adventure into an upscale wellness retreat with a stay at ULUM Moab. Set on the edge of Utah’s Canyonlands National Park, the glamping resort ensures guests connect to the region’s otherworldly landscapes and unwind with wellness amenities, spa treatments, and activities that calm and recenter. The resort offers daily guided practices like sunrise and sunset yoga, sound baths, and meditation sessions.
Travelers can book guided hikes and tours through the surrounding national parks, and then return to the property’s hot and cold dipping pools for contrast therapy with views of the surrounding red rocks. The onsite restaurant and smoothie bars focus on selections rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory ingredients. New in 2026 is the massage cave, a natural stone chamber converted into a treatment room for Swedish, deep tissue, and hot stone therapies with Aesop massage oils. In the evening, guests can wind down with stargazing and a complimentary wellness beverage.
Slovenia
When travelers first think of Slovenia, they might envision scenic Lake Bled, centuries-old vineyards, or the rolling Julian Alps. But the European nation is also a haven for wellness in its own right, known for its thermal spas found in every region that offer natural mineral treatments. The majority of the spas utilize thalassotherapy techniques, which include warm natural spring water to relax muscles and ease tension.
After a soak, spa-goers can book restorative scrubs and wraps using local byproducts of the sea or thermal springs, including mineral-rich mud and sea salt. Terme Dolenjske Toplice in southern Slovenia is one of the oldest thermal spas in Europe, with large mineral water pools fed by natural springs beneath. The spa also offers treatments like body scrubs, clay wraps, massages, and sauna access. Another special thalasso spa is Lepa Vida, located in the Piran Saltpans and adjacent to Sečovlje Salina Nature Park. The open-air spa offers brine pool soaks, sea salt scrubs, massages, and saltpan mud wraps overlooking the low green hills and blue expanse of the surrounding saltpans.
Upstate New
New York State is home to some of the most premiere destination spas in the world. At Wildflower Farms Auberge Collection, guests can stay at individual cabins spread across 140 acres in the Hudson Valley filled with wildflower fields, an orchard, farm, and surrounded by the Shawangunk Mountains. The property’s daily lineup of wellness activities includes guided hikes through forest preserves, complimentary access to tennis and pickleball courts, and classes ranging from yoga and pilates to meditation sessions. The sweeping Thistle spa focuses on therapies like lymphatic reset and myofascial treatments with herb poultices from the property’s farm. It also offers two outdoor hot tubs, an indoor pool, an outdoor pool, and a dry sauna.
In the Finger Lakes region, the Inns of Aurora offers a wellness philosophy that focuses on the individual and connection to the area’s unique landscape. Expect services like reiki healing, sauna access, and hammam rituals, as well as a spa menu of signature treatments, like the Aurora: a 50-minute hot oil scalp, foot, and hand massage. A stay in The Farmhouse, a new boutique building adjacent to the spa, unlocks access to special treatments, like Moonflower Sleep Ritual that combines body, face, and foot massages with treatments of river flower, rose absolute, sandalwood, and lavender. After your treatment, there’s plenty of opportunity to continue the zen with guided activities like sound baths, yoga sessions, and forest-bathing.
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