The typical wellness traveler is a Generation-X woman traveling alone or with a small group of friends, according to a new survey of Virtuoso advisors.
The international travel agency network recently polled its advisors specializing in the wellness niche to find out where the growing trend is headed in 2020 and the results are quite interesting.
The 2020 Virtuoso Wellness Community survey shows that reducing stress and anxiety is the top motivation for wellness travel, followed by rest and relaxation; body, mind and spirit transformation; getting away from it all and spiritual renewal.
Meditation and mindfulness is the leading wellness travel activity. Other popular activities include spa treatments such as massage, yoga, healthy eating and outdoor adventures that bring travelers closer to nature.
The U.S. was found to be the top wellness travel destination, followed by Bali, Thailand, Costa Rica and Italy. However, there are a handful of emerging wellness travel destinations to watch for in 2020, especially in Asia where meditation, yoga, spirituality, fresh cuisine, spa treatments and outdoor activities are prevalent. Bhutan, Croatia, Vietnam, Portugal and South Africa are the top wellness travel destinations on the rise, according to Virtuoso's Wellness Community.
When it comes to emerging wellness travel trends, many clients are seeking out hotels with wellness amenities. Spiritual retreats and mental wellness are also growing in popularity, in addition to traveling with a purpose and developing skill in a wellness activity that can continue to serve them long after they've returned home.
As for the 2020 forecast, a majority of Virtuoso specialists (53 percent) indicated that sales will be steady from 2019 while 45 percent expect sales to increase in the new year. Nonetheless, nearly all, 98 percent say the trend will continue to build in the future.
The booming wellness travel market is forecasted to grow by as much as 7.5 percent yearly to reach $919 billion by 2022, according to the Global Wellness Institute
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