Though all sectors of tourism are set to rebound as borders reopen, most reports point to unprecedented demand for wellness tourism, especially as pandemic has made the world more health conscious than anything else.

Wellness tourism, one of the fastest growing segments of tourism, had been booming before the entire tourism industry was brought to its knees by prolonged lockdowns and travel restrictions across the world since the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic. It had grown from USD 617 billion in 2017 to USD 720 billion in 2019, a growth of over 8 pc a year, says Global Wellness Institute, an NGO based in the United States. But with the pandemic, it collapsed by 39.5 pc to USD 435 billion in 2020.

Now as tourism and global economy begins to revive, GWI expects wellness tourism to lead the growth of global wellness as well as tourism markets, with an estimated growth of 21 pc every year for the next three years. GWI is joined in by various other reports that all point at a smart recovery in wellness tourism from this year onwards.

Accordingly, most destinations around the world, especially those in Asia, have begun to focus on boosting their wellness tourism infrastructure and have begun to put wellness at the centre of their marketing and promotional campaigns.

Sri Lanka is one such destination that has been focusing on wellness tourism. It says that with 78 pc of affluent travellers seeking to include some elements of wellness in their travels, has tremendous potential.

‘‘It is evident that the meaning of wellness has evolved beyond yoga retreats and spa treatments, wellness now is anything that brings balance to ones being, be it a walk through a forest, swimming with giant turtles, plucking your own tea or learning to make authentic local cuisine. Wellness is now considered largely experiential, and the Sri Lankan Tourism product is positioned perfectly to curate authentic wellness experiences with the ability to differentiate our offering from regional rivals,’’ Kimarli Fernando, chairperson of Sri Lanka Tourism tells India Outbound, adding that the tourism board has been working to position the Island to cater to the demand of this high yielding segment.

“Our new wellness product offering which is a combination of the traditional sense of wellness (yoga and Ayurveda) and the more holistic nature of our offering which is curated soul-searching experiences in our lush forests,

ocean, rivers, mountains, countryside that Sri Lanka is blessed with along with the magical element of our culture and people will attract a niche segment of travellers. This set of travellers will either travel in search of wellness or want wellness to complement an element of their holiday,’’ adds Fernando.

Sri Lanka is not the only destination positioning itself to tap this lucrative segment of travel to help in rapid recovery of their tourism industry. Almost every other destination has caught on to the buzz around wellness and is gearing up to attract tourists from all over the world at the earliest. The list is indeed long. Indonesia, Thailand, Maldives in Asia, or Mauritius in Africa and Germany in Europe are just a handful of examples of destinations moving towards wellness.

Anne Dimon, president and CEO of Wellness Tourism Association, an association of wellness tour operators around the world, confirms the trend of new destinations entering the business of wellness. ‘‘With regard to geographic regions of the world, I would say that more DMOs are looking to launch wellness initiatives and even position and market themselves as wellness destinations. For instance, geographic destinations include Antigua & Barbuda, Argentina, Greater Palm Springs, Israel, Monaco, Northumberland (Canada), Portugal, Turkey and Tucson in Arizona, the US. This is just a handful of the DMOs, representing regions around the world, that are looking to embrace and promote their wellness assets and amenities in order to attract the valued wellness-minded travel,’’ Dimon tells India Outbound.

Source markets

According to various studies, the largest source market for wellness tourism are the western nations. Indonesia’s study on Special Interest Tourism Profile by 2020 says the largest player was the United States which had a commanding 37.82 pc of the global international wellness tourism market, followed by Europe with 32.86 pc, notably France and Germany. The APAC market, especially China and Japan were third largest market for activity wellness tourism, with market share globally by 21.43 pc, followed by the Middle East with 2.43 pc share.

However, for most destinations, the largest segment of tourists seeking wellness is almost identical to the biggest source markets. Take Thailand for instance. The destination has traditionally been a hit with most Western countries, but attracts many Asian tourists as well, and this is reflected in the mix of tourists seeking wellness also.

“Thailand gets wellness enthusiasts and travellers from all over the world, including India looking to rejuvenate and unwind in a beautiful and clean environment. Magnificent green rainforests, palm-fringed beaches and consistently warm temperatures are just a few highlights that make Thailand the dream destination for wellness-seekers globally. With its abundance of natural and eco-friendly tourism products Thailand provides the ultimate retreat to warmth and tranquility that helps banish fatigue and revitalise mind, body, and soul,’’ says Vachirachai Sirisumpan, director of TAT New Delhi.

In Sri Lanka, wellness tourism has long been associated with incoming German visitors. “In the traditional sense of wellness which is a combination of ayurveda and yoga, our key source market is Germany. German travellers have predominantly travelled to Sri Lanka in search of sun, sea and sand and enjoy extended stays at our ayurvedic establishments along the southern coast of the Island,” says Fernando.

The sentiments of tourism board are replicated by wellness resorts operating in Sri Lanka, who say that wellness is indeed the driving force behind the revival. “Yes, we have seen exponential growth compared to rest of the industry. For example, Sri Lanka as a whole had about 20 pc occupancy in the last two months but Santani had 60 pc occupancy. This means, wellness tourism has 300 pc more demand than regular tourism,’’ Vickum Nawagamuwage, CEO of Santani, a luxury wellness resort in Kandy.

Siddhalepa Ayurveda is a wellness resort that also manufactures its own ayurvedic products that are used by the guests staying at the resort. Siddhalepa says that it has seen a consistent demand for its services and products even through the pandemic, though travel disruptions did impact the actual number of guests at the resort, which has since recovered.

“The pandemic allured people to re-think their lifestyles. It made them convinced of the value of nature and taught a lesson on maintaining good health through traditional natural medicines.

Ayurveda is 100 pc based on the natural environment. After the first wave of Covid-19, the inquiries for Siddhalepa Ayurveda were on the rise but fluctuated due to an increase in the number of infected persons. The increased inquiries proved a person’s willingness to come even before the world gets fully recovered from the Covid-19. Then, even after the emergence of Omicron, the visitors started coming in for ayurveda treatment as most guests were keen on strengthening their immune system. We believe that the increasing desire of the visitor to come for the authentic Sri Lankan ayurveda drove them to come to Sri Lanka,’’ Asoka Hettigoda, managing director of Siddhalepa tells India Outbound.

For both the resorts, the key traditional markets have primarily been western European nations. “Our key markets for Sri Lankan Ayurveda were Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Japan before the pandemic. We have noticed intermittent ups and downs in tourist arrivals in line with the changes in the number of patients in the respective tourist generating countries. But within a short period of time, the tourist movement got normalised other than from several countries as we anticipated. And now we are getting guests from the US, Middle East and Eastern Europe as well,” says Siddhalepa’s Hettigoda.

For Santani, too, the target market is identical and it says there has not been any significant change despite the pandemic. “Europe, Middle East, North America were our main markets and these still the same. We have seen more CIS tourists after the pandemic as well’’, says Nawagamuwage.

For Indonesia, too, the key source markets are the western nations, with Switzerland topping the list of visitors for wellness tourism, followed closely by Canada and the Netherlands. The world’s largest archipelago received over 64,000 foreign tourists with a special interest in wellness. “According to our study for Special Interest Tourism Profile, in 2019, the average length of travel of foreign tourists for wellness tourism activities is 9.7 days. The longest time spent by tourists from Switzerland (18 days), Chinese tourists 16.5 days and Viet Nam tourists for 12 days. The total revenue generated by foreign tourists for special interest wellness tourism is USD 17.5 million,’’ says Rizki Handayani, deputy minister for tourism product and events, Indonesia Tourism.

Targeting India

Though India was, before the pandemic, and is set to become again the fastest growing outbound tourism source market in the world, wellness tourism is perhaps not the first thing that destinations keen to attract Indian visitors would relate to, keeping in mind the rich traditions and cultures seeped in yoga and ayurveda, both of which originated from India.

But many destinations say that Indian tourists are increasingly seeking wellness, perhaps in different or modern context, and that they have just the right mix of wellness along with other attractions to interest the Indian visitors.

“We do recognise that India is steeped ayurveda and yoga traditions. However, what would attract the Indian traveller to still visit Sri Lanka in search of a wellness holiday is the combination of wellness we are able to provide within our compact island. Along with our yoga traditions, rich heritage and culture, authentic and distinctive cuisine, warm and hospitable people, abundant flora and fauna and a multitude of water-based activities, the island is ideally positioned to welcome the wellness seeking Indian traveller. We have elevated our product to offer a holistic wellness experience which has enabled us to differentiate our product and appeal to the various segments of travellers within the sphere of wellness tourism,’’ says Sri Lanka Tourism’s Fernando.

Indonesia, on the other hand, expects a mix of wellness and wedding. ‘‘One of Indonesian wellness destinations Bali has a very good potential for Indian market, as it seen as exotic location and culturally close with India, especially Hindu culture by the Indian tourists,” says Handayani of Indonesia, adding, “a healthy lifestyle and holistic wellness are part of the life of the upper middle class. Luxury, pleasure or material satisfaction for this social class is an important goal, besides getting balance and harmony in life as the main motivation for those who are already established. Wellness tourism in Indonesia is also the right choice for those in the Indian market who want to travel not only for a vacation, but also want to transform themselves into a quality person.”

The Indian Ocean island nation Mauritius is also banking on its strong India connect combined with a pristine environment and warm hospitality to get the Indian tourists. Arvind Bundhun, director of Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (MTPA) says that there has been a shift in what the tourists worldwide are seeking and it is also visible in India.

‘‘People are seen changing their focus on much deeper and valuable things in life, including wellness tourism, a safe and more relaxing alternative along with regular vacations. We have noticed many queries from Indian tourists looking for a wellness experience in Mauritius while booking a trip post pandemic. The fact that Mauritius is reputed for its pure air, being a leader in the quality of air, attracts a number of Indians. June, July and August being cooler months in Mauritius offers a great option for those living in hotter climates in India to relax here,” Bundhun tells India Outbound.

TAT’s Sirisumpan says that Thailand gets wellness enthusiasts and travellers from all over the world, including India looking to rejuvenate and unwind in a beautiful and clean environment. “Specifically for Indian travellers, the combination of healthy Thai food made with herbs with ample vegetarian options and fresh ingredients, delicious exotic fruits, relaxed sceneries, calming beaches and activities such as Thai massages, detox therapies, meditation and yoga, wellness retreats in Thailand can help one find inner balance, peace and serenity,” he says.

A holistic experience: Wellness & beyond

While the focus is certainly on wellness, most destinations are aware that rare would be a tourist headed all the way across the world just for one experience, important as it may well be. Hence, they are keen to present a comprehensive offer structured around wellness, but with other experiences added.

Maldives, for instance, is banking on its comprehensive offer to tourists, notably those from India, which has been its largest source market for the past two years and continues to grow strongly. “Wellness lies at the heart of the Maldivian experience. The Maldivian experience is built on the ethos of living in harmony with the natural environment. Since the inception of tourism 50 years ago, visitors from all across the globe have travelled to the Maldives to immerse themselves in the spectacular sun, sea, and sand of Maldives. Travellers vacation in the Maldives to let go of their worries, connect with themselves, their family and the natural environment. Today, our islands are a haven of wellness. Start the day with a sunrise yoga session, pump up your adrenaline with a workout at a jungle gym, connect with the elements on a guided mindful snorkelling trip, experience traditional Maldivian medicine at a holistic spa, and end the day with a meditation under the starry night sky,’’ Thoyyib Mohamed, CEO and managing director, Maldives Marketing & PR Corporation (MMPRC), the tourism promotion organisation the country, tells India Outbound.

For Sri Lanka, Indonesia and several other destinations, too, a holistic experience is what is most important aspect to put forth to attract tourists.

“Sri Lanka is a holistic wellness experience, where a travellers can experience a diverse range of experiences to balance both mind and soul within a very short span of time due to the compact nature of the island. It is evident that the meaning of wellness has evolved beyond yoga retreats and spa treatments, wellness now is anything that brings balance to one’s being, be it a walk through a forest, swimming with giant turtles, plucking your own tea or learning to make authentic local cuisine. Wellness is now considered largely experiential, and the Sri Lankan Tourism product is positioned perfectly to curate authentic wellness experiences with the ability to differentiate the offering from regional rivals,” says Fernando.

“Indonesia is rich in wellness potential such as spices which are also useful for body care, beauty, medicine, and aroma therapy. We also have several wellness tourist destinations such as Yogyakarta, Solo and Bali that have been identified. In almost all Asia Pacific destinations, there is a tremendous increase in demand for all potentials and wellness experiences, such as sound therapy or sound healing, breathing exercises, meditation to spiritual guidance. Many tourists are more interested in the attractions offered in certain places or locations, thus creating opportunities for destinations to explore local traditions, healing modalities, natural atmosphere, and local materials to present a different experience,’’ says Handayani.

A “holistic wellness” approach is now being proposed to develop wellness tourism products in Indonesia, which combines the balance of the body, mind and spirit as well as harmony between humans, the environment and the universe, with the creator, she says. Therefore, wellness tourism products are not only yoga and spa, but can also be combined with other tourism products, such as cultural tourism, ecotourism, sports tourism, culinary tourism, medical tourism, and so on, she adds.

Mauritius is counting on its nature, beaches, the seas and a multitude of activities to attract tourists for a comprehensive travel experience. “Mauritius has a plethora of offerings like miles of palm-fringed sandy beaches, almost entirely encircled by coral reefs, sanctuary for those who want to spend days lounging on the beach, the crystal clear waters which are perfect for diving, snorkelling, swimming, kayaking and many other water activities. Beyond the beach, the island offers adventure activities like skydiving, zipline, quad biking, hiking through the mountains and National Parks or soaking up the culture. Moreover, the Indian diaspora in Mauritius and its influence seen in the culture, food, and religious activities, gives a feeling of ‘Home away from Home’ to all Indians,’’ says Bundhun of MTPA.

It is not just Asian or African nations that are targeting Indian wellness travellers. Far from Mauritius, Germany, too, has stepped up and claimed its own spot in the global wellness map. “Wellness offerings across Germany allow travellers to start the year on a healthy note with an array of authentic spa experiences. Travellers looking to incorporate their wellness resolutions into their travel plans can explore Germany’s vast range of authentic and traditional spa offerings. Germany’s vibrant wellness offerings make it the ideal destination for anyone looking to start 2022 as they mean to go on, or plan a relaxation-themed summer vacation ahead of time,’’ Romit Theophilus, director for India of German National Tourist Office (GNTO) tells India Outbound.

Focused on naturopathy and holistic healing alternatives, Germany is home to an astounding collection of thermal springs and natural baths in all corners of the country, he says. “Following an incredibly busy 2021 for the India region, we understand the importance of wellness and well-being in regional visitors’ travel preferences. Germany’s plethora of spa and health offerings ensure visitors can start feeling refresh and revived for whatever 2022 brings,” Theophilus adds. Popular treatments in Baden-Baden, specifically within the lush Black Forest, include the soap brush massage at the historic Friedrichsbad, or a sauna visit at the Caracalla Baths.

Tapping the market

Keen to get on the wellness tourism bandwagon right at the beginning, most destinations have already begun taking several activities, including reaching out to the trade as well as the consumers, highlighting their USPs in the Indian market. ‘‘To tap the wellness travel tourism market from India, TAT will continue to organise the annual Amazing Thailand Health and Wellness Virtual Trade Meet to keep the country’s award-winning health and wellness sector top-of-mind. Thai sellers and buyers from India get an opportunity to networking with each other to promote health & wellness offerings in Thailand. Last year, TAT introduced Amazing Thailand Global Wellness Day 2021 with an aim to provide an overview of wellness tourism in different destinations in Thailand. The event also featured classes and workshops of self-practice activities such as Muay Thai, Thai massage, yoga and meditation, in which attendees can practice along to soothe their body, mind, and soul. We look forward to carrying out the same this year,’’ says Sirisumpan.

Fernando says her organisation has studied the market, observed best practices and developed strategies to capture and develop this emerging market segment. Sri Lanka Tourism has identified the activities and experiences within the wellness tourism sphere that the target segments would ideally like to explore and is positioning its wellness tourism product accordingly, she says.

It helps that wellness travellers are high spenders and hence the destinations believe that grabbing a piece of the pie is well worth the effort. “With the wellness traveller generating at least five times more earnings than the standard tourist, Sri Lanka Tourism is strategically working with key stakeholders to position the destination to cater to the demands of this high yielding segment. With the assistance of external experts, we are focusing on product and infrastructure development, training and guidance to the SME sector and the larger industry, targeted marketing and promoting investor opportunities,’’ says Fernando.

Sri Lanka is all set to launch an intensive PR campaign in India for 18 months to promote wellness tourism. “Through the campaign we will promote our holistic wellness product using print, digital and influencer mediums. Our current key source market for general arrivals is India. However, we feel that we need to promote our wellness offering to Indian travellers showcasing the diverse product we have which can be experienced within a limited time period due to the compact nature of our island,’’ she adds.

Sirisumpan says that TAT also has undertaken several media campaigns to propel wellness tourism in Thailand as a concept in India. Besides media campaigns, TAT has also mounted physical events in India on the theme. “In December 2021 TAT had conducted the Amazing Thailand Health & Wellness Virtual trade meet and invited three Indian agents who focus on this segment, to participate in the virtual meet. This year, we will continue to organise more such events, webinars and wellness FAM trips for the Indian travel trade and media to promote Health & Wellness holidays in Thailand,” he says

---

Vachirachai Sirisumpan 

Director of TAT New Delhi

Thailand gets wellness enthusiasts and travelers from all over the world, including India looking to rejuvenate and unwind in a beautiful and clean environment. Magnificent green rainforests, palmfringed beaches and consistently warm temperatures are just a few highlights that make Thailand the dream destination for wellness-seekers globally.

 

 

 

---

 

 

Mauritius has a plethora of offerings like miles of palm-fringed sandy beaches, almost entirely encircled by coral reefs, sanctuary for those who want to spend days lounging on the beach, the crystal clear waters which are perfect for diving, snorkelling, swimming, kayaking and many other water activities.

 

 

 

 

 

---

Since the inception of tourism 50 years ago, visitors from all across the globe have travelled tovthe Maldives to immerse themselves in the spectacular sun, sea, and sand ofvMaldives. Travellers vacation in the Maldives to let go of their worries, connect with themselves, their family and the natural environment. Today, our islands are a haven of wellness.

 

 

 

 

 

---

Wellness offerings across Germany allow travellers to start the year on a healthy note with an array of authentic spa experiences. Travellers looking to incorporate their wellness resolutions into their travel plans can explore Germany’s vast range of authentic and traditional spa offerings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

---

Indonesia is rich in wellness potential such as spices which are also useful for body care, beauty, medicine, and aroma therapy. We also have several wellness tourist destinations such as Yogyakarta, Solo and Bali that have been identified.

 

 

 

 

 

 

---

Our new wellness product offering which is a combination of the traditional sense of wellness (yoga and Ayurveda) and the more holistic nature of our offering which is curated soul-searching experiences in our lush forests, ocean, rivers, mountains, countryside that Sri Lanka is blessed with along with the magical element of our culture and people will attract a niche segment of travellers.