Wellness has certainly been a hot topic in our industry lately. Just this past week, Hyatt Hotels Corp. announced that Hyatt has acquired Miraval Group, the provider of wellness and mindfulness experiences, from an affiliate of KSL Capital Partners, LLC. Also, Westin Hotels & Resorts, part of Marriott International, Inc., unveiled its first global brand campaign in more than five years, taking on the disruptions, distractions and unpredictability of travel and empowering travelers to embrace well-being as a way to regain control of their routines and be their best while on the road. The $30 million dollar, integrated advertising campaign—called Let’s Rise—communicates Westin’s commitment to its guests’ well-being before, during and after their stay.
This news comes after a Global Wellness Institute (GWI) report in the fall that global wellness tourism revenues grew 14 percent from 2013 to 2015 (to $563 billion), more than twice as fast as overall tourism (6.9 percent). The report projected that this “unstoppable” travel category would grow another 37.5 percent, to $808 billion, by year 2020. According to GWI, the global wellness economy is now valued at $3.7 trillion. Wellness tourism is responsible for 17.9 million jobs worldwide. Pretty impressive statistics.
Wellness is a huge topic and can be a bit challenging to grasp. Perhaps Westin summarizes it best in its Six Pillars of Well-being: Sleep Well, Eat Well, Move Well, Feel Well, Work Well, and Play Well.
Our industry is certainly getting better at accommodating those interested in staying well while on the road. According to the 2016 Lodging Survey, in 2004, 63 percent of survey respondents indicated offering an exercise room/health/fitness facility. By last year that percentage had grown to 85 percent. In 2008, just 38 percent of Lodging Survey respondents said their hotel was 100 percent nonsmoking. Last year that percentage grew to 85 percent.
The DNA of Buildings, Operations
Beyond fitness centers and nonsmoking facilities, hoteliers are paying much more attention to creating room environments conducive to sleep (Delos comes to mind), restaurant offerings and grab and go items that are healthier, and offering everything from bicycle lending programs to allergy-friendly rooms. Increasingly, health and wellness is being built into the DNA of the buildings themselves and how they are operated—everything from materials selection to the cleaning products that are used. Studies have shown that employees are more productive and happier in healthier work spaces. I am sure your guests respond similarly in healthier guestrooms and meeting spaces.
A good part of wellness is connected to good design—creating comfortable, relaxing spaces that rejuvenate rather than drag you down. Lighting, sound, color, the extent to which nature is “brought indoors,” ergonomics, and even electromagnetic fields come into play.
Increasingly, today’s travelers don’t want to give up their healthy habits on the road. Are you making it easier or more difficult for those millions of people—many of whom have allergies and chemical sensitivities?
As studies have shown, those hoteliers who meet the needs of wellness-seeking travelers will be the winners in the years ahead. That wellness has become so top of mind and prominent in how hotel buildings are built and operated is good news for everyone.
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