By Thierry Malleret, economist
In 2018 the global economy may grow faster than anticipated. Whatever the actual rate of growth, it’s important to remember that travel & tourism (of which wellness tourism is a critical component) will grow at least at twice the rate of global GDP growth. It is thus likely that the backlash against the depravation provoked by mass tourism, or simply over-tourism, will rise.
How best to manage overcrowding in the most desirable locations will become an increasing and key concern, particularly in spaces and places devoted to wellness. Finding an acceptable compromise is the only way to ensure sustainability in wellness tourism, and to address the questions of equity and fairness: creating scarcity by simply raising prices will only exacerbate the issue of inequality from which the wellness industry already suffers.
