WELLNESS TOURISM INITIATIVE
The Wellness Tourism Trends Initiative is an annual research and thought leadership effort designed to highlight the most relevant and evolving trends within the global wellness tourism sector. Every year, we identify key shifts, emerging practices, and innovations that are shaping the future of wellness tourism, offering a comprehensive overview of what’s driving change in this dynamic industry. From new wellness experiences and destination strategies to technological innovations and evolving traveler behaviors, this initiative serves as a vital resource for stakeholders to stay ahead of market demands.
2026
TREND 1: Cocooning Wellness
TREND 2: Urban Recovery Travel
TREND 3: Destination-Scale Wellness
TREND 4: The Rise of Heat Rituals
TREND 5: The Demand for Cool Climate Travel
TREND 6: The Nervous System Reset
TREND 7: The Luxury of Privacy
TREND 8: The Rise of AI-Designed Wellness Travel
TREND 9: In Search of Deep Rest
TREND 10: Longevity Travel – Credibility Matters
2025
TREND 1: New Green and Blue Government–Led Wellness Development
TREND 2: Through Hardship Wellness Blooms
TREND 3: Optimizing our Brain Health
TREND 4: Specialized Sports Rehabilitation Retreats
TREND 5: Integrative Mental Health Retreats Rise Up
TREND 6: Wellness and Medical Care Partnerships Grow
TREND 7: Accessible Wellness Tourism
2024
TREND 1: Wellness holidays with kids – it’s all about child enrichment
TREND 2: Recovery retreats shift their focus from Sport to Burnout
TREND 3: In Search of Calm
TREND 4: The Growing Exploration of Wellness Travel for Men
TREND 5: 5 Diagnostic Boom in Wellness Travel
TREND 6: Art and Wellness: The Perfect Pairing
TREND 7: Celebrating Cultural Traditions and Healing
TREND 8: It’s All About a Good Night’s Sleep
TREND 9: The Menopause Revolution Hits Wellness Travel
2023
TREND 1:Â In the search of longevity, wellness partnerships bloom
TREND 2: Making a splash – blue tourism and wellbeing
TREND 3: Indigenous travel – a growing trend that holds value: past, present and future
TREND 4:Â Connecting to something bigger than ourselves one step at a time
TREND 5: Transformation + regeneration – the yin and yang of wellness travel
TREND 6: Let’s continue to bathe, soak and connect!
2022
TREND 1: Governments are Waking up to Wellness
TREND 2: Fill your Cup and that of the Local Community you Visit
TREND 3: Mental Health Acceptance is the New Norm
TREND 4: Micro Dosing with Plant Medicine
TREND 5: Family Friendly Wellness
TREND 6: Green Prescription Holidays
TREND 7: Wear your Wellness
TREND 8: Vegan Holiday Anyone?
 TREND 9: Digital Nomad Boom
2021
TREND 1:Â Country-Led Wellness Development
TREND 2:Â Regenerative Travel
TREND 3:Â Rehab to Restoration Programs
TREND 4:Â Insurance and Businesses Support Wellness
TREND 5:Â Wellness Snacking
TREND 6:Â Natural Plant Medicine Programs
TREND 7:Â Fertility Retreats
TREND 8:Â Wellness Practitioner Training Moves Online
TREND 9:Â New Wellness Lifestyle Programs
TREND 10:Â Medical Welcomes Wellness
TREND 11:Â Embracing Indigenous Wellness Traditions
TREND 12:Â Outdoor Physical Fitness boom
TREND 13:Â Animals Support Wellness Travel
The Global Wellness Institute serves as an umbrella organization for numerous Initiatives, that are independently chaired and run. The resources, editorial, research and opinions presented by the Initiatives do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Global Wellness Institute.
