trends

After years of recession-stalled stasis, look for forward thrust on the destination spa – or true “wellness retreat” front – where personalized, immersive wellness programming is the DNA, and life transformations are the goal. The International Spa Association defines a destination spa as a property “with the primary purpose of guiding individuals to develop healthy […]

An insistent refrain at the 2016 Wellness Summit, running like the notes of Mozart’s “Requiem” was the need for more creativity in the form of art, music, literature and dance at wellness retreats and spas – both for guests to experience and to “do.” Historian David Clay Large revealed that the connection between the “spa […]

Cancer sufferers, typically underserved when it comes to wellness options, made significant gains due to organizations like Wellness for Cancer. Julie Bach, who heads this educational platform that trains wellness companies on how to be better equipped to work with cancer patients, said: “The industry’s mantra in the past was ‘we serve well people’ – […]

A hot topic at the Summit was not only how the world needs to learn from European bathing/ sauna culture, but how the Europeans themselves are now busy reimagining the sauna experience. For instance, a Summit showcase, “Sauna Aufguss: Hot Doesn’t Get Any Cooler Than This” (led by Lasse Eriksen, Development Manager, Nordic Hotels & […]

A new focus on silence at wellness destinations and spas came through loud and clear in Wellness Summit presentations. Programming at hotels & retreats today can sometimes feel like nothing more than an “operational line-item” (some fitness classes or spas to “check off”), while future destinations will need to put a deeper, more comprehensive focus […]

Mental wellness will be the biggest future trend, period: from wellness destinations bringing in neuroscientists and psychotherapists – to meditation becoming seriously mainstream, while evolving into new breeds – to part-mind, part-body workout brands – to apps that track your mental state. Despite our era of historic economic abundance, depression, anxiety disorders, loneliness, addiction and […]

The science behind beauty shows we need beauty in our lives: it brings hope, connectedness and, ultimately, wellness. THE TREND Intuitively, we all know beauty and wellness go hand in hand – and that ‘aspiring to beauty’ can be one of the key motivators we have for keeping physically, spiritually and mentally fit. This year’s […]

Creating a healthier work environment is far from a novel concept, its roots in Western corporate culture reaching back as far as Boeing’s pacesetting non-smoking-workplace policies of the 1980s, and the early-1970s craze for executive gyms and mandated annual physical fitness tests for upper management employees. This new mindset, pioneering in its time, was well […]

Cruise ship spas came on board in the early ’80s with operators like Cunard that brought the iconic Golden Door spa in Escondido, California, aboard its flagship, the QE2, to provide fitness, spa services, and programming, and the innovative company Steiner Leisure Limited heading up hair and beauty services. It was an experiment at first—evidenced […]

It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver. Mahatma Gandhi Back in 2007 Spafinder named “spa real estate” a top trend, after tracking the rise of a new breed of residence that essentially let people live at a luxury spa. The concept was pioneered by high-profile destination spas, like Canyon Ranch Living, which launched […]

Ours is a world where every kind of “wellness” imaginable is explored and promoted, whether physical, mental, spiritual, environmental or workplace. But meaningful conversations about, and approaches to improve, sexual wellbeing have been seriously left out of the equation. On the one hand we live in a sex-saturated world: bombarded with hyper-sexualized images and impossible […]

Many return home from luxury spa treatments describing themselves as revitalized or reinvigorated, but for those who experience the ancient Mexican practice of Temazcal another word often comes to mind: reborn. Dating back to Mayan and Aztec cultures, Temazcal roughly translates to “house of steam,” yet these simple adobe huts are far more than just […]

With a smartphone in every pocket and more apps than stars in the sky, the world isn’t just at your fingertips—it’s racing toward your front door. GrubHub wants to bring your dinner, Instacart your groceries, Drizly your booze, and Postmates is happy to fetch you everything in between. Long gone are the days when only […]

From Bonnaroo to Burning Man, Carnival to Coachella, the thriving festival circuit promises to fill any enthusiast’s calendar, with the only limiting factor being lack of funds or perhaps lack of sleep. Last year 32 million people attended a music festival in the U.S. alone – that’s more than the population of Texas1. But as […]

As reported in our 2016 Spa & Wellness Trends Report, the subject of sexual wellbeing is no longer taboo. The LGBT rights movement, a new wave of feminism and the open mindset of a younger generation are fueling new, honest conversations about sexual wellness. Today, spas and wellness retreats are offering programs to help people heal sexual issues and proactively embrace and improve their sexual health and happiness.

At first glance, the outdoor yoga shala at the Four Seasons Resort Sayan could be a New Age cathedral or a giant turtle.

Surfer fitness, role play during sex, and the best way to give dad “nothing” for Father’s Day.

These luxurious surfing vacations make a splash.

Mark down these top wellness festivals—much like Coachella or Burning Man, except here, your health is the headliner.

Tech neck is a pain in the neck! Avoid it with these easy tips and exercises.