Wellness & Travel: 2012-2020 Forecast

6-Feb-2012

The first global report from WTW, the 4WR: Wellness for Whom, Where and What? Wellness Travel 2020 Full Report is a research report presenting the biggest opportunities in wellness tourism (including international and domestic travel) over the next 10 years. 4WR collected information from 140 visionaries representing stakeholders from wellness, tourism, spa and healthcare industries in over 50 countries worldwide.

Wellness tourism is one of the fastest growing forms of international and domestic tourism. This trend is not expected to change in the coming 5-10 years. There is one major risk, however: the globalization of standardized and uniform products and services. Key findings of the 4WR Full Report help developers, managers and policy makers and others vested in wellness tourism build on or develop individual competitive advantages and as importantly, avoid costly common mistakes. The report exposes the biggest opportunities over the next 10 years, to better define new product development strategies.

Key findings of the 4WR are as follows:

W – Wellness is about much more than just spas

E – Ecological and green products and services will become more and more important and popular

L – Local assets (e.g. natural assets, traditions, rituals) will re-define wellness productsd an services

L – Lifestyle-based wellness activities and wider access, i.e. democratisation will shape up the future of wellness travel

N – New, cross-over and fusion products and services should be further created

E – Evidence-based wellness services are essential in the development of local wellness services

S – Spirituality will play an important role in wellness tourism

S – Segmentation and winning new segments are essential key factors to make wellness accessible to wider groups

Further contents of the report:

• Health, Wellness, Well-being & Travel

• Global Health Tourism Service Grid

• What? – Current Assets (2011)

• What is Hot Now?

• What is Hot Now – By Regions

• Where? – Regional Hotspots 2020!

• For Whom: Consumer Preferences

• Who Should Pay?

• Conclusion

• Key Findings/Recommendations for Planning

• Country Best Practice – Hungary

• Glossary of Terms

The report is accessible via the website of Wellness Tourism Worldwide: http://www.wellnesstourismworldwide.com/reports.html. The 4WR: Wellness for Whom, Where and What? Wellness Travel 2020 Full Report is prepared for Wellness Tourism Worldwide by Xellum Ltd. (Hungary) and Global Spa and Wellness (USA). This report would not have been possible without the cooperation with the Hungarian National Tourism Plc. (Budapest, Hungary).

Camille Hoheb, WTW Founder, states, “4WR exposes the biggest opportunities in wellness tourism over the next 10 years. Wellness tourism can and should be developed as a sustainable business and product and in a responsible manner in which well-being can be accessed by many. WTW believes the democratization of wellness can be achieved through collaboration of policymakers and the tourism industry” WTW fully integrate all aspects of wellness in a cohesive and balanced manner without over emphasizing one or several of the domains of wellness and quality of life indicators. Adds Ms. Hoheb, “The WTW approach expands opportunities for travel agents and the tourism industry to fully leverage existing tourism products and strategically develop initiatives specific to a destinations natural assets, cultural heritage and social orientation.

States Laszlo Puczko, WTW Co-Founder, “As a Hungarian, I am pleased to shine a spotlight on Hungary as an emerging market leader in health and wellness tourism. Hungary has unrivalled natural assets and wellness tourism service and fully leverages its rich spa history.

Wellness Tourism Worldwide (www.wellnesstourismworldwide.com) is an international trade alliance comprised of wellness and tourism related businesses, organizations and institutions.

Founded in recognition of the wide gap between health, well-being, leisure, tourism and sustainability, WTW is based on the domains of well-being and Quality of Life (QoL).

They bring together key stakeholders from across countries, regions and sectors who share the collective goal of accelerating wellness tourism growth.