Beauty, Wellness, and Travel: Meet the Glowmads
Skyscanner's Travel Trends 2026 report coins "Glowmads" for travelers building beauty and wellness experiences into trips, with 37% already treating it as part of their self-care routine.
News
Healing Unevenly: Kerala's Path Toward Regenerative Hospitality
Kerala's Ayurveda-led wellness economy offers a working model of regenerative hospitality, but unequal benefit distribution and fragile knowledge transmission limit its regenerative claim.
By Taran Patel and Chirag Patel
Marriott’s Lefay Acquisition Signals a Future of Wellness Cobranding
Marriott's acquisition of Lefay Resorts is less about net unit growth and more about owning the Lefay SPA Method as a scalable wellness playbook for repositioning existing luxury properties.
By Adam Mogelonsky and Larry Mogelonsky
Wellness Tourism Trends: What's Shaping Travel and Wellness in 2026
The global wellness tourism market hit $990B in 2025 and is projected to reach $2.4T by 2035, driven by longevity travel, sauna culture, digital detox retreats, and a luxury shift toward radical simplicity.
By Emma Näpänkangas, Hospitality Strategy Writer, EHL
International Luxury Hotel Association Announces Continued Partnership with NUTRAFi and Welcomes Kyle Jones and Rhonda Bonilla to the NUTRAFi Leadership Team
ILHA renews its industry partnership with NUTRAFi, a pharmaceutical-grade nutraceutical company, and acknowledges two new executive hires as wellness cements itself as a core expectation in luxury hotels.
Four Ways Technology Can Improve the Guest Wellness Experience
The article outlines four design principles for integrating fitness technology in hotel wellness spaces, positioning equipment as a service, revenue, and sustainability asset.
By Gary Young, Regional Director of Hospitality Sales, EMEA, Matrix
Psychological Well‑Being and the Future of Guest Experience
A new 2026 report argues psychological well-being should be treated as a strategic priority in hospitality, covering employee culture, space design, human connection, and transformative guest experiences.
By Valentina Clergue, Assistant Professor, EHL
Wellness Tourism Association Establishes Framework for Responsible Retreats™, Setting a Standard for the Rapidly Expanding Retreat Industry
The Wellness Tourism Association launched Six Principles for Responsible Retreats, the first global framework for retreat industry standards, as the market heads toward $363.9 billion by 2032.
YOTEL Launches the Anti-Appy Hour to Combat Digital Overload When Travelling
YOTEL partners with app-blocking tech startup Bloom to offer guests a free one-hour screen break in hotel bars and restaurants, timed to coincide with World Wellness Day on June 13.
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs for Modern Hotel Wellness Program Design
The article argues hotels risk wellwashing by offering surface-level amenities, and calls for wellness programs rooted in Maslow's integrated needs model to drive genuine guest growth and brand loyalty.
By Adam Mogelonsky and Larry Mogelonsky
Evermore Hospitality Announces Industry-First Partnership with Harvard-Trained Social Scientist Kasley Killam to Advance Relational Wellness
Evermore Orlando Resort partners with Harvard-trained social scientist Kasley Killam to develop a formal "Relational Wellness" program, positioning the resort as the first luxury brand to ground its guest experience strategy in social health research.
Why Regenerative Hospitality Is Emerging as the Next Frontier for Destination-Led Luxury
The article argues that luxury is shifting from exclusivity and possession toward regeneration and meaning, with destination-led resorts and wellness concepts at the forefront of this transformation.
By Valentina Clergue, Assistant Professor, EHL
Marriott International Signs Agreement with Fitwel to Advance Wellness in Global Branded Residences Portfolio
Marriott becomes Fitwel's first Enterprise Partner and Champion+ hospitality company, piloting the program at Ritz-Carlton Residences Chicago with plans to certify properties across its 153-property global residential portfolio.
In-Room Fitness Expands Hotel Wellness Beyond the Gym
Operators can move fitness beyond the shared gym by equipping select rooms with cycling machines and functional training stations, creating bookable wellness tiers with clearer revenue value.
By Gary Young, Regional Director of Hospitality Sales, EMEA, Matrix
The Wellness Economy: Definition, Size, and What's Driving Its Growth
The wellness economy reached $6.8 trillion in 2024 and is forecast to hit $9.8 trillion by 2029, with wellness tourism among the fastest-growing sectors and direct implications for hotel strategy.
By Emma Näpänkangas, Hospitality Strategy Writer, EHL
Design the Experience Before the Building: Alina Hernandez on Experience as Infrastructure
Alina Hernandez argues that experience design must precede physical construction, with co-creation from guests and staff replacing assumption-driven decisions to avoid costly retrofits.
Empathy Is Something You Design, Not Something You Hope For: Adrienne Boissy on What Healthcare Can Teach Hospitality
Dr. Adrienne Boissy draws on healthcare's measurable approach to empathy, burnout, and system design to challenge hospitality leaders to move beyond aspiration and build human connection into operations.
Aslihan Ozgur of TheLifeCo on the Caribbean's First Longevity Village, Physician-Led Detox, and the Future of Health-Integrated Hospitality
TheLifeCo's Aslihan Ozgur outlines A'ila Developments, a $1B+ master-planned longevity village in St. Lucia spanning three resorts, 500 residences, and a physician-led detox program with a 65% repeat visit rate.
Beyond Pillow Menus: Can Hotels Help Guests Sleep Better?
Hotels are moving beyond pillow menus to integrate sleep into broader wellness strategies, with circadian lighting, sleep-tracking tech, and relaxation programming gaining traction across luxury and resort properties.
From Sightseeing to Sleeping In: Inside the Sleepcation Phenomenon
Sleepcation, a trend placing rest and recovery at the center of travel, is gaining traction as operators explore practical changes like acoustics, lighting, and bedding to meet evolving guest wellness expectations.