Wellness marketing ideas for any hotel brand

Wellness is the word in 2022. After a trying couple of years (to put it mildly), the consumer appetite for wellbeing-boosting breaks is fuelling travel’s fastest growing niche. The Global Wellness Institute forecasts that the industry will be in peak health at a value of $817 billion by the end of this year – an unignorable opportunity for all hotel brands, not just those that appeal specifically to wellness travellers.

According to a recent Booking.com report, “More so than daily exercise or mindful meditation, getting away on vacation will become the form of self-care in 2022, with over three-quarters of people affirming that travel helps their mental and emotional wellbeing more than other forms of rest and relaxation.”

The report adds that the absence of travel has made its pull even stronger, with “nearly two thirds saying they didn’t realize how important travel was to their wellbeing until it was no longer an option, and 84% saying that having a vacation planned has a positive impact on their emotional wellbeing.”

These findings are supported by The World Travel & Tourism Council, too, which predicts that the desire to divert more time and money towards self-care, wellness, and stress relief “is likely to continue growing” this year. 

So what changes can hotel brands make to cater to increasingly wellbeing-focused consumers? The majority of travellers probably won't plan an entire holiday around wellness experiences; simply put, it's just about feeling good. Here are some ways that hotel brands can rejuvenate their marketing approach and boost bookings.

Sleep retreats

Sleep is the new luxury. Help guests to reset their circadian rhythms in an environment that’s free of rest-reducing distractions. A few years ago, Raffles Hotels & Resorts launched Raffles Sleep Rituals, an enhanced turndown service including thoughtful touches such as a luxurious eye pillow, mindfulness-promoting goodnight cards and a relaxing oil created in partnership with Aromatherapy Associates. More recently, Rosewood Hotels introduced 'Alchemy of Sleep programs' featuring "slumber-inducing treatments and mindful movements".

Nurturing nature

Spending time in nature is a big travel trend this year. The WTTC found that 52% of consumers are more likely to take an outdoor trip than before the pandemic and 47% of travellers want their next trip to be in nature. Highlight outdoor experiences in the local area and use inspiring editorial to convey the effect on the senses and the mind. Bring the outdoors in by weaving elements of nature into the design of physical and digital spaces, the restaurant menu and room amenities.

Nourishing cuisine

The wellness focus is shifting towards more preventative, proactive measures, including an appetite for nourishing and uplifting cuisine. Preference for locally sourced and seasonal produce continues to increase and dovetails with growing consideration for the environment and local communities.

Slower travel

Per The WTTC’s report, in 2019, the average domestic trip length was 4.45 days and 9.22 days for international trips; whereas in 2021 over 52% of global travellers indicated a preference for longer stays, with approximately one in four (26%) favouring stays of 10 nights or more. Encourage your guests to relax the pace and allow themselves time to fully wind down.

People & planet

For some, part of the wellbeing boost that travel can bring comes from feeling good about where our money is going. Sustainable and community based tourism are the future of the industry, and even small steps in the right direction will deliver a more enriching and meaningful guest experience.

Reconnection

Of course one of the primary motivations for travelling in the near future is the opportunity to reconnect with friends and family. For many people who are motivated to travel for their wellbeing, the experience they are seeking is a fundamental one: time with loved ones in a place that makes this as easy and memorable as possible. 

New routines, behaviours, and attitudes are redefining the travel landscape. Be ready to reset and recharge your marketing to meet your audience where they are.