Worldwide wellness holiday experts Health and Fitness Travel have forecast the next big trends in wellness travel for 2017. From holidays for a healthy mind, to specialist stop smoking retreats, discover the hottest new trends that will influence the wellness and spa world next year.
Stop smoking retreats
The thought of going cold turkey whilst dealing with work stress and daily temptation has many folks reaching for their lighters, so they are increasingly deciding to combine the first steps towards going smoke free with a healthy holiday that will help them to de-stress, break triggers and build new healthier habits. With the luxury of time, expert medical consultations and specialist therapies, they can return home renewed and fully equipped with the long-term answer to continuing their smoke-free journey.
Optimal health for the modern man
Following an increasing move away from the ultra-masculine man towards the Modern man, more men than ever are now going to spas and wellness retreats. In today’s ever more liberal society, it’s becoming more socially acceptable for men to escape on a wellness holiday where they can take part in masculine activities, like boxing and HIIT, before recovering with a massage or spa treatment. With men, still significantly less likely than women to make time to consult a doctor, wellness retreats catering to men also offer a more approachable means of addressing health issues.
Healthy mind and emotion healing holidays
With more of us looking for ways to boost self-confidence or learn how to manage stress, it is little wonder that mind and emotion healing holidays are a rising trend in the wellness world. With a growing understanding that a healthy mind leads to a healthy life, retreats offering coaching in mindfulness, meditation and yoga, are helping sufferers of modern-living burnout to reconnect their mind, body and soul.
Post-cancer recovery retreats
No longer shying away from the complexities of treating a cancer sufferer, a rise in wellness spa retreats creating specialist post-cancer recovery programs offers a sanctuary for cancer survivors to recharge and rejuvenate. Helping them to feel like the best version of themnselves again, a range of holistic spa therapies and alternative natural medicine treatments, from acupuncture to Ayurveda, will nurture and resort their well-being. Combined with expert consultations from psychologists, nutritionists and physiotherapists, they can regain their appetite and strength as they rejuvenate their mind, body and soul in a luxurious wellness sanctuary.
Eat-well detox holidays
Gone are the days when a detox holiday entails a punishing regime of fasting and tiny portions; time for the eat-well detox. Foodie lovers in search of a cleansing detox will be pleased to know that on an eat-well detox they’ll be able to refuel with well-proportioned nutritious meals throughout the day, that won’t leave them going hungry. Focusing instead on eating a generous amount of healthy food, it’s a more satisfying experience for those looking to detox without forgoing food.
Zen adrenaline junkies
The idea of zen and adrenaline might seem like an odd combination, but more and more of us are now embracing ‘adrenaline-après’ holidays where we can satisfy a thirst for high-octane adventure with kite-surfing and paragliding, before relaxing with spa treatments, meditation and yoga. A great way to train your body and mind to let go of stress and enjoy living in the moment, embrace the mind-body cocktail of zen adrenaline and return home ready for anything.
Physical therapy holidays
Everyone puts their bodies through a lot of stress. Whether from being hunched over a desk or working out to the extreme, muscles are frequently being strained, pulled or teared. Answering the call for worn out bodies, the rise of physical therapy holidays provides opportunities for recovery from injuries and to re-train the body to peak perfection. Heal the body with a wide variety of treatments, from expert consultations with physiotherapists to aquatic therapy and posture alignment.
Family-wellness holidays
Following the rising realisation that the next generation of spa goers are the younger generation, more spa and wellness retreats are now opening their doors to families. No longer a no-go zone with the children in tow, with an array of mini spa treatments designed especially for children, now the whole family can be pampered from head to toe. Also focusing on drawing the kids away from their iPad’s and video games, action packed kids clubs encourage children to experience new sports and activities, as they swap their smartphones for bicycles, tennis and water sports.
New waves in wellness
With 71% of Earth being covered in water, it only makes sense that we’ve taken to board sports like ducks to water. Riding a new wave in wellness, more of us are now turning to board sports as a fun way of toning up and shaping up. From stand-up paddle boarding to indoor board fitness classes and surfing, board sports offer a great workout for training your core and legs.
Preventative health to lower your biological age
Already highly popular with the Baby Boomer generation, the appeal of preventative health holidays offering the chance to help slow down the clock are also rising in popularity with Generations X and Y. Proving that age really is nothing but a number – whether pressing pause on ageing by learning to let go of stress or sweating your way to a more youthful you, reducing your biological age is the new mantra of the ‘ageing gracefully’ gurus.
Social group fitness holidays
If you’re a social butterfly and like to make friends wherever you go, then you’re probably a part of the ever-rising number of people escaping on social group fitness holidays. Whether a group of friends or the solo traveller who doesn’t want to train alone, with the added support of individuals going through the same process, you’ll soon reach your fitness goals. Offering the opportunity for you to train in groups where you can learn from each other, you may even make some lifelong friends.
Workplace wellness
When you think of workplace outings, images of trudging through mud, inspirational speakers and team-building exercises spring to mind. However, workplace wellness holidays offer something different; workers can enjoy stress-management retreats, yoga holidays to increase brain power or mountain-biking and ocean kayaking to encourage team building.
Eco-friendly wellness retreats
With a rise in green conscious travellers in search of a wellness holiday that is as kind to the planet as it is to you, there has been a growing emergence of eco-friendly wellness retreats offering a trip, without the guilt trip. Return home an expert on the local fauna and flora with educational eco-forest walks, indulge with all-natural spa remedies and refuel with healthy organic cuisine from onsite gardens.
About the source
Health and Fitness Travel is a global luxury wellness travel company that originated in the UK in 2010 and is committed to providing healthy holidays that enhance and change lives. Created by Paul Joseph, Adam Heathcote and co-founded in Australia by local Director Samantha Lippiatt as a result of their combined passion for health and fitness travel and offering bespoke holidays to improve people’s well-being to lead happier and healthier lives. As leading specialists, Health and Fitness Travel has also created their own collection of healthy holidays in various destinations which include Fusion Fitness, Discover Recover and Healthy Honeymoons, offering clients the best value and holiday experience. For more information visit: www.healthandfitnesstravel.com.au
