Are we at the start of a Golden Age of Wellness tourism? Certainly, figures from the Global Wellness Institute suggest we are. The Institute forecasts a 25% increase in the value of international wellness tourism over the next two years to around $8.5tr. It is also increasingly guiding the choices of European travellers. According to tourism and travel data agency Mabrian, there has been a four-point rise, over the past few years, in the percentage of people citing well-being as the main motivation for their stay.
Today, more than ever though what wellness tourists want a detox: from digital gadgets, from the rigmarole of modern life. Hoteliers that want to capitalise on this of the wellness trade should therefore consider how to turn their establishments into islands of tranquillity – and below we suggest some steps to take.
Edifying escapes
According to a recent survey by Expedia, 62% of guests said that they preferred getaways that are centred on peace and quiet, with pleasant outdoor spaces and wellness features such as swimming pools being ranked as more important than, say, proximity to tourist attractions.
One key tool in this regard are the services and activities on offer at a hotel. A major part of wellness tourism is physical activity. Many hotels have found success by creating more space for exercise, sport, and treatment. This is something that can be easily integrated into an existing business model. At Burgh Island, for example, we use our ballroom, when it is not being used in the daytime, for yoga and Pilates classes.
Another approach is to modify a hotel’s furnishings. Neuroarchitecture is a buzzword of the moment and refers to the field that explores the intersection of neuroscience, architecture and furniture design, focusing on how the built environment influences human behaviour and well-being.
The use of water features, plants, soundproofing furniture, soft lighting, and soft colour palettes create a soothing and restful environment for guests. Providing guests with blackout curtains and smart room controls (to, for example, adjust the lighting and temperature of the room) can also help them rejuvenate.
Hotels should recognise that for many, a wellness trip is as much about what is not in the hotel as what is. Many, for instance, will want a detox from digital devices. At Burgh, we only offer these on request – ensuring that guests looking for an overall holistic cleanse have the best environment possible to do so.
Building a haven from a hectic world
At Burgh Island we work hard to build just such an environment. True, being situated on its own private island off the South Devon Coast, gives the hotel certain inherent advantages in creating a haven from a hectic world. It is easier to deliver that sense of exclusivity, which appeals to guests, fostering a sense of adventure that urban hotels cannot replicate.
Built in 1929, this iconic Art Deco retreat was once a getaway spot for the great and good, counting among its visitors’ luminaries such as Agatha Christie, who wrote several of her celebrated novels here. Then, as now, the hotel’s remote location allows it to be something of a world unto itself.
However, running a hotel in a remote location such as this comes with its share of challenges. As one might expect, logistics such as stocking, transportation, and staffing require meticulous coordination. The island’s dependence on the tide further complicates operations, as all access must be timed accordingly.
We are though lucky to have a number of natural features on the island that make it a natural wellness destination. There’s a natural seawater lagoon fed by the tides – the ‘Mermaid Pool’; a tidal causeway that’s perfect for walks; as well as the Southwest Coast Path, England’s longest National Trail, which lies along the edge of the mainland.
Adding to the magic, Burgh Island lies on Saint Michael’s ley line, a powerful confluence of ancient energy pathways thought to connect to Avalon, the mythical resting place of King Arthur. Legend has it that this connection imbues the island with mystical healing properties. Visitors often report an unusual sense of calm and vitality when they’re here – as if the island itself possesses a restorative energy.
That’s not to say that we’re relying on King Arthur to look after our guests for us. To complement the natural tranquillity of the hotel and its environs, Burgh Island guests can avail themselves of a host wellness-focused activities – such as wild swimming, forest yoga, outdoor painting, and natural water bathing. Rooms are deliberately free from electronic devices by default. Taken together the experience is a powerful one: true, unbridled escapism.
It’s long been a maxim of the hotels trade that guests want all the creature comforts of home. This may no longer necessarily hold. Guests increasingly want a haven from everyday life rather than a reproduction of it; and forward-looking hotels should now aim to provide this for them.
