More travellers are booking wellness holidays these days

Travel consumers are booking more wellness holidays this year as compared to last year. — Pexels

Travel consumers around the world are planning to either maintain or increase their spending on leisure travel in the coming months, according to a recent survey.

And it’s not just your usual holiday that these travellers are planning for – many are also looking to focus on their well-being. Based on the survey, 39% of high-income consumers say they already have a luxury trip or wellness retreat booked through early 2023; among millennial consumers, 21% say they have booked a wellness retreat within the same time frame.

The survey, done by US consulting firm Accenture, involved more than 11,000 consumers in 16 countries. As many as 33% of the survey participants say that they are more focused on self-care and wellness today than they were one year ago.

A report by travel news platform PhocusWire states that despite financial concerns, consumers are prioritising mental and physical well-being and see travel as an essential part of modern life. The report quotes Emily Weiss, a senior managing director at Accenture who leads its travel industry practice globally: “(Travel is) ... less an indulgence and more of a non-negotiable essential for today’s consumers, even at a time when many are feeling financial pressures.

A study by the Global Wellness Institute meanwhile shows that wellness tourism is predicted to grow an average of 21% annually through 2025. This has caused travel startups and properties around the world to ramp up their offers to accommodate clients looking for wellness-themed packages and services.

Island attraction

In other news, Penang Global Tourism has launched its Experience Penang tourism campaign, which is aimed at attracting more Singapore tourists to visit the state.

In a press statement, Penang State executive committee for Tourism and Creative Economy Yeoh Soon Hin said that Singapore is one of Penang’s biggest international tourism markets.

“Singapore was the first country to have a Vaccinated Travel Lane (programme) with Penang ... Singaporeans appreciate our rich heritage, art, architecture, and the kaleidoscope of gourmet offerings that best reflect our colourful ethnic mix of Malay, Indian, Chinese and Peranakan culture.

“After a two-year hiatus, we are ready to welcome our Singaporean neighbours and help them plan iconic and meaningful Penang getaways,” said Yeoh in the statement.

Penang Global Tourism will also be promoting lesser-known attractions around the state via two other campaigns: The Opposite Side Of The Island which promotes Seberang Perai, and The Other Side Of The Island which promotes Balik Pulau and Teluk Bahang.

Penang Convention and Exhibition Bureau, meanwhile, will be ramping up its services to attract more corporate clients from Singapore to hold MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) events in the state. Penang boasts some of the largest integrated convention centres, including world-class hotel meetings and event spaces and is forming strategic alliances with corporate travel partners and global event organisers to secure its calendar of MICE activities.