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TravelToWellness.com, a columnist in one of Canada’s leading daily newspapers As they moved actually chided me for using

Wellness from ‘pampering’ Wellness Talking to... the word ‘wellness’ in to ‘prevention’, spas the name. I believe wellness led the charge into as we know wellness travel and it today began in Anne Dimon the spa. I have ultimately wellness articles dating . Spas, spa back to 2004 to show spas moving treatments and the JOANNA STERKOWICZ speaks to Anne Dimon, into the realm of total spa experience president and CEO of the Colorado-based Wellness wellness when the will continue to Tourism Association (WTA), about the growth buzz words were ‘detox’ and ‘stress be regarded under of wellness travel globally and how it impacts management’. the umbrella the spa sector. At that time, of wellness. How does the WTA define companies that meet the as a the term ‘wellness’? Wellness tourism following criteria: A company journalist Because the term ‘wellness’ is with the primary business of I had been covering How did the WTA so personal and means different is a specific division medical (the care of patients, the spa industry come about? things to different people, the of the global tourism and services that respond to for a number The WTA was officially launched WTA board of directors made a specific medical conditions or of publications in January of 2018 and in less conscious decision to limit our industry that is issues) will be considered for (including the than two years has grown definitions to purely industry defined by the membership if they also offer Toronto Star where I to close to 90 members and terms, such as ‘wellness tourism’, multi-day retreats/ programmes was writing a column partners in 15 countries. As a ‘wellness travel’, ‘wellness common goal of and/ or packages that are in the Travel Section 20-plus year travel writer/ retreats’ and others. In terms marketing natural deemed to be more preventative called the Wellness File) industry journalist plus founder/ of defining the term ‘wellness assets and activities than reactive. For instance, since the late 1900s, and editor of Travel To Wellness, tourism’, the WTA Glossary of retreats/ programmes for sleep, was seeing signs of the spa I began to accumulate notes for Industry Definitions – the first primarily focused stress management, medical industry moving more into an industry association back glossary for the wellness on serving the testing for the early detection the ‘wellness’ space. On an in 2013. In those days I was tourism industry – looks at and prevention or certain international level, and also calling it the IWTA (International wellness tourism as: ‘A specific wellness-minded medical conditions, and others. in 2004, I visited and wrote Wellness Travel Association), but division of the global tourism consumer and those about Chiva Som in Thailand and I got diverted and put it on the backburner. It wasn’t until early industry that is defined by the who want to be. When did the current discovered one of the first true common goal of marketing wellness travel trend wellness retreats, although it wasn’t 2017, following an interview for natural assets and activities actually start? called that back in 2004. a trade magazine with Andrew primarily focused on serving the That is really difficult to In 2005 ‘wellness and entitlement’ were Gibson (then VP of Wellbeing for wellness-minded consumer and condition or providing pinpoint, but I do know behind the changing face of spas, and I Accor ), that I brought the those who want to be.’ procedures that are more that when I launched used the term ‘wellness destination’ for the WTA concept forward. Andrew ‘invasive’, such as surgery. TravelToWellness.com in first time in an article about Arizona which ran agreed with me that it was a Is there a danger that We also believe that there is 2004 as the first editorially- in the Vancouver Sun. That same year I wrote good idea, and brought Accor in consumers could confuse a growing area where the two driven online magazine and about the Optimum Health Weekend Program as a co-founder. He then reached wellness tourism with overlap, and that overlap occurs resource for the wellness- at Grail Springs, Ontario for a Journeys out to Tom Klein, president of > ? when and where the medical minded traveler, the term for Body, Mind & Soul column in another Yes. And many – consumers industry offers scientifically- ‘wellness travel’ was rarely, Canadian newspaper, The Chronicle Herald. as well as others – do confuse supported proactive testing if ever, used. I had just finished While spas and the concept of wellness began the two. The WTA looks at that can help identify medical reading The Wellness Revolution to fully emerge around 2004 and 2005, the wellness tourism as being more issues prior to symptoms being by Paul Zane Pilzer (published Global Wellness Institute (GWI) agrees with me ‘proactive’ with one’s own health present, plus advise the client in 2002) and ‘wellness travel’ that the terms and concepts around ‘wellness and wellbeing and medical on how to possibly reverse the was not mentioned. When tourism’ really started taking off in 2008. tourism being condition before it worsens. I launched Then in 2010, GWI research benchmarked more ‘reactive’; The WTA has recently included wellness tourism as a $106 billion global as in treating a Medical Wellness category industry. They predict that by 2022, global a medical of membership to welcome wellness tourism will near the $1 trillion mark.

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management team and take a look at what other aspects of their property We want the WTA can be easily and inexpensively rolled Wellness in under the wellness umbrella. Can Wellness (Wellness Tourism the food & beverage department Association) logo work to introduce healthier options on menus? Do they cater to wide and various food to be a symbol for preferences that clients demand today (e.g. consumers to be able vegan, vegetarian, gluten free etc.)? Are they willing to introduce special healthy-focused to identify industry menus in one or more of their outlets? Does the stakeholders who have property have onsite fitness instructors, or met basic criteria. practitioners that might lead classes as part of a multi-day package? If not in-house then perhaps in partnership with local companies? Collaborating with local tour operators might give guests access to walking, hiking and cycling tours.

The WTA polled its members to find out the top wellness travel trends and narrowed it down to five growth areas. Please elaborate. We polled members in early 2018, which revealed these five top growth areas: Going Solo: The Going Solo trend supports the results of the WTA’s recent Wellness Canyon Ranch, and the wellness with no substance to back it the noise, the congestion and, survey in which close to 50% of respondents brand become a co- up. That is one of the reasons in many case, the lack of easy reported a preference for solo travel, or solo founder. The three of us moved we have set criteria for industry access to natural assets (i.e. travel to be with the like-minded. forward and then the real work of stakeholders to become members mountains, rivers, hot springs Rise in Newcomers: Over the year 2018, many launching an association began, of the WTA. We want the etc.). Nature is a very important of our members reported that 50% and more making it my very full-time job. WTA logo to be a symbol for aspect of wellness tourism. An of their guests were first-timers and, in some The Art of Living Retreat Center consumers to be able to identify exception is Monaco, which is cases, had never even been to a wellness resort in North Carolina and the Monaco industry stakeholders who have building its wellness reputation or wellness retreat. Government Tourist Office both met basic criteria. on thermal baths that date back Greater Flexibility with Length of Stays: came in as Founding Members. to the early 1800s. They also have Members are seeing demand for a wider range Madeleine Marentette of Grail GWI maintains that every green practices and protocols of durations for retreats and programmes. Springs in Ontario, Canada, joined destination has something in places, a range of Mental Health Matters: Consumers are looking as a Board Member, Unicomm unique to offer wellness offering healthy options, and a to take a break from their busy, stressful lives become a Founding Partner and travelers, linked with wide variety of health and fitness and give their minds a ‘time out’ (i.e. a break we were well on our way. its local culture, natural practitioners. to reconnect with self). It is the programing assets, foods, etc. around ‘mindfulness’ that often ends up being What is the Do you agree? How can spas tap into the the most popular part of a retreat. WTA’s mission? Only to a point. While every wellness tourism trend? Demand for Specific Solutions: Consumers are To shape and support the destination may have something As they moved from ‘pampering’ becoming more aware of the value associated sustainable future of wellness to offer wellness travelers, this to ‘prevention’, spas led the with a true Wellness Vacation that is planned tourism for the global good. does not make them ‘wellness charge into wellness travel and with a specific goal. They seek solutions to destinations’. For instance, ultimately wellness tourism. Spas, such issues as stress and stress-related Do you think the term just because Las Vegas has spa treatments and the total spa symptoms, sleep problems, achieving a healthy ‘wellness’ runs the risk the highest concentration of experience will continue to be weight, and developing a more balanced life. of being overexposed, luxury spas on the planet, and regarded under the umbrella of In conclusion, I would emphasise that wellness given that it seems to be offers numerous restaurants wellness. But spas themselves are tourism is not a trend, nor is it an industry popping up in all sorts of serving healthy cuisine, it would not mandatory for a complete ‘niche’. Rather, it is a rapidly growing sector marketing? not qualify to market itself wellness travel experience. To of the tourism industry that encompasses all Yes. ‘Wellness washing’ is a – according to WTA’s newly- tap into the trend, I’d suggest demographics of travelers. It is fueled by many term being used to identify the introduced guidelines – as a that hotel spas, resort spas things, mostly our ever-stressful daily lives, and utilisation of the term ‘wellness’ wellness destination. Nor would and game spas first sit the inherently human desire to seek health, > strictly for marketing purposes any other major city, due to down with their hotel/ resort happiness and longevity. PB

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