Wanting to book an epic trip this year but unsure where to start? Well, luckily for you, wellness is blowing up travel and tourism in a big way across the globe, meaning there are a bounty of travel options for people who want to give a greater sense of purpose to their vacays. Here are the trends that will dramatically influence the wellness travel arena in 2019, giving people a whole new reason to travel.
1. Preventative wellness retreats
While we may deem ourselves ‘healthy’ in that we eat well 80% of the time (#balance and all that), and exercise frequently, the truth is that many of us are running ourselves into the ground thanks to reliance on stimulants like alcohol, excessive amounts of caffeine and fast-paced lifestyles that don’t provide our bodies or minds with adequate downtime.
Preventative wellness retreats target health risk factors by removing individuals from stimulus-inducing environments and provide them with the tools and skills needed to avoid the things they’ve subconsciously become addicted to.
2. Active lifestyle retreats
With a focus on incorporating small, sustainable activities into your daily routine whilst travelling, active lifestyle retreats positively scream wellness. This style of holiday focuses less on the all-or-nothing mentality that people often have towards travel (i.e. going insanely hard in the gym before going away, then blobbing out all holiday drinking cocktails and lying by the pool).
Active lifestyle retreats use a diverse range of wellness experiences to introduce activities which you may not have previously considered; equipping you with a handy toolbox for effecting holistic lifestyle change.
3. Nature immersion getaways
We all know that in this day and age, none of us is spending nearly enough time in the great outdoors, soaking up the beauty of nature. Scientifically proven to improve mental health, nature immersion getaways are intended for those who want to alleviate or combat issues like stress, anxiety and depression.
These wellness trips not only allow you to get some much-needed vitamin D but provide an opportunity for exploration and discovery, allowing your mind to clear and relax, while your cortisol levels come back into balance.
4. Painmoons
Recovering from a break-up? Been struggling with a dip in your mental health? Grieving the death of a loved one? Whatever heartache you’re suffering from, a painmoon could just be for you.
Painmoons are intended to create an environment where it’s truly okay to not be okay, and space for real healing. Spas and wellness retreats are the ideal destination for a painmoon, where you can put self-care first and work on your happiness and wellbeing.
5. Zen-do’s
Say see ya later to riotous nights on the town complete with shots and penis-straws, ‘cause the zen-do is really on the rise. They focus on wellness-based activities that span spa weekends away to group yoga, knitting or flower crown making classes and group meditation.
R.I.P. tacky costumes—looks like brides are choosing to celebrate their impending nuptials in increasingly civilised and health-conscious ways.
6. Fertility trips
Yup, fertility trips are a thing. Instead of the traditional baby moon which is intended to pamper mind, body and soul while you’re in the middle-to-end throes of pregnancy, a fertility trip is intended to get you and your partner in a state of peak health and relaxation prior to conception.
Rejuvenating on every level, these trips help you to naturally increase your fertility by refining nutrition, improving sleep, promoting gentle exercise, reducing stress and achieving your optimum weight.
7. Wellness mumcations
Ever since research emerged stating that mums taking a break from familial responsibilities for a holiday is beneficial for both mum and children, mumcations have taken the travel world by storm. Intended to be a short wellness break that can allow mums some much-needed time to recharge batteries and deal with any underlying stresses or anxieties, these vacays allow you to get back in touch with who you are as a person before you had kids.
Spanning solo adventures to girls trips away, these wellness-centric retreats are a science-backed reason to get away for a few days.