Wellness trends include habits and products designed to support mental and physical wellness, from meditation apps to CBD oil – this industry is flourishing rapidly.
Pandemic illness sparked a greater desire to experience nature, and this trend is expected to continue. Expect an uptick in wild swimming and new hot springs destinations as well as cross-country swims going global.
Outdoors
Two years post-lockdown, wellness trends have shown a marked inclination toward outdoor activities and social wellness activities such as yoga or meditation classes with friends or fellow participants. Millennials in particular seem particularly fond of creating community as part of their wellness journey and showing preference for shared social wellness classes like these.
As the pandemic continues to spread, fitness brands have adopted more natural movement practices such as barefoot exercise and are encouraging people to exercise outdoors whenever possible. This trend is reinforced by increasing environmental concerns as well as physical activity in nature.
Home wellness trends are also visible within backyards, with backyards becoming spaces dedicated to relaxation. Yardzen clients have shown an increasing interest in saunas, cedar tubs and cold plunges as well as yoga platforms in their backyards as smart ways to maximize square footage and create inviting wellness retreats.
Community
Wellness brands that focus on fitness and health are finding that engaging with consumers through community is increasingly necessary to achieving wellness goals. Doing this creates a sense of connection, keeps people motivated, engaged, and motivated towards reaching them.
Immune system support has become a booming wellness trend in 2023. People are seeking ways to strengthen their bodies with supplements like zinc or functional mushrooms or diets including plant-based eggs and lab-grown meat in order to build up immunity and maintain good health.
Mental wellness has also become a focus this year, with searches for meditation apps, therapy services, journaling and cycle syncing becoming more mainstream practices among women. Enhancement therapies and coaching also continue to promote sexual wellbeing for these audiences.
Well-being tourism
Wellness travel has witnessed significant growth over the last five years compared to overall tourism growth of 6.9% between 2013 and 2015. From trips to the Dead Sea or ancient baths in Rome to natural hot springs across Asia or Costa Rica yoga retreats, wellness tourism is on an upward trend worldwide. Global industry growth exceeded 14% between 2013 and 2015 – more than double than what the overall tourism sector experienced!
Wellness travelers tend to be wealthier, have higher disposable incomes and be more educated than your average tourist. Businesses that link employee wellness with company performance have been actively encouraging employees to take time off for fitness or spa vacations.
Hotels are increasingly catering to this demographic by offering amenities like fitness centers, juice bars and healthy menu options; while airports make it easier for layover passengers to blow off steam by providing gyms and workout tools that were once considered luxury items.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness meditation practice helps individuals observe their thoughts and emotions without reacting to them, providing an effective tool for managing anxiety and depression, improving sleep quality, strengthening immunity systems and even increasing focus (Wollny Sim & Jacobs 2015).
Mindfulness has also been associated with healthy behaviors, such as getting regular health check-ups, being physically active, and using seat belts. A study which compared stress levels among those practicing mindfulness vs those not practising found it also improved relationships among participants.
Wellness trends change quickly and staying abreast is often difficult. To stay informed of these shifts, download 2023’s longest-running and most in-depth global wellness trends report from Global Wellness Summit today and keep an eye out for any major shifts! You’ll also want to follow us on Instagram so you don’t miss any updates!
