At the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, there are 171 “Stay Well” rooms available within the hotel’s inventory. These rooms come with vitamin-infused shower water, blackout shades and protection from electromagnetic fields. Despite the fact that these rooms cost an extra $30 a night, they see higher than average occupancy rates.
While this statistic would have been surprising a decade or so ago, it actually represents a growing trend in today’s hospitality industry. Health and wellness tourism is steadily on the rise, with this sector’s revenue increasing 14% from 2013 to 2015—a growth rate that is more than double the overall expenditures of the tourism industry. According to research conducted by the Even Hotels brand, wellness-minded travellers represent about 40% of all travellers, yet up to 17 million of these travellers find it difficult to stay active and to eat right while traveling.
Today’s travellers expect hotels to be conscious of and receptive to this trend, and to provide them with ample amenities to ensure they can maintain their regular routines, away from home. The hotels that deliver on this expectation cultivate an enduring appeal for their guests, which can go a long way to helping them stand out from the crowd.
Upgrading Health and Wellness Throughout the Hotel
The number of hotels offering an exercise room or fitness facility rose from 63% in 2004 to 85% in 2016, highlighting how hotels are adapting to this trend. What’s more, many hotels are thinking outside of the box and are taking a systematic approach to improving health and wellness amenities across the board.
- In the room: Adding fitness equipment like yoga mats, exercise balls and even treadmills to the room itself allows guests to work out privately., while improving mattresses and sleeping conditions promotes restfulness. Simply including healthy options in minibars and providing nicer toiletries satisfies a major priority for travellers.
- In the hotel: Existing health and wellness facilities are being updated with new classes, equipment, treatments and amenities, with a particular emphasis on group activities like yoga or organized runs. Some even provide sneakers, iPods and workout clothes for free. Hotel menus are incorporating healthier options and organic ingredients while catering to vegan or gluten-free diets. Hotels are also improving air quality, natural light levels and insulation in order to project a healthier image.
- In the approach: Today’s travellers are looking less for indulgence and more for relaxation and rejuvenation. Hotels that understand this mentality are actively improving and promoting their health and wellness credentials. In addition to adding amenities, they are incorporating sustainable practices, rethinking how they provide value to travellers and rebranding to emphasize happy and healthy guests.
Capitalizing on Guest Priorities and Preferences
Upgrading their current health and wellness options is a great start for hotels looking to get onboard this fitness trend, but hotels need to go a step further in order to attract the bulk of these wellness tourists. This niche sector of the tourism industry spend 130% more than the average traveller, so it’s worth investing time and money to target them strategically.
- Personalize options: Personalization is a priority for every traveller. Providing options that cater to specific wants, schedules, abilities and, most importantly, budgets allows guests to pursue their own health goals and priorities.
- Upgrade bookings: When wellness is a priority it doesn’t feel like an upsell. The booking process should make it as easy as possible for guests to find, understand and access the complete health and wellness resources of the hotel.
- Improve outreach: Marketing new health and wellness options is key. In addition to making these central to outreach efforts, staff should draw on guest profiles to inform and connect guests with targeted wellness opportunities.
- Monitor trends: Trends come and go quickly in the health and wellness sphere, and early adoption is crucial. Growing trends include a focus on mental health, digital detoxification and ethical living. Hotels that offer cutting-edge health programs stand out in a hospitality market that is increasingly prioritizing fitness, beauty and mindfulness.
The wellness tourism market is expected to grow 17% by 2022. Furthermore, 60% of millennials say their health is the most important thing in their lives. Incorporating this changing landscape into every aspect of the guest experience can be a big change for many hotels, but it is a change that will see hotels prosper into the future.
A comprehensive property management system like RoomKeyPMS makes it easier to integrate new health and wellness options. It also makes connecting guests with those options more effective for all involved. Contact us to learn how RoomKeyPMS supports and facilitates all your most ambitious initiatives.
Photo Credits: Shutterstock / Monkey Business Images
