Wellness now at the heart of the ‘new’ travel experience

Well-being and all that it encompasses has become, now more than ever, an essential part of the overall travel experience, moving from megatrend to leading expectation as consumers worldwide seek to advance their health, mindfulness and peace of mind. With societal habits shifting and wellness taking on new and farther-reaching meaning in response to the global pandemic, the desire and need for wellness and its positive effects cannot be understated.

Serenity, harmony, relaxation, recovery and pleasure are the pursuits of well-being that fuel and rejuvenate luxury travelers globally. They are also the touchstones for wellness at Raffles Hotels & Resorts and the inspiration for the brand’s white paper, Answering the Desire for Wellness in Luxury Travel.

The area of wellness has grown from grassroots movement to core framework and is now considered an essential practice that promises longevity, physical and mental health, and social well-being. 

According to a recent report by the Wellness Tourism Association (WTA), 44% of travelers are looking to the wellness segment for their next trip, once they return to traveling. The most important reason for taking a wellness vacation, according to 38% of travelers, is “to return to everyday life feeling rejuvenated”. In 2020, the importance of nature and spending time in the outdoors has been reinforced as a key pillar of wellness vacations.

As the expectation for wellness luxury travel continues to grow, we must look beyond material luxuries to experiences that balance the mind, body and spirit.

Emlyn Brown, Global Vice President, Well-Being, Luxury & Premium Brands, Accor

“At Raffles, we believe that true luxury is not about what you do, but how you feel. Raffles hotels represent places where our guests can see their aspirational lifestyle reflected in every touchpoint. Once the pandemic is under control and our luxury guests return to their normal routines, there will be an even greater demand for wellness activities that embrace the key health modalities of nutrition, mindfulness and sleep,” adds Brown.

The white paper is being released in conjunction with the launch of Emotional Wellbeing by Raffles, a global blueprint for wellness that will guide guests through thoughtfully curated programs, spaces and rituals, all designed to inspire a sense of emotional well-being while in residence with Raffles.

The first Emotional Wellbeing by Raffles Retreat will debut at the recently opened Raffles Bali in 2021, and will introduce the concept of a dedicated Wellbeing Butler, whose aim is to craft bespoke wellness journeys for each guest. Following a successful pilot, the retreat concept will be rolled out to additional Raffles hotels worldwide.

Wellness and luxury travel

The luxury brand’s new well-being platform and white paper explore three core pillars to infuse wellness into luxury travel experiences.

• Design for Harmony: Creating harmonious and natural environments through second nature Feng Shui and Biophilia.
• Nutrition for Pleasure: An exploration of foods that support deep and restful sleep, travel recovery and the symbiotic relationship between the mind and the human digestion system.
• Rituals for Serenity: A selection of subtle rituals promoting serenity, peace and revitalization, facilitated in part by the personal Raffles Butler assigned to each guest.

“Each one of our Raffles properties serves as an oasis for the well-travelled and their bespoke experiences and services enhance emotional well-being,” says Jeannette Ho, Vice President, Raffles Hotels & Resorts. “Our goal is to create welcoming environments of nourishment, serenity, and well-being. To do this, we collaborate with global leaders like Simone Osswald and Cindy Palusamy, to infuse wellness into every element of a guest’s stay, bringing the beauty and calm of greater mindfulness to our experiences.”

Today, the need for well-being is at the forefront of the travel experience as are heightened cleanliness and hygiene protocols that provide peace of mind. Offering reassurance to travelers as they head back into the world, Accor, the parent company of Raffles, is welcoming back returning guests with a host of new protocols and safeguards.  The company’s ALLSAFE cleanliness protocols, jointly developed with Bureau Veritas, help protect guests and staff, while assuring travelers they can feel safe while staying at Accor’s hotels including Raffles hotels in Singapore, Paris, Dubai and many other leading holiday destinations.

The full report and more about Emotional Wellbeing by Raffles can be found here.

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