Mala McAlpin Food for thought to stay on trend this year.
Global spa and wellness consultancy Raison d’Etre has just released its 2020 Trends Report, outlying its predictions for the key trends and focus areas that will be dominating the spa and wellness industry in the year to come.
The report seeks to analyse how current world trends, social movements, new research and changing customer demands are affecting the wellness industry today, examining the existing trends that are predicted to grow in popularity as well as predicting the next ‘big thing’.
Anna-Cari Gund, Managing Director at Raison d’Etre, says; “Our team is spread across the globe, which gives us crucial insight into consumer behaviour in multiple markets. We share our knowledge of these markets in our creative Think Tank sessions which allows us to see patterns and identify emerging trends. We’re excited to present our latest Trends Report and look forward to seeing the evolution of the spa and wellness industry next year and as the decade continues.”
These are top six focus areas highlighted by this year’s report:
Energy Medicine
Energy medicine is set to be increasingly adopted by the wellness industry in order to help clients to achieve happier and healthier lives. The practice is based on the belief that energy is the living force at the heart of our wellbeing, and that it can be tapped into to facilitate both physical and emotional change and improve balance and overall health. An example of this is Six Senses Douro Valley’s programme, ‘Grow a New Body’ (released late last year) which combined ancient shamanic healing techniques with the latest medicine and nutrition to prevent disease and increase longevity.
Wellness Eating
Plant-based, vegan, paleo, keto, alkaline, bullet proof, pescatarian, flexitarian, DASH, Ornish, Nordic – the list of on-trend dieting techniques continues to grow, and so too does the focus around clean eating when it comes to retreats and wellness offerings. We’re seeing an increasing number of plant-based menus that offer guests a wellness-inspired journey to nourish body, mind and soul; with meals adjusted to what guests’ bodies need at the time, their circumstances and their health goals.
Circadian Rhythm
The importance of circadian rhythms is already being recognised throughout the skincare industry (sleep masks etc.) but now the focus is growing within hotels, spas and retreats. Raison d’Etre predicts that hotels and spas will increasingly invest in programmes which are designed to get one’s natural sleep rhythms back on track. An example is Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas’ partnership with Timeshifter, an app from Harvard Medical School Associate Professor Steven Lockley, Ph.D. It offers guests access to personalised jet lag plans based on the traveller’s sleep pattern, chronotype and flight plan. We may see the travel industry, airports and airlines at the forefront of this trend.
Sustainability
We’re seeing more of this of late within the beauty industry, including CIDESCO’s newly launched sustainability-focused initiative, and Raison d’Etre predicts that sustainability will continue to dominate the agenda in the wellness industry this year. Individuals, businesses and entire industries are expected to actually adopt sustainable practices and conservation efforts, rather than simply supporting the cause in principle. In addition to banning single-use plastic and overhauling packaging, the future will see more and more green strategies and innovations to help save the planet, with increasing numbers of companies placing sustainability at the heart of everything they do.
Nurturing The Inner Child
As we aim to address burnout and achieve wellness through work life balance, we are leaning towards appealing to one’s inner child with hands on experiences, particularly in luxury hotels, including interactive masterclasses and expert-led workshops that encourage fun and play. An example is LUX Resorts and hotels offer guests the chance to mix their own masks and scrubs, cook real pizza and pasta with an Italian chef, go berry and grape picking – to name a few. Raison d’Etre predicts that 2020 will see even more of these workshops or ‘playgrounds for adults’ where guests can learn new skills, and allow the mind to relax by keeping the body busy.
Phone-free Zones
In a bid to combat constant use of mobiles and social, which can foster an addiction to instant gratification and/or a dulling of interest in real-life emotions and interactions, it’s important to regulate this usage for the purpose of wellbeing. Raison d’Etre predicts that apps promoting healthy usage habits will continue to grow in popularity, as will initiatives such as Wyndham Hotels’ phone-free zones and other digital detox destinations that allow guests to disconnect from technology and reconnect with nature, loved ones, and themselves.
