Spa & Wellness MexiCaribe 34, Verano 2019

HOW TO MERGE
WELLNESS
INTO THE GUEST
EXPERIENCE
The global wellness industry is a booming $4.2 trillion economy with
wellness tourism at a robust $226 billion. Hotels and resorts that want
to capture more of this growing market, should implement programs
for guests that provide meaningful experiences with minimal impact to
operations, while maximizing impact to the bottom line. Here are a few
simple steps to weave wellness into your offerings.
UNDERSTAND WHAT THE CONSUMER IS LOOKING FOR IN WELLNESS TRAVEL
Study wellness trends from the Global Wellness Institute and be sure to
read a few years back, because some of the trends that were predicted
many years ago are still very popular – such as Forest Bathing and CBD.
LOOK TO INNOVATORS IN THIS SPACE
Hilton Hotels recently launched “Five Feet to Fitness” which places an
assortment of workout equipment with accompanying videos just five
feet from the bed, convenient to those who may not want to trek down
to the hotel gym. La Cantera Resort & Spa in San Antonio created a
naturalist program for its kids club, encouraging children 5-12 years
old to get off of their devices and into nature. They partnered with
local non-profit groups to donate a percentage of the daily fee back
to the organizations. Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group and Hyatt all have
programs in place for the well-minded traveler.
WHAT CAN YOU OFFER THAT MAKES SENSE FOR YOUR BRAND?
Now, comes the fun (and also hard) part. What companies could you
partner with to collaborate on something innovative, memorable and
meaningful?
If you are located near the ocean, you are in luck! Moving bodies of
water produce negative ions that help alleviate depression and anxiety.
Simply walking by the ocean, going for a swim or taking a boat ride has
health benefits! You could provide this information to guests at checkin
explaining this philosophy and have a tip sheet with suggestions for
spending time on the water.
If you’re landlocked, there are still plenty of ways to bring in wellness
opportunities. Create a night-time ritual to promote better sleep, bring
in a signature fragrance to all areas of the resort (one of the 2019 trends
was about aromatherapy!) or create a decompression chamber for
guests to relax post arrival, with a weighted blanket and other calming
apparatus for them to wind down.
If you have trouble coming up with ideas, ask your staff and your guests
– have some informal discussions that could generate ideas. Ensure that
what you create is in line with your overall experience so it doesn’t seem
disconnected or out of place.
TELL THE WORLD
Lastly – spread the news with a concentrated PR and marketing effort.
Your guests will want to know about these latest additions, which may
also appeal to new guests. The press loves to hear about “new” things
that hotels and resorts are doing – especially if it is an example of a
bigger trend in the wellness space.
KIM S. MARSHALL
A respected travel, spa & wellness communications expert, Kim
established the Marshall Plan in 1995, serving a high-end client roster
of travel, hospitality and lifestyle brands. In June 2018, she co-founded
S’Well Public Relations with Darlene Fiske, specializing in the booming
wellness economy.
By Kim S. Marshall
Co-founder of S’Well PR
www.swellpublicrelations.com
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