Offering spa and wellness services as part of hotels is a trend that’s set to see continued growth, according to data insight company STR.
The STR census database has revealed the number of hotels with spas increased globally from a total of 13,000 in 2014 to 19,020 in 2018 – a 46 per cent increase over five-years. Europe leads the way with the highest number of hotel spa facilities.
This trend is in line with Global Wellness Institute figures. The 2018 Global Wellness Tourism Economy study saw wellness tourism grow from a $563-billion market in 2015 to $639 billion in 2017, which is 6.5 per cent annual growth – more than twice as fast as tourism overall (3.2 per cent). Wellness tourism is expected to increase even faster, reaching $919 billion in 2022.
Looking forward, the STR is tracking 186 projects around the world with planned spas, up 2 per cent from 183 projects in 2017, demonstrating continued strong demand for high-end hotels with spas.
