Mala McAlpin It’s a truly incredible thing, the rapid pace at which the wellness industry continues to evolve. We’ve seen some weird and wonderful trends recently; from cauliflower pizza, to hemp…well, everything! From Collagen-packed food, drinks and condiments to gut-health-based skin solutions, and spas and wellness centres popping up in gyms, hotels, cars, business hubs, cruise ships and almost everywhere between.
There are always bound to be a few gimmicks amongst the developments, but as always, we’re keen to see what the new year will bring to the wellness table. So far, these are the predictions for the top wellness trends of 2019:
Improving the Flight Experience
We know that right now, the wellness industry is all about the holistic experience, factoring in not just relaxation but improved mental state, restoring clarity and reducing anxiety. Both consumers and industry changemakers are beginning to recognise just how taxing and uncomfortable the traveling process can be, both on the body and mind, and more solutions to improve the overall experience are making their way to prominence, such as:
- More spas, fitness and wellness hubs are being introduced at airports, and the calibre of existing airport spas are improving
- Airport lounge activities are getting better – Zurich airport rents out skates, bicycles, and Nordic walking poles to encourage travellers to exercise, Qatar’s Hamad Airport has a Vitality, Wellbeing, and Fitness Centre, and Singapore’s Changi airport guests can be treated to fitness lounges, spas, rooftop pool and jacuzzi, outdoor flower gardens or meditative wood-carving
- Health conscious in-flight cuisine options and sleep/relaxation programs are growing
- The American Heart Association has launched a partnership with various US airports to create guided walking circuits throughout terminals
- Apps (such as The Sanctifly App) are being created to help travellers find healthy choices including gyms, spas, and pools within airports
- More airline partnerships – for example, American Express will open more airport spas with Exhale, Singapore Airlines has partnered with Canyon Ranch to ease stress during long-haul flights through cuisine and guided stretching, and Qantas has partnered with Bodhi Wellness Spa to provided guided stretching and meditation in their new Perth lounge
Wellness Hotels
Wellness Tourism is an area that will only continue to grow next year, with hotels opening up more physical and mental wellness options – more extensive spas, in-room exercise and sleep improvement options, fitness centres and wellness ambassadors. Hotels are even partnering with fitness and wellness industry experts and brands, like Technogym and Reebok, in order to come up with the most effective strategies and amenity designs with health and fitness focuses. Wellness architecture will continue to dominate new hotels and facilities, incorporating guest biophilic designs and sustainability features.
All-In-One Locations
It’s a strange juxtaposition – on one hand, the industry is emphasising the importance of self-care and ‘me time’, practising methods to calm and re-centre ourselves (such as meditation) and on the other, facilitating our hectic non-stop lifestyles and busy schedules. This leaves us with a demand for ‘all under one roof’ facilities, where we can work, eat, relax, meditate, tick off tasks and get treatments done all in one go. Spas are going into cafes and restaurants, saunas into offices, and other combinations that in previous years just wouldn’t have been socially acceptable. Studios are popping up that incorporate traditional health solutions; like physio or chiro, with more holistic activities like yoga. These practitioners can then work together and cross-refer to provide visitors with a much more holistic and tailored treatment plan than one would receive visiting two separate locations. Medi spas are now even merging eastern and western solutions. Stressed clients can be treated to relaxation techniques like aromatherapy or guided meditation during procedures like injectables.
Fem Care
According to Allied Market Research, the feminine “hygiene” market is expected to hit $42.7 billion USD by 2022, and if you look closely, you can already see the beginnings of a new wave of feminine hygiene and grooming products infiltrating our shelves. These include everything from purpose-designed hair softening oils and cleansers for sensitivity, to masks and exfoliants, all to improve comfort and softness, reduce in-growns, and balance PH.
Clean Beauty Marketplaces
Clean beauty took the industry by storm this year, but until now, dedicated marketplaces for clean and natural beauty solutions we’re that prevalent. A growing number of online stores are popping up selling only the purest, natural, vegan and/or organic beauty products, as well as more physical locations offering treatments that use their stocked brands.
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