Picture the scene: you’ve just arrived at one of Europe’s most luxurious and exclusive health retreats. Guests are swanning around in robes and a Michelin-starred chef is busy preparing dinner with fresh, local ingredients. You’ve swapped the sweat of the Tube for a cedarwood sauna session and the only to-dos on your list for today are acupuncture, yoga and perhaps a soak in a hot tub overlooking the stunning Mediterranean hills.
But there’s a twist. You’re not just on this high-end escape to unwind and relax, you’re here to relieve the symptoms that have been plaguing your day-to-day for the last 12 months. Perhaps it’s your PCOS or your overactive thyroid .
Perhaps it’s your menopause symptoms or your cortisol levels. Either way, gone are the days of military-style exercises and starving yourself. Wellness travel is evolving, and this latest iteration involves everything from meditation hikes through the Spanish countryside to infra-red saunas in Thailand .
“Ten years ago, wellness retreats were associated with fitness bootcamps and restrictive weight loss programmes,” says Max Ball, product lead at Health Travel . “Now, wellness retreats provide a dedicated space to focus on physical and mental health.” Ball appears to be onto something.
Health travel is a burgeoning industry, with just over a fifth (21 per cent) of tourists currently travelling for health-driven reasons, and 29 per cent stating interest in travelling for health in the future. Exclu.