New research released at ILTM Asia Pacific has highlighted the wellness trends that are gaining momentum among Chinese, Japanese, Singaporean and Hong Kong travellers.
In partnership with Altiant and Hyatt, ILTM Asia Pacific surveyed affluent travellers across the four key markets. The findings provided insights on the current state and future direction of wellness travel.
Wellness tourism involves travel primarily focused on maintaining or enhancing personal wellbeing, encompassing physical, mental, and emotional health. It's a growing trend globally, with travellers seeking experiences that improve their holistic health and explore destinations while prioritising their wellbeing.
The global wellness tourism market has been valued at almost $950 billion by the Global Wellness Institute.
Statista predicts wellness tourism will be worth around $US1.35 trillion in 2028, an increase of more than 100 per cent on the market size in 2022.
According to the International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM) Buzz vs Reality report there have been clear shifts in luxury traveller behaviour, with wellness now a key decision factor.
Wellness is defined in various ways, encompassing both mental and physical health. Many travellers are looking to continue with their wellness habits on holidays and enjoy therapies and treatments or simply enjoy rejuvenating experiences in nature.
Almost half (48 per cent) of respondents have taken a specifically planned wellness holiday, while more than half (55 per cent) said that wellness facilities and services were very important or essential to their choice of hotel.
Many travellers are looking for deeper and more meaningful trips, often slowing down and spending longer at individual destinations.
Spa resorts/therapies (58 per cent) are the most popular wellness activities overall, with nature immersions and physical treatments such as massage and acupuncture following close behind. Various other services such as health evaluations and detoxes are also of interest to a significant minority.
Many wellness travellers are increasingly moving away from ‘one size fits all’ services and towards something more personalised to their own needs and goals.
International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM) is a global portfolio of events that connect luxury travel professionals, including buyers and suppliers, through pre-scheduled meetings, networking opportunities, and business development sessions.
ILTM Asia Pacific was held on 30 June 2025 at The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore. It attracted 740 luxury travel advisors representing 22 countries across APAC. ILTM Asia Pacific 2026 will take place in Singapore from 29 June to 2 July.
Read the full Buzz vs Reality report here.
Destination NSW supports wellness tourism growth
Data from Big Red Group shows demand for wellness tourism has surged in Australia.
In August 2024, Australia’s largest experience network released results from a study that showed the wellness experience category had seen a 228.4 per cent increase in bookings year on year.
Destination NSW offers a range of resources through its NSW First program to support accommodation, visitor attractions and tour providers to create wellness experiences.
While wellness travel is often associated with spas, health resorts and yoga retreats, NSW accommodation and experience providers can also add wellness elements into their visitor experiences.
Watch an on-demand webinar here on Creating Wellness Experiences featuring wellness expert Katherine Droga from Droga & Co., along with guest speakers from Currajong Retreat and Watersports Guru.
Destination NSW has also created a Quick Tips for Creating Wellness Experiences guide. View it here.
The 2025 Wellness Tourism Summit will be held in Byron Bay from 4-5 September 2025, supported proudly by Destination NSW.
The summit will bring together leaders in the wellness tourism space from around the globe, alongside operators and suppliers looking to grow their businesses or step into this industry. Learn more here.
NSW number one for luxury travel
NSW is well positioned to attract luxury wellness travellers. Data from Tourism Research Australia shows the state is the number one destination in the nation for luxury travel.
NSW welcomed 822,900 luxury holidaymakers in 2024, up 31.5 per cent versus 2023. Expenditure was up 21.1 per cent year on year to $2.9 billion.
Korea was the number one source of luxury travellers to NSW, followed by the United States, China, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.
The top regional destination for luxury travellers was the Blue Mountains, followed by Port Stephens and Wollongong/South Coast.
View more insights here.
