Non-profit organization, GWI, Launches Wellness Tourism Toolkit to Address Barriers and Promote Well-being in Tourism
Many businesses, governments, communities, and travelers have a limited understanding of wellness tourism. In response to this issue, the Global Wellness Institute (GWI) has launched a free toolkit aimed at identifying key barriers that prevent wellness tourism from delivering broader health and wellbeing benefits.
The toolkit presents policy ideas that can help maximize the benefits of tourism for everyone involved. By improving the quality of tourist destinations, making tourism more successful, and enhancing the well-being of local residents and visitors, the toolkit aims to create a more holistic approach to wellness in tourism.
Wellness in tourism introduces a new paradigm that goes beyond traditional luxury spa resorts and high-spending tourists. The goal is to unite the concepts of wellness and tourism in a broad sense, asking how wellness can support tourism and how tourism can support the well-being of travelers, destinations, and local residents.
Designed for anyone interested in integrating wellbeing into tourism, placemaking, and local development, the toolkit covers a range of policy strategies including wellness tourism, sustainable tourism, and quality of life. It can be applied by those in hospitality and tourism companies, tourism promotion, destination management, economic development, and advocacy for cultural heritage and the environment.
The toolkit addresses the current narrow view of wellness tourism, which often focuses on luxury coastal resorts and spa retreats. It highlights the importance of secondary wellness travel, where wellness may not be the primary goal of the trip but still influences decision-making throughout the journey.
According to GWI estimates, secondary wellness travel accounted for a significant portion of wellness tourism spending in 2022, indicating a growing interest in health and wellness across all types of travel. As consumers increasingly prioritize wellness in their travel decisions, it is essential for tourism stakeholders to adopt a broader approach that encompasses both primary and secondary well-being travel.
To access the Wellness Policy Toolkit and learn more about promoting well-being in tourism, interested individuals can download a free copy from the GWI website.