When going on a wellness vacation, what is it a customer is looking for? Is it just the usual pampering in a luxury retreat as far away as possible from the hectic lifestyles or are they ready for a holiday that is more profound and meaningful?
A lot of guests have reached the next phase of consumerism. They realized that materialism won’t fulfill their needs and they feel the urge to connect with nature, like-minded people and most importantly, with themselves. These consumers want to spend money on valuable experiences, rather than tangible goods. This is the point, when healing becomes a crucial fragment in the wellness concept.
Unsurprisingly, in a capitalized economy, future-oriented market players have recognized the potential that comes with it and are starting to move their investments towards this ever so fast growing segment in the wellness industry. Consumers are shifting away from purchasing materialistic products. Instead, they are looking for authentic transformational experiences and a soulful relationship with the brand. Predictably, having spent a nice weekend in a wellness resort will surely boost our mood for a brief moment and give us the feeling of having reached a momentarily state of well-being. However, after a few days back in real life, most of us feel exactly the same as we did before going on that trip. This phenomenon usually happens in multiple aspects of materialistic consumption. Especially when bearing in mind that the ‘experience economy’ has become an ordinary product itself.
Therefore, Claudia Roth, the founder of ‘Soul luxury’ and speaker at the HEALING SUMMIT 2018 takes this even further: ‘Consumers are in a pursuit of a more fulfilled lifestyle and increasingly turning their backs against superficial brand experiences. These niche brands are the new silent, global players – in business terms – Maslow’s top of the triangle Self-Actualization as a business strategy.’
Expectedly, this niche market and the wellness industry is growing rapidly, but we have to ask ourselves if a mere investment in renewed spa areas really picks up this revolutionary sense of actual transformation. Achieving a sense of personal transformation is a new form of luxury of inestimable value.
Therefore, healing becomes a necessary element for every hotel that wants to be well-positioned in the wellness industry and forces them to develop new competencies that allow them to meet the needs of well-being focused consumers, and being prepared for a prosperous future in the industry.
