Omnitrak Research Finds Health and Wellness Travel was Redefined Post-Pandemic

With recognition of the health benefits of leisure travel rising, health and wellness activities extend beyond the spa.

HONOLULU, May 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- As emotional and mental health concerns surged during the pandemic, so has research pointing to the healing effects of outdoor/nature experiences and active lifestyles – activities and lifestyles which align closely with the leisure travel experience.

According to mounting research published by the American Psychological Association, nature experiences benefit both physical and psychological human well­being. Further, findings from the Danish Twin Study, reveal that lifestyle and environmental factors are the primary drivers of longevity (80%), having four times the influence on one's longevity than an individual's genetic makeup (20%).

With increased attention paid to the health benefits of a range of leisure travel activities, Health and Wellness travel has also expanded to encompass a broader range of travel experiences beyond the traditional spa/health club visit.

1. Health and Wellness travelers are now motivated to travel by diverse experiences, broadening the mix of destinations in their consideration set.

Historically the sole domain of spas and health retreats, travelers seeking to bolster their Health and Wellness are now motivated to travel by a wider range of desires, including Outdoor experiences (27%), Rejuvenation (19%), Entertainment (13%), Family-friendly experiences (13%) and Exploration (11%).

2. As Health and Wellness travel motivations have broadened, so has the range of destination activities such travelers engage in.

Driven by a desire for outdoor experiences, rejuvenation and entertainment scenes, Health and Wellness traveler motivations manifest themselves in top travel activities ranging from Shopping (28%) to Historic sites (22%), Hiking/backpacking (19%) and Rural sightseeing (16%).

3. Health and Wellness overnight travelers out-number day trippers by nearly two-to-one, and out-spend overall U.S. travelers.

Despite being more likely to take day trips than overall domestic leisure travelers, Health and Wellness travelers spend significantly more money on their trips (i.e., spending nearly $1,000 per party per trip, + 21% more than overall U.S. travelers). Health and Wellness travelers' propensity for active engagement in a broad spectrum of activities drives these higher spending levels.

Why This Matters

With U.S. residents dealing with heightened stress/anxiety post-pandemic, health and wellness has been redefined to extend beyond physical wellbeing, to emotional, social and mental wellbeing. With this shift, Health and Wellness travelers are now driven by a desire to for the outdoors, entertainment, history, local culture – motivations not traditionally associated with this segment. At a high level, destinations already integrate these activities into marketing messages, but now they have the opportunity to market these activities through the lens of health and wellness.

Here's Our Take

"As Health and Wellness travel motivations have broadened so have the number of destinations in travelers' consideration sets, and this opens up marketing opportunities for destinations which have not traditionally positioned themselves in the minds of such travelers," said Chris Kam, Omnitrak President and COO.

"Post covid, more travelers, including representative numbers of millennials, Gen X and Gen Z, are motivated to hit the refresh button by traveling away from over-booked lives and responsibilities. They are neither escapists nor spiritualists; they are urban dwellers stimulating brain cells in nature, consumers pursuing passions in history, adventure or sports, or parents wanting their own outdoor or self- exploration time through travel. They are in daily peak energy mode at work and at home during stressful global times," Omnitrak Founder & CEO Pat Loui said.

"This segment is re-defining get-aways as Refresh Travel. When targeting these travelers, destination marketers now have an opportunity to present local sights, sounds and flavors in terms of purposeful re-charging to enhance travelers' lifestyles," Loui added. "Today, destinations and the travel industry have two missions: preserving nature and community sustainability and pleasing these travelers. It used to be the opposite."

About Omnitrak

Omnitrak founded in Honolulu, Hawaii in 1981, is a leading strategic research firm with a strong presence in the consumer, travel and retail sectors in North America and Asia. Omnitrak works with some of North America's largest state tourism offices, which subscribe to the company's TravelTrakAmerica™ tracking research, providing timely monthly insights from 12,000+ U.S. respondents. The company serves a broad array of public- and private-sector clients, helping to grow their markets with Quality of Place/City Pride and Community Sentiment research. Additionally, destination marketing to develop new products and increase brand loyalty is supported by Omnitrak's TravelTrak America syndicated research and Integrated Marketing Effectiveness insights. For more information, email: [email protected]

Media Contact

Cassie Kim, SDA International, 1 8089494131, [email protected]

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SOURCE Omnitrak