By Vipula Wanigasekera –
Dr. Vipula Wanigasekera
The Global Tourism Initiative defines wellness tourism as a travel movement ‘driven by the desire to maintain or improve one’s health, manage stress, and achieve a better work-life balance’. And therefore, it goes beyond traditional relaxation activities but focuses more on holistic well-being.
Wellness tourism also clears out ambiguity in categorizing certain activities such as Meditation, Yoga, Ayurveda, Pilates, SPA treatment, Medical treatments, and other relaxation movements like spiritual and nature tourism, all of which can be brought under the umbrella of Wellness.
The industry of wellness travel carries a bright future as per experts. Travelers are drawn to ancient wellness tenets today which promote holistic and natural approaches, self-healing, and preventive care that emphasize fitness, nutrition and spiritual practices.
Wellness tourism frequently incorporates ecological practices and promotes a connection with nature as it encompasses activities like forest bathing, nature hikes, bird watching, eco-tours, and living in harmony with nature.
Other activities such as hiking, biking, trekking, and some adventures can easily be placed under wellness although they are not explicitly mentioned that way but the inner motivation may well be wellness driven.
Recent years even before Covid period, have seen a significant increase in wellness travel. The potential for wellness tourism is expected to increase as more and more tourists place a high priority on their overall health.
UNWTO has already conducted research, organized conferences, and collaborated with stakeholders to promote wellness tourism as a viable sector within the broader tourism industry.
Other International organisations dedicated to supporting and promoting the wellness tourism sector include the Global Wellness Initiative (GWI) and the Wellness Tourism Association (WTA). Most recently, European Union funded TOT workshops in Colombo involving stakeholders connected to Wellness tourism.
Wellness tourism (including domestic and regional travel) was a $720 billion market in 2019 and then fell to $436 billion in 2020 for obvious reasons. GWI now projects that wellness tourism will grow rapidly in the coming years +20.9% annually with the market reaching $1.1 trillion in 2025.
GWI Statistics further show some intriguing figures.
World travelers made over 600 million international and domestic wellness trips in 2020, down from 936 million trips in 2019.
International wellness tourists spend over 35% more than the typical international tourist. Domestic wellness tourists spend 177% more than the average domestic tourist.
Secondary wellness travelers account for 92% of all wellness trips and 90% of wellness tourism expenditures meaning that wellness will be a vital aspect of any leisure or business trip.
Spa revenues were growing by 8.7% annually prior to Pandemic but the sector is recovering fast to reach pre-pandemic levels and to around $151 billion in 2025.
Thermal/mineral springs revenues will recover quickly to pre-pandemic levels and will reach $90 billion in 2025. One should look at the potential in Kanniya, Madunagala, Wahawa, Kapurella, Nelumwewa etc provided they are managed with standards.
The healthy eating, nutrition, & weight loss sector grew from $912 billion in 2019 to $946 billion in 2020 despite the pandemic. Many Sri Lankan Hoteliers have already gone into organic farming in response to this.
Primary Wellness tourism entails travel for specific wellness experience such as Yoga, Meditation, Ayurveda or combining any of these. Therefore, one aspect that drives future wellness tourism is the desire for customized experiences.
Secondary wellness tourism involves trips where wellness is not the primary motivation for the trip, but where wellness affects some choices and activities because the traveler would like to maintain good health and/or their wellness lifestyle during the trip.
Naturally, similar to the pioneers in Ayurvedic Tourism hospitality sector in Sri Lanka, the DMCs are also expected to design tailored wellness programs that cater to their specific needs and preferences. It may be rejuvenating spa retreat, a mindfulness-focused nature retreat, or a fitness-centric adventure that are depicted in personalized wellness itineraries.
The article written by Penny Watson to ‘Traveller’ in the ‘Sydney Morning Held’, under the title ‘How Bali became the world’s best place to rejuvenate and relax’ is well justified its contents.
Bali is one destination that foresaw and benefitted from rising wellness tourism by swiftly moving from traditional beach holiday, to holistic rejuvenation through combined therapies like Usada, Yoga, Spa Therapy and Meditation.
There are two aspects that the destinations need to bear in mind when taking wellness on board for tourism. a) offering authentic products and services and b) ability to tailor them to suit the visitor experience including family packages that will strengthen family bonds and create lasting memories centered around well-being.
Sri Lanka carries added values such as nature and culture that will perfectly blend with Wellness programs with efforts being made to uplift the industry from where it is now.
*The writer is former Diplomat, Tourism Official, EU Wellness tourism expert and a lecturer for ECU
Sarath / June 28, 2023
Wellness tourism we learn is driven by the desire to maintain or improve the health of tourists, manage their stress, and achieve a better work-life balance for them.
Yes, if we can’t achieve these luxuries let us at least facilitate such achievements for the privileged tourists who visit us. We can earn merit in the next life.
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Sinhala_Man / July 2, 2023
Brilliant, Sarath.
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I understood the sarcasm; I wonder whether old codger, and more especially “leelagemalli” got it.
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Panini Edirisinhe of Bandarawela (NIC 483111444V)
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Lasantha Pethiyagoda / June 30, 2023
The author is presumably with Edith Cowan University in Australia. Tourists have always been taken for a ride when visiting Sri Lanka. Many developed nations have as a pillar of their society, mutual trust. However, to their utter dismay, the foreign tourists are subjected to fleecing, concocted lies about history (thankfully they can research the history independently online) and the “authentic” ingredients in products displayed for sale or administered as part of “wellness” therapy. In most part, the oils used are coconut oil strongly scented with spices to appear like herbal medication. They have no intrinsic healing properties but the effect of the aromas and the warm tropical environment in which they are administered, act like a placebo and many people feel better. However, the deceit is staggering, in that astronomical prices are charged for cheap procedures and the whole system is geared towards exploitation and false advertising. Tourism is not spared the evils present in Sri Lanka as every other endeavour is also steeped in deceit, skullduggery and duplicity. Unless these attitudes change, and proper infrastructure developed, none of these industries will flourish in the long term.
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leelagemalli / July 1, 2023
Dear Vipula,
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Discipline and law and order are fundamental in any country that intends to work with developed nations. Have we achieved that levels ? I think we are far from norms in terms of these levels yet today.
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These are not new but the basics. Our people are afraid to open their mouths against the wrong doings of those people. Their indifference and complete ignorance have made people accustomed to any wrongdoing. In fact, with revolutionary information technology, things should be friendly to people anywhere, regardless of their poverty levels. However, our countries have dichotomized the picture due to their complete ignorance.
Whichever countries they are, if they maintain some kind of discipline, be it wellness tourism or general tourism, they will flourish like in Bali and Maldives. My constant question is that even if smaller countries can manage it, why on earth
For example, medical tourism in Bavarian and Northern Germany is a profitable business for that country and their target customers are from oil-rich Middle Eastern countries.
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tbc
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leelagemalli / July 1, 2023
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Lately, I have noticed that the way the street dwellers treat visiting tourists in Kandy is a form of harassment. Some of them tried to avoid them in front of my eyes.
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I believe stricter law enforcement will help Bali and the Maldives achieve their goals.
As far as I can see, people have ignored the norms for so long in our hell, distorted by the Rajapaksa brothers and the Sangha brigade and their media whores.
As a frequent visitor to Sri Lanka from europe, I see Beetle chewers spitting wherever my eyes did not spare me such as Kandy, Katunayake, Galle, Kiribathgoda, Kadawata, Paliagoda, Colombo.
People are used to ignore it because they have to struggle in their life today than 4 years ago.
I think the mentality of the majority can be changed only if they are trained to respect the norms.
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It can be started through temples, schools and other places where scholars and women can set an example.
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Sinhala_Man / July 1, 2023
“leelagemalli”,
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Yes we all make mistakes, and it’s great to admit them.
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However, even if you now realise that you wrote something that you once wrote clearly indicates that you ought not to be laying down the law for others. You blithely write things for which you don’t take any real responsibility.
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I wouldn’t expect CT to delete any comment. Be more careful when you write. Write less; think with greater disciple, and once something is pointed out, don’t repeat the same mistake.
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Many Lankans have the nasty and unnecessary habit of chewing “betel” leaves with chunam a
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leelagemalli / July 1, 2023
Dear Sinhala Man,
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Because CT works with guiding principles unlike you.
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I think I answered briefly. Don’t you think so?
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Btw we are still waiting for your feedback; Let me repeat that, you said your computer and your internet connection were recently restored and that’s the reason you want to spend time for getting back to us. However, as usual, you again deliberately ignored it. So it’s time to enlighten us with your long awaited answers… Thanks. .I have summarized them again below.
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a) As you are AKD expert, tell us the difference between Viatmaga and NPP- what kind of special attributes do the NPPrs possess ?
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b) How will your beloved AKD (not having any kind of external qualifications) act with the Sinhala Buddhist monks (cancer promoters in Sri Lanka) – one of the crucial factors in lanken politics..?
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c) AKD repeats to his crowd in Melbourne “We don’t want anything, but please join us” – may I ask you as the spokesperson of AKD; how AKD et al will bring dollars to sinking Sri Lanka? Does he own “Aladdin’s Wonderful Lamp”? Please answer this…… we have been awaiting your thoughts on this for the last 6 months.
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d) Although you dare to add AKD links again and again, you have deliberately ignored above questions.
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I am not against you, but I respect you as a hardworking citizen, however, it is sad that there are no coherent answers to our questions.
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old codger / July 1, 2023
SM,
“Be more careful when you write. Write less; think with greater disciple,”
Physician…….
(Fill in the blanks)
Once something is pointed out, don’t repeat the same mistake.
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Sinhala_Man / July 1, 2023
Sorry. That slipped out involuntarily – my fault!
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Betel leaves, chunam (lime) and tobacco. And then they spit it out. Most reprehensible.
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No one that I know eats the insects classified as “beetles“. Also the group of musicians known as the “Beatles” ( John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr) probably spelt their name so as the emphasise the prominent “beats” in their music. nimal fernando will know better than me!
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You just don’t care what you write. Insult me all that you want, but I don’t believe your stories about the JVP forcing cannibalism on their opponents from 1988 to 1990. Substantiate! I know a few things that happened; I started writing them here:
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https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/mass-graves-lack-of-political-will-culture-of-impunity-in-sri-lanka-exposed/
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I had a chat with Bandula Idamegama, but there was no follow-up by him. I rang him just now (2.31 pm), and followed up with an sms, but no response today.
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That day he was drinking after his (Tamil) wife’s relatives had left for Batticaloa. One of his wife’s sisters was married to this man:
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taraki_Sivaram
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If it is lies that I tell, then you can expose them! If you want to make out that the present leaders of the NPP are murderers, why don’t you expose what the individuals who now matter, or the JVP has done during the past 29 years?
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Panini Edirisinhe (NIC 483111444V) of Bandrawela
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leelagemalli / July 1, 2023
Panini Edirisinhe (NIC 483111444V) of Bandrawela
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We are sorry that you cannot easily get out of your GURUTHUMA complex.
Do you really think I don’t understand the difference between BEETLEs (Arthropodians) and BETEL LEAVE (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betel)
as one who speaks several European languages (Dutch, German, French, Swiss German apart from English)? How dare you keep following me like this? Is this another red herring on our long-awaited questions about NPP????????
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I’m sorry to be rude, you-like self-proclaimed experts wouldn’t see it further. That is why our country and nation are stagnant like the water of Lake Baira.
How many times have you wanted to teach CT viewers the difference between “a year” and “an year” not so long ago??????.
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If you really want to play the GURUTHUMA role, please voluntarily teach the poor YOUTH of UVA province (the poorest state in SRILANKA next to North and east) so they can find jobs in Dubai, Korea and other countries that need skilled workers.Statistics prove that many return from abroad after seeking jobs are lack of even basics in English Language.
Besides, That would definitely do something to slow down the shrinking economy. But to chase me, because of a word or mispellings of a word ? Funny is that so ?
May our Guruthuma be blessed with brains !!!!!!!.
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I am sorry for being rude, but your behaviour is very STRANGE.
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Sinhala_Man / July 1, 2023
The time now is 4.42. I have only just submitted my erlier comment which was quite ready (bold lettering and all), by 2.31 pm,
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I thought I would check with Bandaula Idamegama, He responded and we talked until 4.36. I rang him gain at 4.37 for just a minute. He said that he had not cut me off. I explained to him that my Samsung phone has been designed to end a conversation after 90 minutes. Why? Because they have felt that two absent minded people could well forget to end their five minute conversation. He didn’t know that because his phone is Huawei.
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But he is very much to blame for not having opened my email which I had sent him He writes well in English, and talks well in English, but doesn’t support the current NPP – for various reasons that he gave me. But h had listened to everything from AKD in Brisbane, but his son who is in Brisbane hadn’t attended the meeting.
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Worse, he had not looked aaat the article (where I now realise a lot of other disappearances
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Sinhala_Man / July 1, 2023
Now how did that last comment get on? Another “premature ejaculation” as old codger says! I was trying to remove the extra letters in the word “at” which has appeared as “aaat”
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Worse still, he had not yet looked at the email which I had sent him on “Sat, 24 Jun, 00:47”. I told him that the comments here,
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https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/mass-graves-lack-of-political-will-culture-of-impunity-in-sri-lanka-exposed/
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came to an abrupt halt owing to his non response. He will now look. Bur he was very clear about what happened to his brother. He also learnt many things from me! This civilized exchange of ideas, and not invective is necessary, but not the delay.
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Sinhala_Man / July 1, 2023
LM,
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It is true that sometimes the NPP, including AKD, have re-considered things that have been glibly said. For instance, this article by Professor Rohan Samarjeeva:
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https://www.advocata.org/commentary-archives/2021/03/02/how-can-affordable-electricity-be-assured-24×7
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seems to have led to a re-think on energy, although the emphasis for now has to be on the need for an election to assess the wishes of the people. How can we possibly formulate plans on technical subjects without careful consideration by experts? And the experts will not be just NPP loyalists.
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The problem with Gota was his arrogance, once he said something he didn’t ever want to reconsider the wisdom of what he once thought. That inflexibility is not to be seen in the NPP. And you can expect honesty, and proper, objective investigation into the conduct of affairs by all governments for 75 years, but it certainly seems that it is the Rajapaksas have to been the most corrupt. I’d expect them to be punished but not with your sheer uncontrolled fury. Firmness has to tempered by rationality.
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leelagemalli / July 1, 2023
Dear Readers,
apologies for my spelling mistake in my above comment. It should be “betel-chewing”.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betel
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It caused our estranged SM to abuse the web space for no good reason. He is waiting to correct our spelling as if he has nothing better to do. I find his comments hilarious.
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leelagemalli / July 1, 2023
Dear Ct,
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Please delete my last comments that were erroneously passed for publication
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nimal fernando / July 2, 2023
Can any of that “Wellness” be provided to the country to make itself well? …….. It’ll be daft for anyone to seek wellness surrounded by acute unwellness.
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There is cure for wellness where most of our pols should be sent …………. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4731136/
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