H3629C: From 2015 to 2017, the Wellness Tourism Market Grew from $563bn to $639bn, or 6.5% Annually: Wellness and Medical Tourism Management Assignment, RP, Singapore

Background

From 2015 to 2017, the wellness tourism market grew from $563bn to $639bn, or 6.5% annually – more than twice as fast as the growth of tourism overall, according to Global Wellness Institute (GWI).

By 2022, GWI predicts the market will reach a whopping $919bn – representing 18% of all global tourism – with well over a billion individual wellness trips to take place around the globe. Anne Dimon, president of the Wellness Tourism Association, adds that while wellness travelers can be anyone, the bulk tends to be higher-educated women between ages 30 and 60.

Yet despite its new visibility, the idea of traveling with the express purpose of improving well-being is by no means novel. Think back to the pilgrimages taken to the Dead Sea, ancient baths in Rome, and natural hot springs across Asia – or the yoga retreats and Thai colon-cleansing holidays of more recent decades. But according to GWI, wellness tourism today is about much more than the destination or activities – it is an extension of the very values and lifestyle of the traveler.

However, now with the Covid-19 situation, many of the wellness tourism industries have been impacted especially with the fall in international travel. Your hotel company has been looking to attract a new segment of wellness travelers and is planning to launch a new Wellness initiative in the second half of 2021. In order to be sustainable, it is important to create a unique concept that meets the needs of its target market and is interesting and sustainable.

Assignment:

Select any ONE(1) of the following companies that attract wellness tourist and answer all the questions below in your coursework assessment:

1. Six Senses
2. Mandarin Oriental
3. Four Seasons
4. Canyon Ranch
5. Accor Group- Choose any hotel brand of the group

• List and explain FOUR (4) major current initiatives by the Company to attract Wellness Tourism travelers to their hotels/resort.
• Discuss how these initiatives can contribute to an increase in wellness tourists for that Company in the second half of 2020.
• List and explain the TWO (2) Threats (SWOT) of your chosen company in terms of the current state of the Wellness Tourism industry in 2020.
• List and explain how any THREE (3) of the factors of PESTLE can impact the success of your chosen company.
• Recommend a distinctive wellness program concept that can help your chosen company in the second half of 2021 to attract Wellness travelers. Please ensure that in the recommendation, you include the following considerations:

a) Must be aligned to the company’s mission and vision
b) New or repurposed programs and services
c) New facilities or technology
d) Include sustainable practices

• Recommend TWO (2) new market segments to market your choice company in order for their Wellness tourism program to be successful.
• Discuss with TWO (2) examples of how you can incorporate the authentic local elements to attract these new market segments.
• Explain with TWO (2) examples of what changes you can recommend to the Hotel operations to better meet the needs of the new market segment.