AusLeisure

The change in Australians’ holiday patterns away from ‘fly-and-flop’ vacations to more visits with an emphasis on wellness and activity and the growth in health enhancing retreats has seen Health and Fitness Travel, specialists in wellness holidays worldwide, report a 300% growth in demand since its launch in 2014.

As the business celebrates itr second birthday this month, co-founder and Managing Director Samantha Lippiatt explains “wellness travel is here to stay.

“It used to be that a holiday was a chance to overindulge and laze about, but now, most of us are focusing on improving our quality of life and embracing a healthy lifestyle and this is trickling over to our travel plans or even becoming the focus.”

Established in the UK in 2010, Health and Fitness Travel is focused on shifting perceptions of healthy holidays into mainstream acceptance locally and it seems to be working.

According to the US-based Global Wellness Institute, health and wellness tourism has now become one of the biggest growing sectors of the travel industry, and will continue to grow in popularity with projected growth of more than 9% per year predicted through 2017 - nearly 50% faster than overall global tourism.

Data provider, Wealth Insight sees that wellness travel is not only here to stay, but is set to become the jewel in the travel crown, explaining “rising numbers of female millionaires and billionaires around the world may help drive a rise in luxury health and wellness holidays and women-only hotel services.”

This predition is consistent with the Australia’s experience, with female Australian travellers making up almost 75% of those travelling for wellbeing, with most travellers seeking a healthy holiday alternative departing from the east coast; NSW (33%), Victoria (30%) and Queensland (17%).

With increasing demand activity and health, Australian’s holidays now reflect this trend, with an increase in enquiries and bookings for fitness holidays, yoga breaks and weight loss retreats.

Expecting to see the numbers of Australian healthy holiday seekers continue to rise, Health and Fitness Travel, also predict an increase in active family adventures and ‘bleisure’ trips; mixing wellness with business for a better work-life balance.

With wellness and fitness holidays undeniably on the increase, from aerial yoga in Thailand, beach bootcamp training in Bali, sub alpine hiking in New Zealand and surfing in the Maldives, people of all interests are now looking to utilise their precious holiday time to prioritise their health and fitness.

For advice, guidance and booking visit www.healthandfitnesstravel.com.au or call 1300 551 353

9th March 2016 - NEW MARUIA HOT SPRINGS RESORT OWNERS LOOK TO EXPAND IN INTERNATIONAL WELLNESS MARKET

3rd Febraury 2016 - MASSIVE GROWTH IN BUSHWALKING AS ‘GREEN EXERCISE’ AND HOLIDAY ACTIVITY

29th April 2015 - AUSTRALIAN BACKED WELLNESS RESORT PRESENTS A NEW APPROACH TO LIFESTYLE TOURISM

4th February 2015 - FITNESS AND WELLNESS HOLIDAYS A GROWING TREND

2nd December 2014 - NEW CLINIC ADVANCES NORFOLK ISLAND AS A WELLNESS DESTINATION

20th October 2010 - KEEPING FIT AND ACTIVE ON THE HIGH SEAS

19th August 2010 - TAPPING INTO HEALTH AND WELLNESS TOURISM

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