6 Wellness Trends to Watch Out For In 2020
Raison d’Etre has released its 2020 Trends Report which puts forward the top ideas and movements that will be the key drivers for change and innovation in the spa and wellness industry in 2020 and beyond.
The report seeks to analyse how current world trends, social movements, new research and changing customer demands are affecting the wellness industry today, with a close look at the existing trends that are predicted to grow in popularity and the latest thinking that is likely to trigger the next big thing.
On the 2020 Trends Report, Anna-Cari Gund, Managing Director at Raison d’Etre, says; “Our team is spread across the globe, which gives us crucial insight into consumer behaviour in multiple markets. We share our knowledge of these markets in our creative Think Tank sessions which allows us to see patterns and identify emerging trends. We’re excited to present our latest Trends Report and look forward to seeing the evolution of the spa and wellness industry next year and as the decade continues.”
Six of the most influential ideas and movements from the 2020 Trends Report are:
1. Energy Medicine
In 2020, Raison d’Etre predicts that energy medicine will be increasingly adapted by the wellness industry to help clients to achieve happier and healthier lives. The practice is based on the belief that energy is the living force at the heart of our wellbeing and this can be tapped into in order to redress both physical and emotional imbalances and improve our overall health. An example of this trend from 2019 is Six Senses Douro Valley in Portugal’s pioneering programme, “Grow a New Body,” which combined ancient shamanic healing techniques with the latest medicine and nutrition to prevent disease and increase longevity.
2. All this food
Plant-based, vegan, paleo, keto, alkaline, bullet proof, pescatarian, flexitarian, DASH, Ornish, Nordic – the list of choices when it comes to our diets is becoming increasingly varied. Fivelements Retreat Bali is widely regarded as the most food conscious retreat in Asia, with an epicurean plant-based menu which offers guests a gastronomical journey which aims to nourish body, mind and soul.
Raison d’Etre predicts that this trend is only going to continue, with even more focus on personalised nutrition and flexibility when it comes to defining which camp we fall into. Meals will be adjusted to what our bodies need at the time, our circumstances and our goals – and what’s best for our brains, hearts and guts.
3. Eat, Sleep, Repeat – A focus on our circadian rhythm
Recognising how important our circadian rhythms are to our general sense of wellbeing, Raison d’Etre predicts that hotels and spas will increasingly invest in programmes which are designed to get our natural rhythms back on track.
An existing example within the market is Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas’ partnership with Timeshifter, an app from Harvard Medical School Associate Professor Steven Lockley, Ph.D. which offers guests access to personalised jet lag plans based on the traveller’s sleep pattern, chronotype and flight plan. It’s likely that the long-haul travel industry, airports and airlines will be at the forefront of this trend.
4. The pursuit for a sustainable future
One of the biggest issues of 2019, so much so that perhaps its most notable advocate, Greta Thunberg, was named Time’s Person of the Year, Raison d’Etre predicts that sustainability will continue to dominate the agenda in the wellness industry and beyond in 2020.
More than ever before, individuals, companies and entire industries are expected to act on commitments to sustainable practices and conservation efforts, rather than simply supporting the cause in principle. In addition to banning single-use plastic and overhauling packaging, the future will see more and more green strategies and innovations to help save the planet, with increasing numbers of companies placing sustainability at the heart of everything they do, such as 1 Hotels.
5. Playgrounds for adults
Appealing to each adult’s inner child is the rise of ‘hands on’ experiences, especially in luxury hotels, where interactive masterclasses like the Expert-Led workshops from LUX* Resorts and hotels offer guests the chance to mix their own masks and scrubs, cook real pizza and pasta with an Italian chef, go berry and grape picking and many more.
Raison d’Etre predicts that 2020 will see even more of these workshops or ‘playgrounds for adults’ where guests can learn new skills, providing opportunities for couples and families to reconnect and for solo travellers to discover a new form of meditation, allowing the mind to relax by keeping the body busy.
6. Wi-Fone
The explosion of social media and mobile phone usage in recent years has seen an increase in addiction to instant gratification, a dulling of interest in real-life feelings and emotions and a decline in social interaction. Although technology is an incredible advancement in many ways, it’s important to regulate our usage for our own wellbeing.
Raison d’Etre predicts that apps promoting healthy usage habits will continue to rise, as will initiatives such as Wyndham Hotels’ phone-free zones and digital detox destinations allowing you disconnect from tech and reconnect with nature, loved ones, and ourselves.
