Future of beauty, travel, spa and wellness in Europe revealed

10 predictions on the future of beauty, travel, spa and wellness in Europe have been released by the Global Wellness Summit (GWS). 

The GWS asked European CEOs of top travel, spa and beauty companies, as well as leading economists and researchers, to forecast where wellness is headed.

Predictions ranged from European nations increasingly “legislating wellness” by taxing unhealthy products to a surge in new wellness properties and the discovery of little-known traditions across Eastern Europe.

The 10 predictions on the future of the industry in Europe are:

1. Europe has long been the world’s wellness leader; has seen stagnation in last decade; but investment and innovation is coming

2. Wellness will be legislated: European nations will increasingly tax unhealthy food and beverages and “big food” businesses will remake themselves as wellness companies

3. Tourism will be Europe’s fastest growing sector and wellness travel will grow even faster

4. “Get Thee to a Wellness Monastery”: European wellness resorts will refocus on deep authenticity, peace, quiet and nature

5. Spa 2.0: rise of the European mini-kur – packing in a two to three-hour bathing ritual, spa treatments, nutritious food, movement, relaxation and meditation/mindfulness will trend

6. A wave of new wellness properties and traditions – from the Baltic to the Black to the Caspian Seas – will be discovered by the world as European wellness seekers “head East”

7. The first true chain of hot springs resorts will stretch across Eastern Europe

8. Wellness will rewrite the European beauty market: “beauty from the inside out” overtakes “hope in a jar” – this philosophy will shake up marketing strategies and sales monopolies of big cosmetic/skincare houses

9. High-tech beauty (devices and more aggressive procedures) finally hits Europe

10. New, important distinctions will be made between “wellness,” “wellbeing” and “happiness”

Susie Ellis, chairman and chief executive of the GWS, said: “Europe pioneered the holistic wellness concept and it attracts more than half of the world’s international tourist arrivals, and is the largest spa, wellness tourism and beauty market in the world."

“And while Europe has long been far ahead in wellness, other regions are fast catching up. The focus in Europe needs to be on the future and innovation.”

The 2016 Global Wellness Summit will be held in Kitzbühel in Tyrol, Austria, on October 17–19.