Nature and crafting among top wellness trends for 2019
Wellbeing trends of 2019 will see a return to more basic ideas of nature and crafting, according to global spa and wellness consultancy, Raison d’Etre.
With a more dynamic approach to the ‘happiness’ industry, people are choosing to reinvigorate their relationships with face-to-face contact and using innovative design to encourage social engagement for mental and physical wellbeing.
“Our team is spread across the globe, so we have a finger on the pulse of consumer behaviour in different countries, which we share in our creative Think Tank sessions. This allows us to see patterns and interact and compare different emerging trends," says Anna-Cari Gund, managing director at Raison d’Etre.
The top five wellness trends that have emerged through its international partners are;
In-real-life meetings
Face-to-face meetings will become increasingly important, both in business as well as socially in 2019. With retail increasingly moving online and high street shops struggling to provide experiences that will bring people into their physical spaces, spas are set to play an important role as hubs for social interaction, according to Raison d’Etre.
This return to in-real-life meetings will influence the design and focus of spa space allocations, re-thinking the function and use of public spaces in spas, but also sparking the discussion on whether wellness and wellbeing is a luxury or should be made available and affordable for everyone.
Back to basics travel trends
An increase in environmental awareness is creating a shift in how people are travelling and what they are looking for when traveling. Raison d’Etre suggests that the industry should look at how they can offer authentic experiences in a world that has become a tourist destination.
People are looking to experience life and themselves up close and personal. The challenge to the wellness industry is to move away from complicated explanations and ask questions such as "How can we truly build facilities that encourage relationships with self, others and nature, without the sales pitch to go with it?".
From mindfulness to kindness |
Raison d’Etre believe that the consumer version of Mindfulness is slowly in decline and will be replaced by an awareness of altruism and kindness.
For the wellness industry this might mean showing generosity towards clients, and care for staff, with shorter spa menus that assess the mood of a client, rather than a list of sequence based treatments and rituals.
21st century Arts & Crafts movement
A surprising trend will be the resurgence of traditional arts and handicrafts, such as knitting, painting, woodcraft and music. Knit & Natter groups can be found all over the world, where people gather to craft together.
The think tank believes this will also influence spas oin 2019, with more creative workshops and mixology bars being created and included in the spa offerings; where guests can learn to make their own spa products or distil essential oils after a foraging excursion
Mental Health Awareness
The discussions on mental health, suicide prevention and social care have only just begun and so businesses will need to look at how their spas and facilities address these issues, not only for their guests and clients but also amongst their staff.
Trends such as more basic travel, face-to-face contact and the rise of arts and crafts are natural responses to the issues clients and staff are facing around individual mental health, but the discussions need to also be taken to the level of overall wellness and wellbeing of societies and cultures, rather than being discussed as an isolated phenomenon.
Raison d’Etre suggest there is the potential for the spa and wellness industry to take a leading role in offering spaces where mental wellbeing can be addressed and explored in multiple ways. The industry has always had an educational aspect, teaching clients to understand their physical wellbeing and perhaps this can be tweaked to incorporate awareness and focus on emotional and mental wellbeing.