The Impacts of Increasing Wellness Demand on Resorts - Essay Example

? Hype or Reality: The Health and Wellness Industry Is Being Proclaimed As A Revolution in Consumer Demand and Potentially Worth Trillions of DollarsBy [Name of Student] [Name of Institution] 2689 Words [Date] Introduction Recent times have experienced a record increase in the number of resorts, spas, and hotels offering luxurious surroundings of natural beauty, which provide advanced health and education facilities, lifestyle training, and myriad other opportunities to enhance consumers’ health and wellness. Were it not for the increased demand for these classes of luxurious and health/wellness-focused products, such resorts would not have become quite widespread. In fact, every aspect and nuance of these tourist facilities has been carefully designed to achieve levels of excellence that by far exceeds that sought by most wellness- and health-conscious consumers (Bookman & Bookman, 2007). To satisfy the demand and expectations of these health-conscious consumers further, the tourism industry is awash with resorts, spas, and hotels, which offer superior consumer services such as comprehensive spa, bodywork treatments, indoor/outdoor physical activity, delicious and health-conscious cuisine, interactive health, and wellness education programs assisted by world-class professionals. Moreover, the increased demand for a relaxing and freshening environment has prompted many a resort to be established in serene and gentle surroundings with clean and lapping river/swamp waters, breathtaking sceneries, and fresh forest air, all of which combine to create a powerful wellness and health experience for consumers (Bookman & Bookman, 2007). The rising demand for wellness and health products has also implied that resort and hotel managements provide services that empower consumers to change their lifestyles for the better, thus bringing out the best out of their body’s natural beauty, healing abilities, longevity, and wellbeing (Ginger, 2009). Importantly, products that bring about healing from illnesses and learning skills to consumers have been incorporated in resort and hotel wellness and health programs as their demand continues to increase. This paper explores the impacts that the rising demand of wellness and health products by consumers has on hotel and resort management. The Impacts of Increasing Wellness/Health Demand on Resorts The increasing health and wellness consciousness among consumers is one of the major factors that have set the international industry/trend that is health and wellness tourism (Reisinger, 2009). Most of these health-conscious consumers seek to improve their health and well being as they travel to various destinations and sample various hospitality treats and experiences. They do not only set out to feel better but also to look better, in the process enjoying effects such as slowed aging, reduced discomfort, lower stress levels, and relieved pain. In addition, these health- and wellness-conscious consumers have the privilege of partaking in the consumption of natural supplements such as minerals and vitamins, which further improve their health. With the number of health-conscious consumers on a rapid increase, the number of resorts and hotels joining the health and wellness industry has steadily risen in recent times. However, only a few have managed to cover the entire scope of services and goods currently demanded by wellness and health consumers (Lagace, 2008). That is, some resorts and hotels have not been in a position to offer the range of health and wellness services and goods offered by spas. Nonetheless, a good number of resorts and day spas are now offering a variety of health and wellness services and have added more health and wellness programming options in their services. It is important at this point to distinguish between wellness and health since the two products have quite different meanings and applications. While health tourism refers to the services designed for tourists or clients with medical conditions and requires the experiences of these healing therapies, those seeking wellness services are generally healthy and would like to maintain or improve their well being. As a result of the increase in wellness and health product demands, spas, hotels, and resort managements have been forced to expand their wellness and health services, more so for the benefit of guests whose destinations are determined by the availability of spa therapies and other wellness programs (Smith & Puczko, 2008). That more consumers are today leaning towards wellness and health services in the tourism industry has thus led to the multiplication of day spas, resorts, and hotels in major cities and tourist attraction sites in the world. In other terms, the increase in demand for wellness and health services in the tourism industry is a blessing for potential investors in the industry. It is thus imperative upon the management of various resorts, spas, and hotels to incorporate wellness and health services in their products so that they do not lose out on this lucrative opportunity. Service Range and Expansion The current trends in the tourism sector have revealed that wellness and health services have become more relevant to travelers as more tourists seek to enhance their health, look, and wellbeing. Resort and hotel managements should therefore expand their range of services to include even medical spas, which would give medically unwell clients the right prescriptions for their health and wellness (Erfurt-Cooper, & Cooper, 2009). In addition, wellness and health programs that target medical purposes such as preventative health treatments, health and wellness education, regimens, nutrition, and fitness should be embraced. The fact that a vacation could imply quite different things to different tourists should also be addressed. For instance, some may just opt to travel to foreign cities to view cultures, wildlife, scenes, and even to take photographs. On the other hand, other tourists choose to visit beach resorts, spas, and hotels for relaxation, wellness, and health purposes (Erfurt-Cooper, & Cooper, 2009). Recently, consumers have realized that there is more to traveling and vacation than just taking photographs or viewing wild animals and geographic sceneries (Bezruchka, 2000). Resorts and hotels should therefore understand that vacation is today used to improve one’s health, wellbeing, and life through activities such as meditation, weight-losing, yoga, and fitness exercises among other health-improving activities. Today’s tourism consumers believe that a vacation should transform them by adding value to their lives, wellness, and health: body, soul, and mind included, facts that resort and hotel managements should understand. Due to this increased awareness and demand for health and wellness products, resorts, hotels, and spas should offer a wide range of services, which would ensure travelers/consumers enjoy their stay at these facilities and have a feeling that the experiences are worth their time and money (Jones & Keith, 2006). To cause a positive effect in the health of their demanding consumers, resort and hotel management should ensure that good food, relaxation, and exercise products are available. In fact, there are certain resorts and hotels known for their specific health products and benefits to guests who require healing and revitalization. Thus, instead of hurrying to an appointment with primary-care physicians, travelers may access these services at such resorts, which should also have enough medical professionals such as doctors who test and monitor their bone-density, diet, lifestyles, cardiac-stress, and other health concerns then explain the results to them (Jones & Keith, 2006). There are also resorts and hotels that have created special programs for consumers with specific illness such as diabetes, heart problems, cancer, and autoimmune diseases. Integration of Wellness and Health Services The other major implication for the increased demand for wellness and health products for resort and hotel management is that these services have become more integrated in and core in the corporate world. Thus, business will be mixed more with pleasure as traveling businessmen exploit wellness and health services to build relationships with clients, customers, and partners. Moreover, corporate organizations will use more of wellness and health products to motivate and manage the health and well being of employees. Corporate organizations are also expected to indulge more in resort, hotel, and spa visits not only to promote employee health but also their productivity and reduce medical costs. For instance, most of the problems that physicians address are found to be stress-related. It is thus imperative that resort and hotel management teams plan in preparation of meeting the expected increase in wellness- and health-conscious corporate consumers’ demand for these products. Hotels and resorts should therefore be prepared to offer these special categories of facilities for holistic body, mind, and soul experiences for travelers besides the normal accommodation services (Bezruchka, 2000). To be included in these treats are healthy meals, fitness programs, spa/beauty treatments, and education programs among others. Affordability and Diversity of Wellness and Health Products The other impact of the increased demand and range of wellness and health products in resorts and hotels is the likelihood that these products will eventually become more affordable and inclusive, given that more affordable spas continue to come up every other day. In fact, wellness and health products that target the middle income earners who have increasingly sought professional treatment and wellness services have recorded continued explosion in recent times. International tours in which travelers will be seeking to sample a range of wellness and health products are thus expected to be on the rise. It is therefore imperative that hotel and resort managements ensure that as many wellness and health products as possible are provided in their facilities to cater for all consumers classes and backgrounds. That wellness and health services have become a primary consideration or decision factor for travelers is evident by the fast-growing wellness and health segment of the tourism industry, more so in hotels and resorts (Reisinger, 2009). Hotel and resort managements should therefore consider offering wellness and health services not as a mere amenity but as a major deciding factor for travelers. In spite of the fact that wellness and health services have long been embraced mostly by women, recent trends indicate that men are equally getting attracted to these products (Gahlinger, 2008). Studies have further indicated that wellness and health products will continue to attract men, implying that resort and hotel management must consider male-focused products and activities such as outdoor adventure, high-octane fitness programs, golf, and male cosmetic programs. Since more men are expected to use wellness and health products, resort and hotel management should offer equal facilities for men and women. Moreover, entire families should be accommodated by hotels and resorts by availing family-oriented wellness and health services, which cater for younger visitors such as spas-for-kids, and or kids-only spa programs (Gahlinger, 2008). To attract the increasing number of health-conscious travelers, resorts and hotels must diversify their wellness and health products. That is, the entire industry should respond to and stimulate further, the increase in demand for wellness and health products. The fast-growing demand for wellness and health products is further evidenced by the rapid increase in the supply and availability of wellness and health facilities in recent times. To keep pace with and compete favorably in the international wellness and health market, it is important that resorts and hotels diversify and include services such as conferences and incentive venues in their programs (Steppeler, 2009). Diversification may refer to resorts and hotels offering medical screening and availing paramedical staff for travelers on request. Furthermore, treatments could be made available throughout the stay of a visitor at a facility, with the recommended guest to staff ratio. Fully equipped and staffed fitness classes with qualified instructors for both indoor and outdoor activities should also be available (McGinley, 2008). Other facilities such as pool and well-equipped gymnasium with competent and qualified instructors would also give a resort/hotel an added advantage. Strategies and policies that promote healthy eating, including special diets designed by fully-skilled and competent dietician should be designed and implemented. With travelers’ lives becoming more stressful and the many diseases affecting people, many travelers have become more informed of the need to live healthy lives, a trend reflected in the many fitness centres and sports/health clubs that have come up all over the world. However, sporting and fitness activities being so rigorous, many people have resorted to use the more relaxing wellness and healthy activities such as passive treatments with lots of pampering and cosseting (Adams et al., 2001). One major challenge that resorts and hotels encounter as they endeavor to provide the diverse clients with the right wellness and health products is lack of adequate and appropriate information on the health and wellness market. Scarce Data on Market Assessment Despite the observable trends in the use of wellness and health products in resorts, spas, and hotels, statistical data on the wellness and health segment of the tourism industry is rather sparse. This scenario calls for the relevant departments and ministries to urgently address this issue to enable domestic and international stakeholders to monitor the market closely (Shaywitz & Ausiello, 2002). In addition, it is the duty and responsibility of hotel and resort management to undertake the necessary surveys of the wellness and health market, more so in regions where the market is up and running. Nonetheless, the non-reliable data available so far indicates that both domestic and international demand for wellness and health products is steadily on the rise, particularly over the weekends and short breaks/holidays. Further, the available statistics have indicated that a wide range of age groups from different socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds are not only interested or knowledgeable in wellness and health but have also taken to the consumption of these products (Pinto & Upshur, 2009). Also found to be fundamental to the increase in the demand for wellness and health products is the innovativeness that is inherent in the industry. This innovation has led to the creation of modern facilities in many resorts and hotels across the globe, thus raising the quality of wellness and health services. Unfortunately, the infiltration of the wellness and health segment of the tourism industry by unregulated second-rate and counterfeit products has undermined the quality of these products, thus affecting the current demand trends. To ensure the steady increase in the quality of and the demand for the wellness and health segment, resort and hotel management and other stakeholders must undertake large scale investments in both the public and private sub-sectors of the industry, with high standard and high-level marketing and support from the authorities. To ensure quality wellness and health services, hotel and resort managements will have to employ the services of specialist and competent wellness and health operators (Roberts, 2006). Fortunately, these specialists have emerged in recent times, albeit for outbound business. Hotel and resort management must however be ready for both domestic and international competition not only in direct sales of wellness and health products but also through the exploitation of online sales via websites and emails, a currently common trend for sales for most industries. There is thus a formidable competition in the wellness and health industry from the domestic and international markets as the sector is expanding and upgrading all over the world, implying the resorts and hotels should adapt to the changing trends and demands (Pinto & Upshur, 2009). For a resort or hotel to continue attracting the more savvy consumers, it must offer quality and special or different wellness and health products to its clients, more so those in short breaks, conferences, and business travelers. Conclusion Despite its many challenges such as lack of enough and appropriate information on marketing, the wellness and health segment of tourism industry has realized considerable growth in recent times. Coupled with increased health and wellness awareness among tourists, the sector has recorded an increase in demand for wellness and health products. The fact that tourists no longer view vacation as a venture for merely taking photographs and viewing scene but as an opportunity to improve one’s health and well being have greatly contributed to the increased demand and growth of the wellness and health tourism sector. This rising demand has resulted in several impacts on resorts and hotels than have since moved in to exploit the opportunity. For instance, many resorts and hotels now have specialized equipment and staff to cater for consumers with specific medical needs. The ranges of products offered by resorts and hotels have thus exceeded the normal meals and accommodation services to cover even fitness, yoga, meditation, and health-oriented meals. To keep pace with the changing international trends and demands for wellness and health products, resorts and hotels have further diversified their products so that some even have fully qualified health care professionals such as doctors and nurses to care for their consumers. References Bezruchka, S. (2000) Medical Tourism as Medical Harm to the Third World: Why? For Whom? Wilderness and Environmental Medicine, 11, 78. Bookman M. Z., and Bookman, K. R. (2007) Medical tourism in developing countries, first edition. Palgrave Macmillan. Erfurt-Cooper, P., and Cooper, M. (2009) Health and wellness tourism: spas and hot springs (aspects of tourism). Channel View Publications. Gahlinger, P. M. 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