New travel trends in advanced wellness and wellness retreats, according to Global Wellness Summit organization, note how the pandemic fueled more expensive, exclusive wellness than ever before: $4,000/night room rates at new wellness hotels, $75 million wellness condos, $200,000 cosmetic procedures, and a surge in private, expensive wellness social clubs (or the Soho-House-ification of wellness).
The mid-year 2022 trends report argues that a new post-pandemic wellness consumer is afoot, and that one of the key traits of this consumer has been a fatigue with wellness as elitist hyper-consumerism. People want more accessible and affordable wellness.
The luxury and wellness retreat trend: no end in sight
The new “wealthier wellness” is a symptom of the fact that businesses that serve high-income consumers continue to be immune to the difficult economy. If most people are struggling with soaring food, gas and travel prices, the economic reports are rolling in showing that the current luxury market is booming–a market where sneakers fetch $1,200 and sports cars easily command $300,000. Companies catering to the ultra-rich, such as the parent companies of Dior and Louis Vuitton, just reported super-strong sales, while the Walmarts and Gaps slashed financial forecasts.
Lamborghini is sold out until 2024. Wealthy Chinese consumers are splurging on luxury goods. Virtuoso recently reported that luxury travel is clocking big numbers, that high-end travelers plan to spend 34% more in 2023, and that wellness-focused trips saw the biggest gains this year. A BUPA Global survey of people in the UK worth more than $1.2 million revealed that they spent an average of $138,000 on health and wellness over the past 18 months.
Wellness Retreats: Aman New York
About Wellness: A new state of WELLTH
The wellness market is doubling down on high-end consumers and the luxury wellness market is rolling out new destinations and experiences at eye-blinking prices, and with models of greater exclusivity, than ever before: $200,000 initial club membership fees at the new urban wellness resort, Aman New York; $69,000 psychedelic retreats from Journeymen Collective — and hotel spas moving beyond massages and facials to offer expensive medical-wellness and high-tech treatments, from cryotherapy to genetic testing–such as $12,000-a-pop, one-hour stem cell treatments at the Four Seasons Resort Maui. A key aspect of this trend is the rise of exclusive social wellness clubs where memberships can cost thousands a month, often with mysterious member-vetting processes based on “referrals.”
Even wealthier wellness
Afterward There are signs of the more expensive wellness and beauty everywhere: from $900 Gucci-branded, sleep-tracking Oura rings to the New York Times reporting on how luxury cosmetic procedures are reaching next-level prices, ushering in a new era of the $200,000 facelift.
New wellness resorts are more focused on exclusivity and personalization: They have unprecedented amenities and offerings and unprecedented prices.
Aman Resorts is perhaps a poster-child for the steep pricing trends. Their new urban wellness resort in New York boasts incredible amenities, from a three-story spa and wellness center with a full-blown functional medical practice to a glamorous, underground jazz club. Rooms are listed at $4,200 a night on weekdays and $5,500 on weekends–- and they’re sold out. Especially Private “spa houses” or private spas within a spa bath houses, run $8,500 for two people per day. Aman has also teamed up with Remote Lands for an “Adventures in the Americas” two-week tour this winter that whisks you via private jet to Aman resorts in five countries. The price: $112,888 per person.
Surprisingly As more wellness resorts embrace more medical offerings, the prices they can command are skyrocketing. Luxury longevity brand Clinique La Prairie’s 7-night Revitalization Premium Program at their Swiss resort, which includes evaluations by a cardiologist, pulmonologist, and nutritionist; genetic and epigenetic tests; and personalized movement and nutrition plans, starts at $45,000.
Deepak Chopra: Affordable Wellness Retreats and Experiences
Perhaps a counterpoint to “one percent” wellness options is a new concept in immersive wellness for the masses in a new production by a world-renowned wellness master.
An experiential meditative experience narrated by world-renowned author and pioneer of integrated medicine Dr. Deepak Chopra tabbed Immersive Deepak Chopra: Journey to Self,
Moreover This new participatory experience prompts audiences to let go of their corporeal self through a 40-minute contemplative session through which Chopra invites participants to delve into the meaning of the self, who we are, where we come from, where we are going and how we get there. The session is set to an original soundtrack and accompanied by kaleidoscopic animated visuals. Immersive Deepak Chopra: Journey to Self debuts on Oct. 2, 2022 at Lighthouse ArtSpace Los Angeles and will run through Oct. 20, 2022.
Final Words: Wellness Retreats
A notable diversion from the traditional meditation experience, Immersive Deepak Chopra makes use of an audio and visual environment to enhance and enable mindful engagement through a practice called “eyes open meditation.” While other forms of guided meditation use verbal prompts to return the wandering mind to a focal point, eyes open meditation creates a guided experience that uses the full environment as a sensory touchpoint, keeping participants mentally and emotionally engaged on a deeper level.
Tickets to Immersive Deepak Chopra: Journey to Self are priced at $39.99, with premium and VIP ticket options available, all through lighthouseartspace.com and Universe.com.
For those who want more than a 40-minute taste of inner calm, Chopra Retreats offers ongoing multi-day package dates in Arizona, California, Florida, Mexico and Hawaii.
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