Visitor profile: Wellness tourism

Healthy breaks – ‘Wellness Tourism’ – have rocketed in popularity in recent years. In the UK, the market was worth £9.5 billion in 2012 and generated 17.8 million trips. And while wellness is about living healthily, it also includes mental, emotional, social and spiritual health.

Wellness tourism is particularly significant for coastal towns. The seaside is unquestionably a healthy holiday destination and widely perceived as such, giving coastal tourism businesses massive opportunities. These tourists like to take short breaks, tend to travel in the off-peak season and are usually high-spending, making them a prime target for growth.