Global Wellness Tourism Hits Trillion-Dollar Milestone

The surge in wellness-seeking travelers is not just a trend; it’s a numerical reality according to the Global Wellness Institute’s latest report, the Global Wellness Economy Monitor 2023. Bucking the downward trend observed in 2019-2020, the wellness tourism market has emerged as the top growth leader among 11 wellness sectors. Clocking an impressive 36% annual growth from 2020 to 2022, it now stands at $651 billion, marking 90% of its 2019 levels.

The GWI predicts a doubling of the wellness tourism market from 2022 to 2027, with spending projections skyrocketing from $651 billion in 2022 to $1.4 trillion in 2027. This 16.6% annual growth rate positions it as the second-largest growth leader among wellness sectors, trailing only behind wellness real estate at 17.4%.

Delving into the specifics of the report, wellness tourism’s growth outpaces the overall tourism industry. The annual spending growth of 36% and a 30% increase in wellness trips from 2020 to 2022 far surpass the growth rates of general tourism expenditures (28.4%) and trips (23.8%).

Interestingly, wellness trips now comprise 7.8% of all tourism trips but command a significantly higher 18.7% of total tourism expenditures. In simpler terms, nearly one in every five travel dollars is spent on wellness tourism.

Domestically, wellness trips take the lead, with 819.4 million international and domestic wellness trips recorded in 2022. Among these, a staggering 88% (725 million trips) are domestic, showcasing a preference for local wellness experiences. Regional variations are noteworthy; North America reports only 4% of wellness trips as international, contrasting with the Middle East-North Africa region where the figure climbs to 50%.

Breaking down the top national wellness tourism markets, the United States takes the lead with a market size of $256 billion, accounting for 24% of all wellness trips and an impressive 39% of wellness tourism expenditures. Germany, France, Austria, and Switzerland follow suit with substantial market sizes and robust annual growth rates, contributing to the global wellness tourism phenomenon.