Where to Go Next? Emerging Wellness Tourism Hot Spots

Wellness Part II: South Korea | Japan | Saudi Arabia | Iceland | Italy

Are you looking for Tourism Hot Spots? In an era where self-care and holistic wellbeing are top priorities for travelers, five destinations are rising to the forefront of global wellness tourism shortlisted because of the scale of infrastructure investments and their hotel development pipelines, their unique blend of natural resources, cultural richness, and innovative practices.

“These countries are redefining relaxation and rejuvenation, setting the stage for a transformative travel experience that goes beyond the ordinary,” said Amy Skelding, FINN’s Managing Partner and UK Travel Lead.

With its current $113 billion market projected to soar to $8.5 trillion by 2027, the country’s rapid growth is driven by robust government support, a rich heritage in oriental medicine, and a surge in medical tourism.

Tourism Hot Spots

Ranking 6th globally in physical activity and traditional medicine according to the Global Wellness Institute’s Geography of Wellness reports, South Korea has cemented its status as a premier medical tourism destination. In 2023, it welcomed a record 606,000 foreign patients, primarily for dermatological treatments and plastic surgery.

Also the K-beauty phenomenon has sparked a boom in skin clinics, hair spas, jjimjilbangs (traditional bathhouses), and rejuvenating temple stays. To address growing public health awareness amid an aging population and attract 30 million foreign visitors by 2027, authorities have designated wellness tourism clusters that seamlessly integrate vacation, leisure, and health services.

Luxury brands are seizing the opportunity. Aman Resorts plans to launch Janu Seoul by 2027, while Rosewood Seoul will debut a 250- room hotel featuring a 4,500 square meter Asaya Spa. Global wellness group Therme is investing $200 million in a “natural healing urban oasis” wellness resort in Incheon City.

Just as South Korea revolutionized global entertainment, it is now poised to set new global standards for rejuvenation and relaxation in the coming decade.

Beyond K-pop, South Korea is rapidly emerging as a powerhouse in K-wellness.

 

Wellness in ICELAND: Tourism Hot Spots

Serene and secluded, Iceland knows how to play to its strengths. The country’s abundant geothermal resources fuel a thriving wellness industry, while its pristine landscapes—from the Golden Circle to the South Coast—invite activities like hiking in Thingvellir National Park and yoga with stunning views.

Iceland actively cultivates a culture of wellness, centered around its strong swimming pool culture and natural hot springs, which promote relaxation and socialization. Resorts and spas offer wellness experiences reflecting this tradition, from the rustic, family-friendly Secret Lagoon to the Sky Lagoon’s seven-step ritual inspired by local bathing practices for transformative relaxation.

The iconic Blue Lagoon has been enhancing its geothermal spa with gender-inclusive locker rooms, cold plunges, steam caves, and massage waterfalls. Additionally, a second Retreat-branded luxury hotel will open in Iceland’s central highlands by 2027. The 40-key Hofoi Lodge, debuting in 2025, will focus on remote adventures.

Iceland hosts the annual Wellbeing Economy Forum to foster collaboration among global leaders and recently earned WHO recognition for its leadership in promoting health and social equity. Domestically, the Five Year Fiscal Strategic Plan is designed around six wellbeing priorities, with regular surveys assessing national well- being post-COVID-19.

By aligning wellness initiatives with national values and economic benefits, Iceland paves the way for a transformative future in wellness tourism.

Wellness in JAPAN: Tourism Hot Spots

Japan has flipped the script on its hustle culture, transforming into a global role model for longevity and mindful living.

Visitors flock to Japan to seek out relaxation and recharge, from soothing onsen baths and serene forest bathing to the calming principles of Zen Buddhism and seasonality-driven kaiseki dining. The country’s $303 billion wellness economy ranks as the second- largest market in the Asia-Pacific region and the third-largest globally, according to the Global Wellness Institute. Japan’s inbound tourism market is in its prime, buoyed by a weak yen, and momentum looks strong with further room for growth.

However luxury hospitality players are clamoring to unfurl the tatami: Aman recently launched its Janu brand with a 4,000 square meter urban wellness retreat. Rosewood Miyakojima is opening in an island in Japan’s southernmost prefecture, Okinawa. Mandarin Oriental group will unveil three new resorts around the Setouchi region between 2027 and 2030, and while Hyatt will debut ATONA, a new luxury hot spring ryokan (Japanese-style inn)

brand—its first to originate from Japan—in Yufu, Yakushima, and Hakone, together with private equity backers.

Government support for inbound tourism, including the introduction of medical visas and increased budget allocations for tourism promotion, underscores Japan’s commitment to revitalizing local economies.

Wellness in SAUDI ARABIA: Tourism Hot Spots

This bold vision is underpinned by substantial investments in healthcare infrastructure and a strategic focus on integrating wellness into the Saudi Vision 2030 plan. With world-class medical cities and accredited hospitals, Saudi Arabia is setting the stage to draw international visitors eager for high-quality wellness and medical treatments.

At the forefront of this transformation is The Red Sea Development Company, whose ultra-luxury destination, Amaala, will span 4,155 square kilometers of coastline, featuring 25 hotels that emphasize wellness, sports, and the arts.

Wellness tourism will also play a significant role in NEOM, a groundbreaking $500 billion initiative backed by the Saudi sovereign wealth fund. This expansive project will include five areas, with coastal Magna featuring 12 destinations and over 15 luxury wellness resorts along 120 kilometers of untouched coastline. The mountainous Trojena area will offer retail, dining, and recreational facilities in a space nearly the size of Belgium.

A steady stream of leading luxury hospitality players, including Ritz Carlton Reserve, Miraval, Capella, and Rosewood Hotels, are joining the lineup, each one upping the ante with cutting-edge spa facilities, personalized wellness offerings, and unique treatments rooted in traditional Arabic and Islamic medicine.

Saudi Arabia’s superscale developments underscore its bold ambition to leapfrog ahead as a global leader in wellness tourism. Situated at the crossroads of Asia, Europe, and Africa, the kingdom aims to attract 100 million visitors annually by 2030, particularly targeting ultra-luxury and sustainability-driven travelers.

Wellness in ITALY

Few cultures in the world have mastered the art of relaxation quite like the Italians. From rejuvenating geothermal springs to healthful culinary experiences, the champions of La Dolce Far Niente have found a firm global following for their distinctly Italian brand of wellness.

Italy’s unmatched natural abundance—from the majestic Alps to sun-kissed coasts, and boasting over 1,000 thermal springs—coupled with a focus on the Mediterranean diet, which promotes fresh, local, and organic produce, creates a rich canvas for diverse holistic wellness programs.

Regions like Emilia-Romagna are at the forefront of this movement, championing wellness tourism through innovative initiatives like the Wellness Valley Initiative, which emphasizes community engagement while attracting wellness-focused travelers.

Meanwhile the Italian government is actively fostering this sector through initiatives such as the Terme d’Italia Project and the Sustainable Tourism Fund, aimed at enhancing the visibility and development of eco-friendly spa and hospitality offerings nationwide in partnership with local financial institutions.

Similarly the proliferation of luxurious spa hotels across Italy, including the COMO Alpina and Forestis, along with notable takeovers like Aman’s acquisition of Rosa Alpina and Mandarin Oriental’s upcoming takeover of the Cristallo Hotel in the Dolomites, underscores the country’s commitment to wellness. Innovative features like the Alpin Panorama Hotel Hubertus’ unique upside-down spa and the De Montel Urban Spa in Milan—set to become Italy’s largest urban spa complex when completed in 2025—will further enrich the wellness landscape.

From Sustainable to Regenerative

Wellness tourism is all about holistic wellbeing. But an individual’s pursuit of wellness should not come at the planet’s peril. As the tourism industry moves toward a more inclusive and sustainable future with the 2030 sustainable development goals in sight, wellness tourism companies face even greater scrutiny.

Likewise for the past 10 years, there has been a concerted effort to consider the triple bottom line–environmental, social and economic impact–in terms of sustainability. Zero plastics and waste policies, certified design and construction standards, energy and water efficiency have been widely implemented across hotels and destinations. But those policies, at best, are net neutral, with sustainability being about doing no harm.

Beyond Sustainable

That’s why sustainability is no longer enough. According to James Thornton, CEO of Intrepid Travel, “Sustainable travel is our aspiration, but not our reality. By definition, at the current rate of global emissions, the industry cannot be ‘sustained’ without irreversible damage to the planet.” That’s where the concept of regenerative travel comes in.

Regenerative travel builds on sustainability principles and takes things a step further. While a sustainable model looks to stop biodiversity loss and prevent negative social impacts, a regenerative approach to travel actively improves the health of degraded ecosystems, increases community wellbeing and promotes regional financial growth.

According to Amanda Ho, co-founder and CEO of Regenerative Travel, “Sustainability is more of a quantitative approach, measuring things like water usage, energy efficiency and the like, while a regenerative approach is more qualitative. It’s a more holistic approach–everything that is done restores the community and the environment.”

Tourism Hot Spots: Regenerative Travel

“When you think about it, regenerative travel is wellness travel,” says Ho. “It’s about reconnecting and reexamining values, learning and giving back.” So, if a wellness tourism business truly wants to walk the wellness walk, “tourism organizations will have to have a mindset shift in terms of operating their businesses and dealing with their customers.”

Whether it’s called sustainable or regenerative, a large part of what makes it so is when local culture, knowledge, social relationships, and natural resources are strengthened rather than undermined by tourist traffic.

For example, the highly acclaimed Fogo Island Inn was built from the ground up with the community in mind. The property is filled with locally made furnishing and accessories, leveraging traditional skills like woodworking, quilting and knitting. In this way, it provided opportunities for younger generations to carry on traditional practices while also creating jobs for the community.

Tourism Hot Spots: Future Proofing with Regenerative Principles

Beyond buying and employing locally, Thornton suggests wellness tourism organizations should develop plans like providing a living wage, using a responsibly sourced supply chain, and making efforts toward gender equality. For example, in Sri Lanka, Intrepid Travel has partnered with an Australian development fund to boost female participation in tourism. The partnership aims to build capacity for female suppliers to become more market ready and create a pipeline for employment as trip leaders.

In Malaysia, the Datai Langkawi provides a model for wellness resorts to follow. In 2019, it developed a pledge to adopt a holistic approach, considering the needs of stakeholders, the environment, and evolution. Over the years, the pledge has laid the groundwork for carbon neutrality and introduced initiatives for wildlife and climate mitigation. Zero waste and upcycling strategies include training community members, including single mothers, to create products made out of materials recycled from the resort.

Property

Moreover, funding regeneration is another way the industry can walk the talk. Every Six Senses property funds sustainable causes, earmarking money for local environmental and community projects. It also encourages guests to donate. But Six Senses also has a goal of instilling sustainable values in its guests. CEO Neil Jacobs has been quoted as saying, “So much about wellness and regeneration goes hand in hand. The question is how to articulate it in a hotel stay. I think we can influence how people live their lives through our programming.”

Ho agrees. One of the easiest ways to start the regenerative journey is by selling experiences that provide for moments of transformative thinking on and off site, suggest Ho. “Creating the space for engagement, interaction, and understanding for travelers to learn and experience the vibrancy of a place is an important first step in inspiring a transformative shift,” Ho said.

Six Senses experiences include everything from zero-waste candle making workshops at their on- site Earth Labs to watching turtles hatch to supporting local women’s cooperatives.

“If you can do good work on even just one issue, that’s what’s important,” says Ho. “That is the beginning of regeneration.”

From Now to Next: Tourism Hot Spots

Finally, A final glance at the world of wellness, what’s happening now and where it’s headed next. Here are some parting pictures of what wellness travel may mean as the months and years pass. 

+ Life Coaching
+ Social Spaces
+ Mental Wellness
+ Walking in Nature Retreats + Doctors Onsite 
+ Online Fitness 
+ Girlfriends Spa Getaways 
+ Vegan Menopause
+ Digital Detox
+ Wearables that Track Menstruation Cycles
+ Sleep Tech Gadgets
+ Spirituality Sojourns
+ Bathing in Nature Residencies
+ AI Doctors
+ Online Biohacking
+ Solo Travel
+ Silence
+ Wearables that Measure Mindfulness
+ Circadian Medicine
+ Chronotherapies