Wellness tourism up 200% year-on-year

New booking data points to strong uptake for in Victoria and the Northern Territory

16 July 2024: New Big Red Group booking data has shown demand for wellness tourism has surged year-on-year, with some experiences up by over 200%.

The findings come after a recent study from TELUS showed that over three in five employees in Australia are reportedly feeling burnt out – and have indicated particularly strong uptake in Victoria and Northern Territory.

According to David Anderson, co-founder and CEO at Big Red Group, the rising demand could indicate that Aussies are trying to prioritise their mental health and wellbeing at the moment. 

Spa experiences are up by a fifth (19%) on last year, while demand for hot pools, springs and wellness centres has grown significantly too. This signals a move away from traditional massage and facial packages that have previously proven popular across the nation. 

Key takeaways from the data include:

• Prioritising health and wellbeing: Year-on-year, the ‘Wellness’ category for experiences has seen a 228.4% increase in bookings, with Victoria and Northern Territory seeing particular growth
• Aussies warm up to hot springs: Spas are in high-demand, with the Peninsula Hot Springs in Fingal (+132%),  Wellness Studio in Belmont (+400%) and the Polynesian Spa in Brisbane (+855%) all seeing significantly higher bookings this year

The global wellness tourism market has recently been valued at almost $950 billion AUD ($640 billion USD), according to the Global Wellness Institute (GWI) – and now accounts for a significant proportion of the wider industry.