Spafinder Wellness 365 today released key findings of its 2013 State of Spa Travel report, designed to provide annual insight into the health of, and emerging consumer trends in, the North American spa travel market.
According to the study, a significant majority (73 per cent) of travel agents reported growth in bookings to hotel, resort and destination spas in 2013. The survey also sheds light on the evolving spa traveller demographic, revealing that ‘women travelling with other women’ now represents the number one way people journey to spas, and that Gen X is slowing overtaking Baby Boomers as the age group most likely to book spa travel. The findings are based on a survey of over 300 North American travel agents completed in Q4 2013.Some interesting findings this year:• 2013 was a turnaround year for spa property bookings: 73 per cent of travel agents report growth
• This sector is a profoundly ‘women traveling with women’ or ‘female bonding’ type of travel–making it a unique travel category.
• While Baby Boomers have represented the core spa traveller for decades, they're slowly being overtaken by Gen X.
• Spa travelers are now exploring a much wider world map (far beyond Mexico and Thailand.) Agents report growth for many more exotic destinations from Cambodia to Chile.