The global wellness tourism economy will likely surpass $1 trillion in value in the next year or so. Last year, wellness tourism expenditures reached US$894 billion, according to the Global Wellness Institute – more than double the year-end tally for 2012 when it first began measuring spend.
Not surprisingly, wellness-focused journeys were one of the top five trends Virtuoso identified in its 2026 Luxe Report, sourced from its nearly 2,500 members globally. Wellness was also one of the major themes of this year’s ILTM Asia Pacific, which took place in July. And then there are the countless ways hotels are looking to integrate new and unique wellness-themed experiences into their offerings.
If you haven’t been reading between the lines, this space is booming.
A Guide to Wellness Travel and Personal Well-being
To learn more about the latest in the wellness travel industry and how luxury travel advisors can take advantage of this interest among their clients, LATTE recently spoke with Lauren Pronger, Founder of Well Inspired Travels and author of the recently published book, SUPERWELL: Your Ultimate Blueprint to Wellness and Wellbeing.
“The whole genesis” of her agency and the ‘Superwell’ lifestyle, Pronger said, “from Day 1 has always been to go out to the world and seek something that you can bring back into your everyday life to be better than when you left.”
Since opening Well Inspired Travels in 2018, there have been seismic shifts in the way travelers consume wellness experiences. Back then, Pronger explained, “it was more about, ‘I just want to step away; I want to go get a light, fluffy massage, maybe eat some clean food, go on some hikes.’” Now, her clients are seeking the cutting-edge.
Noting that many of her clients are high-net-worth individuals and professional athletes (her husband, Chris Pronger, is a National Hockey League Hall of Famer, after all), she said many “are very curious about taking it to the next level.” While not fully demanding medical tourism-type experiences, her clients are no doubt inching toward a more clinical approach, where they want to learn about biohacking and their personal data metrics and to try out new therapies.
The good news: as interest among clients has grown over the years, so too have the offerings at Pronger’s preferred hotel and resort partners. She specifically noted SHA Wellness and Auberge Resorts for their suite of unique and destination-inspired options.
And if you’re thinking Pronger’s clients may be more advanced in the space than yours, she told LATTE she feels her clients are in the “sweet spot”—where they’re not looking for a Chenot Palace Weggis experience but they’re beyond the typical spa treatments. In other words, your clients may have more interest in some of these experiences than you might expect.
“To me, that’s really where the world of travel, in terms of wellness, is going,” she added.
New Business Opportunities
Pronger feels confident in booking these experiences not only because it’s of personal interest to her, but because she has taken the time to earn numerous certifications to elevate her knowledge. Today, she is a graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and a board-certified holistic health practitioner, a master nutrition and wellness coach, a certified contrast therapist specializing in heat and cold shock therapy, a breathwork instructor, and a transcendental meditation guide; plus, she holds dual certifications in Pilates.
She is also an active member of both the Wellness Travel Association (WTA) and WITT – Wellness in Travel & Tourism Standards Advisory Committee.
The education has helped her speak to both the resorts and her clients.
It’s also helped her develop new business offerings. Beyond selling wellness-inspired travel to her clients, she’s also been approached by groups to lead multi-day retreats. Usually, these clients will come to Pronger with their own group of 12 to 20; from there – based on the group’s goals – she will put together the program, will find the host hotel and the like.
Speaking to her advisor side, Pronger said, “I’m a travel matchmaker. That’s what I do.”
She’s also about to start a series of one-day activations at hotels, where any hotel guest can choose to participate; it won’t be part of a larger retreat. What sets these activations apart, Pronger said, is that her offerings are “360 degrees” – they aren’t just focused on nutrition, yoga, or breathwork; her catalogue of certifications allow her to approach wellness in a myriad of ways.
The last of her new offerings will be a podcast, titled W2SW (short for “From Well to Superwell”) that will be conducted at hotels and featuring staff from their wellness teams.
Living “Superwell”
This wellness-focused lifestyle has also led Pronger to write her first book, SUPERWELL: Your Ultimate Blueprint to Wellness and Wellbeing. The short of it is: why just feel well, when you can feel “Superwell,” a term that she coined years before writing the book.
“My whole point with Superwell is not to overwhelm individuals. It’s truly to meet each individual exactly where they are in their wellness journey,” Pronger told LATTE. “Through Well Inspired Travels, I have learned that I have some very advanced, diagnostic[-inclined] clients that are very well-versed [in this field], and then I have clients that know nothing about wellness.” She intends to approach readers of the book the same way.
Especially in a time of 24/7-connectedness and burnout, her eight pillars to living “superwell” can come in handy for any travel advisor and entrepreneur. (Those pillars include longevity, well-being, optimal sleep, nourishing nutrition, biorhythm (movement, soulful connection, emotional well-being and nature connection.) Pronger said that’s the case because the lifestyle came from her own series of burnouts, leading to her own “holistic healing journey.”
She explained that with the book, “The intention is to be the driver, the CEO of your own wellness journey;” Pronger is just there to help guide you on your way.
Starting Your Wellness Journey
Among Pronger’s top tips for living a “superwell” life are grounding yourself each morning and night with meditation (she does 20 minutes apiece); going for a walk each evening during sunset, no matter the weather; and reading as much as possible (she said she’s a fan of Good Energy by Casey Means, Outlive by Peter Attia and Nutritious Life, a website by Keri Glassman.) This will help you learn what your clients are looking for.
“They really are very educated, and you don’t want to be caught not knowing how to speak that language confidently,” said Pronger. And when you’re vetting hotels, this will also help you know the right questions are to ask. She added, “If I am teaching the staff something or if they’re not educated and they’re not confident in sharing something with me, that’s a major red flag and a big turn-off, and I won’t be sending clients there.”
She also recommends finding ways to disconnect each evening (although she does stress the importance of having some way for your clients to reach you or your team in the case of an emergency).
For those with smaller teams (or even working solo), take some time to figure out how your time is best spent so you don’t burn yourself out trying to do too much.
Said Pronger: “I’m here to help individuals optimize their lives and live their most “superwell” life.
