Anne Dimon, an industry consultant who operates Travel to Wellness, a business focusing on the burgeoning wellness travel specialty, said that wellness is more than a trend. It's a way of life that is a growing part of clients' vacations.
Dimon, in a recent webinar for the Travel Institute, defined wellness travel as "travel that allows the doer to maintain, promote or kick-start a healthy lifestyle and promote sense of well-being."
The term is being used increasingly by the mainstream media, she said.
Yoga and spa treatments are obvious wellness activities for vacationing clients, but other activities also fit the specialty, Dimon said.
"I think of any activity that offers fitness, such as walking, hiking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, kayaking. These are activities that work your muscles in a natural environment, and they fall under the umbrella of wellness travel."
However, such sports as mountain biking and downhill skiing are "more adrenaline sports" where the focus isn't enjoying nature and instilling a sense of calm but on the sport itself.
Travel agents who want to promote themselves as wellness specialists should engage in wellness activities themselves, she said.
"You have to be a wellness expert before you can be perceived to be [a wellness specialist]," Dimon said. "Are you comfortable with the concept? Do you walk the talk? Can you differentiate between wellness in general and a wellness vacation?"
One step is education, Dimon noted. The Travel Institute last year launched a well-received Well-Being Travel Specialist certification course, which agents can take online. Travel suppliers who offer wellness as part of their vacations offer educational programs, she said.
Promoting your industry training is an important part of branding yourself as a wellness travel specialist, Dimon said. Make sure that the specialty is used consistently across all your agency marketing materials, websites and anything that promotes your business, she said.
"If you're just starting up, you may want to think of a name that reflects wellness," she said. "Your business cards should reflect the specialty. Make sure your signature email says you are a wellness expert."
When specializing in wellness, you'll have to be prepared to have long conversations with clients about specific travel products, such as yoga retreats and spa treatments. She said agents should be up to date on the latest trends in yoga, fitness, spas and other elements of wellness. Your website content should feature sections devoted to news about wellness, she said.
"Don't simply sell but educate consumers who may become clients," Dimon said. "Does your website have a section devoted to wellness travel? I hope it's on the first page and populated with lots of great stuff. Is your website optimized for search engines for keywords such as 'wellness travel' and 'yoga retreats'? Search some of these keywords and see what comes up and which wellness specialists come up. These are your competition. See how they portray themselves."
Dimon recommends using declared weeks and months dedicated to wellness. For example, there's Global Wellness Day and National Yoga Month; your website content can use those to discuss wellness travel trends and boost yourself as an expert in the field.
"If you're promoting yoga retreats, use National Yoga Month. Another is the Year of Sustainable Tourism in 2017, which falls under the umbrella of wellness travel. You're branding yourself as someone who knows what's going on in the wellness space."
Dimon recommends using "beautiful scenes that are inspirational" on your website and tips from wellness experts in your content.
Consumer travel shows that feature wellness are good ways of meeting potential clients, she said. The annual New York Times Travel Show has a Wellness Travel Pavilion that includes travel agents with the specialty. The Travel and Adventure Show, which make stops in eight U.S. cities early next year, is planning to include a Travel Wellness Pavilion at its events.
Dimon also recommends reaching out to suppliers who offer wellness because many are open to working with travel agents. Healing Hotels of the World and Red Mountain Resort are two suppliers who offer discounts to agents who have passed the Travel Institute's certification as a Well-Being Travel Specialist.