Spa & Wellness MexiCaribe 53, Spring 2024

WELLNESS
TRENDS2024
1. CLIMATE-ADAPTIVE WELLNESS
BY JANE KITCHEN
With an increasingly heat-crushed planet, bringing massive
physical and mental health risks, we will see a new wave
of innovations to cool our bodies, homes, and cities.
Architecture and design look at cooling approaches, with
green spaces, tree cover, and rooftop gardens in addition to
high-tech building materials, heat-reflective paint, and heatfighting
design. Smart-tech cooling clothing and wearables
that monitor the body’s heat indicators, from core temp to
hydration to electrolytes.
Travelers are moving away from traditional hotspots, trading
beaches and deserts for mountains, and summer vacations
for fall or spring travel; with 'cool-cations' and 'night-time
wellness' programming such as star-gazing and full-moon
yoga.
2. THE POWER OF THE PILGRIMAGE
BY ERIC WILSON
People worldwide are rediscovering the joys and health
benefits of walking, and a purposeful connection with nature.
Walking enthusiasts are exploring ancient pilgrimage trails,
as record numbers of travelers take up multi-day hikes with
spiritual exploration and cultural heritage. Nearly half a million
pilgrims completed the famous Camino de Santiago in Spain
in 2023 (a new record), and scores of modern pilgrims were
drawn to sites in Japan such as the Shikoku 88 and the
Michinoku. Coastal trails in Sri Lanka, Bhutan, India, and
Italy have undergone extensive restorations by governments
promoting holistic tourism.
This trend of slow, meditative travel, facilitates deeper
engagement with our surroundings to foster a sense of
awe, and unexpected connection with strangers. Wellness
programs incorporate journeys between sacred sites and
participation in religious ceremonies such as meditating with
monks.
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