When you typically think of wellness, activities like lounging at the spa come to mind. These vacations definitely have their place and will always appeal at certain points in life (or for specific cohorts of people). But, a new set of values and needs from travelers emerged in recent times, making R&R a lot more adventurous.
Millennials have faced a perfect storm of issues in recent years, from political divisions to COVID and surging levels of burnout. At its best, travel offers a respite from this chaotic picture – but it doesn’t come from two weeks of boozing on the beach. Now more than ever, professionals are demanding more from their precious time off. They want a chance to recalibrate while trying out new adventures and experiences you can’t get at home.
“If you can use a vacation as an avenue to stretch your comfort zone and connect with a community of like-minded people, you come back refreshed and recharged,” says Radha Vyas, co-founder, and CEO at adventure travel company Flash Pack. “It’s a chance to gain headspace and perspective on where you are in life and what you want to change.”
It’s why the solo group travel company curates trips across the globe that include out-of-the-box wellness experiences. For example, they offer a flying yoga class in the jungle hills of Ubud, Bali’s spiritual and cultural heartland. Or, you can stargaze and share mint tea with members of the local Bedouin community in the Jordanian desert. And travelers can participate in a Mexican temazcal experience—an ancient sweat lodge ritual that involves soaking up steam from hot volcanic rocks.
Going off-radar with comfort-busting experiences in nature and the great outdoors is another popular theme for wellness travel. This is anything from taking part in a walking safari in Tanzania to climbing the Mayan ruins in Belize or kayaking in Antarctica. Plus, setting these experiences against the majesty of vast, awe-inspiring landscapes deepens the R&R aspect.
“Everything we are going through right now is an exact reaction to the pandemic,” says NYC psychotherapist Dr. Kathryn Smerling. “People have been so closed off and closed in, and now they want to get out – and why wouldn’t they want to do something for wellness? A lot of people are also realizing with the pandemic that life is short, and there is a limited amount of time that we have, and people want to get the most out of life, live longer, and prioritize their mental and emotional health.”
She adds, “Anything you do that pushes yourself physically is healthy for you – anything that stretches you physically stretches you emotionally. Being physical is essential to your emotional health.”
