Accor white paper to shape the future of wellness in hospitality

Accor announced the release of a new white paper that will shape the future of the hospitality industry on Wednesday, 26th February.

Titled Making Waves: Rethinking Spa and Wellness Design for a Modern Era, the report ushers in a new era of spa and wellness design.

In this document, Accor shares the priorities for well-being that the company believes are most relevant now and how the global hospitality group is advancing innovative ways to deliver wellness through its unrivalled portfolio of global hospitality brands. 

The thought-provoking report leverages the insights, predictions and analysis garnered from a symposium held by Accor’s Global Well-being, Strategy, Design, and Development team, and features perspectives from Accor specialists and renowned industry experts around the world. 

Based on this collaborative forum, Making Waves, the white paper, explores the future of the wellness industry while touching on key consumer shifts and trends.

According to Accor’s global chief design and technical services officer for the ultra-luxury and luxury sector Anne Becker Olins: “Wellness has become a leading driver and differentiator for us, particularly in the areas of luxury and lifestyle design. It is also an exciting area of design that touches the hearts and lifts the spirits of our guests more profoundly than almost any other aspect of the hotel experience. With Making Waves, we aim to educate, inspire and innovate the ways in which the hospitality industry approaches wellness and well-being design.”

Wellness as a priority sector

Accor’s research of 7,500 consumers across six countries revealed that wellness is a priority for 79 percent of its guests. 

This dovetails with the findings of industry experts which found that 80 percent of travelers say well-being influences their travel decisions. 

Furthermore, according to ISPA’s 2024 spa-goer survey, “Spa memberships are emerging as a significant trend in the wellness and hospitality industries, driven by a growing societal desire for self-care, relaxation and holistic well-being.”

One of the themes explored in Making Waves, is the shift toward membership clubs among hotel spas and fitness clubs. 

This is supported by Accor’s own push to lead the industry in building hotels not just for travellers, but for its local communities.

Accor global senior vice-president for well-being, strategy, design, and development Emlyn Brown remarked: “We are approaching spa design in the same way – for the people who live next door or who work down the street. We are creating clubs, thermal facilities, wellness centers, and fitness offerings that are on par, or better, than the local gym. Our hotel spas are where the locals want to go to get fit, to be social, and to feel better.”

Trends the sector ought to consider

Making Waves explores how thermal wellness, such as that offered at the highly anticipated BASIN Glacial Waters facility set to open Summer 2025 at Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, and wellness socialising are revolutionising the delivery of spa and fitness in the hospitality industry. 

The rise of hot and cold plunge circuits reflects a rapidly growing consumer interest in holistic wellness and natural therapies, which are evident in Accor concepts like The Purist. 

At the same time, a new generation of spa-goers are enthusiastically pursuing social wellness experiences such as group bathing, sauna, and water-based therapy clubs as healthier alternatives to socialising in bars or nightclubs.

Other areas of content in the white paper include:

• Rethinking the ubiquitous, multi-purpose hotel pool that has enjoyed decades of uncontested existence;
• Outsourcing spa services such as salon and esthetician services to top quality local businesses; and 
• Creating exclusive new spa experiences designed for adults only, with enriched entertainment and services provided separately for the youngest hotel guests.

As Brown puts it: “Hoteliers around the world are shifting their focus to define their wellness strategies, ensuring they align with their brands and their guest demographics. It is our hope and intention that the insights we’ve gathered in Making Waves will support these efforts, as we all seek to create more impactful wellness spaces and places.”