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 Today’s fit-focused travelers want to pair exercise with escapades
and fitness with fun, whether it's yoga among the sea turtles,
bootcamp on the beach or a zumba cruise.
"Fitness retreat used to mean go away and lose weight," said Melisse
Gelula, co-founder of the wellness media company Well+Good. "Now
it's just working fitness into a schedule that might also include
lavish dinners, beach time, cocktail hours, nights out dancing."
Wellness tourism, which includes travel paired with activities such
as yoga retreats, fitness centers, boot camps, cycling, gyms and
other activities, is about a $500 billion global market, according
to The Global Wellness Tourism Economy report of 2013.
The report said wellness tourism represents 14 percent of total
global tourism revenues overall and is projected to rise to 16
percent by 2017.
In January, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd will launch its first ever
Zumba Cruise, offering all-day classes in the popular Latin American
dance-based aerobic program during a cruise that will leave from
Fort Lauderdale in Florida and make stops in Jamaica and Haiti.
Daily classes will be led by 130 zumba instructors.
"Our focus is more fun," said Allison Robins of the global lifestyle
brand Zumba Fitness, which is working with the cruise line. "You’ll
never see us talking about weight loss, although that just happens."
Maria Walker, founder of Getaway Fitness in Florida which offers
workout vacations in Florida and California, refers to the growing
industry as fitness adventure.
"When I started, there were spa resorts and fat camps but not much
in the middle," said Walker, whose clients are mostly people in
their 30s, 40s and 50s.
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Now activities range from boot camp and rock climbing to kayaking,
and discussions focus more on exercise and nutrition than weight
loss.
YogaWorks, the national chain of yoga studios, offers 10 to 15
retreats a year and plans to scale up offerings in 2016.
"It's definitely a growing part of the business," said spokesperson
Kim Allardyce, adding it is not just about perfecting one’s yoga
postures.
Although the emphasis is on yoga, depending on where the tour is,
local sites are also included. In Costa Rica vacationers might help
release sea turtles and in Italy go on wine-tasting excursions.
The goal, she said, is to marry fitness with an experience specific
to the location.
(Editing by Patricia Reaney and Frances Kerry)
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