Welcome wellness, says Technogym

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However, with a global awareness of the chronic disease epidemic intensifying, what constitutes true 'holiday' and 'hospitality' is now being rewritten. Hotels that offer health-focused guest experiences and wellness environments bent on delivering much-needed revitalisation for people who want to maintain their lifestyle and live healthier can benefit.

Preventable chronic diseases are accelerating globally and will account for 60% of the global burden of disease by 2020. In most developed countries, one in two adults are overweight and one in six are obese. Runaway corporate health-care costs mean many businesses have adopted formal employee-wellness programmes, which, in turn, leads to a higher demand for healthier business travel. In addition, 53% of surveyed travellers said they exercised while travelling and health-focused travellers now represent 40% of the travel segment. Health-conscious travellers, on average, spend 130% more than the average global tourist.

How do hotels harness the health-focused traveller? The solution goes beyond the gym as a mere amenity and includes an integrated wellness approach that enhances the traveller's stay from the moment he arrives at the hotel. "People want a hotel gym that is core to their hotel experience. This means that the facility needs to be on standard with the rest of the hotel offering in terms of equipment, location and services," said Tony Payne, MD of Technogym SA.

"Leading hotel fitness centres have high-quality equipment and are more visible, more inviting, and more integrated into the hotels service model. Hotel guests can also enjoy more indoor and outdoor classes and excursions, more in-room workout amenities and more healthy options. This approach builds on service touch points to create enhanced relationships with customers and builds long-term loyalty."

Total wellness solution

Hotels can now implement a total wellness solution made up of technology, products, services and applications for involving guests in an all-round wellness experience. This ensures that the hotel's wellness solution is brought to the forefront of the hotel's offering. It begins with the crucial moment of online booking. Wellness companies, such as Technogym, provide the hotel with online survey software to allow guests to be profiled for tailor-made programmes before they arrive. It also provides specific wellness content to enhance the hotel's website, brochures for the reception, solutions for each category of room as well as IPTV training programme videos and on-demand products that can be taken to the room at the request of the guest.

"Technogym works closely with the hotel to ensure that the gym has appropriate equipment, but also to put an integrated strategy in place. This will include services, such as personal training programmes, fitness tests, and personalised plans for the various needs of the guests. We called this solution 'Welcome Wellness' and it has been implemented by some of the largest hotel groups in the world, including One & Only, Ritz Carlton and Trump hotels," said Payne.

Technology also plays an integral role in the guest journey. One such an example is the Technogym "Wellness on the Go" app that allows hotels to offer wellness programmes and paths everywhere and at any time. Thanks to Mywellness cloud, hotels can allow guests to connect to their own programmes and their own workout data wherever they are. "This is a great opportunity for the hotel industry to attract tourists and business travellers, who will be able to connect to their workout programmes or to their personal trainers inside the hotel facilities," explained Payne.

Creating hotels that place guest wellness at the centre of its offering will yield great returns, not only for guests but also for business owners.