Sustainable Design

Savvy vacation rental owners that design and refresh spaces with sustainable products can score more wellness travelers.

All around the world, people are choosing vacations, destinations, and experiences that support wellness. The Global Wellness Institute (GWI) reports that wellness tourism and wellness real estate make up $651 billion and $398 billion respectively of the global wellness economy. According to GWI, "international wellness tourists on average spent $1,764 per trip in 2022, 41% more than the typical international tourist. Domestic wellness tourists spent $668 per trip, 175% more than the average domestic tourist."

As tourism continues to rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic, short term rentals and investors catering to wellness travelers may garner greater market share while also supporting more earth-friendly practices. Wellness tourists want a smaller environmental footprint -- saving energy, creating less waste, harvesting rainwater, and furnishings made with the same practices in mind.

Out of 218 countries measured by GWI, the United States ranks number one as the top wellness economy, leading in nine of eleven wellness sectors, including top ranking for wellness real estate and wellness tourism.

Sustainable short term rentals promoting a wellness experience will connect with the growing number of people -- locally and abroad -- seeking a healthier lifestyle.