Deep Marwaha | Wellness Entrepreneur

Deep Marwaha is active in the wellness/fitness tourism industry.

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Tag: health

Deep Marwaha- The Economic Effects of Wellness Tourism

The Economic Effects of Wellness Tourism

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On August 11, 2017

In Blog

Wellness tourism provides immense benefits to the traveler who decides to take a vacation devoted to the advancement of their health and wellbeing; generally, those who embrace wellness in their travels return feeling refreshed and rejuvenated, and committed to a healthier lifestyle. Wellness tourism, as a sector of the travel industry, extends its reach far beyond personal benefits, however. It is also a major economic force.

According to the most recent statistics from the Global Wellness Institute, the global wellness tourism industry is a $3.72 trillion industry. That represents a 10.6% increase from 2013-2015! What’s remarkable about the wellness tourism industry is its resilience despite periods of economic downturn. Even when global GDP fell 3.6% between 2013 and 2015, global wellness tourism experienced double-digit growth. Additionally, the global wellness tourism industry has grown at twice the rate of overall tourism.

These incredible statistics are nothing to take lightly. A few years ago, wellness tourism was not a term that was even in circulation. There was no sector within the travel industry devoted specifically to wellness. Now, the wellness industry represents 5.1% of global economic output.

So what does the increase in global wellness tourism mean and why does it matter? First, wellness tourism is inextricably linked to other markets, such as spas, hotels, nutrition and weight loss, beauty, public health, alternative medicine, real estate, and workplace wellness, for which had has contributed major economic gains. It benefits economies all over the world, creating 17.9 million jobs worldwide. The average wellness traveler spends 61% more per trip than the standard tourist, so every market wellness industry touches reaps the benefits.

Second, and most importantly, the massive economic success of wellness tourism indicates a shift in attitudes around the world, as more and more people begin to invest in their health and wellness. There is a concerted effort among people around the world to look prioritize wellness, as the GWI reports that wellness expenditures are nearly half as large as total global health expenditures- $3.72 trillion compared to $7.6 trillion in overall healthcare spending.

Katherine Johnston, a Senior Research Fellow for GWI notes the deeper changes the booming global wellness tourism economy is contributing to:

A profound shift in the way people consume wellness is underway: once a luxury or ‘add-on’, it’s now being infused into every aspect of daily life- from how people work to how they travel. And the spend on proactive healthy choices- on wellness- will continue to comprise a greater percentage of massive multi-trillion industries, whether real estate, food and beverage, or travel.

As the global wellness tourism industry continues on its upward path, people of all industries and backgrounds from all around the world have the opportunity to share the wealth, both physically and fiscally.

 

Deep Marwaha: Wellness in the Workplace

Wellness in the Workplace

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On June 7, 2017

In Blog

As an entrepreneur in the wellness tourism industry, I am a firm believer in implementing wellness into one’s everyday life. Ever since visiting a Thai wellness facility in 2015, I have been an advocate for embracing a healthy, balanced lifestyle. I am committed to establishing my own wellness facility in Dubai; however, wellness is more than just something one can practice temporarily. It is a way of life and, as such, should encompass every aspect of life.

The average person working a traditional 9-5 job will spend 10.3 years working, or approximately 21% of their total waking hours over a 76-year lifespan. If you’re not careful, you can quickly become a slave to your job, whether you enjoy it or not. Therefore, I believe every company should have an employee wellness program in place. This can look different depending on the company, but every business owner should have their employees’ health and wellness in mind. Workplace wellness programs have been shown to improve employee satisfaction, reduce stress, decrease absences, and increase productivity. To learn about some ways employers can prioritize and implement wellness in the workplace, please head to my WordPress site for the full blog. 

 

Deep Marwaha- Work Stress Feeds Into Wellness Tourism Industry

Work Stress Feeds Into Wellness Tourism Industry

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On April 4, 2017

In Blog

Have you ever wondered why so many offices offer their employees cool perks like fitness centers, snacks, meditation spaces, even nap pods? It isn’t hard to put two and two together. These benefits are all nice, but they’re in place to accommodate work stress. According to Corporate Wellness Magazine, work stress, defined as “The adverse reaction people have to excessive pressures or other types of demands placed on them at work,” costs U.S. companies an estimated $300 billion each each and sleep deprivation as a result of excessive work costs another $63 billion.

Work stress is a big problem, especially in America where employees are often overworked and underpaid; however, it doesn’t seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. According to the Health and Safety Executive, it affects nearly every individual at some point in his or her life. A survey from Harris Interactive found that 80 percent of American workers could identify at least one stressor in the workplace, the most common culprits being excessive workloads, low pay, and long commutes.

The only upside of all this work stress is that a desire for healthier lifestyles is a byproduct of it, feeding indirectly into the wellness tourism industry. Businesses spend 200-300 percent more on indirect healthcare costs (sick days and decreased productivity) than they do on direct costs in the form of medical, pharmacy, and disability claims, but it seems at least that, with wellness tourism, employees are responding to their stressful environments in the best way they can by making their health a priority.

The phrase “wellness tourism” did not even exist seven years ago, and the industry has already seen amazing growth and changes since it first came into being, eclipsing the growth of tourism overall by a margin of 7%. The global wellness tourism industry is valued at over $500 billion and is expected to expand to $808 billion (nearly a trillion!) in the next few years, considering it grew at a rate of 14% over the past two years compared with 6.9% for overall tourism.

Wellness travelers represent “a new generation of travel enthusiasts,” according to Fast Company. When the industry was just taking off, it catered to the more affluent traveler. Now, realizing the need and desire for wellness travel in the workforce, the industry has adapted to “become more democratized with affordable retreats increasing across the globe.”

Interestingly, in addition to generalized work stress, corporate travel is another driver for wellness tourism, as workers seek a different kind of experience outside of anything associated with work. The Global Business travel Association reported in 2014 that it expected spending on global business travel to increase at a rate of seven percent each year, due primarily to growth in Asian markets. As corporate travel increases, so too should wellness tourism. “In a world where business trips are becoming increasingly common, wellness tourism provides an ideal counterpoint to the stresses associated with corporate travel,” says Matt Timms for BusinessDestinations.com.

Both the demographics and the destinations associated with wellness tourism have changed over the years, with the industry opening up to appeal to a wider socioeconomic audience with more affordable options. Additionally, more destinations are becoming available as countries around the world catch onto the trend and open more wellness tourism businesses. Americans represent the largest share of the industry, due primarily to their overworked lifestyles according to research from Beth McGroarty of the Global Wellness Institute. As a result, America is also the number one destination for wellness tourism- but this type of travel is expanding across the globe, with today’s wellness traveler favoring exotic locales like Thailand, Vietnam, Bali, Nicaragua, and Morocco.

As long as job-related stress continues to haunt workers around the world (and it will), wellness tourism will continue to appeal to the frazzled, overworked employee, from bottom-of-the-totem-pole assistants to executive-level bosses, and the industry will continue to grow. “It seems unstoppable,” says McGroarty.

Deep Marwaha- How to implement wellness into your everyday life

How to Implement Wellness Into Your Everyday Life

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On March 6, 2017

In Blog

Wellness tourism is taking off around the world, with centers dedicated exclusively to wellness opening up to offer travelers a spectrum of health-oriented activities including fitness and sports, spa treatments, nutritious dining options, yoga, meditation, stress relief, and health education. Some already-established hotels are implementing wellness into their accommodations while other centers dedicated exclusively to wellness retreats are becoming increasingly common. If you have the means to visit a wellness facility, I highly encourage it as it can be a life-changing experience and has impacted my entire life for the better, but you don’t have to travel the world or spend a lot of money to experience wellness. Or, if you have been to a wellness facility and witnessed its wonders, the wellness activities shouldn’t end when you return home. You can implement wellness into your everyday life.

It may be difficult to stop and take time for yourself when you’re busy with your daily routine- work, errands, doctor’s appointments, etc. But wellness should not be a choice, but a requirement. Make your health a priority and it will improve your overall outlook on life. You may not have the fancy yoga studios, spas, pools, and team sports that a wellness facility offers within your own home, but it’s not hard to make the most of your resources and practice wellness every day. Here are some suggestions to start you off:

Practice Meditation

Meditation can be really difficult to stick to for newcomers. I get that. It’s hard to shut out your surroundings and focus only on yourself when there are so many things running through your mind and going on around you. Did I remember to pay that bill? I can’t forget to make dinner reservations!  I need to prepare for that call this afternoon! I have to pick Johnny up from soccer practice after school. And so on and so on. However, meditation is a natural antidote for a range of mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression, and is medically-proven to reduce stress and lower blood pressure. If you start to make it a habit, it becomes easier, and there are a plethora of books and apps available to help you out. 

Listen to music

According to Huffington Post, music has been shown to reduce stress, aid in memory retention, improve your immune system, motivate you to exercise, and even decrease physical pain. So plug in and unwind. Whether you take time each day to completely zone out to music or you listen to it at work, you will start to see the positive effects. Music with a slow tempo and low pitch (without loud instrumentals or lyrics) is best for reducing stress.

Visit a spa

Unless you live in the middle of nowhere, you’re probably only a few minutes away from a spa. If you can afford it, schedule monthly massages to loosen your tense muscles and focus on any problem areas. If you can’t afford a monthly spa visit, then pamper yourself at home! Simply purchase a yoga massage ball or foam roller for a diy massage. Soak in a warm bath for 20 minutes for further relaxation and stress reduction.

Exercise

Exercise seems more like a chore to most people than a fun activity and I know how difficult it can be to make it a part of one’s daily routine. Motivating yourself to get to the gym after a long day of work when you’d much rather collapse onto your couch is no easy task. But there are so many ways to implement exercise into your life, whether it’s a 15-minute YouTube workout video before work, a class at the gym, or a morning run, find something that works for you and stick to it. You may not have a fitness coach pushing you like you would at a wellness facility, but you can be your own advocate.

Connect with your surroundings

A huge draw of wellness tourism is the opportunity to escape from one’s daily life and bask in a new, distraction-free environment. Simply take a walk and breathe in the fresh air, admire the greenery and flowers, and listen to the birds.

Schedule time to relax into your day

This may seem overly-simple and obvious, but actually writing a time for relaxation into your schedule will make you more likely to do it. Writing your goals and tasks down has been proven to make them more likely to happen. Practice good time management and schedule time into your day, even it’s just a few minutes during work, to de-compress with a book or a walk around the block.

These are just some of the many ways you can implement wellness into your everyday life. Taking a wellness vacation is likely to be a transformative experience, as it was for me, but wellness can start in your own home.

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