'Getting ready for the wellness tourist'

18th -19th September 2008

A national wellness tourism working group is likely to be formed following the inaugural NZ Wellness Tourism Symposium in Nelson last week, says organiser Birgit Neumann of onCue Ltd.

Delegates gathered at Rutherford Hotel Nelson to hear from national and international speakers from the tourism and research fields, and discuss opportunities from the spa and wellness tourism industry.

In summing up the symposium, Nelson Tasman Tourism chief executive and RTONZ chairman Paul Davis said that any group formed should look at the possibility of the wellness sector combining with existing structures rather than forming another sub group of tourism.

The group could advocate for further research into the wellness tourism industry in New Zealand and strategy development, consider regional differentiation, and examine wellness’ relationship with sustainability, culture and heritage.

New Zealand being ideally positioned to take advantage of a global attitudinal shift in wellness values was a key theme of the symposium, Mr Davis said.

Keynote speaker Susanne Sims, of the Hawaii Island Wellness Travel Association, told the symposium New Zealand’s green image, host culture, regulatory environment and strong domestic market base made it an ideal wellness tourism destination.

The Ministry of Tourism’s Katherine Lowe said wellness tourism was an ideal niche to address seasonality and yield, two key focuses of the New Zealand Tourism Strategy.

Hells Gate’s Brian Hughes said the spa market alone was worth $254 billion a year globally, including US$850m in Asia Pacific.

Symposium delegates were invited to step into the wellness experience, greeted with a spiritual opening at the Nelson Cathedral and hot towels at registration. Arvind Pujji, of Pujjis Wellness Retreat, led wellness exercises at the ‘energy breaks’ and delegates were invited to take part in yoga, meditation, walking and running before the start of the symposium’s second day.

For further details about the 2008 Symposium please see the highlights page

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