Wellness Tourism in 2026: Why Guests Are Choosing Properties with Sauna Facilities

Wellness Tourism in 2026 : Let's talk about something that has been quietly changing how people pick where to stay. It is not the pool anymore. It is not even the breakfast spread, as good as that still matters.

More and more, guests are choosing properties based on whether there is a real wellness feature on site, and sauna facilities have become one of the clearest signals of that shift. If you run a hotel, villa, or homestay, this is worth paying attention to, because it is not a passing trend.

It is quickly becoming part of how people decide where their money goes, and the data backs this up.

What Actually Changed

So what changed? A few things happened at once. Travelers came out of a few stressful years genuinely wanting their trips to feel restorative, not just fun.

Wellness stopped being something people did only at a spa resort and became something they expect to find woven into an ordinary stay, even a short weekend one. At the same time, social media made wellness experiences highly visible and shareable, so a beautiful sauna room in a garden setting does real marketing work on its own, long before a guest even books.

What the Data Actually Says

This is not just a feeling in the industry, it shows up clearly in the numbers. Global wellness tourism spending reached roughly 990 billion US dollars in 2025, and market researchers project it could climb past 2 trillion dollars within the next decade, growing at close to 9 percent a year according to Grand View Research. Separate travel research from Simon-Kucher found that 44 percent of high income travelers took a wellness trip in 2025, and 58 percent already have one planned for 2026. On the luxury end specifically, industry reporting suggests more than 90 percent of luxury travelers now actively look for wellness programs when deciding where to book, which is a striking number for something that used to be considered a nice extra rather than a real factor.

It is also worth noting where the growth is happening fastest. Several market reports point to Asia Pacific as the fastest growing region for wellness tourism over the coming decade, which is genuinely good news for properties across Indonesia positioned to meet that demand early rather than catching up later.

Guests Are Searching for It Before They Book

Here is the part that matters most for property owners. Guests are not just enjoying a sauna once they arrive, they are actively searching for it before they book. Look at how people search and filter on booking platforms now. Terms like wellness retreat, spa amenities, and sauna on property show up constantly, and properties that can genuinely check that box tend to stand out from a sea of listings that all look pretty similar otherwise. When two properties are priced close together, the one with a clear wellness feature often wins the click, and eventually the booking.
It Changes How Guests Behave Once They Arrive
It also changes how guests behave once they arrive, which is honestly the more interesting part. A guest who books specifically for the wellness experience tends to slow down. They are not rushing between five attractions a day. Recent travel surveys back this up too, with a large majority of respondents saying that taking a genuine break from technology and constant stimulation matters to their overall wellbeing while traveling. Guests like this linger longer at the property, they are more likely to add an extra night if their schedule allows it, and they leave reviews that specifically mention the sauna, the ritual, the feeling of actually switching off. That kind of review does more for future bookings than almost anything else you could pay for, because it reads as genuine, not promotional.
Guests Want a Story, Not Just a Steam Room
There is also a quieter trend sitting underneath all this, which is guests wanting experiences that feel local and intentional rather than generic. A Hinoki sauna room fits this really well, since it carries a real story, real craftsmanship, and a cultural depth that a plain steam room simply does not have. Guests increasingly want to know why something is the way it is, not just that it exists. Being able to explain the wood, the ritual, and the tradition behind it gives your property a narrative that guests genuinely enjoy hearing about, and often repeat to friends afterward.

You Do Not Need to Overhaul Everything

None of this means every property needs to become a wellness resort overnight. It just means the properties that add even one thoughtful wellness feature are positioning themselves ahead of a shift that is already well underway, not one that might happen someday. Waiting until every competitor nearby already has a sauna room means playing catch up in a market where guests have already formed their expectations.

A Quick Gut Check

If you are thinking about where your property fits into this shift, the honest first step is just looking at what your recent guests have said. Scroll through your reviews and see how often relaxation, quiet, or wellness comes up, even indirectly. Look at what nearby properties are advertising that you are not. Those two things alone usually tell you whether this trend is something worth acting on now or something to keep an eye on for later.

Curious what a wellness feature could look like on your specific property? Our team at Nagomi is always happy to talk through it with you, no pressure, just a real conversation about what fits. Reach out through WhatsApp or visit nagomi.id whenever you are ready.

Data Referenced in This Article
Global wellness tourism market size and growth forecast (990 billion USD in 2025, projected past 2 trillion USD by 2035, 9.3 percent CAGR): Grand View Research, Wellness Tourism Market Size & Share Report, 2026-2035.