Post-Covid, travellers have become more inclined toward wellness tourism. The wellness tourism economy is larger than its narrowly defined set of typical wellness businesses like spas, wellness retreats, boot camps etc. Today, travellers have shifted their interests towards wellness lifestyle even during travel which encompasses healthy eating, exercise/fitness routines, mind-body practices, nature experiences, connections with local people and their culture, etc., which in turns open opportunities for businesses like yoga studios, gyms and fitness centres, healthy food store/markets, events, museums and others.
The sector is expected to witness a growth of almost 1.1 trillion in 2025 and 20.9% Y-O-Y. Both wellness and domestic tourists are spending a great amount of money to detox their minds from pre and post COVID stresses. Additionally, Wellness tourism is a growing industry, supported by travellers actively seeking ways to enhance their well-being on the go. In an exclusive conversation with FinancialExpress.com, Mukesh Luthra, Chairman, VLCC Group and William Heinecke, Chairman and Founder, Minor International talked about their collaboration and the outlook for the travel and wellness industry. Excerpts:
International Travel is opening as flights are getting regularized. We have this partnership between VLCC and Minor Hotels. What will be the nature of this collaboration, what is it behind?
Mukesh Luthra, Chairman, VLCC Group: This is a very unique collaboration between two leaders in the space, Minor group has 550 hotels, and about 2000 restaurants worldwide, and VLCC has 311 outlets in 12 countries. It was evident in pre-Covid that the wellness tourism is going to grow to almost 1.1 trillion in 2025, and about 20.9% growth every Y-o-Y. Hence the collaboration was a natural progression for us and Avani+ is a beautiful 70 acres property with 196 beautiful rooms, it has three swimming pools, and a great hotel resort actually. While we earlier planned to launch it in 2019, however due to travel restrictions etc., it got delayed. So it’s very exciting for us, because it will cater to all kinds of proactive health care facilities that we also do in our 311 outlets, which is pre and post COVID including wellness and aesthetics that we do.
What exactly are you offering to travellers and clients from India and from all over the world in Thailand?
Mukesh Luthra, Chairman, VLCC Group- Yes, so in VLCC we have a team of medical doctors and nutritionists, their physiotherapist, their fitness experts, their cosmetologist, and whenever a client walks in, you know, because Minor Hotels already have 25 million loyalty customers and they have the hotel itself has very good occupancy now since the travel is opened up. Ranging from one day to seven-night retreats, residential packages offered by VLCC at Avani+ Hua Hin cover four broad themes; integrated wellness, beauty & weight management, immunity and detoxification. The facility will offer solutions for lifestyle related medical and chronic health issues, detoxification therapies, spa and beauty treatments for body, skin and hair as well as aesthetic dermatology treatments. The medical improvement and wellness enhancement programmes will focus on diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and the gut ecosystem. The programmes will combine modern medical investigations with complementary and alternative medicine, customised diets and physical activity regimen to deliver holistic results.
Additionally, nutrition and diet is an equally critical component of each VLCC Wellness and Beauty retreat, for which VLCC’s Michelin Star Chef Suvir Saran will work closely with VLCC nutritionist and Chef Gibb, Avani+ Hua Hin Resort’s Executive Chef to offer guests tailored meals. The menus will be seasonal to reflect local produce focusing on low sodium, low GI, oil free and probiotic nutritious ingredients.
William Heinecke, Chairman and Founder, Minor International- I would also add that you know, Hua Hin has a very unique location, it’s considered the royal retreat for Thailand, that’s where the kings of Thailand have always maintained a home over many generations. And it’s equally accessible to international travellers, as well as to domestic travellers. We have a huge domestic demand for this, not dissimilar from what the VLCC has experienced in India, from our domestic population, and also because of Hua Hin is his unique location and popularity. Globally, we expect that more than half the business is also going to come from international. So this is a tremendous test zone for us, both for the Thai market, as well as for the international market. We’ve gone through many of the VLCC programs, and we believe they’re going to have the same appeal in this market as they’ve had in the Indian and Middle East markets.
Okay, so how have you overcome the challenges posed by COVID? Because in the last two years there were breaks on the travel and tourism industry? So what are the challenges?
William Heinecke, Chairman and Founder, Minor International- Well, we’ve already seen that there’s a tremendous amount of pent up demand by people that haven’t been able to travel for a couple of years. India is one of the prime examples. Hua Hin has been a popular destination for Indian weddings long before COVID and we see that coming back with a vengeance. Furthermore, as the world is slowly moving towards a recovery stage, wellness tourism is expected to grow exponentially in the next few years as we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tell me how the spa industry has changed over the years now?
William Heinecke, Chairman and Founder, Minor International- It is safe to say that spa industry has always been viewed as a pampering industry. However, the association that we have developed with VLCC has focused more around wellness and long term wellness, long term anti-aging, long term health and gut, which deals with your dietary things and it’s about changing your pattern of life over the long term that will enhance your ability to live a better life.
William Heinecke, Chairman and Founder, Minor International- It’s about changing your pattern of life. Over the long term that will enhance your ability to live a better life. Its focused very much on healthy lifestyle, healthy living and as well as things you can do to enhance your appearance even in a short term period because of the aesthetics and the various other things we have available. VLCC can deliver that in a long term program and it is very important for us to have long term loyal guest who will maintain the hope, the program that they may start like VLCC over the next 1 or 2 years. We are working towards sustained wellness.
Is this a signal to VLCC’s venture into global industry now?
Mukesh Luthra, Chairman, VLCC Group-
Absolutely. VLCC has a strong presence across South Asia, South East Asia, the GCC and East Africa with over 300 locations in 12 countries. So this is obviously the first step in global wellness. And it is really exciting that its first outlet came up in Hua Hin with Minor Group association and they have 550 hotels and we are sure that the success of the first outlet which is absolutely assured with the kind of loyalty Minor and VLCC has.
For the past three decades, VLCC has honed its reputation as a leading and respected player in the wellness and beauty industry. With the amalgamation of world class infrastructure provided by Minor Hotels and best-in-class wellness & beauty domain expertise brought by VLCC, the facility at Avani+ Hua Hin Resort will offer a unique wellness experience to guests from across the globe.
How are you going to pitch to Indian customers for them to go to the Minor hotels and VLCC there?
Mukesh Luthra, Chairman, VLCC Group- If you look at Minor Group hotels, their brands are extremely popular whether it is Anantara, Avani. We are confident that going forward, proactive health care and wellness tourism will be active consumption themes globally across age groups, given the heightened awareness of consumers to invest in the same, catalyzed by the pandemic. The package at Avani+ by VLCC has been curated with customer centricity at its core. Guests can choose from customised programmes designed to meet individual needs and deliver quantifiable results. Medi-spa treatments include aesthetics and injectables including derma fillers, body contouring and skincare solutions along with custom blends of IV Therapy.
Additionally, the medical team at the wellness center includes a specialist aesthetic and regenerative Doctor, expert physiotherapist, qualified nutritionist, trained medical nurse and Ayurvedic practitioner from India. Each programme is designed to nourish the body, mind and soul, which include activities such as Zumba, nature walks, and yoga and meditation sessions to complement traditional spa treatments and medical solutions.
Another unique aspect of the offerings by VLCC at Avani+ Hua Hin includes post-package follow-up, review and consultation for up to 12 months for sustenance, which will also be available at over 217 VLCC Wellness & Aesthetic Beauty Clinics in 11 countries.
Can we see a similar collaboration in India?
William Heinecke, Chairman and Founder, Minor International- Obviously, we are looking at India now and the connections and relations to find a right partners for Anantara and Avani in India so this decision was to start working with VLCC because of their strong presence in India.
Future plans, investments? Looking at India now?
William Heinecke, Chairman and Founder, Minor International- We are looking globally, we are already present in 53 countries and we have a strong presence in Europe and South America, Asia, Middle East and Austria. Definitely India is on the horizon as well as Japan and USA and we are looking at it from a global perspective and India is high in that sector.
Mukesh Luthra, Chairman, VLCC Group- Like I said, you rightly pointed out that for us it is a global experience with 550 hotels which Minor group has. The first one opening in Thailand in Hua Hin. I am sure you will be hearing about the coming of the new outlets in the near future. We have a plan of atleast 50 outlets in the next 5 years and I hope Minor Group will positively give us a chance out of their 550 hotels.