Wyndham & celebrity chef cater to wellness travel trend
Wyndham Vacation Resorts has teamed up with 2014 Masterchef contestant and certified nutrition coach, Kira Westwick, to provide the growing number of wellness travellers in the South Pacific with more options to stay healthy and happy whilst on holiday. The partnership with Kira, co-founder of EY Wholesome Health Studios, is just one of the ways that the hospitality giant is catering to the developing wellness tourism trend.
An increased interest in wholesome food, driven by a more educated audience who want to know what is in their meal and where their produce is from, plays an important role in this growing trend. Research conducted by Weber Shandwick and Pureprofile confirms that “cooking is becoming an increasingly prominent aspect of Australian popular culture, which is likely due to the growing number of food-focused reality television shows.” A staggering 48 per cent of survey respondents said they prefer home-style cooking, while just 19 per cent said they still prefer fine dining.
Wyndham properties are designed with this lifestyle preference in mind, with 21 of the 26 properties in the company’s South Pacific portfolio boasting full-kitchen facilities. Through a series of instructional videos that were filmed in the kitchen of a two-bedroom apartment at Wyndham Surfers Paradise and uploaded to the company’s YouTube page, Kira shows how easy it is for guests staying at Wyndham properties to prepare healthy, nutritional meals whilst on holiday.
“Preparing healthy food while on holidays can be super quick and really easy, especially if your holiday apartment has a well-equipped kitchen,” said Kira. “Regular family holidays are a really important part of living a healthy lifestyle and Wyndham Surfers paradise provides the perfect setting to take some time out and enjoy some quality time with your loved ones.”
According to a study conducted by the Global Wellness Institute, wellness tourism can be defined as a wave of demographic and lifestyle trends that is putting proactive health, mindfulness and prevention at the centre of consumer decision making.
The report explains consumers who have integrated wellness into their lifestyles are also reflecting these healthy habits and activities into their travel. One of the simplest ways to ensure they are maintaining their health away from home is by opting to cook wholesome meals in their hotel apartments rather than dining out.
Wellness tourism is projected to grow by more than 9 per cent per annum until 2017 – nearly 50 per cent faster than overall global tourism – and with its range of spacious, well-equipped accommodation options, Wyndham is well set to capitalise on this niche sector of the tourism industry.
