Result
At present, almost one in five German citizens relaxes at least once a month in a sauna, spa, massage or other wellness treatment. This means that interest in this leisure activity has doubled within a decade. City dwellers and young adults in particular enjoy treating themselves to a break in their free time in this way. But couples, whether childless or parents, also like to spend their free time taking advantage of the numerous offers.
Reasons
There are a variety of reasons for the increasing popularity of wellness programmes, with the search for relaxation and a balance to stressful everyday (working) life being the top priority for most people. In metropolises in particular, many people long for a quiet break away from the hustle and bustle and the crowds to forget about stress for a few hours. Young adults, but also couples, place above-average value on a balanced lifestyle and a healthy balance between tension (at work) and relaxation (in their free time). Their willingness to invest money in wellness treatments to regenerate their body and mind and recharge their batteries is correspondingly high. For couples, the opportunity to spend quality time with their partner and be pampered together plays an important role.
Other reasons for the increasing popularity of this leisure activity include growing health awareness, changes in working life, the development of new wellness trends and their promotion, as well as an increased focus on more mindfulness.
Forecast
Personal well-being and a health-conscious lifestyle will continue to gain in importance in the future. The market for wellness will continue to diversify, with offers and treatments being tailored to the individual needs of customers and ranging from health and beauty to well-being programmes.
There will also be an (even) greater focus on options for specific target groups. These could include offers specifically for men, such as barber spas or special saunas, or the combination of wellness with other areas, such as gastronomy or art, to create a holistic experience. But new offers such as floating (a relaxation experience in which you float in a salt water tank and switch off completely), sound healing (an application in which relaxation is induced through sounds and vibrations of the body), laughter yoga (in which the mood is lifted and stress reduced through targeted breathing and laughter exercises) or Watsu (a massage in water in which the body is relaxed through gentle movements and stretches) will also gain popularity in the future.
EN 
DE