At a time when companies in the hospitality sector are facing unprecedented challenges, private equity firm Alta Capital Real Estate has grasped the opportunity to invest in undervalued wellness hospitality assets across Asia-Pacific.
It recently launched the Alta Hospitality Fund Asia with the aim of “repositioning, rebranding and redeveloping assets for the post-COVID world in order to deliver solid returns”. It aims to create a portfolio value of US$50m (€42m, £36m) and deliver a return of 15-25 per cent over six years.
The fund is being helmed by former HSBC head of equities for Asia-Pacific, Rakesh Patel, who decided to launch it because it’s timely to do so, but also because he has a personal passion for wellness stemming from an ‘incurable’ illness as a teenager which he overcame by following the Gerson Therapy regime.
“Hospitality asset prices are dislocated due to the pandemic, which provides an interesting point in the cycle to invest,” he explains, “plus, we’re predicting accelerated growth in wellness in the future, because people have become increasingly conscious of their physical and mental wellbeing.”
Alta quotes GWI figures, reporting that the wellness tourism market is projected to achieve a compound annual growth rate of nearly 7 per cent between 2020 and 2025, reaching US$1.1bn (€923.8m, £792.6m) in revenues by 2025.
Consequently, Patel argues it makes good sense to reposition assets for this structural trend, saying: “acquiring assets at this point helps us manage our downside risk while giving us an attractive upside reward.”
The company won’t invest in standalone spas, but will focus on hospitality assets that either already have an existing wellness component or could be repositioned that way. It has a particular interest in acquiring boutique hotels, wellness retreats and villa communities with 50-150 keys and already has its sights set on a property in Bali, as well as a development in Galle, Sri Lanka with a “premier wellness retreat”.
Patel – himself a trained LEED professional – believes consumers are not only looking for more meaningful travel that incorporates traditional and modern wellness practices and authentic local experiences, but that they’re also increasingly mindful of brands’ approach to the environment, their employees and their attitude towards the communities in which they operate.
To this end, both wellness and sustainability will be at the heart of Alta’s investment strategy. Each project will operate sustainably, incorporating smart-building design elements, such as water recycling, energy efficiency and proper site orientation to boost operating efficiency and minimise CO2 emissions.
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
View contents of Spa Business 2021 issue 1
Editor's letter: Healing the world
With the impact of COVID-19 affecting millions of people globally, spas have a special role to play in the recovery movement
Spa Programmes: On the menu
Healing heartache retreats at Chablé Mexico and Czech spas using mineral water to treat long COVID feature in our latest programming highlights
Programming: Kevin Kelly
Four Seasons’ Sensei retreat in Hawaii taps into wearable tech and biometric data
Programming: Jeremy McCarthy
Mandarin Oriental rolls out it Inner Strength Outer Strength mental wellness course to guests
Interview: Emlyn Brown
Accor’s global vice-president of wellbeing talks to Katie Barnes about business strategies following COVID
Everyone’s talking about: Local markets
How are spas adapting their business model to attract locals? And what happens when international tourists return? Spa Business magazine reports
Trends: Spa Foresight™ 20/21
Touch hunger, lung health, resilience and COVID cool spots all feature in future predictions from the Spa Business team
Sponsored: G.M. COLLIN: New partnerships
Skincare brand GM Collin is
re-energising its sales network and looking
for new distributors from across the globe
to drive its business network
Insight: Hindsight 2020
Mia Kyricos looks at the harsh lessons that spas can learn from the last year
Analysis: On your marks
Analyst Jan Freitag suggests a timescale for global hotel recovery and hotel spas
Research: Eyes on Ireland
An Irish Spa Association snapshot survey shows the impact of COVID on spas across country
Promotion: Artofcryo.com: Chill factor
Artofcryo.com provides evidence-based whole body cryotherapy solutions,
offering effective solutions for guests and an attractive ROI for investors
Fitness: Harley Pasternak
The celebrity trainer and nutritionist shares his vision of fitness and health in the age of coronavirus
Promotion: Iyashi Dôme: Optimal solution
Iyashi Dôme Japanese saunas offer a versatile treatment solution for spas searching for quality touchless treatments backed by science and Japanese technology
Finishing touch: Watch out
UK researchers launch a new study to explore how digital nature experiences can be good for us
In the fast-paced world of fitness and wellness, where high-intensity workouts push us to
our limits and the sweat pours, the importance of efficient recovery cannot be overstated. [more...]
At a time when companies in the hospitality sector are facing unprecedented challenges, private equity firm Alta Capital Real Estate has grasped the opportunity to invest in undervalued wellness hospitality assets across Asia-Pacific.
It recently launched the Alta Hospitality Fund Asia with the aim of “repositioning, rebranding and redeveloping assets for the post-COVID world in order to deliver solid returns”. It aims to create a portfolio value of US$50m (€42m, £36m) and deliver a return of 15-25 per cent over six years.
The fund is being helmed by former HSBC head of equities for Asia-Pacific, Rakesh Patel, who decided to launch it because it’s timely to do so, but also because he has a personal passion for wellness stemming from an ‘incurable’ illness as a teenager which he overcame by following the Gerson Therapy regime.
“Hospitality asset prices are dislocated due to the pandemic, which provides an interesting point in the cycle to invest,” he explains, “plus, we’re predicting accelerated growth in wellness in the future, because people have become increasingly conscious of their physical and mental wellbeing.”
Alta quotes GWI figures, reporting that the wellness tourism market is projected to achieve a compound annual growth rate of nearly 7 per cent between 2020 and 2025, reaching US$1.1bn (€923.8m, £792.6m) in revenues by 2025.
Consequently, Patel argues it makes good sense to reposition assets for this structural trend, saying: “acquiring assets at this point helps us manage our downside risk while giving us an attractive upside reward.”
The company won’t invest in standalone spas, but will focus on hospitality assets that either already have an existing wellness component or could be repositioned that way. It has a particular interest in acquiring boutique hotels, wellness retreats and villa communities with 50-150 keys and already has its sights set on a property in Bali, as well as a development in Galle, Sri Lanka with a “premier wellness retreat”.
Patel – himself a trained LEED professional – believes consumers are not only looking for more meaningful travel that incorporates traditional and modern wellness practices and authentic local experiences, but that they’re also increasingly mindful of brands’ approach to the environment, their employees and their attitude towards the communities in which they operate.
To this end, both wellness and sustainability will be at the heart of Alta’s investment strategy. Each project will operate sustainably, incorporating smart-building design elements, such as water recycling, energy efficiency and proper site orientation to boost operating efficiency and minimise CO2 emissions.
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
View contents of Spa Business 2021 issue 1
Editor's letter: Healing the world
With the impact of COVID-19 affecting millions of people globally, spas have a special role to play in the recovery movement
Spa Programmes: On the menu
Healing heartache retreats at Chablé Mexico and Czech spas using mineral water to treat long COVID feature in our latest programming highlights
Programming: Kevin Kelly
Four Seasons’ Sensei retreat in Hawaii taps into wearable tech and biometric data
Programming: Jeremy McCarthy
Mandarin Oriental rolls out it Inner Strength Outer Strength mental wellness course to guests
Interview: Emlyn Brown
Accor’s global vice-president of wellbeing talks to Katie Barnes about business strategies following COVID
Everyone’s talking about: Local markets
How are spas adapting their business model to attract locals? And what happens when international tourists return? Spa Business magazine reports
Trends: Spa Foresight™ 20/21
Touch hunger, lung health, resilience and COVID cool spots all feature in future predictions from the Spa Business team
Sponsored: G.M. COLLIN: New partnerships
Skincare brand GM Collin is
re-energising its sales network and looking
for new distributors from across the globe
to drive its business network
Insight: Hindsight 2020
Mia Kyricos looks at the harsh lessons that spas can learn from the last year
Analysis: On your marks
Analyst Jan Freitag suggests a timescale for global hotel recovery and hotel spas
Research: Eyes on Ireland
An Irish Spa Association snapshot survey shows the impact of COVID on spas across country
Promotion: Artofcryo.com: Chill factor
Artofcryo.com provides evidence-based whole body cryotherapy solutions,
offering effective solutions for guests and an attractive ROI for investors
Fitness: Harley Pasternak
The celebrity trainer and nutritionist shares his vision of fitness and health in the age of coronavirus
Promotion: Iyashi Dôme: Optimal solution
Iyashi Dôme Japanese saunas offer a versatile treatment solution for spas searching for quality touchless treatments backed by science and Japanese technology
Finishing touch: Watch out
UK researchers launch a new study to explore how digital nature experiences can be good for us
Global Wellness Day (GWD) marked its 15th anniversary on Saturday 13 June 2026, with the
theme: #JoyMagenta – a celebration of the healing qualities of simple gestures and activities
that spark joy.
Global luxury hospitality brand, Six Senses, has partnered with longevity healthcare provider,
HUM2N, to launch a clinic at Six Senses London, at The Whiteley.
As part of its first hotel partnership, Mayrlife – the medical health resort company known for its
site in Altaussee, Austria – has launched a day clinic at the Rosewood Vienna.
Premium London health club, KX Chelsea, will imminently unveil its most significant
redevelopment since its launch in 2002 to create an integrated wellness model combining
training, recovery and relaxation.
Rosewood Le Guanahani St Barth, on the northeast coast of Saint Barthélemy in the French
West Indies, is offering a programme of ocean-inspired yoga classes between 8-14 June to
celebrate Global Wellness Day (GWD).
Hotel de France, located on the British Isle of Jersey, has created a wellness retreat package
that includes a hot yoga session that will take place in Jersey Zoo’s butterfly sanctuary.
The Ritz-Carlton, Langkawi, in Malaysia, has revealed a schedule for Global Wellness Day
(GWD) that includes guided rainforest walks, mindful movement and guided coastal meditation
experiences.
Longevitix, a clinical platform for preventive and longevity medicine, has launched its AI-
powered intelligence system to help physicians deliver continuous, personalised longevity-
focused care at scale.
Atmantan Wellness Centre, an integrative wellness destination in Mulshi, near Pune in India, is
expanding its portfolio by adding a new centre in Hyderabad that will launch between 2028 and
2029.
In the fast-paced world of fitness and wellness, where high-intensity workouts push us to
our limits and the sweat pours, the importance of efficient recovery cannot be overstated. [more...]
