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New research shows Gen Z and millennials are reshaping the wellness market. Affordable, community-based models are thriving, while many traditional spas risk being left behind
Business is flourishing at Soak, a social wellness concept in Australia / photo: Soak Bathhouse West Village
The global wellness industry is in a period of unprecedented transformation – and the direction of travel is being set by today’s youngest adult consumers.
McKinsey’s Future of Wellness 2025 report has just landed with much weight and we unpack the findings on p34. This global study, spanning 9,000 consumers across China, Germany, the UK and the US, reveals that millennials and Gen Z are the key drivers of wellness growth and are also influencing older generations. Gen Z alone makes up 36 per cent of the US adult population but drives 41 per cent of the wellness spend.
These younger consumers view wellness as a daily essential, not an occasional treat. They’re prioritising health, sleep, mindfulness and appearance. They’re willing to invest, but we know from previous research that they’re also price-conscious. Many are early in their careers, navigating high living costs and economic uncertainty.
Enter the rise of social wellness clubs – community-focused, design-led spaces delivering high-quality experiences – which are growing at an exponential rate. Many of these offer affordable services as well.
The new 432 brand, created by industry veterans Emlyn Brown and Jamie Waring (see p32), will charge around US$29 (€25, £21) a visit and is targeting 25- to 40-year-olds. At Soak, a social bathhouse concept in Australia (see p22), a 90-minute package starts at US$39 (€33, £28) and its multiple sites are “at or close to capacity”, the owner says.
On p76, we also highlight three female pioneers who are transforming accessible public wellness – one sauna or pool at a time – in New York, Norway and the UK.
This creates a challenge – and an opportunity – for traditional spa operators. On p50, Suzanne Holbrook, global leader of spa, fitness and wellness for Marriott – which has 667 spas in its portfolio – talks candidly about how the luxury spa industry has outpriced itself for many. This is something she’s actively working to address to raise occupancy to 70-80 per cent.
For investors, developers and owners, the message is clear: the next generation of wellness is already here – and it’s moving fast. Now is the time to innovate, diversify and lead.
photo: Jack Emmerson
Katie Barnes is the editor of Spa Business magazine
| [email protected]
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
View contents of Spa Business 2025 issue 2
Editor’s letter: The Gen Z effect
With young adults reshaping our industry, affordable, community-based models are thriving, while traditional spas risk being left behind
Spa people: Novak Djokovic
Game, set, spa. The tennis star is poised to launch a biohacking pod while also entering a multi-year ambassador partnership with Aman
Spa people: Peter Attia
One of the most respected names in longevity medicine has co-founded preventative health clinic, Biograph
Spa people: Alexis Dean
The founder of Soak is on a mission to deliver social wellness without the hefty price tag across Australia
News report: Young influencers
Millennials and Gen Zers are redefining the wellness landscape according to new research by McKinsey
News report: Double vision
Fresh data from RLA Global reveals that hotels delivering wellness earn twice as much as those that don’t
Project preview: Laugarás Lagoon
Contrast bathing and fine dining are two USPs of a new geothermal destination in Iceland’s Golden Circle
Interview: Suzanne Holbrook
Marriott’s new global leader of spa, fitness and wellness talks candidly to Katie Barnes about her plans for the world’s largest hotel spa portfolio
Ask an expert: Vagus nerve
Insider insights into why this critical nerve is a key to wellbeing and how supportive treatments are set to shake up spa menus. Kath Hudson reports
Research: Marginally speaking
CBRE’s latest numbers show that spa revenues in US hotels have edged upward, profits have slipped slightly and costs are down
Investigation: Dealing with death
With a new openness emerging around the subject of end-of-life care, Julie Cramer investigates whether spas could offer death doula services
Trend: Head first
Judy Chapman tries out brain mapping at Gwinganna to see why it’s become so popular
First person: Relaxation rebooted
Does AI massage have a place in luxury spas? Cassandra Cavanah heads to The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara to find out
New research shows Gen Z and millennials are reshaping the wellness market. Affordable, community-based models are thriving, while many traditional spas risk being left behind
Business is flourishing at Soak, a social wellness concept in Australia / photo: Soak Bathhouse West Village
The global wellness industry is in a period of unprecedented transformation – and the direction of travel is being set by today’s youngest adult consumers.
McKinsey’s Future of Wellness 2025 report has just landed with much weight and we unpack the findings on p34. This global study, spanning 9,000 consumers across China, Germany, the UK and the US, reveals that millennials and Gen Z are the key drivers of wellness growth and are also influencing older generations. Gen Z alone makes up 36 per cent of the US adult population but drives 41 per cent of the wellness spend.
These younger consumers view wellness as a daily essential, not an occasional treat. They’re prioritising health, sleep, mindfulness and appearance. They’re willing to invest, but we know from previous research that they’re also price-conscious. Many are early in their careers, navigating high living costs and economic uncertainty.
Enter the rise of social wellness clubs – community-focused, design-led spaces delivering high-quality experiences – which are growing at an exponential rate. Many of these offer affordable services as well.
The new 432 brand, created by industry veterans Emlyn Brown and Jamie Waring (see p32), will charge around US$29 (€25, £21) a visit and is targeting 25- to 40-year-olds. At Soak, a social bathhouse concept in Australia (see p22), a 90-minute package starts at US$39 (€33, £28) and its multiple sites are “at or close to capacity”, the owner says.
On p76, we also highlight three female pioneers who are transforming accessible public wellness – one sauna or pool at a time – in New York, Norway and the UK.
This creates a challenge – and an opportunity – for traditional spa operators. On p50, Suzanne Holbrook, global leader of spa, fitness and wellness for Marriott – which has 667 spas in its portfolio – talks candidly about how the luxury spa industry has outpriced itself for many. This is something she’s actively working to address to raise occupancy to 70-80 per cent.
For investors, developers and owners, the message is clear: the next generation of wellness is already here – and it’s moving fast. Now is the time to innovate, diversify and lead.
photo: Jack Emmerson
Katie Barnes is the editor of Spa Business magazine
| [email protected]
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
View contents of Spa Business 2025 issue 2
Editor’s letter: The Gen Z effect
With young adults reshaping our industry, affordable, community-based models are thriving, while traditional spas risk being left behind
Spa people: Novak Djokovic
Game, set, spa. The tennis star is poised to launch a biohacking pod while also entering a multi-year ambassador partnership with Aman
Spa people: Peter Attia
One of the most respected names in longevity medicine has co-founded preventative health clinic, Biograph
Spa people: Alexis Dean
The founder of Soak is on a mission to deliver social wellness without the hefty price tag across Australia
News report: Young influencers
Millennials and Gen Zers are redefining the wellness landscape according to new research by McKinsey
News report: Double vision
Fresh data from RLA Global reveals that hotels delivering wellness earn twice as much as those that don’t
Project preview: Laugarás Lagoon
Contrast bathing and fine dining are two USPs of a new geothermal destination in Iceland’s Golden Circle
Interview: Suzanne Holbrook
Marriott’s new global leader of spa, fitness and wellness talks candidly to Katie Barnes about her plans for the world’s largest hotel spa portfolio
Ask an expert: Vagus nerve
Insider insights into why this critical nerve is a key to wellbeing and how supportive treatments are set to shake up spa menus. Kath Hudson reports
Research: Marginally speaking
CBRE’s latest numbers show that spa revenues in US hotels have edged upward, profits have slipped slightly and costs are down
Investigation: Dealing with death
With a new openness emerging around the subject of end-of-life care, Julie Cramer investigates whether spas could offer death doula services
Trend: Head first
Judy Chapman tries out brain mapping at Gwinganna to see why it’s become so popular
First person: Relaxation rebooted
Does AI massage have a place in luxury spas? Cassandra Cavanah heads to The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara to find out
Hand and Stone Massage and Facial Spa, the spa business with more than 650 locations across
the US and Canada, has appointed franchise expert Carrie Walsh as CEO as the company plans
to expand.
Synergy – The Retreat Show, the global trade show for retreats, has launched a global research
initiative that will provide insights into the retreat sector from both consumer and industry
perspectives.
The Wellness Tourism Association (WTA) has published a non-regulatory global industry
framework designed to ensure the retreat market offers responsible experiences.
A new survey of UK and international spa practitioners shows that stress, burnout and
wellbeing concerns have caused one in three respondents to consider leaving the industry.
The UK's four Chief Medical Officers have published a refreshed edition of Physical activity
guidelines: UK Chief Medical Officers' report, updating the evidence that underpins the nation's
physical activity recommendations and placing greater emphasis on strength, balance, reducing
sedentary behaviour and, for the first time, supporting people taking weight loss medications.
Anna Bjurstam has left her role as Wellness Pioneer at Six Senses Hotels and Resorts and
launched a new wellness, longevity and “consciousness consultancy” called Wahayla.
Fairmont Cheshire, The Mere, has opened today (10 July) in the Northwest of England
with a
1,715sq m Fairmont Spa that has been designed using a ‘Wellness without Walls’
concept.
Wellness hotels generating less than US$1 million (€932,700, £785,200) – or 10 per cent of
total revenue from wellness and leisure – recorded the strongest RevPAR and TRevPAR growth
in 2025 across categories when compared with 2024, according to the latest Wellness Real
Estate Report by RLA Global, produced in partnership with P and L benchmarking firm HotStats.
