About 3.3 million U.S. adults suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome, according to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sleep tourism which is focused on promoting wellness, stress reduction, and improving the quality of sleep, was introduced as a concept around the time of 2022, according to the Global Wellness Institute, and really started to pick up steam in 2023. Now, that focus is continuing into 2024 as reported in The Zoe Report.
TODAYOnline reported that in a recent Booking.com survey on 2024 travel trends, two in three Singapore-based travellers said they plan to book a holiday just to get some extra shut-eye. In Singapore, it is common to expect desk-bound employees to start “clearing” emails on Sunday nights so they can hit the ground running on Monday mornings. A lack of boundaries, long hours at work, and excessive use of social media platforms have all contributed to a highly stressed-out society with poor mental health.
The sleep tourism market is estimated to grow by nearly 8% and by over US$400 billion between 2023 and 2028, according to an analysis by HTF Market Intelligence. Currently, market value is pegged at US$640 billion. The sleep tourism market is driven by the increasing awareness of the health benefits of sleep, and the growing demand for wellness and stress-reduction activities. It is also influenced by the rising trend of sustainable and responsible tourism, and emergence of new sleep-enhancing technologies and products. This has all led to more establishments focusing their attention on those suffering from sleep-deprivation.
Development of new sleep tourism destinations and experiences
According to Hilton’s 2024 Trends Report, regardless of generation, the No. 1 reason people want to travel in 2024 is to rest and recharge. The report also found that the top three actions travelers say they take to achieve a good night’s sleep are: listening to music or a podcast, staying with a trusted brand with a consistently good mattress and utilising earplugs or headphones.
To appeal to these types of travelers, Tempo by Hilton’s guest rooms are designed with three zones for function and comfort, including a sleep environment to help guests unwind and featuring several Power Down amenities designed to help guests get a restful night’s sleep. Canopy by Hilton offers exclusive bedding, including a mattress outfitted with support and temperature control, and Canopy slipper socks for extra comfort.
A Rest and Recovery suite at Hotel Figueroa in Los Angeles features is an Eight Sleep bed in the bedroom, that promises to monitor sleep patterns and adjust temperature based on the guest’s preferences. In the living space, there is a recovery area with a Hypervolt percussive muscle massager and other amenities all aimed at melting tension. The best thing is the personalised Pluto pillow which suite guests can bring home (at a discount). When booking online, guests can answer questions about their sleep habits to help custom-create the perfect pillow for them. A two-day advance notice is required.
Conrad Bali introduced a SWAY sleep therapy experience, where guests are cradled in a hammock beneath a weighted blanket and soothing eye pillow while receiving tension-dissolving acupressure massage. Immersed in aromatherapy and the soothing sounds of nature, SWAY provides unparalleled comfort in a 60-minute session.
As for cruising, Princess Cruises developed the Princess Luxury Bed that come with fittings and amenities with the help of a sleep expert, using the most up-to-date research in sleep science and knowledge to provide their guests with the most extraordinary sleep experience in their stateroom.
The Princess Luxury Bed available in all staterooms regardless of categories of staterooms, features a medium-firm mattress that offers incredible support and contains coils that are individually wrapped, which provides each partner with far less disruption when sleeping. Each bed is topped with 100% lavish Jacquard-woven cotton linens and a European-influenced duvet. The mattress and items such as pillows, comforter and linens are available for purchase (only for delivery in the US). For suite guests, there is a sensory SLEEP Kit that includes calming items that will encourage sleep such as an aromatherapy scent, eyeshades, earplugs, an app, and other items. In addition, SLEEP-friendly night-time meals are offered onboard.
Fortune has also cited a few examples of hotels introducing sleep-improvement amenities. Park Hyatt New York’s Bryte Restorative Sleep Suite is a 900 sq ft room with an AI-powered smart bed to adjust mattress pressure points. The room also has essential oil diffusers and sleep-related books. The Benjamin Royal in New York offers sleep kits with masks, a sleep lullaby music library, white noise machines,10 different pillow options and a power napping kit.
For those who want to dedicate their entire vacation to wellness, Six Senses, with 26 locations across the globe, including in Thailand, Spain, Greece, India and Fiji, gives guests a curated sleep programme. The stay includes sleep meditations and a two-night sleep tracker, providing insights into sleep duration and quality, along with guidance from in-house sleep doctors.
The Cadogan, a Belmond Hotel in London, to create a special service catered to guests with sleep issues called the Sleep Concierge. The service includes a sleep-inducing meditation recording, a pillow menu with options that cater to guests who may prefer to sleep on their back or side, the option of a weighted blanket, a bedtime tea developed specifically for the service, and a scented pillow mist.
Mandarin Oriental, Geneva has taken things a step further by teaming up with CENAS, a private medical sleeping clinic in Switzerland, to curate a three-day programme that studies guests’ sleeping patterns in order to identify potential sleeping disorders. Brown’s Hotel, a Rocco Forte hotel in Mayfair, London, recently launched ‘Forte Winks’ a two-night experience especially created to help aid guests “into a serene sleep.”
You may also enjoy the article on silent travel here
