Top Wellness Experiences in Attractions Industry
In recent years, the concept of wellness has emerged as a significant lifestyle trend globally. The wellness economy is anticipated to grow from $5.6 trillion to $8.5 trillion by 2027, with guests increasingly searching for innovative ways to unwind and focus on their health and wellbeing.
There is a growing consumer interest in areas such as exercise, healthy eating, self-care, and mindfulness, alongside other forms of wellness, including technology-driven or immersive experiences. This presents a prime opportunity for operators in the attractions and leisure sectors to invest and innovate.
Immersive Wellness Concepts
Immersive wellness experiences, which blend wellbeing with entertainment or technology, are quickly gaining traction as a new solution. Some of our recent top selections include the Submersive spa concept, art and sauna exhibitions by teamLab, and psychedelic breathwork sessions at Area15.
At the Chromasonic Field, a new immersive wellness experience in LA’s Arts District, co-founding artist Johannes Girardoni stated: “Chromasonic Refrequencing expands perception by making light audible and sound visible. Through this fusion of art and technology, we create environments that deepen sensory awareness, foster connection, and ground you in presence.”
Within the Chromasonic Field environment, light and sound are utilised to encourage relaxation, enhance mindfulness, and promote a heightened sense of wellbeing. Sound frequencies are converted into light, and light frequencies into sound, using a proprietary, cutting-edge technology known as Chromasonic Refrequencing, which is also integrated with spatial design in the installation.
Recent neuroscientific studies conducted by Chromasonic have indicated significant improvements in participants’ mood and a reduction in anxiety.
Chromasonic Refrequencing and “Sauna Trance”
Dreamachine, on the other hand, is a touring attraction that employs strobing light and an immersive soundscape to evoke vivid colours and patterns in the mind, simulating a psychedelic experience without drugs and encouraging deep introspection.
The Japanese digital art collective teamLab has been merging art and wellness for some time. One of their offerings includes a spa and tea ceremony in the forest, while another, teamLab Reconnect, is an art and sauna exhibition where visitors can experience the works while alternating between hot saunas and cold baths, ultimately entering a neurological state referred to as “sauna trance.”
A similar concept is being developed by Meow Wolf co-founder Corvas Brinkerhoff, who is also behind an immersive spa called Submersive in Austin, Texas. Set to open next year, this wellness experience will feature immersive art, video projections, lasers, and AI.
Submersive describes itself as a new type of bathhouse that “takes you beyond relaxation into elevated states of consciousness including awe, wonder, inspiration, transcendence, euphoria, and hyper-presence.”
Reinventing the Art of Bathing
This innovative concept is “reinventing the art of bathing” by creating spaces that “integrate immersive art, neuroscience, and social bathing elements to deliver measurable and repeatable state changes.”
The idea struck Brinkerhoff while he was visiting a Japanese-style bathhouse in Santa Fe. “I started getting flooded with images of how immersive art and steam and saunas and cold plunges could be integrated [into a bathhouse],” he shared.
Similar to Submersive and teamLab’s offerings, the Othership in the US and Canada combines sauna, cold plunges, sound baths, socialising, and immersive music for otherworldly experiences.
Experiences at Area15 in Las Vegas have included yoga sessions with state-of-the-art sound and 360-degree projections, psychedelic breathwork experiences, and Ecstatic Dance.
Another Las Vegas attraction, Electric Playhouse, has merged yoga, guided meditation, and sound healing with its 360-degree immersive visuals. The venue has also introduced healthy food options to its bar menu and expanded its selection of non-alcoholic beverages.
Theme Parks: Yoga with Miss Piggy
Despite having ample facilities and resources, theme parks appear to be lagging in the wellness sector. Healthy food and beverage experiences are one area where operators could attract health-conscious visitors. They could also offer yoga days, mindfulness sessions, or wellness festivals that promote relaxation and rejuvenation.
Disney is one company providing a limited number of wellness experiences, such as a 2026 yoga session with Miss Piggy in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland in California. This event includes an instructor-led yoga class, special photo opportunities, and appearances by Disney characters, demonstrating the demand for unique wellbeing concepts, as the event has already sold out.
At the Disney Springs shopping, dining, and entertainment complex in Disney World, Florida, January is designated as wellness month. Following the resort’s Christmas and New Year’s celebrations, it offers experiences such as Cirque du Soleil fitness classes and complimentary facials at L’Occitane en Provence and Mac Cosmetics.
Health and Wellness at Water Parks
European companies Therme Group (the world’s largest operator of wellness infrastructure) and its partner Thermengruppe Josef Wund are at the forefront of water park wellbeing. Therme Group is currently planning a global expansion, establishing new destinations in locations such as Manchester, Dubai, and the US.
Similar to Therme’s existing facilities in Erding, Germany and Bucharest, Romania, the new Therme resorts will offer thermal bathing, spa treatments, mineral pools, saunas, and wet rooms, alongside lush greenery, immersive art, and thrilling waterslides.
Robert Hanea, chairman and CEO of Therme Group, stated: “By combining cutting-edge technology with our commitment to sustainability and holistic wellbeing, we are setting a new standard for how cities can integrate wellness into everyday life.”
The new Dubai site is set to become the world’s tallest wellness resort, featuring botanical gardens suspended in the air, stacked terraces, and cascading pools where guests can enjoy restorative thermal and mineral waters.
Thermal Bathing, Immersive Art at Therme Resorts
“Elevated high above the concerns of everyday urban life, Therme Dubai is an oasis in the sky,” explains Elizabeth Diller, founding partner of Diller Scofidio + Renfro, the project architect.
“It emerges from the lake of a revitalised Zabeel Park as a series of botanical islands stacked into a tower. Each island serves as a platform for thermal pools, decks, and lush indoor and outdoor vegetation; each offers a unique atmosphere and is oriented towards the stunning view of the Dubai skyline.
“Guests are immersed in distinctive environments – warm and cool, wet and dry, the intense heat of saunas and steam rooms, and the ambient temperature of thermal pools and cool mineral pools. By day, the atmosphere is contemplative and relaxing. By night, the spaces come alive with music, artistic performances, and events.”
A recent addition to Germany’s Therme Euskirchen wellness complex also merges nature and technology. The multi-sensory production is located in the new ‘Immersive Sky’ experience room. Guests can enjoy a unique “forest bathing experience” through sound, scent, water, movement, and imagery while discovering the story of the Lupuna tree, found in various parts of the Amazon rainforest.
Another experience at the Thermen & Badewelt Sinsheim spa complex in Germany focuses on breathing to alleviate stress. ‘Breathing Planet’ in an innovative spa space dubbed ‘Immersive Horizon’ combines immersive visuals and art, calming sounds to guide guests’ breathing, and natural scents for a multi-sensory experience.
Thermengruppe Josef Wund describes it as a place where guests can slow down and enjoy “a deep sense of inner peace and balance.”
Mental Wellbeing in Museums
Research indicates that visiting museums can enhance mental wellbeing. With this in mind, arts and culture institutions are enriching their offerings with various wellness-inspired programmes and activities.
Immersive wellness experiences can be found in museums – inherently unique and captivating spaces – such as yoga classes beneath the Natural History Museum’s blue whale skeleton or at the British Museum, surrounded by artefacts from the ancient world. To celebrate the 2024 Summer Olympics, the Louvre museum in Paris hosted dance, yoga, and cardio sessions, along with sneaker customisation workshops and talks with athletes.
Dedicated zones like Al Waha at the Museum of the Future in Dubai offer an alternative choice. This sensory spa employs light, sound, and therapeutic interactive treatments to reconnect visitors with their senses. Guests can also participate in yoga classes and sound healing sessions.
Beyond these types of experiences, the Holburne Museum in Bath runs the Pathways to Wellbeing programme, promoting mental health and wellness through creativity using the museum’s collection and exhibitions. Partnering with four other museums and galleries in Bath, the Holburne provides visitors with safe and supportive museum-based creative sessions.
Visitors can engage in art activities, develop new skills, and exhibit their work at local heritage sites. The museums also host community events, including the Holburne’s ‘Creativity and Wellbeing’ coffee mornings.
Mindfulness, Art, and Accessible Tours
In Canterbury, England, the Beaney House of Art & Knowledge serves as a therapeutic museum aimed at improving visitors’ health and wellbeing. The Beaney has developed an award-winning health and wellbeing programme, which has included art-making sessions, tactile tours, and object handling for visually impaired adults.
Beamish, an open-air museum in County Durham, England, boasts a health and wellbeing programme praised by the Royal Society for Public Health. To develop it, Beamish collaborates with various organisations, including Alzheimer’s Society and local NHS support groups. The museum’s current health and wellness offerings include walking groups and music sessions.
Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales is a charity comprising seven national museums and one collections centre across Wales. Its initiatives include a mindfulness route through National Museum Cardiff, dementia-friendly underground tours of the Big Pit National Coal Museum, and a sketching group at St Fagans National Museum of History.
Earlier this year, the Swindon Wellbeing Festival – another UK initiative – took place at the town’s STEAM Museum. This two-day festival aimed to enhance visitors’ overall wellbeing through sessions on breathwork and dance flow meditation, a sound bath workshop, and discussions on stress relief.
Additionally, there were mini sessions on reflexology and Reiki, along with stalls selling natural remedies, aromatherapy products, and more.
Innovative, Personalised Treatments
Innovative practices and technology-driven wellness treatments are becoming increasingly popular options for operators in the attractions and leisure industry, with a rise in personalised wellness experiences tailored to individual preferences.
At greenloop 2024, blooloop’s conference focusing on sustainability in visitor attractions, Red Sea Global’s senior director of wellness strategy, Lindsay Madden-Nadeau, shared insights on the potential use of technology and artificial intelligence (AI) in the wellbeing business.
Madden-Nadeau leads the wellness strategy for The Red Sea and Amaala – regenerative tourism destinations aiming to set new standards in sustainable development and elevate Saudi Arabia on the global tourism map.
“I was speaking to someone a couple of weeks ago about the first prototypes for robotic massage, which was incredibly interesting. It’s kind of replacing humans in a way,” she noted.
She added, “At the Global Wellness Summit in November, the Chopra Foundation Institute showcased something called ‘Cyberhuman.ai’, which could be your biggest dream or your worst nightmare.”
According to the Chopra Foundation Institute, Cyberhuman.ai is a personalised AI platform featuring an AI-driven virtual wellness assistant. Via the website, Cyberhuman.ai is described as “where the future of exceptional healthcare is personalised to your unique genetic blueprint, bloodwork, and lifestyle.”
Robotic Massage, Cyberhuman.ai
Madden-Nadeau explained, “It essentially takes all of your information and calculates everything, advising you on what you should be doing. These programmes are designed to support heightened intelligence and provide knowledge in a very convenient way for daily living. I believe this will continue to evolve and grow.”
She added, “We see many health operators today creating more comprehensive diagnostic assessments alongside traditional wellness experiences.” Some tests currently available include genetic, epigenetic, and body composition assessments.
Speaking to blooloop about wellness and sustainability at Red Sea Global, Madden-Nadeau mentioned: “We’re observing trends like photobiomodulation, akin to red light therapy, where individuals use it to recharge their mitochondria. Hyperbaric chambers are also becoming increasingly prevalent. All of these contribute to recovery through enhanced circulation and improved performance.”
At Amaala, for instance, the longevity clinic and wellness brand Clinique La Prairie is developing a health resort. Medical services provided by Clinique La Prairie will encompass radiology, physiotherapy, aesthetics, neuroscience, and dentistry. Wellbeing services will also include a cryochamber, hyperbaric suites, and IV infusion.
Embracing the Wellness Trend
Wellness experiences offer guests the opportunity to prioritise their physical and mental health while enjoying new forms of entertainment. The wellness industry presents a significant opportunity for operators, and the attractions sector should continue to embrace this growing trend and adapt to evolving consumer expectations.
As Jasmin Jodry, an award-winning creative director and experience designer, wrote for blooloop: “This isn’t just a trend; it’s the future of experience design. Experiential commissioners, real estate developers, and wellness brands have a rare opportunity to pioneer new frontiers in healing and transformation – shaping a more connected, thriving society.”
