Spa tourism booming
Wellness tourism continues to perform very well in Namibia with the country ranking in the top ten sub-Saharan destinations.
Namibia continues to rake in hundreds of millions from its burgeoning spa tourism, with revenue and employment that have almost doubled since 2015.
Namibia is still ranked in the top ten in terms of spa tourism in sub-Saharan Africa, raking in N$512 million from the sector in 2017.
According to the Global Spa and Wellness Economy Monitor, Namibia's number of spas increased to 88 in 2017, while employment in the sector grew to 1 247.
In 2013 the number of spas in the country stood at 40 and in 2015 it increased to 57, while employment in the sector increased from 553 to 760 workers during the same period.
In 2013 the local spa industry made N$182 million and this increased to N$285.4 million in 2015.
In terms of the wellness property market, Namibia was ranked third in Sub-Sahara Africa and the market is worth N$21.4 million.
Namibia was also ranked third in the region in terms of its revenue earned at its thermal/mineral springs. Namibia's three facilities earned N$84.4 million in revenue.
This increased from the N$43.5 million generated in 2015 by two facilities. In Sub-Saharan Africa there are 50 thermal/ mineral spring establishments.
A whopping 100 000 visitors came to Namibian wellness centres and they spent N$620 million, the latest figures of 2013 indicated. These figures are not indicated in the new report, though.
According to the report several African countries are actively promoting wellness tourism, including Mauritius, Namibia, South Africa and Tanzania, primarily focusing on spa offerings to diversify from the traditional safari or beach tourism for international visitors.
It points out that while high-end safari lodges that offer spa services have been around for a while, many destinations have moved from a spa/pampering focus to holistic wellness, adding offerings such as “mindfulness safaris,” “yoga in the wilderness,” and “body treatments in the bush,” and incorporating local ingredients and treatments/therapies rooted in African traditions.
“We have also seen tremendous growth in the number of wellness retreats and yoga retreats in Africa, combining wellness with complementary travel interests in the eco, adventure, spiritual, and cultural categories.
“The natural beauty and wilderness across this vast continent create unique opportunities, such as stargazing in Namibia, meditation among wildlife in Zambia, and long, uninterrupted beach walks in Mozambique.”
The report adds that wellness tourism has the potential to offer enormous economic, social, conservation, and branding benefits to the African continent.
“Tourism has long been an ambassador industry for any country or region. With its focus on holistic health, healing, and authentic experiences, wellness tourism highlights and promotes a country's strengths that are rooted in nature, culture, heritage, and traditions.”
According to the report many countries in Sub-Saharan Africa are rich in thermal waters, but the thermal/mineral bathing sector remains primitive and underdeveloped across the region.
It notes that Namibia recently made significant investments in modernising its two major hot-springs resorts (Gross Barmen in 2014 and Ai-Ais in 2017).
It is estimated that the global wellness property sector was worth $134 billion in 2017, growing at 6.4% annually since 2015. For comparison, this is about 1.5% of the total annual global construction market.
ELLANIE SMIT
Namibia is still ranked in the top ten in terms of spa tourism in sub-Saharan Africa, raking in N$512 million from the sector in 2017.
According to the Global Spa and Wellness Economy Monitor, Namibia's number of spas increased to 88 in 2017, while employment in the sector grew to 1 247.
In 2013 the number of spas in the country stood at 40 and in 2015 it increased to 57, while employment in the sector increased from 553 to 760 workers during the same period.
In 2013 the local spa industry made N$182 million and this increased to N$285.4 million in 2015.
In terms of the wellness property market, Namibia was ranked third in Sub-Sahara Africa and the market is worth N$21.4 million.
Namibia was also ranked third in the region in terms of its revenue earned at its thermal/mineral springs. Namibia's three facilities earned N$84.4 million in revenue.
This increased from the N$43.5 million generated in 2015 by two facilities. In Sub-Saharan Africa there are 50 thermal/ mineral spring establishments.
A whopping 100 000 visitors came to Namibian wellness centres and they spent N$620 million, the latest figures of 2013 indicated. These figures are not indicated in the new report, though.
According to the report several African countries are actively promoting wellness tourism, including Mauritius, Namibia, South Africa and Tanzania, primarily focusing on spa offerings to diversify from the traditional safari or beach tourism for international visitors.
It points out that while high-end safari lodges that offer spa services have been around for a while, many destinations have moved from a spa/pampering focus to holistic wellness, adding offerings such as “mindfulness safaris,” “yoga in the wilderness,” and “body treatments in the bush,” and incorporating local ingredients and treatments/therapies rooted in African traditions.
“We have also seen tremendous growth in the number of wellness retreats and yoga retreats in Africa, combining wellness with complementary travel interests in the eco, adventure, spiritual, and cultural categories.
“The natural beauty and wilderness across this vast continent create unique opportunities, such as stargazing in Namibia, meditation among wildlife in Zambia, and long, uninterrupted beach walks in Mozambique.”
The report adds that wellness tourism has the potential to offer enormous economic, social, conservation, and branding benefits to the African continent.
“Tourism has long been an ambassador industry for any country or region. With its focus on holistic health, healing, and authentic experiences, wellness tourism highlights and promotes a country's strengths that are rooted in nature, culture, heritage, and traditions.”
According to the report many countries in Sub-Saharan Africa are rich in thermal waters, but the thermal/mineral bathing sector remains primitive and underdeveloped across the region.
It notes that Namibia recently made significant investments in modernising its two major hot-springs resorts (Gross Barmen in 2014 and Ai-Ais in 2017).
It is estimated that the global wellness property sector was worth $134 billion in 2017, growing at 6.4% annually since 2015. For comparison, this is about 1.5% of the total annual global construction market.
ELLANIE SMIT
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