Key highlights
- 1The Europe wellness tourism market is expected to reach USD 720 billion by 2036, at a CAGR of 9.0% from 2026 to 2036.
- 2Germany is the largest market, followed by Austria, Switzerland, France, Italy, and the United Kingdom.
- 3Spa and thermal wellness accounts for the largest service type, with medical wellness and longevity the fastest-growing.
- 4Secondary wellness travelers, who add wellness to a broader trip, account for most demand by volume, while primary wellness travelers account for higher spending per trip.
- 5Growth is supported by an aging population, preventive-health spending, and the reimbursement of thermal therapies in Germany and France.
- 6In 2026, Lanserhof opened its first Spanish resort, Lanserhof Marbella, at Finca Cortesin, backed by a EUR 100 millioninvestment.
- 7In March 2026, the Lake Como EDITION (Marriott) opened with spa and wellness facilities, and Six Senses opened in London in early 2026.
- 8Marriott International formed a joint venture with the Leali family to bring the Italian wellness brand Lefay into its portfolio.
- 9Key operators include Accor SA, Marriott International, IHG Hotels & Resorts (Six Senses), Lanserhof Group, and SHA Wellness Clinic.
Report Overview
The Europe wellness tourism market covers travel undertaken for health and wellbeing, including stays at spa and thermal resorts, medical wellness and longevity clinics, wellness retreats, and coastal and thalassotherapy centres, as well as wellness activities added to broader trips. Europe has a long spa and thermal tradition, with established destinations in Germany, Austria, Italy, France, Switzerland, and Hungary, and it is one of the largest wellness tourism regions in the world. Demand is supported by an aging population, greater attention to preventive health and mental wellbeing, the reimbursement of thermal therapies in Germany and France, and investment by hotel groups in wellness facilities and brands. This report examines the market's size, drivers, segmentation, geography, pricing, competition, recent developments, and outlook, and provides recommendations for participants.
Market dynamics
Drivers
- 01Europe's aging population increases spending on preventive health and greater attention to stress, mental wellbeing, and healthy aging has increased interest in wellness travel across age groups.
- 02Europe's long spa and thermal tradition with established destinations and, in Germany and France, thermal therapies that are partly reimbursed through health systems, provides infrastructure and demand.
- 03Investment by hotel groups in spas wellness facilities, and dedicated wellness brands, and growing inbound demand from other regions, add further support.
Opportunities
- 01Medical wellness and longevity which combine diagnostics, medical supervision, and preventive programmes, is the fastest-growing and highest-spending segment, and operators such as Lanserhof and SHA Wellness Clinic are expanding capacity.
- 02Hotel groups have an opportunity to add or expand wellness through dedicated brands and facilities, as shown by Marriott's partnership with Lefay and the expansion of Six Senses.
- 03There is also an opportunity to add wellness to mainstream hotels and trips, extending demand beyond dedicated wellness resorts.
Trends
- 01Longevity and medical wellness programmes which include health diagnostics and preventive treatment, are growing at the high end of the market.
- 02Hotel groups are launching and expanding dedicated wellness brands and adding wellness facilities to existing hotels, and some are introducing membership models alongside hotels.
- 03Wellness is increasingly a standard part of hotel offerings rather than a separate category, which extends demand across the market.
Report Summary
| Base Year | 2025 |
|---|---|
| Forecast Period | 2026-2036 |
| Market Size (2025) | USD 280 billion |
| Market Size (2026) | USD 305 billion |
| Market Size (2036) | USD 720 billion |
| CAGR (Value) | 9.0% (2026-2036) |
| Segments Covered | By Type (Spa & Thermal Wellness; Medical Wellness & Longevity; Wellness Retreats; Thalassotherapy & Coastal Wellness; Fitness & Adventure Wellness); By Traveler Type (Primary, Secondary); By Accommodation (Wellness Resorts & Hotels, Medical & Longevity Clinics, Thermal Baths & Day Spas, Retreat Centres) |
| Countries Covered | Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, France, Spain, Hungary, United Kingdom, Portugal, Greece, Iceland, and Rest of Europe |
| Key Operators | Accor SA, Marriott International, Inc., IHG Hotels & Resorts, Hyatt Hotels Corporation, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, Aman Group S.à r.l., Lanserhof Group, SHA Wellness Clinic, Chenot Group, Lefay Resorts & Residences |
Segmental analysis
By Type
- Spa and thermal wellness based on Europe's thermal baths and spa resorts, accounts for the largest share, drawing on a long tradition and, in some countries, health-system reimbursement.
- Medical wellness and longevity which combine diagnostics, medical supervision, and preventive programmes, is the fastest-growing and highest-spending segment.
- Wellness retreats including yoga, mindfulness, and detox programmes, and thalassotherapy and coastal wellness, based on seawater and marine treatments, serve distinct demand.
- Fitness and adventure wellness combining activity with wellbeing, completes the range.
Spa and thermal wellness leads by volume, while medical wellness and longevity grows fastest.
By Traveler Type
- Primary wellness travelers take trips mainly for wellness staying at wellness resorts, clinics, or retreats, and account for higher spending per trip.
- Secondary wellness travelers add wellness activities such as spa visits or wellness facilities, to a trip taken for another purpose, and account for most demand by volume as wellness becomes a standard part of hotel stays.
Secondary wellness travel accounts for the larger share by volume, while primary wellness travel accounts for higher spending per trip, and both are growing as wellness broadens across the travel market.
By Accommodation and Provider
- Wellness resorts and hotels including dedicated wellness properties and mainstream hotels with wellness facilities, account for the largest share.
- Medical and longevity clinics which provide supervised medical wellness programmes, account for the highest spending per guest.
- Thermal baths and day spas including Europe's established thermal facilities, serve both residents and visitors, and retreat centres provide focused programmes.
Wellness resorts and hotels lead the market, while medical and longevity clinics account for the highest per-guest value, and the mix reflects the range of wellness travel.
Geographic analysis
Germany Wellness Tourism Market
Germany is the largest wellness tourism market in Europe. Germany has a long spa tradition, with established thermal destinations such as Baden-Baden, Bad Kissingen, and Wiesbaden, and a system in which certain thermal and health-resort treatments are partly reimbursed. The country has a large domestic market, an aging population, and significant inbound wellness tourism. Its spa tradition, reimbursement framework, and large market make Germany the leading wellness tourism market in Europe.
Austria and Switzerland Wellness Tourism Market
Austria and Switzerland are leading markets for high-end and medical wellness. Austria has a strong Alpine wellness sector and is home to medical wellness operators including Lanserhof and VIVAMAYR, while Switzerland hosts high-end wellness and medical wellness properties, including operators such as Chenot and Grand Resort Bad Ragaz. Both countries combine established wellness infrastructure with a focus on medical wellness and longevity. Austria and Switzerland, with their Alpine wellness sectors and leading medical wellness operators, are major markets, particularly at the high end.
Italy and France Wellness Tourism Market
Italy and France are large markets with strong thermal and spa traditions. Italy has extensive thermal destinations and a growing luxury wellness sector, including the Lefay resorts, and France has a long tradition of thermal cures and thalassotherapy, with certain thermal treatments reimbursed through the health system. Both countries combine large domestic and inbound markets with established wellness and thermal infrastructure. Italy and France, with their thermal traditions and growing luxury and coastal wellness sectors, are major wellness tourism markets.
Spain and Portugal Wellness Tourism Market
Spain and Portugal are growing markets with strong coastal and medical wellness. Spain hosts leading medical wellness operators, including SHA Wellness Clinic, and, from 2026, Lanserhof Marbella, along with a large coastal and resort wellness sector. Portugal has a growing wellness and thalassotherapy sector along its coast. Both countries combine warm climates, coastal locations, and growing high-end wellness capacity. Spain and Portugal, with their coastal wellness and expanding medical wellness capacity, are growing wellness tourism markets.
Hungary, United Kingdom, and Rest of Europe Wellness Tourism Market
Hungary the United Kingdom, and other European countries account for a significant share. Hungary has a strong thermal-bath tradition, including well-known baths in Budapest, the United Kingdom has a growing wellness hotel and spa sector, including new openings such as Six Senses London and St Regis London in 2026, and other countries, including Iceland with its geothermal spas and Greece with its wellness retreats, add further capacity. These markets combine established and growing wellness offerings. Hungary, the United Kingdom, and the rest of Europe, with their thermal traditions and growing wellness sectors, account for a significant and growing part of the market.
Pricing Analysis
Prices in the Europe wellness tourism market vary widely, from day-spa and thermal-bath visits to high-end medical wellness stays, and several factors shape them. The type of wellness is the main factor: medical wellness and longevity programmes, which include diagnostics and medical supervision, cost far more than spa or thermal visits, with high-end programmes reaching several thousand euros per week. Accommodation class and location affect price, with luxury resorts and prime destinations commanding higher rates. Length of stay, seasonality, and the level of personal service and medical staffing also affect cost. In Germany and France, the partial reimbursement of certain thermal and health-resort treatments reduces cost for eligible patients, supporting the thermal segment. Currency and general travel costs also play a role.
Overall, prices range widely by segment, and the growth of medical wellness and longevity is increasing the high-value end of the market.
Competitive landscape
The Europe wellness tourism market includes hotel and resort groups, dedicated medical wellness operators, thermal and spa operators, and retreat providers. Competition centers on the quality and range of wellness facilities and programmes, the reputation and setting of properties, medical and wellness expertise, and, for hotel groups, the strength of their wellness brands. Dedicated medical wellness operators compete on medical expertise and programmes, while hotel groups compete on brand, facilities, and location. As wellness becomes a larger part of travel, hotel groups are investing in dedicated wellness brands and facilities, and dedicated operators are expanding capacity.
Operators active in the market include hotel and resort groups such as Accor SA, Marriott International, Inc., which formed a joint venture to bring the Lefay wellness brand into its portfolio, IHG Hotels & Resorts, which operates the Six Senses brand, Hyatt Hotels Corporation, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, and Aman Group S.à r.l. Dedicated medical and high-end wellness operators include Lanserhof Group, which opened Lanserhof Marbella in 2026, SHA Wellness Clinic, Chenot Group, VIVAMAYR, and Grand Resort Bad Ragaz AG, along with resort brands such as Lefay Resorts & Residences. These operators compete on facilities, expertise, brand, and location as wellness travel grows.
Voice of Customer
Primary interviews conducted for this study noted that demand is broadening across age groups, that medical wellness commands the highest spending, and that hotel groups are investing in wellness. Three representative perspectives are summarized below.
"Guests increasingly come for preventive health and healthy aging, not only relaxation, and they expect medical expertise alongside the spa. That is where spending is growing." — Director, medical wellness resort
"Wellness is now part of what most travelers expect, so we have added spa and wellness facilities across our properties, not only at dedicated resorts." — Executive, hotel group
"Demand is strong from both domestic guests and international visitors, and the highest-value bookings are multi-day medical wellness stays rather than single spa visits." — Manager, wellness travel operator
Analyst perspective
In our assessment, the Europe wellness tourism market combines a long spa and thermal tradition with two current sources of growth: an aging population focused on preventive health, and rising investment by hotel groups in wellness. Europe has a deep base of thermal and spa destinations, particularly in Germany, Austria, Italy, France, and Switzerland, and in Germany and France the partial reimbursement of thermal treatments supports steady demand. On top of this base, two developments are shaping the market. First, medical wellness and longevity, which combine diagnostics and supervised programmes, is the fastest-growing and highest-spending segment, and dedicated operators such as Lanserhof and SHA Wellness Clinic are expanding, including Lanserhof's 2026 opening in Spain. Second, hotel groups are treating wellness as a standard part of their offering rather than a separate category, shown by Marriott's partnership with the Lefay brand and new openings from Six Senses and other groups in 2026. We expect steady growth over the forecast period, with the strongest growth in medical wellness and longevity at the high end and in the addition of wellness to mainstream hotels and trips across the market.
Key Strategic Developments
- Early 2026 — United Kingdom, Six Senses London opens: IHG Hotels & Resorts opened Six Senses London in the redeveloped Whiteley building near Hyde Park, with a spa and a members' club. Impact: adds a major wellness hotel and expands the Six Senses brand in the United Kingdom.
- March 2026 — Italy, Lake Como EDITION opens: Marriott International opened the Lake Como EDITION on Lake Como, with spa and wellness facilities. Impact: adds luxury wellness capacity in a leading Italian destination.
- 2026 — Italy and Switzerland, Marriott–Lefay wellness partnership: Marriott International formed a joint venture with the Leali family to bring the Italian wellness brand Lefay into its portfolio, with further properties in development in Tuscany, southern Italy, and the Swiss Alps. Impact: shows a large hotel group expanding dedicated wellness resorts.
- 2026 — Spain, Lanserhof Marbella opens: the Austrian medical-wellness operator Lanserhof opened its first Spanish resort at Finca Cortesin, a 70-suite property backed by a EUR 100 million investment. Impact: extends medical wellness into Southern Europe and adds high-end capacity.
- Mid-2026 — United Kingdom, St Regis London opens: Marriott International opened the St Regis in London, with wellness central to the property, including spa suites and facilities. Impact: adds wellness-focused luxury capacity in a major city market.
Strategic Recommendations
- Invest in medical wellness and longevity. This is the fastest-growing and highest-spending segment; operators should build or expand supervised medical wellness and longevity programmes and the diagnostics and expertise they require.
- Treat wellness as a standard part of the offering. Hotel groups should add and expand wellness facilities across mainstream properties, not only at dedicated resorts, to capture secondary wellness demand.
- Build and strengthen wellness brands. Develop or acquire dedicated wellness brands, as shown by hotel-group partnerships, to compete for higher-value wellness travelers.
- Use Europe's thermal tradition and reimbursement. In Germany and France, align with the reimbursement of thermal treatments to support steady demand, and use established thermal destinations as a base.
- Target Southern and Eastern Europe. Expand in Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece, and Hungary, where climate, coast, and thermal traditions support growing wellness demand and where high-end capacity is being added.
- Serve both domestic and inbound demand. Address the large domestic market and growing inbound demand from other regions, tailoring programmes and marketing to each.
Sustainability impact
Supporting Preventive Health and Healthy Aging
Wellness tourism supports preventive health and healthy aging, which is increasingly relevant as Europe's population ages and health systems face rising demand. By encouraging preventive care and healthy habits, wellness travel can contribute to long-term health.
By supporting preventive health and healthy aging, wellness tourism contributes to the wellbeing of an aging population and can complement health systems, an important social outcome of the sector.
Sustaining Thermal Heritage and Local Economies
Europe's thermal and spa destinations support local economies and maintain historic thermal sites, spreading tourism to towns and regions beyond major cities. Wellness travel sustains established destinations and the communities around them.
By sustaining thermal destinations and local economies, wellness tourism supports the maintenance of historic sites and the economic health of the regions that host them, distributing tourism more widely.
Encouraging Nature-Based and Lower-Impact Travel
Much wellness travel is based in natural and rural settings and often involves longer, single-destination stays, which can have a lower impact than more intensive travel patterns. Nature-based wellness supports appreciation of natural settings.
By encouraging nature-based, single-destination stays, wellness tourism can support lower-impact travel and greater appreciation of natural environments, contributing to more sustainable tourism.
Supporting Employment and Skills
Wellness tourism supports employment in hospitality, health, and wellness services, including skilled roles in medical wellness and therapy. The sector provides a range of jobs across regions.
By supporting employment and skills in hospitality and wellness services, the sector contributes to the economic sustainability of the regions and communities in which it operates.
Table of contents
15 chapters · 198 pages · click to expandFrequently asked questions
The Europe wellness tourism market was valued at USD 280 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 720 billion by 2036, at a CAGR of 9.0% from 2026 to 2036, supported by an aging population, preventive-health demand, Europe's spa tradition, and hotel investment in wellness.