Travelling to live long(er) and prosper
Forget souvenirs; what if your next trip brought you extra years? More than just a vacation, a distinct new travel trend of travelling for health and vitality is emerging, and it’s called longevity tourism. Let’s take a Deep Dive.
🧘♀️ Beyond indulgence or relaxation, luxury travel is now heavily centred on health optimisation, holistic well-being and life extension.
🌍 Longevity tourism has become an economic driving force, captivating health-conscious travellers and channelling value directly into diverse local businesses and communities while championing sustainability.
✈️ Fascination with “Blue Zones” or global longevity hotspots is shaping travel, inviting participants into immersive explorations of cultures, diets and lifestyles to uncover secrets for a longer, healthier and more fulfilling life.
QUOTABLE
“The value of rest, reflection and personal renewal has certainly increased post-pandemic. The full rebound of travel is mirroring this shift, evolving beyond a physical escape to become a meaningful pursuit of mental well-being.”
— Anthony Lu, regional director for Southeast Asia and China at Booking.com
BY THE NUMBERS
US$1.3 trillion Wellness tourism, a broader category that encompasses longevity tourism, is projected to reach US$1.3 trillion in 2025.
57% Reports show that 57 per cent of travellers in the Asia-Pacific region are reportedly willing to invest in vacations dedicated purely to enhancing their longevity and overall well-being.
819.4 billion According to the Global Wellness Institute, an estimated 819.4 billion wellness trips were taken in 2022.
2020 The first Southeast Asian longevity hub opened in 2020 in Bangkok, Thailand by Clinique La Prairie.
QUIZ
The Farm at San Benito, Philippines, offers a Pure Body Reset Program with a full menu of services, including colon hydrotherapy and a kidney cleanse. What is the price for a four-night retreat per person?
A. US$1,800
B. US$2,400
C. US$3,600
Scroll to the bottom for the answer.
DID YOU KNOW?
Singapore was the first to be dubbed a “Blue Zone 2.0” by author and explorer Dan Buettner. Unlike traditional Blue Zones, the nation state achieved its healthspan through proactive policies rather than long-established cultural traditions.
THE EDIT
⏳ Passport to longevity. Longevity retreats aim to transform health “hacks” into sustainable daily habits, offering programmes that blend practices like intermittent fasting and ancient wisdom such as Ayurveda, with cutting-edge biohacks.
🏨 Resort life. With substantial venture capital flowing into ageing research, the growing prominence of luxury longevity resorts is catalysing a fusion of travel with health, wellness and anti-ageing.
📺 Pop culture. Reality TV shows like Do You Want to Live Forever and Limitless With Chris Hemsworth have boosted the longevity trend.
WATCH
In Sardinia, Italy, communes like Seulo are leveraging their residents’ vibrant lifespans to attract tourists, joining other unique longevity hotspots worldwide like Japan, Costa Rica, Greece and California.
THE FULL PICTURE
In 2023, wellness tourism, the larger umbrella which longevity tourism sits under, secured the fourth position among the top five market segments within the global wellness industry. It was valued at an estimated US$830 billion. Personal care and beauty held the largest market share that year.
KEY PLAYER
Bryan Johnson
While the quest for longevity is as old as humanity itself, Bryan Johnson has propelled the field into the modern limelight. The entrepreneur and founder of Project Blueprint is known for his extreme dedication to reversing biological ageing through a data-driven, self-experimentation approach, making his own body the ultimate laboratory.
HONOUREE TO KNOW
Dr Dean Ho
Dr Dean Ho is the co-founder and chief technology advisor of Eternami, a longevity clinic in Singapore committed to making optimised health spans accessible to everyone through sustainable and enjoyable solutions for a longer, healthier life.
ONE FINAL THING
Storylines Cruises elevates luxury travel with an onboard wellness and longevity experience with unique offerings like an IV station for stem-cell therapy, Botox and Blue-Zone-inspired meals featuring fresh produce from the ship’s solar-powered organic farm.
