Tag Archives: wellness travel

Winners of First Global Wellness Travel Awards Announced

The Blue Lagoon in Grindavik, Iceland won a Wellness Travel Award as "Best for Mineral or Hot Springs“© 2014 Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com
The Blue Lagoon in Grindavik, Iceland won a Wellness Travel Award as “Best for Mineral or Hot Springs“© 2014 Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com

Spafinder Wellness 365® announced the winners of the inaugural global Wellness Travel Awardswhich were presented at a press event held at the World Travel Market in London. The new awards reflect the significance of the $494 billion worldwide wellness tourism market and are the first to honor destination spas, hotels, resorts and retreats around the world dedicated to offering experiences and environments that leave visitors healthier when they check out than when they checked in.

An elite panel of 26 travel and wellness industry journalists and experts nominated 373 locations for the awards; consumers across the globe then cast votes for the nominees. Online voting took place June 18 through September 19, and those nominees that received the most votes were named winners.

The results indicate that “wellness” means different things to different people:

Many consumers voted for  five-star hotels like the Four Seasons, which won 10 awards, two Crystal/continent awards and eight county awards –and has introduced creative offerings on the wellness front.

Some picked family-friendly options such as “Best for Families” winner, Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa in Oahu, Hawaii, where the family can choose from healthy food options and mom can relish a relaxing massage. And others cast their votes for exotic locations like Blue Lagoon in Grindavik, Iceland (“Best for Mineral or Hot Springs“) or designations where they can practice their fitness favorites, like Parrot Cay by Como in Providenciales, Turks and Caicos (“Best for Yoga”).

In all, people around the world cast votes for six Crystal Awards, 41 Country Awards and 18 Category Awards

Crystal Awards Honor Top Properties on Six Continents: Coveted Crystal Awards were given to the top wellness travel destinations on six (habitable) continents. Notably, Four Seasons properties won Crystal Awards in both Asia and Europe.

Africa: La Mamounia (Marrakech, Morocco)
Asia: Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan (Bali, Indonesia)
Australia: Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat (Queensland, Australia)
Europe: George V Paris Four Seasons (Paris, France)
North America: Canyon Ranch (Brand-Wide, U.S.)
South America: Lapinha Spa (Lapa, Brazil)

Country and Category Awards: In addition to the Crystal Awards, consumers voted for their favorite wellness travel destinations in 41 countries, from Vietnam to Chile. Four Seasons properties were once again in the spotlight, winning awards in Argentina, Egypt, France, India, Malaysia, the Maldives, Morocco and Russia. The Lifehouse Spa & Hotel, located in Essex, took honors for the UK, and Ste. Anne’s Spa in Grafton, Ontario, won the Country Award for Canada.

Voters also recognized top destinations in 18 “Best for” categories, with well-known Miraval Resort and Spa and Canyon Ranch Tucson, both located in Arizona, garnering five and four awards, respectively. Additionally, category winners included Blue Lagoon in Grindavik, Iceland (“Best for Mineral or Hot Springs“); Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa in Oahu, Hawaii (“Best for Families”); and Parrot Cay by Como in Providenciales, Turks and Caicos (“Best for Yoga”). Salamander Resort and Spa in Virginia was voted “Best New Wellness Travel Property.”

Mia Kyricos, chief brand officer of Spafinder Wellness, Inc.®, who announced the awards at the press event alongside John Bevan, managing director of Spafinder’s European division, said, “We are honored to recognize the importance of wellness tourism to consumers worldwide who are seeking healthy travel options, whether they are in St. Petersburg on business or enjoying a rejuvenating vacation in New Zealand. As a company that has been in this business for nearly 30 years, it’s gratifying to see so many engaged by this awards program, and it is just the beginning.”

Spafinder Wellness 365 defines wellness travel “as vacations, getaways and business trips that help travelers stay (or get) healthy by offering unique options, such as healthy cuisine or programs that allow guests to relax and rejuvenate.”

Kyricos also noted wellness tourism grew 74 percent faster than global tourism overall (12.7 percent versus 7.3 percent) between 2012 and 2013, and that growth was especially strong in developing regions such as Sub-Saharan Africa (57 percent); the Middle East/North Africa (39 percent); Asia-Pacific (21 percent); and Latin America (16 percent), during that same timeframe**. The Wellness Travel Awards recognized numerous spas, hotels and resorts in these regions, many of them new to travelers.

“The awards are an industry accolade and an important consumer guide,” said Kyricos. “And these winners are just a few of the thousands of wellness destinations that are dedicated to providing healthy travel experiences for every budget and every interest. Keeping well differs for everyone, and the awards reflect the many paths to wellness that are offered around the globe.”

See all Wellness Travel Award winners at: spafinder.comspafinder.co.uk and spafinder.ca.

 

See also:

Canyon Ranch Miami Beach reinvents health/wellness luxury resort and slideshow

 

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Aspen Snowmass Presents ‘Mind Body Spirit’ Videos

 

Get into the mind-body-spirit at Aspen, Colorado. Aspen Skiing Company offers five mountain experiences: Snowmass, Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk.
Get into the mind-body-spirit at Aspen, Colorado. Aspen Skiing Company offers five mountain experiences: Snowmass, Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk.

Aspen Snowmass, the famous mountain resort in the Colorado Rockies that hosts the Aspen Institute, is premiering of its three-episode Mind Body Spirit video series which can be viewed at http://mindbodyspirit.aspensnowmass.com/.

“Aspen Snowmass offers more than just some of the best mountains in the world; it’s a place that inspires and invigorates the mind, body and spirit,” says Meaghan Lynch of Aspen Skiing Company, which created the videos for a campaign. “That’s the Aspen Idea – a concept that is meant to stir the soul, feed the flame and renew the spirit in the most stunning outdoor landscape.”

The concept is beautifully conveyed in  a three episode series featuring 4-time X Games champion Gretchen Bleiler, world champion freeskier Torin Yater-Wallace and best-selling author Walter Isaacson.

Episode One: Stir the Soul

Gretchen Bleiler, the four-time X Games gold medalist, talks about how Aspen Snowmass prepared her for the world stage and why she learns something new every time she returns home to these mountains.

View here: http://mindbodyspirit.aspensnowmass.com/stir-the-soul/.

Episode Two: Feed the Flame

Torin Yater-Wallace, a world-champion freeskier, shows us how to get the heart racing at Aspen Snowmass with everything from what motivates him, to the thrill of the X Games, to what it’s like growing up on some of the best terrain in the world. View here: http://mindbodyspirit.aspensnowmass.com/feed-the-flame/.

Episode Three: Renew the Spirit

Best-selling author and President of The Aspen Institute, Walter Isaacson discusses the moments, feelings and perspectives that make Aspen Snowmass much more than just a place on a map. View here: http://mindbodyspirit.aspensnowmass.com/renew-the-spirit/.

Aspen Skiing Company offers five mountain experiences: Snowmass, Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk. For more information, visit www.aspensnowmass.com

 

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New: Moral Compass: Great Places to Go Where the Going Does Good

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Turtle Bay Resort, Oahu to Host Visual Artist Louie Schwartzberg for New Wonder & Wellness Workshop

Turtle Bay Resort on Oahu’s fabled North Shore will host Louie Schwartzberg, a celebrated cinematographer, director and producer, as part of its new Wonder & Wellness workshop series from November 13-16, 2014. This is the first time Schwartzberg has been accessible to visual

artists, photographers and nature lovers in such an intimate and interactive format. Highlights of his visit will include a brand-new visually stunning presentation with limited seating open to the public, a small group photography excursion, and VIP access at once-in-a-lifetime creative learning events.

Schwartzberg, who captures breathtaking images that celebrate life, will take a deeper look at art and how it can be used to break barriers, connect with audiences, and tell stories that reveal the mysteries and wisdom of nature, people and places. Schwartzberg is an award-winning expert in time-lapse, high-speed and macro cinematography techniques, with a career spanning more than three decades.

His recent theatrical releases include the 3D IMAX film “Mysteries of the Unseen World” with National Geographic, narrated by Forest Whitaker, and the Disneynature feature “Wings of Life,” narrated by Meryl Streep. “Mysteries” is a journey into invisible worlds that are too slow, too fast, too small and too vast for the human eye to see. Designed to inspire, educate and perhaps even evolve our perspective on the world, Schwartzberg also creates and curates unique Moving Art™ content, which is used in venues and technologies throughout the world. Two of his most recent TEDx Talks, “Nature. Beauty. Gratitude” and “The Hidden Beauty of Pollination” are often cited as the top TEDx views of all time.

“I hope my films inspire and open people’s hearts,” Schwartzberg said. “Beauty is nature’s tool for survival – you protect what you love. If we can move enough people on an emotional level, I hope we can achieve the shift in consciousness we need to sustain and celebrate life.”

The three-night Wonder & Wellness Exclusive Limited Package includes an intimate immersion in Schwartzberg’s work, with special events led by the artist. Newly renovated epic accommodations and partial meals are included. Check www.TurtleBayResort for pricing on three-night packages. The package includes:

  • 3 nights in brand-new epic accommodations at Turtle Bay Resort, including resort fee
  • Welcome reception with Schwartzberg
  • Meals, including daily breakfast at the new farm-to-table North Shore Kula Grille; a picnic lunch at Kawela Bay with Schwartzberg and a Hawaii cultural teacher; and dinner with Schwartzberg at the new sea-to-table Pa‘akai restaurant
  • $75 activity credit at Kawela Bay to explore on stand-up paddleboards, a guided kayak tour, snorkeling and more
  • VIP admission, reception and seating at a special presentation of “Saving Our Planet: Nature’s Mysteries Revealed Through the Lens” at Surfer, The Bar
  • VIP admission and seating at Talk Story gathering with Schwartzberg at Surfer, The Bar
  • Morning visual guided meditation led by Schwartzberg, followed by a Hawaiian blessing
  • 60-minute massage at the new Nalu Kinetic Spa and two fitness class passes
  • $100 resort credit for restaurants; spa; retail or activities

An exclusive limited12-person excursion for experienced photographers led by Schwartzberg at pre-scouted locations throughout Turtle Bay’s 840 acres is available for an additional supplement. Call (808) 293-6000 at Turtle Bay Resort for additional information and reservations.

“I will talk about some basic creative photography tips like adjusting depth of field, focus, composition and lighting – but more importantly how to capture the emotion you feel at the decisive moment of squeezing the trigger,” Schwartzberg said of the photography excursion. “Finding images that connect with universal rhythms and the deepest part of your soul. How your mind and the sensor need to be open to anything, without judgment, waiting in the dark for light to strike, always in a state of readiness.”

Call 808-293-6000 or visit www.turtlebayresort.com/oahu_events for more.

To discover the destination and stay up to date on the Turtle Bay experience, check out Oahusfablednorthshore.com.

 

For more travel features, visit:

www.examiner.com/eclectic-travel-in-national/karen-rubin

www.examiner.com/international-travel-in-national/karen-rubin

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goingplacesnearandfar.wordpress.com

‘Like’ us on facebook.com/NewsPhotoFeatures

Twitter: @TravelFeatures

New: Moral Compass: Great Places to Go Where the Going Does Good

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Check out our newest travel site for special deals, insiders’ tips at tidbitts.com: www.tidbitts.com/karen-rubin/where-in-the-world