There is a quiet revolution in wellness tourism. It has evolved from being all about spa therapies and yoga sessions to something much more profound – the intersection of sustainability and self-care that deeply resonates with a new generation of conscious travellers. Introducing the golden age of green wellness — holistic eco-retreats that marry the attainment of inner peace with sustainable living, where retreats are all about making everyone and everything, both people and planet, whole.
Trishal Rao, Chief Sales Officer, SKIL explains, “Green wellness is slowly seeping into corporate travel conversations in India. HR teams and business leaders are increasingly reaching out for wellness off-sites, leadership retreats, and employee engagement programs, ensuring a balance between productivity and sustainability. From solar-powered venues to eating organic, organizations seek to ensure such business travel nourishes their people in addition to shrinking their environmental footprints.’
This increasing need is here to stay. According to industry estimates, wellness tourism in India is already a USD 18 billion market likely to touch almost USD 30 billion by the year 2031. This shift is further fueled by government initiatives such as the ‘Heal in India’ program and international sustainability certifications. Travelers in India are becoming conscious now and looking for experiences focused on sustainable yet self-loving experiences, says Abhishek Sahai, General Manager, Conrad Pune.
“People want these things to come with yoga, Ayurveda, and spa therapies,” he says.
Hotels Guests now demand eco-sensitive practices such as clean energy, waste plant, and farm-to-table cuisine after yoga, Ayurveda, and spa therapies. The perception of green wellness is high-speed transitioning from a niche offering to the new hospitality standard in India.
Not Just a Retreat — It’s more of a Regenerative Movement
Eco-retreats are a far cry from just catching up — they are a blueprint for an experiential tourism that regenerates rather than depletes. The transformation is centred around activities such as organic farming workshops, nature trails, and forest bathing. “Organic farming or mindful practices like forest bathing aren’t mere wellness add-ons anymore,” says Rao. “They promote mindfulness, build community and show an organization´s pledge to sustainability.”
Sahai emphasizes, “What better way to transform wellness tourism into a people- and-planet-healing movement than through organic farming and forest bathing? Guests enjoy sustainable farm-to-table practices that reconnect them with nature, and forest bathing which is known to be relaxing and boost immunity leading to deeper mental and physical renewal.”
These eco-therapies are a natural progression in a country like India—where Ayurveda, Yoga, and traditional healing systems are hardly introduced. They put brakes on us, tune-out the cacophony, and remind us softly that we share the planet with many other beings.
Luxury Reimagined: From Excess to Experience
For decades, the definition of luxury travel has been framed in impressiveness — five-course dinners, opulent hotels, and plush comforts. And that definition is quickly evolving. Rao says that “Exclusivity in the business world is about truth, equilibrium, and purpose instead of fancy resorts.” “Corporate retreat centres are in demand for locations that offer silence, clean menus, and lesser carbon footprints — things that travelling for business seldom offer.”
Sahai concurs that this is a universal phenomenon, saying, “Luxury is not just about, you know, excessive anymore. Alternative-minded eco-retreats are taking the lead in this new direction of traveling with an announcement of hopping in, as they count on your enlightened, but relatively immobile, self obsessively stuffing your face with roasted veggies for a week — the ideal blend of modern comfort and authentic cultural experience, all masked under a peep show of globe-saving empathy.”
Whether it be eco-friendly villas, local organic cuisine, or community-led traditions, the new-age traveller has come to expect, and value, experiences that resonate with their ESG strategies and personal values.
With growing interest in sustainability and responsible, meaningful travel, green wellness is not a passing fad—it’s fast becoming the standard of wellness tourism. The lesson is clear, both for corporations and individuals: the future of luxury will be making peace with nature and leaving wealth behind.
