There was a time when a holiday meant sightseeing, photos, shopping and returning home exhausted. Today, the idea of vacation for many Indians has taken a dramatic turn. Luxury is no longer the infinity pool overlooking a skyline but the feeling of waking up refreshed after guided breathing at sunrise, a customised nutrition plan, and a spa ritual that melts away the anxieties of city life.
From Himalayan yoga retreats to African holistic programmes and Ayurvedic detox holidays, wellness tourism has quietly become the luxury that Indians do not hesitate to pay for. In 2025, particularly the trend has grown. Exponentially.
Wellness travel is no longer viewed as an indulgence. Photo: Unsplash
This shift has not arrived out of nowhere. It is a reflection of a deeper cultural and emotional need. After years of high-stress lifestyles, hustle culture and post-pandemic fatigue, travel is becoming less about escape and more about repair. A holiday that restores the body and mind now holds greater value than a destination that merely entertains.
How Wellness Became The New Status Symbol
Wellness travel is no longer viewed as an indulgence reserved for a niche audience. It has become aspirational and also a social marker of self-awareness and personal refinement. Travelling somewhere to detox, meditate, reset and heal says as much about identity today as driving a luxury car once did. Luxury travel has evolved into a symbol of self-identity for young and affluent Indians.
Alankar Chandra, Founder and CEO of Wild Voyager and Ilora Retreats, a luxury camping retreat at Maasai Mara, notes that today's discerning travellers are seeking "curated wellness experiences" rather than traditional sightseeing. He explains that at Ilora's Kenya retreats, for instance, programmes are designed around spa therapies, yoga and one-to-one wellness consultations based on personal goals. "The focus is transformation, not tourism," he adds.
The experience itself becomes the statement. A digital detox weekend in Goa or a yoga-centred celebration in Uttarakhand conveys refinement in a way designer shopping once did.
The Numbers Show It Too
- India's wellness tourism industry was valued at around USD 21.23 billion in 2024 and is expected to nearly double to USD 39.85 billion by 2034.
- Ayurveda, yoga and meditation retreats make up over 37 percent of the market. Domestic travel is driving most of this demand, and North India is projected to be the fastest-growing region, expanding at more than 21 percent CAGR between 2025 and 2030.
- In 2025 alone, India's wellness tourism generated USD 27.92 billion. Beyond fitness routines and clean eating, India's ultra-HNIs are increasingly embracing travel as a path to both mental and physical reinvigoration.
- A 2025 Kotak Private Luxury Index Report claims that high-net-worth individuals found that wellness retreats emerged as a clear favorite, with more than one in three identifying them as their most preferred luxury experience.
The data also shows that over six in ten had visited a wellness retreat in the last three years. For many, the ultimate luxury lies in the art of solitude, stepping away from a relentlessly connected life to find balance in nature's stillness.
According to the Kotak Private Top of the Pyramid 2024 survey, ultra-HNIs allocated an average of 10% of their total spending to health and wellness, with 81% reporting an increase in spending over the previous year.
From serene Himalayan retreats to coastal sanctuaries, India's luxury wellness destinations blend ancient wisdom with world-class hospitality, offering transformative experiences to those seeking holistic rejuvenation.
More than half a million international wellness tourists visit India annually, drawn to its rich tradition of healing practices. Both ultra-HNIs and international travelers are flocking to luxury retreats such as Amanbagh (where a night costs 94,000-1.5 lakh), at the foothills of the Aravallis, and Ananda in the Himalayas, known for their exceptional focus on privacy and personalisation.
Brands Came In
Luxury houses have taken note of this wellness wave, expanding their offerings to create new client touchpoints and deepen engagement. In 2024, Dior hosted seasonal takeovers at luxury hotels such as The Little Nell in Aspen, providing guests with its signature spa treatments before opening its first permanent spa at the House of Dior on Madison Avenue in August 2025.
The wellness sector represents an opportunity for brands to elevate the shopping experience, expand their ecosystems, and foster lasting brand loyalty.
Why Indians Are Not Hesitating To Spend
Experts say the financial logic is only part of the story; the psychological payoff is the bigger driver. Karthik Venkataraman, CRPO of VeTravel, Vernost Tech Ventures, explains, wellness has become "a form of new luxury" for Indian travellers who want travel to reset both body and mind. Their booking data shows rising interest in yoga retreats, Ayurvedic resorts and spa-led weekend getaways. He notes that value is no longer defined by excess but by how experiences make travellers feel.
A trip that relieves burnout and creates quiet space for oneself is now considered more rewarding than an itinerary packed with activities.
How Hotels Are Redesigning Luxury Around Wellbeing
Hospitality is responding rapidly to this shift. Sandeep Singh, Founder of Rubystone Hospitality, observes that wellness is transforming from an add-on to the defining element of luxury stays. Resorts are now designing sunrise meditation terraces, biophilic interiors, customised nutrition plans, silent discos, glowing yoga nights and immersive spa rituals. The luxury of marble floors is being replaced by the luxury of deep rest.
The new yardstick of opulence, especially for millennials and Gen Z, is sustainability, personal meaning and conscious experiences that feel good rather than simply look good on social media.
Where The Trend Is Headed
Wellness destinations are increasingly becoming sites for milestone celebrations, from bachelorette gatherings to corporate offsites that prioritise mental reset. Technology is also entering the space in thoughtful ways, including wearables and AI-driven health plans that complement, rather than distract from, the retreat experience.
India's established leadership in Ayurveda and yoga gives it a global advantage, and with rising disposable incomes and growing health consciousness, the market is poised only to expand.
Ultimately, the message is straightforward: Indians are choosing to invest in rest. Whether it is a three-day spa-led weekend, a Rs 2,00,000 Ayurvedic programme or a Himalayan yoga retreat, wellness is no longer a luxury add-on. For many, it has become the luxury itself.