How Ozempic and GLP-1 meds are reshaping wellness resort offerings
As more people turn to GLP-1s to manage their health and weight, wellness resorts are fine-tuning their offerings to support users
As a result, only five years after their highest high, some wellness resorts are scrambling to avoid a lowest low. And it’s not just detox retreats: GLP-1s have sent shock waves through the US$6.3 trillion global wellness market. The secret to avoiding a crash of the destination spa industry, it turns out, might be embracing their current pharmacological threat as a key part of their programme.
Movara co-founder Michelle Kelsch initially wrote off GLP-1s as a fad and shunned them, as she did with trends like Atkins, HCG, Whole30 and intermittent fasting. “If it’s something you can’t do for the rest of your life, it’s not going to work,” she’d tell clients, reinforcing her 30-year mantra of exercise, discipline and unglamorous calorie maths.
But as adoption skyrocketed with amazing results, Kelsch started to learn more. “Over the years we have seen many things come and go claiming to provide results, but nothing ever like this,” she says. “Most things caused more frustration and contributed to a negative experience. This is the first thing I’ve seen in 25 years that aligns with what I’ve always taught.”
The Great GLPivot
At Hilton Head Health (also known as H3), new guest arrivals dipped in 2023. A year later, thanks to marketing efforts and new programmes, representatives for the resort say they were back up, though they declined to share figures.