Sleep tourism is a sector of the wellness tourism industry and the slow travel movement. Specialized recommendations and treatments are offered to help improve the tourist's sleep quality.
Background Slow travel, which focuses on relaxation, restoration and spending time in a single place rather than sightseeing in multiple locations over the course of a trip, has roots dating back to the 19th century. By the 1960’s, hotels began focusing on amenities that would improve sleep. By advertising their use of luxury mattresses, sheets, pillows, blackout curtains, and white noise machines, the affluence of exclusive accommodations for travelers rose. From around the mid-2010s, the focus on sleep as a wellness issue increased. The COVID-19 pandemic abruptly led to quarantines, public lockdowns, travel bans, and curfews, disrupting people's sleep schedules. This increased interest in sleep studies as an overall necessity in human performance. As this became a focus, hotels and resorts recognized a marketing niche they could exploit.
Research Sleep is vital for the longevity of life, human performance, and fighting against various health issues. Sleep deprivation has been associated with impaired cognitive performance, increased risk of metabolic and cardiovascular conditions, weakened immune function, and negative mental health outcomes. With sleep tourism offering to target disordered rest habits or sleep-related medical conditions, human productivity can increase in the long run.
Programs and Amenities Programs may focus on medical treatments or on other approaches, and may focus on people who have difficulty falling asleep, people who experience interrupted sleep, people who don't feel rested after sleeping, snoring, breathing difficulties, and dreaming. Some programs do sleep assessments and recommend treatments, which may include dietary, exercise, and other lifestyle changes; supplements; training in meditation; hypnosis; traditional medicine; salt floats; or therapies like CPAP, phototherapy, electromagnetic therapy, vibration therapy, hydrotherapy, and infrared therapy. Some hotels offer artificial-intelligence assisted beds that can be paired with a guest's phone or distraction-free rooms that include no television or artwork. Resorts in Sweden promote the country's long cool winter nights and culture as ideal for a sleep vacation.
Industry There are programs in multiple countries, including Australia, Bali, Fiji, Greece, India, Italy, the Maldives, Mexico, New Zealand, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, the UK, and the US.
References
Further reading Sisson, Patrick (16 November 2024). "How sleep tourism became a booming business for hotels". Fast Company.
