Why Tourists Need Wellness Travel at the Most Stressful Time of the Year

Last updated on 03/05/2024

The holiday season is synonymous with joy, family, and traditions. It's also notorious for its heightened stress. Between gift shopping, cooking elaborate meals, attending parties, and navigating family dynamics, it's easy to feel overwhelmed and exhausted.

That's why you might want to recommend wellness travel to your clients when they come to you to book their other seasonal trips. By offering relaxing vacation ideas, recommending modes of travel that are more passive, and offering a range of helpful tips to help them gain some control over the chaos of the season, you may be able to strengthen your customers' trust in your services, and become a go-to resource for their travel needs year-round.

Wait, What's Wellness Travel?

First, let's define what wellness travel means in this conversation. It goes beyond the typical vacation experience. It's definitely not work related. And while the term "wellness" might be used frequently in terms of healthcare, it's not medical tourism—that's entirely separate.

Instead, wellness travel is about choosing destinations and activities that promote relaxation and recharging the proverbial batteries. If customers come to you for help planning this kind of trip around the holidays—or after, when they have time unwind from the winter holiday madness—they may need something with a greater balance of leisure, an absence of responsibility, and as little complexity as possible.

Think about What Clients Want from a Relaxing Vacation

That might make any travel agent feel like they've got their work cut out for them, but don't worry. The first, best thing you can do when helping your clients come up with relaxing vacation ideas is to ask a few questions:

• What are your biggest stressors right now? Find out how your customers are really doing. When you help them feel like they can open up to you, you can learn insights that might help you make truly impactful recommendations. It also helps your customers feel like they're doing business with someone who cares.
• What are you hoping to achieve by taking a vacation? Depending on the answer, you could help customers develop relaxing vacation ideas tailored exactly to their needs. If they answer, "I don't want to do anything," maybe your recommendation is an all-inclusive beach resort vacation. If they tell you, "I need to unwind," perhaps an outing to a spa should make its way into your plans.
• What kind of activities do you enjoy? We all find relaxation and wellness in different ways. Pay close attention here. They may drop hints that they want an outdoorsy vacation, or even a very full itinerary (a packed schedule could be relaxing if it's filled with activities they find enjoyable).
• What is your budget for this trip? Part of your job around the holidays is to reduce travel stress. One of the best ways to make sure that you do is by sticking as closely as you can to what your customers can afford.

Make Travel as Stress-Free as Possible

The holidays may be heightening your clients' anxieties but remember that poor travel planning can make them feel worse. As their travel agent, however, there are a few ways you can reduce travel stress.

One is by having some relaxing vacation ideas prepared. They may need to be tailored to a customer's specific requests, but it never hurts to have ideas ready ahead of a call. Some of these could include:

• Spa treatments: Massages, facials, and other treatments can help melt away stress and tension.
• Yoga and meditation: These practices can help quiet the mind and improve focus.
• Healthy culinary experiences: Focusing on fresh, whole foods can provide the nutrients your body needs to feel its best.
• Time in nature: Outdoor activities can boost mood and reduce stress.
• Fitness classes: Whether it's a cardio workout or a relaxing yoga session, staying active can help you feel energized and refreshed.
• Mindfulness retreats: These immersive experiences offer a chance to disconnect from the outside world and focus on your inner well-being.

You can also ease their worries by:

• Booking all travel arrangements: If this is already something you offer to all your customers, highlight it in dedicated wellness travel advertising to drive home the idea that when clients plan travel with you, they don't have to worry about anything.
• Providing destination information: If you suggest a specific destination, be ready to provide some information that can give your customers a better idea of where they're going. Nothing promotes stress like the unknown, so take this opportunity to relieve clients by giving them the power of knowledge.
• Suggesting travel insurance: while you may not be able to recommend a specific plan to your customers, suggest that they investigate coverage options for their trip. By exploring and comparing their options, they may be able to find a stress-free travel insurance policy that fits their budget and vacation needs.

How Your Customers Can Find Travel Insurance That Gives Them Peace of Mind

Wellness travel is about self-care, but obstacles can arise for any trip. Your clients don't have to let potential vacation pitfalls increase their anxiety, and you can support them by pointing out resources that may be able to help them find stress-free travel insurance that's right for their trip.

While we pointed out travel insurance above, it's worth emphasizing this option because it could help your customers in a number of situations. Depending on their coverage, a stress-free travel insurance plan could be one that covers them financially in the event of delayed or cancelled flights, lost or damaged luggage, or even medical needs while they're away.

A great way to find the right, stress-free travel insurance is by comparing plans using a tool like InsureMyTrip. As the world's first travel insurance comparison tool, we're able to provide an incredible range of coverage options from top providers nationwide. If your clients have questions, we also have dedicated, licensed professionals standing by to share their expertise.

To help your clients reduce travel stress and get covered for their upcoming trip, let them know they can start a quote.