While we slept, this curiosity called "sleep tourism" crept up on us and is becoming the newest shiny object in a global tourism industry now worth U$2 trillion. Will the Philippines wake-up to the potential of sleep tourism?
International mass media began paying avid attention to sleep tourism at the start of the decade when a growing number of hotels and spas began exploring and promoting this new take on wellbeing. Travel industry pundits now predict sleep tourism becoming a global trend in 2023. They say more and more sleep-related services are being promoted on luxury hotel and tourism-related packages and websites.
Sleep tourism? Quite simply, sleep tourism consists of tour packages and services designed to promote restful sleep, relaxation and overall wellbeing. It’s also called “nap tourism” and a "sleep retreat.” Sleep tourism avoids the physical fatigue (too much walking and traveling) that so often accompanies traditional tourism. You just rest and relax, and relax and relax -- and sleep.
Think of the hard work and pain tourists endure in adventure, cultural and eco tourism, for example. Sleep tourism prioritizes pleasure over perspiration. Tourism is hard. Sleep tourism should be a refreshing departure from the norm.
Sleep tourism means building a vacation around rest and relaxation instead of tourism. It’s also a bid to help solve the growing global problem of sleeplessness while improving sleeping patterns for people that find it difficult to sleep well.
“Going on a sleep retreat could benefit anyone," said the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) about the value of sleep tourism. "This is because sleep is essential for many, many reasons. Sleep helps us learn new information and consolidate memories. There’s also evidence that lack of sleep can make you more prone to depression or anxiety by affecting your moods and emotions."
