Life-enhancing vacations

More than 50% of Americans are willing to pay for travel that extends lifespan.

Author

Erin Hunter
December 03, 2024

The Livelong Newsletter

image credit: freepik

Hi everyone,

Travel used to mean ‘getting away from it all,’ but it’s not such a linear idea anymore. As travel has evolved, so has the attitude. People want a reason to travel; and for many, that reason is longevity.

In this issue:

  • Traveling for life extension

  • Deep rejuvenation trends

  • Other hot-button vacation trends

  • And much more

Key Takeaways

  • The longevity vacation enriches vacationers with knowledge and experiences to develop better habits in daily life. 📋

  • Red light therapy and other forms of deep rejuvenation are among the most popular reasons to take a longevity vacation. 🔆

  • A growing number of hotels and resorts are offering longevity and wellness programs. 📈

Life-enhancing vacations

image credit: freepik

For people who are diligent about maintaining daily health, vacation should not be the exception to living a healthy lifestyle.

Rather, vacation should be an extension of this healthy lifestyle. 

Significant advancements in technology and health care are inspiring a new generation of fitness, diet, and lifestyle routines optimized for longevity, and hotels, resorts, and vacation destinations are paying close attention.

According to travel predictions from the travel site Booking.com, longevity travel is one of the hottest travel trends in 2025. 

The trend is called “Passport to Immortality,” and for good reason.

“Vacations in 2025 will go beyond relaxation, evolving into life-enhancing journeys focused on health and well-being,” according to updates on the Booking.com website.

Longevity travel in 2025

image credit: freepik

58% of travelers would pay for a vacation devoted to life extension and well-being, based on Booking.com’s research of more than 27,000 global travelers.

  • "[For] American travelers willing to pay for vacations designed to improve their overall health and even extend their lifespan, the travel industry is stepping up to offer transformative experiences,” says Ben Harrell, U.S. managing director at Booking.com, to Fox Digital News.

There is a litany of “transformative experiences” for the traveler to embark on, but deep rejuvenation has global appeal.

Deep rejuvenation

On a high level, rejuvenating treatments target damage and aging. 

In years past, the word was scarcely used outside of skin advertisements, but it has taken on an entirely new meaning today, especially in longevity.

Rejuvenation is a north star which has guided researchers to develop many new novel treatments that reinvigorate cells—bringing them back to good health—and clinically promoting longer lifespan.

Based on Booking.com research, travelers are largely interested in four forms of deep rejuvenation; red light therapy (52%), body vibrations (56%), cryotherapy (48%), and stem cell therapies (45%).

  • 🔆 Red light therapy: Red light emits a specific wavelength that optimizes mitochondrial function, says Cleveland Clinic. The mitochondria are “power plants” in your cells, supplying cells with energy. This may lead to skin repair/rejuvenation, and promote healthy cell growth.

  • 🦴 Body vibrations: using mechanical vibrations to invigorate the spinal system, promoting muscle strength and bone growth. It is especially beneficial for folks who cannot do high-intensity movements. 

  • ❄️Cryotherapy: This is any type of “cold exposure” therapy. Cryotherapy boosts the production of sirtuins, or protein molecules that regulate metabolism and aging. It also reduces cellular stress and degradation, along with improving circulation and immune health.

  • 🌱 Stem cell therapies: These involve replacing damaged cells with healthy young cells. Stem cells may promote tissue and repair, rejuvenation, and have regenerative abilities. Most stem cell therapies are not FDA-approved, but public demand continues to grow.

These procedures can nurture a deeper sense of wellness, but a more significant outcome of doing them (especially red light therapy and cryotherapy) could be turned into habits that people incorporate into their daily lives.

Back to life, but a better reality

image credit: freepik

Consumer research suggests that one-and-done life-extending treatments or experiences won’t cut it.

67% of people want to return to daily living and “reconnect with a more balanced version [of] themselves,” according to Booking.com. 

Similarly, 49% of Americans are interested in “programs that replace temporary fixes with deeper revitalization,” according to the New York Post.  

  • In other words, longevity tourism encourages people to develop new habits for longer and healthier lives. 

In a similar fashion, travelers outside the U.S. (namely British travelers) are just as keen on taking restorative vacations.

What’s fueling this trend?

In an article with a UK publication, Senior vice president and CMO at Booking.com, Arjan Dijk, says that wellness travel "is being driven by a desire to cultivate a more health-conscious lifestyle."

A few key components are fueling this desire for wellness travel, he adds:

  • Work-life balance

  • Burnout

  • Experimental travel

Within wellness travel, longevity is receiving special attention. It reflects people’s motivation for long-term health, Dijk says. 

As more resorts add longevity-focused amenities, their appeal deepens.

Another unique component of the longevity resort is its ability to transform the patron into their own researcher.

Under the guidance of dietitians, longevity experts, and AI, regular consumers can become the masters of their own data, learning specific lifestyle choices that work directly for them.

“2025 could mark the first year of the rest of [vacationers’] longer lives,” Booking.com concludes.

Top vacation destinations 2025

Considering wellness resorts with longevity-specific wellness services? Why don’t you try looking for a longevity resort at one of the top 10 travel destinations for 2025, according to travel site Booking.com.

  • João Pessoa, Brazil

  • Tromsø, Norway

  • Sanya, China

  • Trieste, Italy

  • San Pedro de Atacama, Chile

  • Houston, United States

  • Naha, Okinawa, Japan

  • Villajoyosa, Spain

  • Tignes, France

  • Willemstad, Curaçao

LIVELONG BOOKSHELF • Essentials

Longevity books to add to your 2025 bookshelf

The value of taking care of yourself now is a lifetime of health and better living. These essential longevity books will kickstart your path.

☝️ Find your next transformative read here.

Livelong gift guide

This holiday season, give the gift of health with our hand-selected assortment of products. Find something for every health and longevity journey.

🔛 What’s next?

We can’t wait to cover more trending topics in longevity in our next newsletter. Stay tuned.

Longevity Media LLC

Be your own expert. Optimize your health. Look beyond conventional.

Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified health care professional before starting any exercise, wellness, or health program. Nothing in our content, products or services should be considered, or used as a substitute for, medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Livelong is a media company and not a medical provid

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