Shangri-La Bets on Luxury Wellness Travel Hotspots

Luxury wellness tourism is accelerating in markets from France and the United Kingdom to India and the United Arab Emirates, and Shangri-La is moving to capture that demand with an expanded slate of summer experiences across Paris, London, Dubai and Toronto.

Luxury Wellness Tourism Enters a New Growth Phase

Industry data indicates that wellness-focused trips are among the fastest-growing segments of global travel, with travelers increasingly willing to pay a premium for spa, fitness and mind-body experiences bundled into high-end stays. Recent monitoring by international wellness research bodies shows sharp spending increases in France, the United Kingdom, Canada, India and the United Arab Emirates, reflecting both rising domestic affluence and a surge in long-haul wellness-oriented visitors.

France and the UK are emerging as European leaders, with wellness tourism spending expanding in line with the broader luxury travel market. High net worth travelers are combining cultural itineraries with time in city spas, pools and medical-adjacent wellness centers, particularly in Paris and London. Analysts note that wellness is no longer confined to resort destinations, but is now firmly embedded in urban luxury hotel offerings.

Across Canada, India, Sri Lanka, Mauritius and the UAE, governments and private operators are positioning wellness as an economic pillar. Publicly available market outlooks describe a pipeline of integrated spa, retreat and medical-wellness projects, supported by easier visa processes and improved air connectivity. In destinations such as Sri Lanka and Mauritius, beach and nature-focused itineraries are increasingly built around yoga, Ayurveda and spa programs that appeal to higher-spend visitors seeking restorative breaks.

The United Arab Emirates, and Dubai in particular, has become a showcase for luxury wellness experiences embedded in city hotels. Market reports highlight strong double-digit growth in wellness-related travel spending, with premium hotel groups adding new spa concepts, thermal suites and fitness partnerships to attract a global clientele looking for short, intensive wellness escapes.

Shangri-La Builds a Summer Wellness Circuit in Key Cities

Against this backdrop, Shangri-La is rolling out a coordinated summer program that ties together wellness-led experiences in Paris, London, Dubai and Toronto. Information on the group’s dedicated experiences platform describes seasonal offers under themes such as “Eat, Play, Love” and “Love This Summer,” combining spa rituals, curated fitness activities and elevated culinary concepts with overnight stays in flagship properties across these cities.

In Europe, the focus is on iconic urban settings. At Shangri-La Paris, Chi, The Spa promotes next-generation wellness through a dedicated “Skin Studio” and high-tech treatments inspired by aesthetic medicine, along with classic massages and facials tailored to long-haul travelers and city-break guests seeking recovery and rejuvenation. In both Paris and London, Shangri-La is featuring experiences that pair immersive spa time with access to indoor pools, saunas and skyline views, emphasizing stress relief and reflective time in the heart of major capitals.

Dubai appears as a strategic bridge between Asian and European source markets. Publicly available information on Shangri-La’s experiences hub lists Dubai among the anchor cities for its current wellness-led offer portfolio, alongside London, Paris and Toronto. The group is leaning into the city’s role as a global transit and leisure hub, packaging spa treatments, rooftop pools and wellness dining with convenient short-stay options that target travelers in transit as well as regional residents seeking weekend resets.

In North America, Shangri-La Toronto is being positioned as a downtown wellness base. The hotel’s health and leisure pages highlight a spa, 24-hour health club, 20-metre lap pool, hot tub, steam room and sauna, with seasonal programs that include yoga, pilates and other movement classes. New multi-night packages promoted for the current season emphasize sleep rituals, personalized fitness assessments and recovery-focused amenities, reflecting a shift from traditional luxury perks to holistic wellbeing journeys.

Paris and London Target High-Value European Wellness Travelers

Paris and London are central to efforts by France and the UK to capture a larger share of high-value wellness tourism. Reports on European luxury tourism underline that both countries have seen strong post-pandemic growth in affluent travelers looking for city stays that combine culture, shopping and wellness. Hotels are responding with expanded spa menus, advanced beauty treatments and more generous spa and pool facilities, particularly in the upper-luxury tier.

Shangri-La’s Paris property is aligning with this trend through Chi, The Spa, which markets itself as an urban sanctuary that blends Asian-inspired wellness traditions with advanced skincare technologies. Initiatives such as the “Skin Studio,” developed with specialist partners, cater to guests seeking results-driven treatments as part of a broader luxury stay that may include fine dining and private sightseeing.

In London, Shangri-La The Shard is leveraging its position in one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks to anchor wellness-led packages. Published coverage and the group’s own experience pages describe spa journeys that combine time in an infinity pool high above the skyline with branded spa therapies and add-ons such as bath butler services, Champagne and curated bath gifts. Seasonal concepts, including limited-edition afternoon teas and city-exploration itineraries, are increasingly framed as part of a broader self-care escape, not just a standard city break.

Both cities are also benefitting from the growth of multi-destination itineraries that link European capitals with long-haul wellness destinations in India, Sri Lanka and the Indian Ocean. Travel analysts note that affluent visitors are more willing to add one or two nights in a flagship city hotel spa at the beginning or end of a longer wellness-focused retreat, turning transit stops into high-yield wellness touchpoints for hotel groups.

Dubai and Toronto Connect Global Wellness Flows

Dubai’s status as a crossroads between Europe, Asia and Africa has made the city a focal point for wellness tourism development in the UAE. Market research underscores that inbound visitors increasingly expect premium spa, fitness and recovery facilities as standard at luxury hotels in the city, and hotel groups are competing on the breadth and sophistication of their wellness offerings. Shangri-La, with properties in central Dubai locations, is using its experiences platform to showcase spa and pool access, wellness-oriented dining and stay packages that appeal to both international travelers and residents.

Toronto, by contrast, is positioning itself as a North American wellness city, with luxury properties emphasizing spa facilities and curated urban wellness experiences. Shangri-La Toronto highlights its Miraj Hammam Spa as an “urban sanctuary,” alongside a comprehensive health club, pool and thermal facilities. Seasonal promotions currently available for stays in the city emphasize daily wellness classes, personalized assessments and recovery-centric amenities such as specialized bath rituals and ice-bath setups, mirroring trends seen in leading US and European wellness properties.

Both Dubai and Toronto serve as gateways for travelers from India, Sri Lanka, Mauritius and other emerging wellness markets who are combining business, visiting friends and relatives, and leisure with targeted wellness experiences. Air links from South Asia and the Middle East into these cities have expanded, and travel industry commentary suggests that passengers on these routes are increasingly interested in hotels that can offer spa, fitness and recovery programs aligned with longer-haul travel needs.

For Shangri-La, strengthening a wellness network that spans Paris, London, Dubai and Toronto supports a broader strategy of following high-spend guests across multiple regions. As wellness tourism matures, brands that can offer a consistent, elevated experience in several of the world’s most connected cities appear well placed to capture repeat business from travelers who now view wellbeing as an essential, not optional, part of every trip.