Canyon Ranch Tops Wellness Travel Awards for U.S. Wellness

Canyon Ranch in Tucson was named the best spa in the United States in the Spafinder Wellness 365 Wellness Travel Awards, unveiled last week at World Travel Market in London.

The 99 winners represented six continents, 43 countries/regions, plus the top 10 in each of 20 categories including Best for Fitness, Best for Weight Loss, Best for Overall Healthy Living Program, and Best for Going Solo.  

While wellness travel continues to be “an expansive and rapidly growing travel sector, and we are seeing dramatic shifts across this landscape,” Spafinder Wellness senior director Betsy Isroelit noted that “today wellness travel is expanding in directions far beyond luxury spas, and in far more global regions.”

Customers are seeking a broad range of options, from yoga retreats to outdoor adventures in pristine natural environments to weight loss and healthy eating.

“Our goal is to help travel professionals and travelers find the options that meet their specific wellness goals,” she said.

Nominees were selected by a panel  of 33 travel and wellness industry magazine editors and experts (this writer included), who collectively nominated 504 global properties for consideration.

Then the panel narrowed the field to 273 finalists, before the list was voted on by 10,000 consumers who selected their favorite locations across the 20 categories.

The 2015 State of Wellness Travel Survey asked agents if the industry needs more education and training about wellness travel options—and the overwhelming answer was “yes,” with 98% percent of those surveyed agreeing.

Reflecting “the rapid growth and diversity of the wellness travel landscape,” Isroelit notes, only six of the 2015 winners also won awards in 2014.

Properties located in Asia collected the most awards of any region: a total of 35 across the 20 categories. 

You’ll find all the Wellness Travel Award winners here.

Photo courtesy: Canyon Ranch