M.A Final Project

By: Rebecca Tummers

LXFM M.A Final Project

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“

A human being is a part of the whole called by us universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest, a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness.

This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.

�

- Albert Einstein

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Contents

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Abstract

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Part 1: The Four Seasons I. About II. History III. The Four Pillars IV. Current Status V. Guest Profiles

8 9 11 13 15 17

Part 2: The Luxury Hotel Industry I. Definition + Current Status II. Industry Leaders III. Defining Trends

20 21 23 27

Part 3: Wellness Tourism I. The “Healthy Consumer II. Defining Wellness Tourism III. Segmentation of Wellness Travelers IV. The Era of Transformative Wellness Travel V. Wellness Accommodation Classifications VI. Wellness at The Four Seasons

30 31 32 33 35 36 37

Part 4: Wellness Tourism, Global Segmentation I. Asia Pacific II. Europe III. North America IV. Middle East - North Africa V. Sub-Saharan Africa VI. Latin America and the Caribbean

39 41 53 65 71 73 75

Part 5: The Four Seasons: Looking Ahead I. Situational Analysis II. Enrich Wellness Offering

78 79 80

Part 6: Redefining Wellness, Transformative Travel I. Finding the Answer Through Yoga II. Hosting Yoga + Wellness Retreats III. Establishing a Synergetic Collaboration

82 83 84 85

Part 7: Strategic Partner, Lululemon Athletica Inc. I. About II. Key Principles III. Current Status IV. Core Customer V. A Yoga Lifestyle Brand VI. Lululemon Global Yoga Ambassadors VII. Situational Analysis VIII. Looking Ahead

90 91 92 93 95 99 101 105 106

Part 8: A “Zen” Collaboration I. Brand Synergy II. A Strategic Collaboration III. The Immersion Yoga + Wellness Retreat IV. Deliverables

108 109 110 111 112

Part 9: Research Design I. Secondary Research II. Primary Research

114 115 116

Part 10: The Luxury Seeking Yogi I. Demographic II. Psychographic III. Lifestyle IV. Guest Profiles

120 121 122 123 124

Part 11: Competitive Landscape I. Established Luxury Brands II. Luxury Health + Wellness Resorts III. Independent Yoga Retreats

128 129 129 130

Part 12: Location Scheduling Strategy I. Strategy Overview II. Defining Resort Requirements III. Destinations for Year One

132 133 134 171

Part 13: Transformative Experiences + Itinerary I. A Transformative Narrative II. Itinerary Design III. Hualalai, Hawaii IV. Mauritius at Anahita V. Chiang-Mai, Thailand VI. Peninsula Papagayo, Costa Rica

174 175 177 179 183 187 191

Part 14: Gifts + Takeaways I. Overview II. Hualalai, Hawaii III. Mauritius at Anahita IV. Chiang-Mai, Thailand V. Peninsula Papagayo, Costa Rica

196 197 199 205 211 217

Part 15: Financial Strategy I. Package Pricing Model II. First Year Revenue and Occupancy Projection

224 225 231

Part 16: Distribution Channels I. Overview II. The Four Seasons Phone Reservations III. The Four Seasons App IV. The Four Seasons Website

240 241 242 243 247

Part 17: Marketing Plan I. Budget II. Strategic Objectives III. Campaign Headline IV. Social Media V. Print VI. Public Relations VII. Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

258 259 261 262 263 271 281 283

Part 18: Conclusion

287

Biographical Statement

289

Appendixes

291

Work Cited

301

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Abstract This project proposes a collaboration between the Four Seasons and Lululemon to host The Immersion Yoga + Wellness Retreat, held exclusively at select Four Seasons resorts. The Immersion provides The Four Seasons an opportunity to enhance its wellness offering for emergent wellness luxury travelers, while increasing occupancy during off-seasons. The Immersion Yoga + Wellness Retreat is an extension of Lululemon’s preexisting luxury retreat under the same name.

As luxury travelers are increasingly searching for transformative wellness experiences, wellness offerings have become a threshold expectation and integral point of differentiation for luxury hotels and resorts. The Immersion Yoga + Wellness Retreat provides the Four Seasons with a holistic wellness experience that affords it a major competitive advantage amongst other luxury hotel star brands. As the passionate leader and voice in the yoga community, Lululemon will help to solidify The Four Seasons yoga and wellness offering. The Immersion affords Lululemon the opportunity to increase global brand recognition while expanding its global community and building meaningful connections with consumers new and old.

Today’s luxury travelers are increasingly more health-conscious and seek authentic, meaningful, and emotionally connective travel experiences. To create authentic narratives, Lululemon’s Global Yoga Ambassadors and The Four Season’s resident yogis will design retreat itineraries as a collaborative effort. Hosted in stunning destinations in harmony with the surrounding area, Lululemon and The Four Seasons hope to help guests achieve total wellness by immersing them in inspired experiences of relaxation and peace-of-mind.

This proposal provides market, consumer, and company analysis along with a location scheduling strategy, blueprint for transformative experiences and itinerary, collectible gifts and takeaways, financial strategy, distribution channels, and marketing plan.

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The part1.

Four Seasons I. About II. History III. The Four Pillars IV. Current Status V. Guest Profiles

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I. About The Four Seasons was founded by Chairman Isadore Sharp in Toronto, Canada in 1961. For more than fifty years, the Canadian-based company has been a leader in the luxury hotel industry through its continual innovation, strategic global expansion, and dedication to the highest of standards. The Four Seasons has transformed and redefined luxury travel by focusing on incomparable service, fine tradition, innovation, hand-crafted experiences, and connecting guests to the world. Over its history, The Four Seasons made four strategic decisions that formed the pillars of its business platform: exceptional quality, high service standards, a culture founded on the golden rule, and creative innovation (The Four Seasons).

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“

At Four Seasons, we believe in recognizing a familiar face, welcoming a new one and treating everyone we meet the way we would want to be treated ourselves. Whether you work with us, stay with us, live with us or discover with us, we believe our purpose is to create impressions that will stay with you for a lifetime. It comes from our belief that life is richer when we truly connect to the people and the world around us.

”

– The Four Seasons

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II. History 1961 Opened its first hotel in Toronto, Canada

1981 One of the first sponsors of Canadian hero, Terry Fox. Four Seasons worked with the Canadian Cancer Society to plan the first annual Terry Fox Fun Run in 1981.

1970 Opened its first European hotel in London England

1985 Branded private residences were introduced in 1985 at Four Seasons Hotel Boston.

1976 Entered the US market with its first management contract, for San Francisco’s 1913 landmark hotel, The Clift.

1986 The Four Seasons did something that was unheard of for hotels in North America: it opened in Dallas with a full service spa.

1979 The first Four Seasons-branded US hotel opened on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, DC.

1986 Launched its first tropical resort, in Maui.

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1992 The first Four Seasons hotel in Asia was opened in Tokyo.

2006 Four Seasons was included in the 30th-anniversary issue of the Robb Report, which celebrated “the most exclusive brands of all time.”

1993 The first restoration of a historic property at the Renaissance convent that became the Four Seasons Hotel Milano.

2008 Four Seasons marked its entry into the Indian market with a contemporary hotel in Mumbai’s Worli district.

1998 First time placing on Fortune magazine’s list of the 100 Best Companies to Work For.

2012 Four Seasons marked its entry into Sub-Saharan Africa with a safari lodge in Serengeti, Tanzania.

2002 Four Seasons Hotel Shanghai marked the company’s entry into the growing Chinese market.

2014 Introduced the first-ever Four Seasons Jet, providing a complete Four Seasons experience in the sky.

(Four Seasons History)

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III. The Four Pillars Exceptional Quality

1.

Rather than being all things to all people, Four Seasons would focus on one thing: being the best in each location, with medium-sized hotels of exceptional quality. The Four Seasons offers guests exclusive access to a collection of the world’s most captivating people and places. Extraordinary experiences are brought to life through a dedicated team of employees that embody both the corporate and local culture. With endless possibilities such as private five-star dinners in Europe’s most beautiful landmarks to bespoke extreme travel excursions, the Four Seasons strives to offer its guests authentic and local adventures that reflect the unique characteristics of each destination (The Four Seasons).

Service Driven

2.

Founder Isadore Sharp said, “There was no vision, there was no grand dream – but there has always been a consistent thread and it propels us forward today, as we continue to grow globally, and that’s service.”

Since its inception, the luxury hotelier has focused solely on delivering an outstanding guest experience through offering a highly personalized style of service (The Four Seasons).

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The Golden Rule

3.

The Four Seasons believes its greatest assets are its people. A high-standard of service carried out in a cooperative manner, allows for personalized guest experiences. Founder and Chairman Isadore Sharp said, “Our company culture is based on a single basic principle, the Golden Rule – to treat others as you wish to be treated yourself. It’s a universal value, practised in every country, culture and religion. In fact, it’s the universality of the Golden Rule that gives Four Seasons culture its emotional power. Over more than 50 years in business, it has been the ethic that underlies every interaction with our guests, with our business partners and with each other. It is a way of life common to every Four Seasons employee, and will ensure our success in the next 50 years.”

(The Four Seasons).

Innovative Experiences

4.

Four Seasons has a commitment to innovation and invites guests to discover new destinations in unprecedented ways. Innovations such as the Private Jet Experience, offers guests fully customized aroundthe-world journeys to explore new passions, flavors, and perspectives.

Innovations are carried out through a deeply instilled ethic of personal service and creating properties of enduring value using superior design and finishes (The Four Seasons).

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IV. Current Status In 1986 and 1997 the Four Seasons was listed on the Toronto and New York Stock Exchange respectively. However, in 2007 a deal was completed that returned Four Seasons to private ownership in a partnership between Microsoft’s Bill Gates and Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal, one of the major shareholders of Four Seasons. Isadore Sharp and his family retained a significant share and operating involvement in the company Sharp founded. The Four Seasons has remained a privately held company since.

In recent years, Four Seasons has made significant developments with its global expansion efforts. Plans for 2019 include the following openings: Four Seasons Hotel Bengaluru at Embassy One; Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens; Four Seasons Hotel One Dalton Street, Boston; Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia at Comcast Center; Four Seasons Resort and Residences Napa Valley; Four Seasons Resort Los Cabos at Costa Palmas™; Four Seasons Hotel Montreal; Four Seasons Hotel Madrid.

The luxury brand owns and operates 112 global hotels and resorts, and 39 residence clubs in 47 countries around the globe (New Openings).

The brand had a 3.9 percent share of the total global luxury hotel industry in 2017 which is an 8.3 percent increase from its share in 2016 of 3.6 percent (Brand Shares). In 2018, it was the second highest rated luxury hotel brand in North America (JD Power). Since its inception, the hotel has been recognized with countless awards and accolades (Appendix A). The Four Seasons recognizes the importance of digital media to luxury travelers' research and planning. Properties are easy to contact and book, with excellent websites, apps, social media, and on-property connectivity (Trip Savvy).

The brand has also emphasized the importance of innovative and extraordinary guest experiences. In 2014, the company introduced the first-ever Four Seasons Jet, providing a complete Four Seasons experience in the sky.

Featuring signature design standards, staff and service, this private jet offers round-the-world journeys to Four Seasons hotels and resorts – creating a seamless Four Seasons travel experience (Four Seasons History).

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V. Guest Profiles The following customer profiles are generalizations based on research from a 2016 Amadeus report on luxury traveler segmentation. These travellers are defined by their behaviours, intentions and varying levels of affluence (Dykins).

Business Traveler

Weekend Warrior

Jet-Setting Retirees

Age | 41, married, two children.

Age | 31

Age | 67 year-old-couple

Lives | Atlanta, Georgia

Lives | Munich, Germany

Lives | Montreal, Canada

Career | Director of Corporate Finance, SunTrust

Career | Director Engineering, BMW Headquarters

Career | Mr. Retired Lawyer, Mrs. Retired Veterinarian

Income | $1,040,000

Income | $230,000

Income | $2,850,000

Bluxury | This business traveler wants to make the most of his time and has the seniority and salary to extend his trip for some luxury leisure travel.

Cash rich, time poor | This workaholic travels when his busy schedules allow. He wants exclusive travel experiences that allow them to connect with themselves or their loved ones.

Independent and affluent | Little to no daily responsibilities, they travel when they want to indulge or try something new. Traveling alone or with a select few, they look for options that enable them to meet new people.

% of Guests | 31% Time | Balanced Searching For | After a business trip in Vancouver he wants to meet the Mrs. and kids for an adventurous winter trip over Spring Break.

Destination | Whistler, Canada Room Booked | Two-Bedroom Panorama Suite at $2,201 per night Duration of Stay | 1 week

% of Guests | 24% Time | Work Obsessed Searching For | To impress his girlfriend, he wants a weekend getaway in a romantic city.

Destination | French Riviera, France Room Booked | Palace Sea View Room at $1,675 per night Duration of Stay | 3 days

% of Guests | 3% Time | Leisure Class Searching For | After tolerating years of Montreal’s winter, they want a warm/exotic escape.

Destination | Serengeti, Tanzania Room Booked | Terrace Suite Water Hole View at $3,150 per night Duration of Stay | 2 weeks

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Honeymooners

Vacationing Housewife

Wealthy Bachelor

Age | 28-year-old couple

Age | 50

Age | 46

Lives | Hong Kong

Lives | Paris, France

Lives | Singapore

Career | Mr. Consultant Deloitte Mrs.Orthodontist, Tam, Hulac & Partners Dental Ltd.

Career | Housewife, benefits from husband’s cushy salary and investments

Career | Owner and Chief Plastic Surgeon, Allure Plastic Surgery

Income | $500,000

Income | $15,000,000

Income | $4,000,000

Special Occasion | Luxury travel is an indulgent treat. They want a spectacular experience and are willing to trade-down on certain aspects if it means experiencing more on their trip.

Always luxury | Luxury is a minimum requirement involved in every part of her life. Every aspect of travel must be top-tier. % of Guests | 4%

Strictly opulent | Seeks glamorous travel experiences that can be shared on social media.

It is important for him to be seen having fun, indulging, and living life to the fullest.

% of Guests | 20%

Time | Leisure Class

% of Guests | 18%

Time | Busy Bee

Searching For | She wants to be pampered by the beach in a world-class spa with her 22-yearold daughter.

Time | Busy Bee

Searching For | For their honeymoon, this couple is planning a romantic beach destination.

Destination | Bora Bora, French Polynesia Room Booked | One-Bedroom Mountain-View Overwater Bungalow Suite at $1,300 per night Duration of Stay | 6 days

Destination | Seychelles Room Booked | Two Bedroom Presidential Suite at $6,164 per night Duration of Stay | 1.5 weeks

Searching For | This Bachelor’s recently finalized divorce calls for an exciting vacation with his other single friends.

Destination | Las Vega, USA Room Booked | Presidential Suite at $3,000 per night Duration of Stay | 5 days

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part2.

The Luxury Hotel Industry

I.

Definition + Current Status

II.

Industry Leaders

III. Defining Trends

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I. Definition + Current Status The Four Seasons Ltd. operates in the 5-star luxury hotel sector, defined by its opulence, prestige, and exclusivity. The degree of luxury is decided by the amount of money paid and the number of stars awarded to the institution. Although the expectations of luxury have changed, the key institutions and image remain the same. The global leaders are: Marriott International Inc., Intercontinental Hotels Group PLC. Accor Hotels Group, Shangri-La Hotel & Resort Inc., Hilton Worldwide (Luxury Hotels (5-Star Plus) in the US).

The 2017 luxury hotel industry had a global value of USD51 billion and a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4 percent from 2017 to 2022 (Global Luxury Hotel and Travel Trends). The world’s largest market is Asia Pacific followed by North America. However, on a country-by-coun-

try basis, the U.S. is the leader in luxury hotel sales (Global Luxury Hotel and Travel Trends). North America and Western Europe account for 64 percent of global outbound luxury trips, despite making up only 18 percent of the world’s population (Dykins). Asia Pacific is led by China, where there has been a significant rise in affluent consumers and luxury spending. The fastest growing geographic segments are Eastern Europe and Latin America. This can be attributed to the rising gross domestic product (GDP) of Russia and Brazil (BRIC countries) and therefore increased consumer spending - especially in the luxury segment. In fact, the Baltic states will be among the global leaders in per household consumer expenditure growth over 2017-2030 (Luxury Hotels (5-star plus): Market Size).

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II. Industry Leaders HOTEL Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts PARENT COMPANY Four Seasons Hotels Ltd. LOCATIONS 151 MARKET SHARE 3.9% (2017) MISSION “At Four Seasons, we believe in recognizing a familiar face, welcoming a new one and treating everyone we meet the way we would want to be treated ourselves. Whether you work with us, stay with us, live with us or discover with us, we believe our purpose is to create impressions that will stay with you for a lifetime. It comes from our belief that life is richer when we truly connect to the people and the world around us.”

WELLNESS OFFERING The Four Seasons features a global collection of award winning spas and treatments infused with the essence of local culture. Every hotel and resort boasts a number of outdoor activities and state of the art fitness/yoga facilities and experts. The company is an advocate of Global Wellness Day and encourages its guests to immerse themselves in experiences of relaxation and wellbeing.

HOTEL Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group Ltd. PARENT COMPANY Jardine Matheson Group LOCATIONS 30 MARKET SHARE 1.2% (2017) MISSION “Our mission is to completely delight and satisfy our guests. We are committed to continual improvement, to making a difference every day and to being the best.”

WELLNESS OFFERING Spas offer its signature product line and signature therapies developed in conjunction with Traditional Chinese Medicine specialists. Each spa offers a choice of services including nutritional advice, yoga, meditation, and beauty and hair therapies.

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HOTEL Bvlgari Hotels & Resorts PARENT COMPANY Marriott International Inc. LOCATIONS 8 MARKET SHARE 0.1% in Asia-Pacific (2017) MISSION “Bvlgari Hotels & Resorts aims to be the leading luxury hospitality collection in the world. Comprised of a few, selected properties in major cosmopolitan cities and luxury resorts destinations, its aim is to convey the excitement of the Bvlgari brand, its timeless glamour and its heritage of magnificent Roman jeweler.”

WELLNESS OFFERING World renowned awarded spa. The Bulgari signature Workshop Gymnasium works with clients to create individual plans that help them achieve remarkable results through innovative exercise, nutritional expertise, and more.

HOTEL Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts PARENT COMPANY Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts Group LOCATIONS 117 MARKET SHARE 2.7% (2017) MISSION “To be the first choice for guests, colleagues, shareholders and business partners. To delight our guests every time by creating engaging experiences straight from our heart.”

WELLNESS OFFERING The Spa at Shangri-La draws inspiration from the origins of the Shangri-La legend, which describes a unique place of personal peace, enchantment and well-being. Offers a variety of sports and recreation along with a health club.

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HOTEL InterContinental PARENT COMPANY InterContinental Hotels Group PLC LOCATIONS 194 MARKET SHARE 6.2% (2017) MISSION “Each hotel offers its own distinctive style, from heritage elegance to urban chic and resorts on tropical shores, making it an ideal brand for travelers with discerning tastes.”

WELLNESS OFFERING Provides locations in urban and remote settings that offer spa and fitness options. However, the brand shows no clear focus on wellness throughout its properties.

HOTEL St. Regis Hotels PARENT COMPANY Marriott International Inc. LOCATIONS 58 MARKET SHARE 1.5% (2017) MISSION “For St. Regis to Live Exquisite is about creating unforgettable experiences for our guests, especially families. Therefore, our Family Traditions program was crafted to celebrate togetherness by experiencing a destination in its truest form.”

WELLNESS OFFERING World renowned spas and signature treatments. Fitness Centers.

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HOTEL The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company PARENT COMPANY Marriott International Inc. LOCATIONS 91 MARKET SHARE 4.7% (2017) MISSION “The Ritz-Carlton inspires life’s most meaningful journeys.”

WELLNESS OFFERING Boasts a collection of award-winning spas, therapies, and treatment in addition to personal training and private fitness/yoga classes. The company has recently acquired the following wellness resort brands: Six Senses, La Prairie and ESPA.

HOTEL Hyatt Hotels PARENT COMPANY Global Hyatt LOCATIONS 14 brands, with over 700 properties MARKET SHARE 1.9% (2017) MISSION “To deliver distinctive experiences for our guests.”

WELLNESS OFFERING The Hyatt recently acquired the boutique wellness Miraval Resort that currently operates in the American Southwest and plans for expansion are underway.

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III. Defining Trends Democratization

1.

The industry has seen a trend towards the democratization of luxury travel that will increase the target market for luxury providers (Wouter Geerts). High net worth individuals (HNWI) (income of USD1 to 5 million) will account for just over 1 percent of the global population by 2030, while affluent households with disposable incomes over USD100,000 will account for over 20 percent. Focusing solely on HNWI’s means missing out on a major consumer segment composed of those who are able and willing to spend their disposable income on luxury travel (Wouter Geerts).

Trading down to Trade Up

2.

As global wealth increases, more people will start to travel more often.

While people will travel more, on average they will spend less per trip.

The decline in spending means more consumers will “trade-down to trade-up” meaning spending less on transportation, shopping, and eating, to stay in 5-star accommodations (Global Luxury Hotel and Travel Trends).

Connectivity

3.

Modern technology has largely shaped this industry as it allows consumers to compare and book hotels more efficiently. In response to the growing digital-savvy consumers, industry players are largely investing in and improving both online and mobile digital platforms, including mobile apps (Global Luxury Hotel and Travel Trends).

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Luxury Travel is Subjective

4.

The material aspect of luxury travel is the focus of the emergent middle class (BRIC countries) while consumers in more mature markets (for example: USA, Germany, and the UK) seek travel experience that offer relevant, personal, and exclusive experiences (Dykins). Luxury hotel brands must curate offers based on every individual consumer preference, so that expectations can be exceeded.

“Experience More”

5.

Consumers are seeking luxury that is experiential as they begin to care less about “stuff” and more about unique stories and experiences. Barak Hirschowitz, President of International Luxury Hotel Association (ILHA), reported that by 2022 two-thirds of luxury hospitality will be experience based (Buck and Ruetz). This means luxury hotels need to offer unique experiences which include personalized services, the creation of a global community, inspiring emotional connection, high service standards, state of the art wellness offerings, and ethical and sustainable business practices.

“

In the longer term, hospitality will also enter into more partnerships with other luxury segments to offer guests additional services, for example with gyms or wellness centers… Moreover, hotel layouts could be changed with more areas incorporating wellness, more communal spaces for interaction between guests, and also more opportunities for local communities to use hotel facilities.

”

- Barak Hirschowitz President of International Luxury Hotel Association (ILHA) (Buck and Ruetz).

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Wellness part3.

Tourism I.

The “Healthy� Consumer

II.

Defining Wellness Tourism

III. Segmentation of Wellness Travelers IV. The Era of Transformative Wellness Travel V.

Wellness Accommodation Classifications

VI. Wellness at The Four Seasons

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I. The “Healthy” Consumer Buying into health and wellness is seen as the new trendy status symbol. This has resulted in consumers measuring one another on what they stand for. Which has given rise to the athleisure trend being worn irrespective of sporting intentions, as an outward manifestation of a person’s wholesome values. Mental wellbeing has also become a major concern for consumers as being able to acknowledge personal struggles and tackle them publically has also become somewhat of a trend in itself (Barbalova and Symons).

The health-conscious consumer is here to stay and luxury brands have taken note. Luxury brands across the globe have adapted and enhanced offerings to capitalize on the consumer trend to attain a healthy lifestyle. To increase their appeal to high net worth consumers, industry players can tap into the healthy living trend – for example, by promoting sports, healthy diets, detoxing, and a positive mental attitude (The Wealth Report: How To Win The High Net Worth Market). The following three trends have helped to shape the mindset of the healthy consumer: 1 | “Health is the New Wealth” The perception of healthy living is shifting beyond just physical health, with a more holistic approach to wellness being adopted. The impact of wealth expansion is changing spending habits, to the extent that health has become the new wealth, with healthy living and self-improvement increasingly becoming a status symbol (Healthy Living).

This trend is especially prevalent among the HNWI

consumer segment (The Wealth Report: How To Win The High Net Worth Market).

2 | The Holistic View In recent years, consumers have evolved to take on an all-encompassing view towards health and wellness. This has extended beyond traditional “aesthetic” views on health, such as weight. Consumers have now concerned themselves with mental and physical health that reaches beyond purely aesthetic motivations. This means that food, exercise, mental well-being, and broader lifestyle issues have combined to create the “healthy consumer” (Healthy Living). The HNWI consumer segment has widely adopted the holistic approach to health and wellness to lead a “healthy lifestyle” (The Wealth Report: How To Win The High Net Worth Market).

2 | A Preventative Approach Consumers have taken on a preventative approach towards health and wellness and have been shown to indulge in products with additional functional benefits. An increased willingness to adopt and pay for products and services that support wellness initiatives has also been observed (Healthy Living). The idea of “wellness” has evolved to purely focus on the proactive side of health.

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II. Defining Wellness Tourism Wellness Tourism is a relatively new niche segment in the global tourism industry and is defined as the pursuit of maintaining or enhancing one’s personal well-being (Yeung et al.). Wellness tourism includes the following segments: lodging, food and beverage, shopping, activities and excursions, and transportation. Travelers made 830 million wellness trips in 2017, which is 139 million more than in 2015. The global wellness tourism industry is valued at USD639.4 billion (CAGR 7.5% 2017 – 2022) which accounts for 15 percent of the total global tourism industry (Global Wellness Institute). This segment is expected to reach USD919.4 billion in 2022 (Global Wellness Institute). In 2017 the accommodation sector of wellness tourism accounted for USD130.5 billion (20.4%) of the total wellness tourism industry and includes: destination spas, health resorts, ashrams, and retreats.

Europe remains the region with the largest number of wellness trips. North America continues to lead in wellness tourism expenditures because average spending per trip is higher. In the past five years, Asia has made the most gains in the number of wellness trips and expenditures, with demand stimulated by strong economies and an expanding middle class (Yeung and Johnston).

Expectations for wellness hospitality have exceeded beyond traditional spa and fitness services.

Luxury travelers desire authentic experiences that offer some form of personal wellbeing and growth that last beyond the vacation. Luxury hotel brands

have taken note of this trend and have begun to introduce and enhance wellness offerings (Goldberg). Such notable instances include: Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts: Provides complimentary walking, jogging and hiking tours, some showcasing a city’s best-loved landmarks.

Fairmont Fit: Available to members of its President’s Club, which offers complimentary Reebok workout gear and a yoga mat with stretch band.

Trump Wellness: Offers healthy in-room dining options, weights and yoga mats, Under Armor apparel and footwear, and maps of running routes.

Westin Hotels: Guests can borrow New Balance workout gear, book a room with exercise equipment, access video workouts, join a group run, or follow a local running map on their own.

5 | Equinox Hotels: Equinox, a chain of luxury fitness studios with discerning and loyal clientele, is opening its very own brand of hotels with its first location to open in New York City in 2019 (Modena).

Hyatt Hotel Group: Recently acquired wellness resorts Miraval and Exhale which in turn have diversified and enhanced its wellness portfolio.

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Group: Recently acquired Six Senses as an effort to diversify its wellness portfolio.

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III. Segmentation of Wellness Travelers Wellness travel has a proactive approach to wellness and can be classified as healthy living, rejuvenation and relaxation, meaning and connection, authentic experiences, and disease prevention and management. Today’s wellness travelers make travel decisions based on seeking one or more of the following sources of well-being: physical, mental, social, spiritual, environmental, and emotional (Appendix B). The Global Wellness institute categorizes wellness travelers into two categories: 1) The Primary Purpose Wellness Traveler: Wellness is the sole purpose or motivating factor for their trip & destination choice.

2) The Secondary Purpose Wellness Traveler: Seeking to maintain wellness while taking any kind of trip.

A majority of wellness travel is done by the Secondary Purpose Wellness Traveler and in 2017 accounted for 89 percent (739 million trips) of total trips and 86 percent (USD551 billion expenditure) in total expenditure. In comparison, in 2017 the Primary Purpose Wellness traveler accounted for 11 percent (91 million) of total trips and 14 percent (USD88 billion) in total expenditure. Secondary wellness tourism trips grew by 10 percent annually, while primary trips grew by 8 percent annually from 2015-2017 (Yeung and Johnston).

It is clear that a vast majority of wellness travelers seek to maintain wellness while taking any kind of trip whether it is for business or leisure. Moreover,

consumers who travel for the sole purpose of attaining/restoring wellness make up a niche market segment.

In 2017, international wellness tourists on average spent $1,528 per trip, 53 percent more than the typical international tourist. The premium for domestic wellness tourists is even higher, at $609 per trip and 178 percent more than the typical domestic tourist. It is important to note that these figures are industry averages and do not focus solely on the expenditure for luxury wellness travel. This is because wellness travelers are typically more affluent, educated, and well-traveled, and they tend to be early adopters who will try out new and novel experiences (Yeung and Johnston).

The wellness tourism niche was originally fueled by aging baby boomers who wanted to retain a youthful lifestyle, aesthetic, and physical fitness (Alexander). However, recent trends towards attaining a holistic sense of well-being has been observed in all generational segments and on a global scale. Millennials are helping to drive further growth in wellness travel because they integrate various facets of wellness into their everyday lives (McGroarty et al.). Moreover, personalized wellness holidays, offering anything from a detoxifying spa treatment to a yoga and meditation retreat have become immensely popular amongst 30-something, successful business personnel, travelling solo, and seeking to revive their physical and mental wellbeing (Alexander).

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IV. The Era of Transformative Wellness Travel Experiential travel becomes transformative travel through thoughtfully crafted wellness experiences. The Transformational Travel Collaborative defines this as, “travel products that challenge and inspire the sophisticated traveler on a deeply personal level, creating emotion through the powerful medium of storytelling…” (McGroarty et al.). This philosophy immerses guests far beyond merely a local experience, but sets them out on a self-reflective and truly transformative journey.

Wellness is, by nature, a journey; a multi-chapter story; a lifelong physical, mental and spiritual seeking; a personal and emotional quest. Wellness travelers seek to strengthen their connection with themselves, others, and the world. Humans are social creatures, it is a fundamental desire and a principal of basic human ecology. In a hyper-connected yet socially disconnected world, humans are facing a global epidemic of loneliness – a state of being which is simply unnatural. To put this into perspective, loneliness rates in the US have nearly doubled in the past 40 years with approximately 43 million adults over 45 suffering from chronic loneliness (McGroarty et al.). According to Robert Waldinger, current director of the study and a professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, close relationships and strong community, more than fame, class, money, IQ, or even genes, are what keep people healthy and happy in their lives and delay mental and physical decline (McGroarty et al.). So, in a world plagued by loneliness, perhaps “Remote, deep-in-nature destinations PLUS human community is the new luxury” (McGroarty et al.).

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V. Wellness Accommodation Classifications RESORT A Takes a primary focus on spiritual and mind-based development and targets those individuals that wish to enhance their spiritual well-being. This includes meditation programs that are guided by the teachings of dedicated owners or gurus. The below information outlines wellness resort classifications as outline

by Horwath HTL Health & Wellness (Modena).

RESORT B As a fully immersive health and wellness institution, this resort will offer a variety of curated wellness packages. Patrons will experience a variety of traditional healing modalities and self-improvement methods.

RESORT C This wellness experience features the latest advances in traditional and alternative medicine (e.g. diagnostics). These types of resorts create the optimum level of objectively measurable results for the wellness traveler in a short period.

RESORT D This type of resort offers a more holistic based wellness approach that offers spa-like treatments, healthy gourmet food, an abundance of outdoor sports activities, and both mental and physical healing practices.

RESORT E Although similar to resort C, this resort focuses primarily on aesthetics including: luxurious beauty enhancements to the skin, teeth, and body shape. Typically, the service platform does not go beyond minimally invasive treatments.

Aesthetic retreats typically offer external quick fixes, but do not provide an all-encompassing wellness experience for body and mind.

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VI. Wellness at The Four Seasons The Four Seasons makes it their mission to promote a holistic approach to wellbeing. Michael Newcombe, Chair of the company’s Global Spa and Wellness Task Force, said of the goal, “Wellness isn’t just about appearance or feeling good, it’s about restoring and maintaining balance, both physically and mentally. Whether it’s eating healthy and staying active while on a business trip or taking time to relax and recharge while on vacation, our goal is to create highly personalised, holistic spa experiences for each of our guests, helping them regain balance and find tranquility in their travels.”

(Tuite). The Four Seasons offers a collection of award winning spas and treatments in stunning locations. Every property houses state-of-the-art fitness facilities, a yoga studio, and local fitness and yoga experts. Similar to its competitors, the Four Seasons has options for spa packages and wellness-oriented vacations. At select destinations, the Four Seasons can designate an on-site yoga instructor to deliver private classes to guests upon request. However, a recent wellness retreat development by the Four Seasons has emerged.

In October 2018, the Four Seasons hosted a five day “Mindfulness Retreat” at the Nam Hai, Hoi An Resort. Led by the brothers and sisters of Hue’s Từ Hiếu Pagoda – the “root pagoda” of Thich Nhat Hanh – participants experienced “Sitting, Walking and Eating Meditations, Dharma Talks and Sharing Sessions, plus cleansing vegetarian wellness meals, Stability Yoga and spa treatments; all designed to develop one’s connection

to the self, the universe, and the power of the present moment: the most important moment of all” (Kido). The resorts Spa Manager Dwi Susanti said of the Mindfulness Retreat, “It’s not about indoctrinating individuals in any particular religious ways but about teaching day-to-day awareness of being more present in everything we do, say, think, eat and enjoy. Too many of us these days are disconnected from ourselves, the world and those around us; if we can encourage even one person to embrace the power and potential of every moment and change the quality of their life, it will have been worth it.” (Kido). This is the first annual retreat of its kind at the resort and there are plans to continue the program for the future.

If such a program has proven to be beneficial, it is not unlikely that the Four Seasons will adopt some form of this model to its other destinations at various points throughout the year.

Global Wellness Day is a social project that was inspired by the mantra “one day can change your whole life.” Since 2015, the Four Seasons has celebrated and embraced this day through a global roster of expertly curated programming aimed at restoring the mind, body, and spirit (Tuite). Every hotel and resort offers a completely different itinerary that is complimentary and designed for everyone to enjoy (Tuite). The goal is to deliver a wellness experience to guests that will stay with them far beyond the vacation, while building positive associations between the Four Seasons and wellness.

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part4.

Wellness Tourism, Global Segmentation

I.

Asia Pacific

II.

Europe

III. North America IV. Middle East – North Africa V.

Sub-Saharan Africa

VI. Latin America and the Caribbean

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This section provides an overview of the six global wellness tourism regions: Asia-Pacific, Europe, North America, Middle East – North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Latin America and the Caribbean. Within Asia-Pacific, Europe, and North America, and in-depth analysis of select countries has been provided. The countries that have been selected for this analysis, offer both the world’s highest population of high net worth individual’s (HNWI) and the highest number of outbound international travelers. The world’s top high net worth markets by population in 2017 in-order are: USA, Japan, Germany, United Kingdom, France, Canada, China, Australia, Italy, and Switzerland (Euromonitor International). Forecast International Arrivals by Leading Country of Origin by 2022 in order are as follows: China, USA, Germany, United Kingdom, France, Hong Kong, Canada, Netherlands, Italy, and South Korea. Singapore was also added to the analysis to accommodate for a smaller, yet crucial market, that holds a large proportion of potential Four Seasons guests.

It is under the assumption that a vast majority of the Four Seasons’ core customers would reside in one of these countries. Understanding every country’s unique wellness traveler is imperative to accurately informing a brand partnership, wellness offering focus, location scheduling strategy, experience itinerary, distribution channels, and marketing plan. This analysis showed that the Four Season’s core markets are enthusiastic about wellness tourism and are avid international travelers. It was also observed the luxury consumer has adopted a holistic sense of wellbeing and embraced regular practice of yoga.

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I. Asia-Pacific Asia-Pacific’s health and wellness markets continue to benefit from growing consumer interest in living healthier and more fulfilled lives, against the rise of chronic disease, stress levels, mental imbalance, and unhappiness. It is increasingly common for consumers to turn to body work to relieve stress and chronic pain, and to seek treatments that help maintain vitality (Euromonitor International). Moreover, according to Jane Barnett, Head of Insights, South APAC, at Mintel said: “Improving health and fitness is now a key focus of consumers across Southeast Asia, particularly through their diets and exercise” (Mintel Press Team). As consumers in Asia-Pacific place a higher emphasis on health and wellbeing, the region will continue to experience growth in the wellness tourism sector.

As Asian travelers become more sophisticated, wellness travel offerings have expanded beyond traditional and “typical” treatments to offer unique experiences. Due to this, there has been an increase in the demand for all types of “holistic-style” wellness modalities and experiences that are inspired by and curated for local destinations – from sound therapy to tai chi, and from meditation to spiritual guidance in natural settings (Yeung and Johnston). In recent years, Asia-Pacific has experienced regional growth and interest in yoga, meditation, and mind-body practices. This is due to a common mindset among consumers to inject wellness into their busy lives. For these reasons, half-day and one-day urban retreat programs that combine a range of modalities (meditation, yoga, coaching/spiritual guidance, body work, hydrotherapy, sound healing, energy treatments, etc.) have become immensely popular across the Asian-Pacific region (Yeung and Johnston).

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Table 1: Top Ten Wellness Tourism Markets in Asia-Pacific, 2017

Country

Number of Trips (millions) Expenditures (USD million)

China

70.2

$31,705.9

Japan

40.5

$22,446.1

India

56.0

$16,299.7

Thailand

12.5

$12,018.4

Australia

10.0

$10,520.9

South Korea

19.6

$7,186.6

Indonesia

8.3

$6,928.5

Malaysia

8.3

$5,019.2

Vietnam

9.6

$4,001.1

New Zealand

3.1

$3,036.0

Source: Ophelia Yeung and Katherine Johnston. “Global Wellness Economy Monitor.� Global Wellness Institute. October 2018. https://globalwellnessinstitute.org/wpcontent/uploads/2018/10/Research2018_v5webfinal.pdf?inf_contact_ key=84290776cd4c6d9b23e52157240e18d1977402d5b6bb5f389a9ab08d9afe15ac. Accessed 11 Jan 2019.

Highlights: - Number of Wellness Trips: 257.6 million (15.3% CAGR from 2015-2017) - Wellness Tourism Expenditures: $136.7 billion (10.9% CAGR from 2015-2017) - Average Expenditure Per Trip: $1,741 for intl./inbound (33% premium); $268 for domestic (120% premium)

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China The significant growth of wellness tourism in Asia-Pacific is led by China, where its wellness tourism industry is the fastest growing in the world. China holds the 8th place for the world’s highest population of HNWI. In addition, it has the highest number of outbound travelers (Euromonitor). The Chinese wellness tourism sector, while enormous, mostly caters to its domestic travelers. Interest in wellness travel has grown immensely in popularity among Chinese consumers with a majority seeking to rediscover their wellness heritage and healing systems – from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and herbal medicine, to qigong, meditation, and martial arts. In recent years, China has placed increased attention on developing its health and wellness industry in addition to marketing the diversity of its wellness services/experiences to both domestic and international tourists (Yeung and Johnston).

The most popular times for Chinese people to vacation are during the two Golden Weeks, the Spring Festival, and the National Day Golden Week in October. Affluent and HNWI’s travel abroad for their vacations, including during the Golden Weeks. In fact, 21 percent of consumers took 2 or more international leisure trips in the last 12 months (Euromonitor International). Thailand was the top tourist destination during Golden Week in October 2017, followed by Japan, Singapore, Vietnam, and the United States. A majority of these consumers prefer to stay in hotels, attracted by the convenience and perks (Euromonitor International).

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Spotlight on Yoga Fitness and healthy living is mostly prevalent among younger Chinese individuals (born after 1980) and can be attributed to their focus on serious pollution issues and food safety scandals. But while it’s a growing phenomenon for affluent Chinese consumers to achieve status from looking and being fit, going to the gym also offers an outlet for social experiences and the connections those consumers crave (Rapp). Additionally, this mindset created a generational shift in focus from luxury goods and wealth to their health (Hall).

For many, living a healthy lifestyle reaches beyond personal wellbeing and extends to social motivations.

For example, joining the hottest new “fitness community” or brand name yoga studio is a way that urban, middle-class Chinese can hold up their lifestyle as a marker of success to others in their peer group (Hall).

In 2017, 31 percent of Chinese HNWI’s stated that yoga was their favorite social activity out of 18 options including dining-out (Hurun Research Institute). Moreover, yoga is a very popular activity among Chinese millionaires and in 2016, 23 percent said it was their favorite sporting activity (Hurun Research Institute).

A vast majority of Chinese yoga enthusiast are female (95 percent) aged between 26 to 40 years old.

Actively seeking self-improvement is their primary motivation to start yoga, and most have no strict style choice when it comes to yoga – although 20.1 percent prefer Hatha yoga (IResearch). Chinese yoga enthusiasts are seeking a richer curriculum and the establishment of a social platform for students (IResearch). This lends to the idea that it is becoming increasingly more important for Chinese consumers to build a deeper connection with themselves and others within their yoga community. These factors may soon overcome physical/aesthetic motivations for yoga in China.

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Australia Australians are enthusiastic and sophisticated wellness consumers, and the diversity, vast size, and resources of the country create many opportunities to combine wellness with outdoor, nature, adventure, cultural, culinary, and other travel interests. Already home to a number of well-known wellness resorts and hot springs, Australia now also hosts a growing number of festivals and events that focus on wellness (Yeung and Johnston).

Including public and paid holidays, Australian employees have 30 days off per year. Being a large and secluded country, 83 percent of leisure trips were domestic in 2018. A 2017 GCT Survey found that 71 percent of respondents had taken at least one domestic leisure trip while 42 percent had taken an international leisure trip that year (Euromonitor International). Australians are travelling more than ever before, with the total number of domestic and outbound trips increasing by 31 percent from 2013 to 2018. The most popular international destination for Australians is Indonesia. The number of Indonesian trips increased 78 percent from 2013 to 2018 reaching 1.8 million (Euromonitor International).

The most important considerations for international travel are: 54 percent relaxation, 30 percent nature and outdoor activities, 27 percent shopping, and 20 percent arts and heritage. It

was also found that most prefer independent travel offering all-inclusive accommodations (Euromonitor International).

Spotlight on Yoga Yoga has seen tremendous growth as an activity in Australia over the past decade. In 2008, just 5% of Australians did yoga regularly or occasionally as an activity, and this proportion has grown to 11% in 2018. With this growth, it can be assumed that yoga is far more popular than alternatives including Pilates (6 percent Australian participation) or aerobics (5 percent Australians participation). All three activities are dominated by women – nearly 73% of aerobics participants, almost 80% of yoga participants, and just under 90% of Pilates participants (Roy Morgan). Additionally, these activities are predominantly undertaken by Australians in the top two socio-economic quintiles, with over 50% of individuals being considered affluent or HNWI (Roy Morgan). This segment is comprised largely (20 percent) of individuals who are younger, more affluent singles and young families, living in and near to Australia’s large cities. These individuals can also be described as well-educated, professionals with high-incomes, cultured, connected, and willing to spend money on themselves (Roy Morgan).

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Singapore Singapore has experienced growing consumer awareness of health and fitness coupled with rapidly rising wealth expected to drive demand.

Moreover, with a quarter of the population being expats, wellness trends from the US, UK, Australia, and other parts of Asia, are also diffusing into the market (Wilkinson). Although Singapore’s Changi airport boasts one of the world’s only wellness lounges, Singapore lacks the internationally-recognized spas and wellness tourism reputation of its neighbors. However, Singaporeans still seek domestic retreats especially among the 12 percent of the population above retirement (Wilkinson). Singaporeans travel to popular destinations like Bali, Indonesia, and Thailand (Wilkinson).

In addition to 11 public holidays, Singaporeans are entitled to 11 days of annual leave for workers with five years of tenure, and 14 days for workers with eight or more years of tenure (Euromonitor International). Being a very small country with little diversity, a vast majority of travelers choose to go abroad. The top destinations for Singaporeans are Malaysia and Thailand.

Thailand is expected to become an even more popular destination due to its recent introduction of automatic immigration clearance for citizens of Singapore (Euromonitor International). Alicia Seah, director of public relations and communications at Dynasty Travel, said “Singaporeans like to visit Thailand for a wide variety of reasons, like praying, shopping, finding good food or just for a short getaway”. (Euromonitor International).

Spotlight on Yoga As yoga continues to gain popularity in Singapore, upscale yoga studios have been emerging in wealthy neighborhoods such as Orchard Road. Enthusiasm for yoga has led to the emergence of various styles of yoga, including paddleboard and aerial. However, Hatha yoga is still the most preferred due to the accessibility and familiarity among consumers (Asia One). Wealthy Singaporeans have embraced yoga and the high-price associated with it - $40 to $50 per class and $190+ per month membership (Asia One). Additionally, participation improves with better economic status, household income, and dwelling type (Euromonitor International).

Singapore is home to some of Asia’s most popular yoga festivals including Soulscape Festival, where its 2017 attendance increased 15 per cent from 2016 (Fang). Moreover, yoga-athleisure brands have flourished in Singapore as was the case for Lululemon Athletica which opened its first store in Singapore in December 2014 and grew to three stores in 2019 (Fang). Lululemon Singapore’s brand and community manager Felicia Sun noted the excitement amongst Singaporeans for yoga-friendly products, “In Singapore, we are definitely seeing people embrace the need to create balance in their work lives… [especially] as the market for yoga and fitness grows” (Fang).

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South Korea Wellness is an integral part of South Korean culture so it is no wonder why it is amongst Asia-Pacific’s largest wellness tourism markets. However, South Korea has emerged as one of the world’s most overworked nations with a total of 2,069 hours clocked in per year - nearly double the average of OECD member countries (Peck). For this reason, week-long wellness retreats targeted at professional and housewives have become extremely popular amongst affluent Koreans. Retreats encourage guests to relax and rejuvenate by focusing inward on their spiritual healing, without being distracted by outside factors (Peck). Meditation also has its roots in Korean culture, where temples and meditation centers serve the dominant Buddhist population (Peck). To match international demand for wellness tourism with domestic demand, South Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism expanded its support of wellness tourism in 2016 to attract health-conscious travelers to the nation (International Medical Travel Journal).

South Korea has an abundance of culture, traditional wellbeing practices, and nature that have been combined to offer wellness travelers unique experiences.

South Koreans are some of the world’s most internationally traveled consumers. A 2017 GCT Survey indicated that 80 percent of respondents had taken at least one domestic leisure trip in the last year, while 52 percent had taken one international leisure trip (Euromonitor International). An increasing number of South Koreans are taking international trips and although just 25% of leisure trips were overseas in 2018, their total number had doubled since 2013. In fact, in 2018 23 percent of consumers took two or more international leisure trips in the last 12 months (Euromonitor International). The favorite international destinations for South Koreans in 2018 were Japan, China, and Vietnam.

When planning international trips, 45 percent of Koreans seek relaxation, 25 percent want a shopping destination, and 24 percent look for destinations with nature and outdoor activities. South Koreans prefer to be independent on holiday, with only 10 percent citing “all-inclusive accommodations” as a priority (Euromonitor International).

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Spotlight on Yoga In 2018, the fourth annual UN International Yoga Day was widely embraced and celebrated in Seoul South Korea – a city where yoga has flourished in recent years. In fact, 12.6 percent of South Koreans claim that yoga is their favorite activity for regular physical exercise.

This statistic is based on a list of 12 sports and activities, where yoga was rated the fifth most popular choice (Opensurvey). The majority of South Korean yoga practitioners are between the ages of 20 to 39, suggesting that the activity is more popular amongst younger demographics (Trendmonitor). Among yoga enthusiasts in South Korea, the primary motivation for practicing seems to be mostly for physical/aesthetic reasons with a total of 79.9 percent wishing to improve body shape/lose weight, 16.5 pecent say it’s to have a hobby, and only 12.3 percent do it for pleasure (Trendmonitor).

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Japan Japan has a long-standing cultural tradition for attaining personal wellness through holistic means.

The Japanese have an appreciation for nature and believe it is a powerful source of wellness. Nature is embraced to practice meditation, attain inner peace, and as a form of mental and physical therapy (Peikon). Popular Japanese traditions of immersing oneself in natural healing is through steam rooms, baths (sento), and mineral rich hot springs or spring fed baths (onsen). Japan’s hot spring accommodations are growing in popularity among international wellness tourists. Recently, the industry has received substantial new investments in preparation for a visitor surge for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (Yeung and Johnston). These include new high-end bathing facilities and hotels/ resorts with onsen in the center of Tokyo. Several large hotel brands such as InterContinental and Marriott are opening new properties with their own private and communal hot springs (Yeung and Johnston).

Exercise has also emerged as a popular way to achieve wellness and new services are being developed to take advantage of this trend, including new insurance policies that offer reduced premiums to fit seniors (Euromonitor International).There has been a surge in the exercise participation of men aged 70 years-old and older and women aged 65 years-old and older. They achieved record-high fitness scores in 2018, with more than 60 percent of men and women aged 60 years-old and older saying they exercised at least weekly. This trend is also present in younger demographics and according to the results of a 2018 survey of adults by the Asahi Group, 46 percent said they exercise more than once a week 19 percent said they exercise almost every day (Euromonitor International).

Most Japanese consumers prefer to take domestic trips and in 2018, only 5 percent of consumers took two or more international leisure trips in the last 12 months (Euromonitor International). A majority of Japanese consumers seek comfortable destinations where they can relax over adventurous vacations. The most popular time to travel are the periods of Golden Week in late April to early May in addition to summer vacation. Many Japanese go on summer holidays, often with family members with the most popular overseas summer holiday destinations include Taiwan, Hawaii, South Korea, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, and Guam. The US and Europe—particularly Italy—also remain popular destinations, particularly amongst older travelers. The top domestic summer holiday destinations in 2018 included Hokkaido, Okinawa, Tokyo, Osaka and Kyusyu (Euromonitor International).

Japanese consumers look to online booking sites and social media to make informed decisions on vacation choices (Euromonitor International).

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Spotlight on Yoga Japan’s Buddhist heritage fostered a culture of individuals who embrace the practice of yoga and meditation. This is because of the ancient associations between the Hindu and Buddhist religions, that draw similar shared beliefs and values (Embassy of India). Over the past decade Japan has embraced yoga as a wellness activity. In 2017, 11.7 percent of the population engaged in regular practice (at least two times per month) (Euromonitor International). However, most Japanese practitioners are women and marketing works to target young women and push the image that yoga is a trendy activity that will help you relax, stay slim, and be beautiful (Ishida). To broaden the horizons of yoga in Japan, International Yoga Day in 2018 was organized by the collaborative effort of the Embassy of India Tokyo, the Parliamentary League for Promotion of Yoga in Japan, and all the major Japanese Yoga organizations. Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, said that the “spread of Yoga in Japan will contribute to the creation of a vibrant and healthy society”. (Embassy of India).

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Hong Kong Hong Kong’s consumers have been quick to both accept and adopt Western influenced wellness trends (Hill). They have experienced a high degree of exposure to Western wellness trends due to a high-percentage of expats and locals being educated abroad in addition to their consumers being some of the most digitally connected in the world. For these reasons, the promotion of a healthy and active lifestyle to achieve wellbeing has been embraced by the ageing population and younger demographics alike (Hill). Believing in the credo of active ageing, a large proportion of retired Hong Konger’s (65-79 year olds) spend their leisure time on such activities as tai chi, yoga and fitness classes, further education, adopting new hobbies and, in particular, travelling (Euromonitor International).

There has been growing demand for a wide range of health and wellness products and services, including healthier food, vitamins and supplements, and fitness memberships (Euromonitor). Amanda Casgar, Lululemon’s Brand & Community Director, Asia said, “over the last few years, the pursuit of an active and mindful lifestyle has gained momentum across Asia, particularly in Hong Kong” (Hill).

Additionally, wellness has recently been integrated into public spaces like shopping centers and as Rebecca Woo, operations director (Hong Kong) at K11 Concepts said, “Wellness concepts have become popular with shoppers because they are not only looking for functional outfits for sports but also personal enhancements through body and mind experiences. Wellness is in what you see, what you eat and what you experience” (Hill).

Making 11.4 trips per year, Hong Kong residents are the world’s most avid international travelers due to their desire to escape this fast-paced ultra-urban city (Euromonitor International). Consumers like to spend their leisure travel abroad, mostly in nearby countries like Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, and South Korea. With a generous number of paid holidays, the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer illustrates that Hongkongers are among the top ten spenders on tourism in the world (Euromonitor International). Travelers spend a very high average of HKD11,175 during holiday trips that average 6.3 days in length (Euromonitor International).

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Spotlight on Yoga Hong Kong fell in love with yoga in the early 2000s and from that point the Evolution Asia Yoga Conference set up in 2007, leading Canadian yoga brand Lululemon came to Hong Kong in 2011, AntiGravity® famous trainer Tamer Begum introduced Aerial yoga with great success in 2014, Hong Kong’s first yoga and wellness festival IRIS launched in 2015, and in 2018 Hong Kong hosted the 11th Asia Yoga Conference (AYC) (Louli). In just six events, IRIS grew from a small yoga gathering of 100 people to a weekend event with over 60 vendors and an estimated 4,000 attendees for 2018 (Louli). Moreover, hosting the AYC deemed Hong Kong the yoga capital of Asia in 2018 with 3,200 participants, 50 global presenters, and 180 workshops (O’Neil).

Yoga practitioners are mostly young professional women, housewives, and retired women. However, Hong Kong’s most prominent yoga chain, Pure Yoga, indicated that male membership increased from 15 percent in 2007, to 35 percent in 2017. In addition, more athletes and seniors are practicing, which they credit to yoga’s health benefits becoming more widely accepted (Louli). Pure Yoga now has 12 studios in Hong Kong, as well as in Shanghai, Singapore, Taipei and New York in addition to more than 200 teachers offering 1,600 classes a week (O’Neil). Additionally, Pure Yoga’s retreat business held 15 retreats in 2018 and Paveena Atipatha, regional yoga director for Pure Yoga said, “People are open and willing to travel for yoga retreats too, and not just to typical destinations with sun and sand,… retreats in Namibia, Bhutan, Morocco and Italy have proved popular destinations for Asia’s outbound yoga market… Yoga and travel go together so well. Both take you away from your everyday pressures, help relieve anxiety and stress, and give you a chance to stop and think, be quiet and still” (Nicol).

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II. Europe European consumers, young and old, view their level of health as a status symbol and they are increasingly concerned with taking preventative measures.

Consumers are enjoying the social aspects of wellness like yoga classes, attending the gym, swimming pools, and marathon events (Gordon and Hudson). The European health and fitness market has grown to EUR26.6 billion in revenues during 2017 and the number of health club’s members is expected to reach 80 million in 2025 (Rutgers et al.). Europeans are also placing an emphasis on healthy lifestyle habits such as good-for-you foods and improved sleep.

Europeans are sophisticated wellness consumers, based on longstanding cultural and historic traditions across the region, and this influences their propensity for wellness travel. In a Eurobarometer survey of 30,000 Europeans across 33 countries, it was found that 13 percent indicated that wellness/spa/health treatments were their primary or secondary motivation for going on holiday in 2015 (Yeung and Johnston). Recently, European consumers have increased their demand for a blend of wellness and nature activities, such as hiking to a scenic location for meditation, or yoga and tai chi in an outdoor setting (Yeung and Johnston). Due to this, demand for wellness resorts and retreats have risen among European consumers. Another trend among European wellness travelers is their desire for building community abroad and facilitating a connection with other guests (Yeung and Johnston). Such examples of this are creating club-like settings and atmospheres, or group programs and classes.

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Table 2: Top Ten Wellness Tourism Markets in Europe, 2017

Country

Number of Trips (millions) Expenditures (USD million)

Germany

66.1

$65,746.3

France

32.4

$30,714.6

Austria

16.8

$16,509.8

United Kingdom

23.2

$13,478.1

Italy

13.1

$13,428.4

Switzerland

9.7

$12,571.3

Spain

18.8

$9,885.6

Turkey

9.1

$4,387.7

Russia

15.8

$3,997.4

Portugal

4.6

#3,405.2

Source: Ophelia Yeung and Katherine Johnston. “Global Wellness Economy Monitor.� Global Wellness Institute. October 2018. https://globalwellnessinstitute.org/wpcontent/uploads/2018/10/Research2018_v5webfinal.pdf?inf_contact_ key=84290776cd4c6d9b23e52157240e18d1977402d5b6bb5f389a9ab08d9afe15ac. Accessed 11 Jan 2019.

Highlights: - Number of Wellness Trips: 291.8 million (8.1% CAGR from 2015-2017) - Wellness Tourism Expenditures: $210.8 billion (4.4% CAGR from 2015-2017) - Average Expenditure Per Trip: $1,209 for intl./inbound (65% premium); $594 for domestic (105% premium)

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United Kingdom The United Kingdom has experienced a mass shift in consumers seeking holistically healthy lifestyles, which is especially prevalent among Millennials (Euromonitor International). Lauren Armes, Founder of Welltodo, said, “Wellness is still largely an urban-centric pursuit, especially when you look at boutique fitness, natural beauty, yoga and meditation-focused technology. But the growing interest in provenance and organic food/drink, the virtual fitness world and personalised nutrition indicate that the wellness industry isn’t slowing.” (Waugh and Adams). Consumers have become increasingly concerned with their habits due to a rise in national obesity, sedentary lifestyles, heart disease, and diabetes. Even the government has taken initiative to combat these issues by hosting sporting events in hopes to increase enthusiasm in physical activity (Walker).

The UK’s health and fitness market was worth EUR5.1 billion in 2017, which accounted for 19 percent of the total European market (Rutgers et al.). Additionally, people are turning to exercise as a positive outlet to deal with unprecedented levels of stress experienced in everyday life (Euromonitor International). As of May 2018, approximately nine million people with managerial, administrative and professional occupations in England were physically active with at least moderate intensity for more than 150 minutes a week. This was noted as the category with the highest weekly activity (Sport England). Assuming that those in high positions are part of the wealthy class, it can be assumed that wealthier people tend to participate more in exercise activities. As health and wellness becomes a mature and saturated market in the UK, consumers are looking for unique, convenient, and experience driven wellness offerings (Waugh and Adams).

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Employees in the United Kingdom are entitled to have 28 days of paid leave per year. International leisure trips grew by 22 percent from 2012 - 2017 to 85.4 million, while domestic trips fell by 2 percent to 128.8 million over the same period. Moreover, in 2017 30 percent of consumers took two or more international leisure trips in the last 12 months (Euromonitor International). The largest segment of international travelers are aged 50+, driving demand 8 percent over the 2012 to 2017 period. The most popular destinations for international UK travelers in 2017 were Spain, France, Greece, Portugal, Turkey, and Egypt (Euromonitor International).

Spotlight on Yoga The 2017 yoga industry in the UK had £875.4 million in revenue and a CAGR of 2.1 percent from 2014 to 2019 (IBIS World). In 2017, 17.5 percent of ‘United Kingdomer’s’ practiced yoga on a regular basis – at least two times per month (Euromonitor International). Practitioners in the UK have become aware of yoga’s benefits on their physical and mental wellbeing and are drawn to its ability to provide relaxation in their busy and stressful lives (Terry). In fact, trends toward achieving mindfulness have been observed in the recent boom in demand for “mind, body, spirit” books, as well as the rise in popularity of meditation and yoga (Euromonitor International). The typical yoga practitioner in the UK are females aged 21 to 35 in addition to housewives, however it has been growing in popularity among men, especially those who try classes with female partners (Terry).

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Netherlands The Netherlands has historically been a generally healthy country that benefits from a balanced diet and a healthy amount of exercise. Consumers like to keep up with their fitness - 20 percent of the population belongs to a health club, 29 percent belongs to a sports club, and many partake in the nation’s strong cycling culture (Euromonitor International). In fact, approximately 72,000 people cycle in Amsterdam during the morning rush hour alone.

The Netherlands’ active and healthy eating culture has allowed for low obesity rates of just 24 percent (Euromonitor International). Dutch women are particularly interested in emerging wellness trends such as adopting a more holistic approach to health and beauty with a focus on nutrition, exercise, relaxation, and better sleep (Euromonitor International). Although Holland benefits from one of Europe’s strongest healthcare systems, consumers are increasing their spending on health goods and services.

Dutch consumers get a total of 29 days paid annual leave and most commonly travel during the summer holidays (May through September). However, their number of winter holidays (October through April) have increased from 8.8 million in 1992 to 14.7 million in 2016 (Statistics Netherlands). The Dutch are avid international leisure travelers and in 2017 made a total of 24.5 million international and 13.9 million domestic trips. The favorite destinations among Dutch travelers are France, Germany, and Spain.

Consumers aged 50+ account for the largest share (40 percent) of Dutch travelers. Younger demographics (18 to 35) are found to be more cost-conscious, take shorter vacations than older demographics, prefer to make travel arrangements online, and are influenced in their choice of travel destination by family and friends.

Sustainable travel choices influenced the travel decisions for 19 percent of 55-70-year olds but for only 14 percent of 18-35-year olds (Euromonitor International).

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Spotlight on Yoga Yoga has gained immense popularity in the Netherlands in the past couple of years, especially in the Netherland’s largest city Amsterdam. In 2016, the following were the top three motivations for practicing yoga: to bring down stress (60 percent), because it is healthy for you (47 percent), and because it is a lifestyle (47 percent) (Yoga Magazine).

As of 2016, 30 percent of Dutch practitioner’s preferred practicing meditation or mindfulness yoga. While a little more than 25 percent prefered Hatha yoga - a branch of yoga that emphasizes physical exercises to master the body along with mind exercises (Yoga Magazine). Although hot yoga is only preferred by 10 percent of Dutch practitioner’s, Martijn Peters, co-founder of Equal Yoga, has cited a growth in hot yoga as it “combines both physical and mental aspects, … It’s a great workout, and in exciting but fast-paced times like we live in, this type of yoga helps people become fitter both mentally and physically” (Dodds).

As Dutch consumers expand their acceptance of various yoga styles, they also have become more inclined to adopt a “yoga lifestyle”. In recent years, yoga retreats have become a popular vacation for Dutch yoga enthusiasts and look popular exotic destinations like Costa Rica and India (Dodds).

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France Overall, the French live a healthy lifestyle and this is reflected in the nations relatively low rates of obesity (just 24 percent of the population was classified as obese in 2017). French consumers have become more aware of achieving healthy and holistic lifestyles, and thus have increased their demand for raw and organic products. This trend is especially prevalent among French women and Millennial’s (Euromonitor International). Additionally, consumers have placed an increased importance on regular physical activity, which has given rise to the booming French health and fitness industry.

The French health and fitness market was worth EUR2.5 billion in 2017, which accounted for 9 percent of the total European market (Rutgers et al.) In 2017, exercise was highest among the under 35 age group (61 percent) and among executives (68 percent) (Euromonitor International). This is likely linked to high membership costs and the concentration of wellness centers in metropolitan areas (Rutgers et al.). For French exercise practitioner’s, staying in shape was the main motivation for 66 percent of consumers, followed by relaxation (45 percen), and weight loss (34 percent) (Euromonitor International).

French employees benefit from 36 paid and public holidays per year and certainly take advantage of their time off. In 2017, 75 percent of French consumers had been on at least one domestic leisure trip and 50 percent at least one international leisure trip. French consumers are taking more international leisure trips than ever, with 25 percent of consumers taking two or more international leisure trips in the last 12 months. The number of outbound trips increased by 19 percent from 2012-2017. Most international travelers venture to many of the nearby countries that are rich in culture and nature. Some of the popular destinations are Spain, the UK, Portugal, and the US (Euromonitor International). On vacation, 45 percent of French consumers are seeking relaxation, 32 percent look for abundance of nature and outdoor activities, and 27 percent want to be immersed in local culture (Euromonitor International).

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Spotlight on Yoga France has experienced a boom in its yoga industry over the past decade especially in large cities like Marseille, Lyon, and Paris (Devaney). In 2017, 13.6 percent of consumers practiced yoga on a regular basis – at least two times per month (Euromonitor International). Consumers have embraced a wide range of styles including Ashtanga, Iyengar, Hatha, Vinyasa, Yin Yoga, and Bikram (Weingus).

The typical yoga practitioner in France is female, aged 30 to 40, and affluent (Weingus). Boutique studios attract regular clientele at least once per week and are heavily concentrated in wealthier areas where yoga classes range from 28 to 45 euros (Devaney). Paris-based Rebeca Plantier, founder of the well-being website Fit To Inspire, explained that, “Yoga really fits into the French culture, especially where adult women are concerned because there is a definite focus on ‘well-being’ in France when it comes to taking care of one’s bodies” (Weingus).

In France, yoga is viewed as a holistic form of wellness and in 2018, 53 percent of French consumers believed that yoga could improve well-being, up from only 35 percent in 2015 (Harris Interactive). During times of leisure, French consumers like to enjoy in social activities that allow them to relax. Yoga offers consumers a close-knit community in addition to a healthy outlet for stress. In fact, in 2017, 45 percent of French people believed the best way to combat stress was through practicing yoga (OpinionWay).

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Germany German consumers are adopting and embracing the overreaching health and wellness trends that have emerged over the past decade in Europe. Millennial consumers have become especially conscious of leading healthy lifestyles and are devoted to healthy eating and regular physical activity. These trends have helped drive the demand and growth of the health, wellness, and fitness sectors in Germany (Riproduzione Riservata). In fact, Germany is Europe’s largest health and fitness market valued at EUR5.2 billion and accounting for 20 percent of the total European market share (Rutgers et al.). Germans draw positive associations between exercise and wellbeing. In 2017, as many as 70 percent said they walk or hike for exercise at least once a week; while 46 percent said they ride a bike (one of the highest levels among all countries reviewed) (Euromonitor International). The main motivations for exercise were for health reason (55 percent), to achieve life balance (50 percent), to get fresh air (41 percent) and to improve their physique (34 percent). (Euromonitor International).

Wellness travel has become a popular trend among German consumers with more than 50 percent viewing this type of travel as trendy (Heck). The number of Germans taking wellness trips has increased in recent years and now one in three Germans consider it as an attractive travel option. Moreover, 52 percent of these consumers go on two or more wellness trips per year and tend to stay longer than average travelers (International Medical Travel Journal). Although wellness weekend trips are still the most popular, five to eight day trips have been increasing in popularity. German wellness travelers are seeking all-inclusive packages and want to book online (43 percent of market share). A majority of German wellness travelers are aged 50+ and prefer to make travel arrangements offline. However, Millennials are a growing consumer segment that currently account for 14 percent of the market, with annual growth of 53 percent. Additionally, Millennial’s prefer to book wellness holidays online (International Medical Travel Journal).

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German employees are entitled to 33 days paid annual leave (including public holidays). Germans are avid travelers with 72 percent in 2017 traveling on at least one domestic leisure trip.

Germans are among the world’s top international travelers with 61 percent traveling on at least one international leisure trip in 2017 (Euromonitor International). Moreover, 28 percent of consumers took two or more international leisure trips in the last 12 months of 2017. A majority of travelers seek ‘relaxation’ (58 percent), while nature and outdoor activities and all-inclusive accommodation were each deemed important for 23 percent of travelers (Euromonitor International). An increasing number of German consumers are looking to online source to research and book their vacations. The top destinations for German travelers are Austria, Spain, France, Italy, and Turkey (Euromonitor International).

Spotlight on Yoga As Europe’s largest health and fitness markets, it is no wonder that yoga has become a widespread tool for German consumers seeking wellbeing. Yoga is the seventh most popular sport in Germany and in 2017 15 percent of Germans practiced yoga regularly – more than two times per month (Herman Rutgers et al.). Although Germans have embraced a wide range of emergent yoga styles, Hatha yoga remains the most popular style among 23 percent of regular practitioners (Statista-Umfrage). A high proportion of yoga enthusiasts are concentrated in-andaround Germany’s largest cities like Berlin and Munich, however, German consumers are increasingly practicing online. Due to this, the Berlin-based Asana Rebel yoga app was founded in 2015 and since has logged more than 1.5 million workouts per month. It also claims to be a category leader for yoga apps worldwide based on revenue and downloads in 2017, has more than 150k paying subscribers, and claims 600 percent revenue growth year-over-year (Butcher).

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Italy Italy has historically been a healthy country where most consumers tend to follow the Mediterranean diet and engage in some form of exercise regularly. For the most part, Italians use diet as a preventative measure and in 2017 46 percent of Italians said they considered superfoods as a way to treat and prevent diseases (Euromonitor International). Additionally, Italians maintain their health through regular exercise and in 2017 it was found that 54 percent of Italians under 60 years old and 73 percent over 60 years old walk or hike at least once per week (Euromonitor International). Engaging in trending forms of physical activity is especially prevalent among younger generations which has allowed for the boom in the Italian health and fitness industry. Italy has grown into Europe’s fourth largest health and fitness market. In 2017, it accounted for 8 percent of the total European market and totaled EUR2.2 billion (Rutgers et al.). Italians engage in a wide range of physical activities for the following reasons: for passion or pleasure (60 percent), to stay fit (55 percent), for leisure (50 percent), and to reduce stress (32 percent) (Euromonitor International).

Italian employees are rewarded 36 paid and public holidays every year and consumers certainly take advantage of their vacation time. Italians are very enthusiastic domestic travelers with 82 percent taking at least one domestic leisure trip in 2017. A growing number of Italian consumers are making the trip abroad with 55 percent taking at least one international leisure trip in 2017 and 24 percent taking two or more. In fact, Italian travelers are increasingly choosing international travel over domestic as the number of domestic trips decreased by 19 percent from 2012 to 2017, while trips abroad increased by 8 percent over the same period (Euromonitor International). The most popular destinations for Italian travelers are France, Spain, the UK, Germany, Greece, and the US. A majority of Italian consumers (53 percent) seek relaxation as the most important factor when deciding where to travel. Finding a destination that offers a wide range of arts and heritage was important for 36 percent and nature and outdoor activities were important for 30 percent (Euromonitor International).

Spotlight on Yoga Yoga in Italy is primarily practiced within large cities with some degree of Western influence like Rome and Milan. In 2017, 0.7 percent of Italians claimed to have practiced yoga daily, 8.1 percent said one to two times per week, and 5 percent said one to two times per month – totaling 13.8 percent of Italians (Euromonitor International). In recent years, Italy has emerged as a popular place to host yoga retreats due to its cultural significance and natural offerings. The Italian government recently launched Terme d’Italia, a project aimed at stimulating demand for spas and wellness resorts in eight regions, many of which will include yoga offerings aimed at driving demand amongst international tourists (Yeung and Johnston).

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Switzerland Switzerland is a mature health market that has longstanding wellness traditions. However, in recent years, young demographics have redefined what it means to be healthy, emphasizing the power of healthy eating, fitness, and a holistic approach to health and wellbeing (Euromonitor International).

Swiss consumers aged 18 to 44 adopt a healthy lifestyle as a means to attain a certain level of social standing in their community. Therefore, it has become especially important to connect with those who value food intake, fitness, entertainment, and even spirituality (Euromonitor International). Moreover, 50 percent of consumers say that they consciously make healthy eating choices (Caspiris). The growing number of wellness-obsessed consumers has created a boom in Switzerland’s health and fitness industry and it now accounts for 3 percent of the total European market (EUR8.7 billion) (Rutgers et al.)

Swiss employees are entitled to four weeks of paid holiday and depending on which region they are from, they may have 10 to 15 public holidays as well. Employees in Switzerland are actually expected to take two weeks of vacation each year and Swiss consumers are very enthusiastic about travel (Euromonitor International). In 2015, 88 percent of the Swiss population took at least one trip with one or more overnight stays away from home – accounting for 21 million trips, of which 7.7 million were domestic. For 40 percent of Swiss travelers, the internet is the preferred source for research and booking while more than 25 percent rely on travel agencies (Euromonitor International).

The Swiss will often travel on rail to visit neighboring countries for vacation. For 40 percent of Swiss travelers, relaxation is the most important reason to travel while 65 percent seek to discover new places/countries, and 64 percent are motivated by a change f routine. Swiss people ranked the following as their favorite vacation experiences: discover new cities (67 percent), learn about new cultures/countries (66 percent), relax in the sun (65 percent), swim in the ocean (62 percent), try foreign foods (62 percent), and discover nature, animals and landscapes (60%) (Euromonitor International).

Spotlight on Yoga Yoga has seamlessly integrated itself into Switzerland’s distinct wellness culture, in fact, Swiss President Doris Leuthard stated, “Indian teachings such as yoga now are part of everyday life of lot of Swiss citizens, also in my life.” (PTI). This was exemplified in Switzerland’s establishment of a federal diploma in yoga therapy, that responded to increased demand for complementary healing therapies (18,000 adults in 2012) (Chandrasekhar). Switzerland also offers supplemental insurance that will even cover wellness activities like thermal baths and relaxation therapies like yoga (Comparis Ch).

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III. North America North America’s increased focus on total wellbeing has driven the growth in demand for distinctive wellness offerings across urban and destination getaways alike. Destinations with spectacular natural and outdoor experiences are preferred by North American wellness travelers seeking relaxation and rejuvenation. Nordic spa circuits and hydrotherapy have become a popular trend among North American wellness travelers (Yeung and Johnston). Outdoor activities that immerse guests in their surroundings while creating social spaces, provide community experiences that wellness travelers desires.

Luxury brands like the Shangri-La, Four Seasons, and the Ritz Carlton, have taken note and have begun to develop their programs and promotions to rival that of even the top wellness resorts. It has also been seen as valuable for hotels to promote wellness weekends and rejuvenation retreats to consumers. For example, Mandarin Oriental hotels have on-site wellness professionals who offer customized Pilates, yoga, meditation, and tai chi classes (Yeung and Johnston). Moreover, Hyatt Hotels Corporation diversified its portfolio in 2017 to focus on wellness with its acquisition of Miraval Group – a leader in wellness hospitality (Euromonitor International). Leading hotel brands have entered strategic partnerships with recognized wellness industry leaders to create more appealing offerings for wellness minded travelers. For example, the Westin offers complimentary New Balance workout gear to its guests (Yeung and Johnston).

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Table 3: Wellness Tourism Markets in North America, 2017

Country

Number of Trips (millions) Expenditures (USD million)

USA

83.8

$15,678.8

Canada

10.0

$1,876.6

Source: Ophelia Yeung and Katherine Johnston. “Global Wellness Economy Monitor.� Global Wellness Institute. October 2018. https://globalwellnessinstitute.org/wpcontent/uploads/2018/10/Research2018_v5webfinal.pdf?inf_contact_key=84290776cd4c6d9b23e52157240e18d1977402d5b6bb5f389a9ab08d9afe15ac. Accessed 11 Jan 2019.

Highlights: - Number of Wellness Trips: 204.1 million (4.6% CAGR from 2015-2017) - Wellness Tourism Expenditures: $241.7 billion (5.8% CAGR from 2015-2017) - Average Expenditure Per Trip: $3,285 for intl./inbound (44% premium); $1,058 for domestic (57% premium)

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United States of America An increasing number of American consumers have adopted healthy lifestyles, as health wellness continues to be a status symbol. American consumers increasingly take a holistic approach to wellness that emphasizes healthy habits like good-for-you foods and physical/mental wellbeing (Euromonitor International). Personal training, yoga, barre, boxing, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), and CrossFit facilities are expanding across America and memberships to health clubs/ studios have increased by 33.6 percent since 2008. In 2017, fitness industry revenues in the US reached over $25 billion-dollar (Dunn). These trends are especially prominent among American Millennial’s who embrace a holistic approach to wellbeing. A refined wellness hospitality offering is now an expectation for American travelers.

The average American employee receives 10 days of paid vacation per year, however this rises relative to the seniority of the individual (Euromonitor International). Most Americans who receive paid vacation do not actually take advantage of their full allotment and in 2017 only 23 percent of Americans took their full eligible time off (Euromonitor International). The most popular travel times in the US are during the year-end holiday period, Independence Day weekend, summer vacation, and during the Thanksgiving and Memorial Day weekends. The majority of Americans take domestic trips and the most popular destinations are Orlando, Florida and Anaheim, California (Euromonitor International). International leisure travel is most popular in Cancun, Mexico, Montego Bay, Jamaica and Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, and Hawaii. In 2017, 18 percent of consumers took 2 or more international leisure trips in the last 12 months (Euromonitor International).

Spotlight on Yoga Yoga has gained immense popularity within the US in recent years and the number of people practicing yoga, for example, is on the rise. In 2016 the number of yoga practitioners was approximately 36.7 million and is projected to reach over 55 million by 2020 (Yoga – Statistics & Facts).

In 2017, 4.5 percent of people claimed to have practiced yoga daily, 14.4 percent said one to two times per week, and 9.4 percent said one to two times per month (Euromonitor International).

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Yoga in the US is no longer a female dominated sport as men have increased their interest and participation in recent years. Where a few years ago, women outnumbered men four-to-one, in 2016, 72 percent of practitioners were women and 28 percent were men (Yoga – Statistics & Facts). Revenue of the yoga industry in the U.S. is projected to amount to around USD11.6 billion by 2020, a significant increase from the 2012 figure, when the yoga industry generated revenues of USD7 billion (Sports Club Advisors). American yoga practitioners are motivated to practice for the following reasons: 42 percent believe yoga increases personal wellbeing, 41 percent find that yoga helps them achieve inner peace, 38 percent feel yoga seamlessly fits into their lifestyle, 32 percent believe yoga is more than just a physical exercise, and 28 percent practice because it perfectly meets their needs (Statista Survey).

Wellness themed vacations are increasingly desired among American travelers, which has directly increased demand for yoga and wellness retreats. In 2017, when Americans were asked which type of retreat they found the most appealing 34 percent of them said a meditation retreat while 28 percent of them found yoga retreats to be most appealing (Statista Survey). For these individuals, the following was said about retreat style vacations: they help you to calm down from stress (65 percent), can improve mental health (63 percent), are a good way to try something new (59 percent), help you to find your inner balance (53 percent), and are an escape from reality (42 percent) (Statista Survey). With more American consumers placing an emphasis on their wellbeing, it is expected that their enthusiasm for retreat style vacations will increase.

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Canada Canadian consumers are increasingly seeking to improve their wellbeing through diet and fitness. In 2017, 33 percent of Canadians said that improving their fitness would be their top New Year’s resolution (Euromonitor International). The top motivations behind leading healthier lifestyles are: preventing health risks (45 percent), losing weight (42 percent) and increasing their energy (41 percent). Canadian consumers share a love and appreciation with the outdoors and it was found that 71.8 percent of Canadians walk or hike for exercise at least once a week, while 67.1 percent participated in other types of physical exercise at least once a week (Euromonitor International).

Overall, more Canadians are looking to nature and its power to calm and rejuvenate. A large trend amongst Canadian consumers revolve around the healing powers of water, especially from Nordic spa circuits and hydrotherapy (Euromonitor International). Canadians seek wellness through the creation of “third places” – social environments outside of home and work, where people can build community with one another (Yeung and Johnston). In tune with overreaching global trends, wellness is of particular concern for Canadian Millennials who make up 35 percent of Canadian workforce. In recent years, approximately 49 percent of Millennials have demanded a wider range of health benefits from their employers that extend to less traditional options such as health-tracking programs (weight-loss, smoking cessation, blood pressure) and rewards for pursuing healthy lifestyles - like attending yoga classes (Sharrat).

Canadians get two weeks of vacation per year – more if you are in a senior position. 46 percent of Canadians planning vacations away from home said they would stay within their province or territory, 39 percent to another province or territory, 28 percent to the US, and 22 percent vacation trips elsewhere in the world.

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Canadians often travel abroad during the winter holidays - typically to warmer climates like the southern US, Mexico, and Cuba. There has been a growth in international travel to escape winter, especially among younger travelers. In 2017, 21 percent of consumers took two or more international leisure trips in the last 12 months. The top holiday destinations for Canadians in 2017 were Montego Bay, Jamaica, São Paulo, Brazil, Singapore and Lima, Peru. (Euromonitor International) Spotlight on Yoga Yoga is practiced in Canada for reasons including stress relief, flexibility, general fitness, and overall development of health (Business Wire). In 2017, 18.5 percent of Canadians practiced yoga at least 2 or more times per month with 2.5 percent claiming to practice daily (Euromonitor). Yoga is especially popular among both male and female Millennials and housewives. Yoga was widely adopted and embraced in Canada with the rise of the Canadian company Lululemon. Lululemon engages with Canadian yoga enthusiasts through multiple annual festivals such as SeaWheeze Sunset Yoga Festival in Vancouver. Moksha Yoga is one of Canada’s most succesful yoga chains with 74 locations across Canada, 15 in the USA (with more due to open), 1 in Sydney, Australia, and one in Paris (Dixon). In 2017, Canada hosted the largest congregation of yoga practitioner’s outsider of North America (possibly even India) and welcomed 10,000 yogis to celebrate International Yoga Day. The goal was to promote wellness and build a healthier and happier Canadian society (Hindustan Times).

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IV. Middle East – North Africa Across the Middle East and North Africa, a rising number of consumers have adopted healthy lifestyles. In turn, this has increased demand for wellness services, especially in spa and fitness. National and regional government authorities (including Ministries of Environment and Health) have helped finance projects that seek to improve the wellness offerings throughout the region while also encouraging a healthy lifestyle among the local population. Most of these projects include green/sustainable buildings, outdoor and fitness amenities, world-class medical services, alternative/complementary wellness services, and other offerings for residents and visitors (Yeung and Johnston).

In 2016, it was found that 10 percent of people in this region claimed that yoga was their favorite sport activity – which was the third most popular sport (Crimson Hexagon, and HOS).

On average in 2017, 3.2 percent of people claimed to have practiced yoga daily, 15.1 percent said one to two times per week, and 8.6 percent said one to two times per month (Euromonitor International). However, the cultural customs in this region largely restrict the integration of men and women in such facilities. Due to this, many residents opt for at home workouts or treatments facilitated by private personnel, which restricts such activities to the wealthy class (Euromonitor International).

The UAE continues to be the region’s largest spa market, with its cosmopolitan residents increasingly adopting health and wellness lifestyles that include spa-going, fitness, and healthy eating. This region serves a diverse customer base, including middle/professional-class expatriates, wealthy Emiratis, and European tourists who expect high quality services. Widespread global health and wellness trends have increased the demand for spa/ wellness services and programming (Yeung and Johnston). The most popular wellness destinations in the region, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Qatar, Morocco, and Egypt, mostly attract local and regional tourists traveling for secondary purpose wellness travel (Yeung and Johnston).

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Table 4: Top Ten Wellness Tourism Markets in Middle East-North Africa, 2017

Country

Number of Trips (millions) Expenditures (USD million)

United Arab Emirates

1.8

$3,750.0

Morocco

2.8

$1,717.8

Israel

0.9

$1,131.3

Jordan

0.5

$604.3

Bahrain

0.3

$563.8

Saudi Arabia

0.7

$492.2

Oman

0.4

$473.5

Egypt

1.2

$427.3

Iran

0.6

$388.5

Tunisia

0.6

$313.8

Source: Ophelia Yeung and Katherine Johnston. “Global Wellness Economy Monitor.� Global Wellness Institute. October 2018. https://globalwellnessinstitute.org/wpcontent/uploads/2018/10/Research2018_v5webfinal.pdf?inf_contact_key=84290776cd4c6d9b23e52157240e18d1977402d5b6bb5f389a9ab08d9afe15ac. Accessed 11 Jan 2019.

Highlights: - Number of Wellness Trips: 11.0 million (13.4 CAGR from 2015-2017) - Wellness Tourism Expenditures: $10.7 billion (13.3% CAGR from 2015-2017) - Average Expenditure Per Trip: $1,305 for international/inbound (44% premium), $599 for domestic (65% premium)

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V. Sub-Saharan Africa Significant strides have been made to promote and enhance Sub-Saharan Africa’s wellness offerings that focus on blending adventure and wellness together. Tourism throughout the region depends on international travelers who are increasingly demanding holistic wellness experiences, that do not sacrifice their desire for luxury. While “spafari’s” (high-end safari lodges that offer spas services) have been around for a while, many destinations have moved from a spa/pampering focus to holistic wellness, adding offerings such as “mindfulness safaris,” “yoga in the wilderness,” and “body treatments in the bush,” and incorporating local ingredients and treatments/therapies rooted in African traditions (Yeung and Johnston).

This region has also become a hotspot for wellness and yoga retreats that highlight local eco, adventure, spiritual, and cultural experiences. The natural beauty and wilderness across this vast continent create unique opportunities, such as stargazing in Namibia, meditation among wildlife in Zambia, and long uninterrupted beach walks in Mozambique. Overall, wellness tourism has the potential to offer economic, social, conservation, and branding benefits to the African continent.

As consumers become more aware of their own wellbeing, they grow more concerned for the wellness of local communities and want to do their part to give back (Yeung and Johnston).

Highlights: - Number of Wellness Trips: 6.5 million (10.1% CAGR from 2015 to 2017) - Wellness Tourism Expenditures: $4.8 billion (7.0% CAGR from 2015 to 2017) - Average Expenditure Per Trip: $1,215 for international/inbound (63% premium); $194 for domestic (128% premium)

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Table 5: Top Ten Wellness Tourism Markets in Sub Saharan Africa, 2017

Country

Number of Trips (millions) Expenditures (USD million)

South Africa

4.0

$2,250.3

Kenya

0.3

$412.3

Mauritius

0.2

$315.1

Tanzania

0.2

$302.7

Seychelles

0.1

$282.8

Uganda

0.2

$146.6

Nigeria

0.1

$134.0

Madagascar

0.1

$120.5

Zimbabwe

0.2

$117.8

Botswana

0.3

$115.0

Source: Ophelia Yeung and Katherine Johnston. “Global Wellness Economy Monitor.� Global Wellness Institute. October 2018. https://globalwellnessinstitute.org/wpcontent/uploads/2018/10/Research2018_v5webfinal.pdf?inf_contact_key=84290776cd4c6d9b23e52157240e18d1977402d5b6bb5f389a9ab08d9afe15ac. Accessed 11 Jan 2019.

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VI. Latin America and the Caribbean Latin American and the Caribbean’s wellness tourism sector has developed immensely over the past decade. For these reasons, this region has witnessed a significant increase in foreign direct investment in its wellness tourism sector, including major investments from international luxury hotel brands (Kitchen et al.). Mature international travelers are looking for luxury adventures and unique experiences, while the younger generations are looking to connect with nature and their inner selves (Kitchen et al.). Offering diverse natural and cultural assets, this region complements travelers most sought after experiences: rest and relaxation; experiencing nature, biodiversity, adventure, active vacations, and ecotourism; and beauty and medical tourism (Yeung and Johnston).

Strides have been made to promote the region as a world class wellness destination with a high degree of spa facility standards, expert personnel, and a unique wellness identity. To attract well-traveled luxury clientele, destinations have upgraded their spas to include modern finishes that are fused with inspiration from the local culture. Resorts curate their services to appeal to a range of consumer preferences from luxury pampering, active lifestyles, and/or holistic wellness programs (Yeung and Johnston). Such hotel and resort upgrades/developments have been especially prevalent in Mexico, Costa Rica, Columbia, Belize, and St Kitts (Yeung and Johnston).

The Latin American region is prized for its well-established luxury eco-tourism destinations like Costa Rica and Belize. These countries brand themselves as wellness destinations rich in culture and nature, where travelers can learn and appreciate environmental stewardship. In the case of Costa Rica, travelers seeking adventurous nature travel can also receive posh pampering in the form of coffee scrubs and volcanic mud wraps, or joining yoga and meditation retreats against a backdrop of pristine nature and diverse wildlife (Yeung and Johnston).

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Table 6: Top Ten Wellness Tourism Markets in Latin America-Caribbean, 2017

Country

Number of Trips (millions) Expenditures (USD million)

Mexico

18.7

$12,845.0

Brazil

10.5

$4,068.9

Chile

7.9

$2,223.5

Argentina

4.3

$2,112.4

Dominican Republic

1.0

$1,352.6

Costa Rica

1.0

$1,350.0

Peru

2.3

$1,262.9

Ecuador

1.0

$1,059.6

Colombia

1.9

$984.9

Jamaica

0.7

$739.0

Highlights: - Number of Wellness Trips: 59.1 million (12.4% CAGR from 2015-2017) - Wellness Tourism Expenditures: $34.8 billion (7.0% CAGR from 2015-2017) - Average Expenditure Per Trip: $1,067 for intl./inbound (31% premium); $380 for domestic (26% premium)

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part5.

I.

The Four Seasons: Looking Ahead Situational Analysis

II. Enrich Wellness Offering

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I. Situational Analysis Strengths

Weaknesses

Diverse Property Portfolio

Privately held, limits acquisition of capital

Exceptional Service Standards

Some outdated properties, require updating

Extraordinary experiences

Wellness offering is not competitive

Established luxury brand with rich history Successful global marketing efforts Significant global expansion efforts

Opportunities

Threats

Global Expansion

Geopolitical threats that discourage travel

Increasing demand for wellness tourism

Climate change damaging properties

Building transformative travel experiences

Increase in luxurious vacation sharing rentals

Growth within in-room connectivity technology in the hospitality industry

Political climate in the USA that discourages inbound tourism

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II. Enrich Wellness Offering Immense growth in wellness tourism, due to an increase in consumer demand, is a trend that is here to stay and luxury hoteliers are taking note. Nearly all industry players have worked to refine or enhance their wellness offerings, including the Four Seasons. Nevertheless, standing out in a crowd of similar offerings means refining wellness experiential travel to transformative travel. This is an opportunity for the Four Seasons to not only be amongst the world’s foremost luxury hotel brands, but also to optimize its wellness journey and take on the characteristics of Resort D (mentioned in Part 3, Section V.) at select destinations throughout the year.

Enriching its wellness program allows the Four Seasons to enhance guest relationships while providing a creative solution to demand fluctuations during off-seasons. Ultimately, this would reap the benefit of increased monetary gains for select destinations affected by seasonality. Statistically, wellness resorts are less impacted by seasonal changes of a destination, maintaining stable occupancies throughout the year. They also benefit from longer average length of stay (5-7 nights), and higher repeat guest visit ratio (40-50%). Wellness resort room nights are typically charged per person even if two guests are sharing one room. Therefore, wellness resorts show on average 2.5x higher RevPAR compared to traditional resorts of a similar standing (Modena).

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part6.

I.

Redefining Wellness: Transformative Travel Finding the Answer Through Yoga

II. Hosting Yoga + Wellness Retreats III. Establishing a Synergetic Collaboration

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I. Finding the Answer Through Yoga The word “yoga” comes from the Sanskrit root “yuj,” which means “to yoke” the spirit and physical body together. Yoga’s history roots back to ancient India and can be traced back as far as the fifth century BCE (Yoga – Statistics & Facts). The practice has evolved over thousands of years to embrace a wide range of styles and disciplines that may be adapted per individual based on their specific needs. It can be modified to suit all fitness levels, has been proven to lower blood pressure, increase strength and flexibility, energize our bodies, and calm our minds (What Is Yoga?).

Yoga is a unique physical practice that allows one to cultivate awareness and draw attention inward through connecting the mind, body, and rhythm of breath. Through practicing yoga, we condition our mind and body to become more flexible as we learn to recognize our habitual thought patterns without labeling them, judging them, or trying to change them (Lee).

Yoga has emerged among the top 10 fitness trends worldwide for 2018, according to “Worldwide Survey of Fitness Trends for 2018”

by American College of Sports Medicine

(ACSM) (Tore). Yoga began to gain popularity in Western societies during the 1980s and as of 2015, the number of people practicing yoga in the US was approximately 36.7 million and is projected to reach over 55 million by 2020 (Yoga – Statistics & Facts). Moreover, revenue from the yoga industry in the U.S totaled USD9.09 billion (2015) and is projected to reach over USD11 billion by 2020 (Yoga – Statistics & Facts). A 2016 Statista survey, outlined the motivations behind individuals practicing yoga in the U.S, finding that 42 percent of respondents practice yoga mainly for the purpose of increasing their personal well-being (Statista Survey).

In a fast-paced world plagued by the loneliness epidemic, coming to our mat gives us the opportunity for peace of mind through human connection. Through the practice of yoga, we offer our breath to build a deeper connection with ourselves and the world around us.

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II. Hosting Yoga + Wellness Retreats Key Success Factors:

1.

A holistic approach that emphasizes physical and mental well-being.

2.

Create a deep and authentic relationship with the guest.

3.

Curate an experience that is transformative.

4.

Generate a sense of community and synergy between the guest, others, and the surrounding area.

5.

Help guests achieve well-being without sacrificing indulgence – an experience catered for the luxury seeking yogi.

Today’s health-conscious luxury traveler seeks authentic wellness offerings when booking travel plans - which has resulted in the emergence and significant growth in the wellness tourism segment. In 2017 in the USA, 34 percent of travelers find meditation retreats most appealing and 28 percent find yoga retreats most appealing (Statista Survey). However, yoga retreat formats remain untouched by luxury hospitality brands and offering one would help the Four Seasons refine and differentiate its wellness program. This proposal has the added benefit of increasing occupancy during off-seasons while providing guests with unique transformative experiences.

Statistically, wellness resorts are less impacted by the seasonal changes of a destination, maintaining stable occupancies throughout the year and on average longer guest stays (Modena).

Yoga takes a holistic and preventative approach to well-being, a concept that perfectly aligns with the luxury traveler’s attitudes toward health and well-being. Additionally, yoga is an activity that can be adapted for a range of fitness levels, health issues, and can take inspiration from its local surroundings. Practicing in stunning and luxurious destinations, retreats offer luxury seeking yogi’s an opportunity to rejuvenate, build human connection, and attain personal well-being, without sacrificing their hedonistic desire for luxury.

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III. Establishing a Synergetic Collaboration Today’s health-conscious luxury traveler seeks authentic wellness offerings when booking travel plans - which has resulted in the emergence and significant growth in the wellness tourism segment. In 2017 in the USA, 34 percent of travelers find meditation retreats most appealing and 28 percent find yoga retreats most appealing (Statista Survey). However, yoga retreat formats remain untouched by luxury hospitality brands and offering one would help the Four Seasons refine and differentiate its wellness program. This proposal has the added benefit of increasing occupancy during off-seasons while providing guests with unique transformative experiences. Statistically, wellness resorts are less impacted by the seasonal changes of a destination, maintaining stable occupancies throughout the year and on average longer guest stays (Modena).

Yoga takes a holistic and preventative approach to well-being, a concept that perfectly aligns with the luxury traveler’s attitudes toward health and well-being. Additionally, yoga is an activity that can be adapted for a range of fitness levels, health issues, and can take inspiration from its local surroundings.

Practicing in stunning and luxurious destinations, retreats offer luxury seeking yogi’s an opportunity to rejuvenate, build human connection, and attain personal well-being, without sacrificing their hedonistic desire for luxury.

Figure 1: Top Ten Wellness Tourism Markets in Latin America-Caribbean, 2017 Influential Voice in the Yoga Community

Purely Functional

Total Lifestyle

Influential Voice in the Yoga Community

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Adidas by Stella McCartney About:

This collaboration was born in 2005 out of the need for a collection of high performance sportswear for women, across a wide range of disciplines including running, yoga, tennis and swim - a relatively untapped market at the time. Adidas by Stella McCartney focuses on highly designed performance pieces that are world renowned for their ethical production and supply chain (Stella McCartney).

The Verdict: Not Suitable.

Why?

The brand only designs clothing for a niche group of woman, thereby would eliminate male interest in a collaboration with the Four Seasons. Moreover, although the brand has set high industry standards for ethical sustainable supply chains and innovative designs, it lacks an influential voice in the wellness/fitness community and is not an all-encompassing lifestyle brand.

Alo Yoga About:

Alo Yoga prides itself with making high-quality yoga apparel that is designed to inspire yogis (and yogis to be) to have more yoga in their life. It is their mission to make apparel that can be taken from studio-to-street: Taking the consciousness from practice on the mat and putting it into the practice of life. In three of its five stores, the brand offers $25 yoga classes in addition to free yoga classes on their YouTube Channel. Alo Yoga promotes itself through its team of 12 highly skilled social media yoga influencers (Alo Yoga).

The Verdict: Not Suitable.

Why?

Although Alo Yoga’s brand equity is rooted in yoga and its yoga studios have helped build it into a lifestyle brand, it is still a relatively small company with a very niche customer base. Additionally, it has very little global presence and even within the US it only has five stores: 4 in Los Angeles, California and only one in New York City. Therefore, the brand is only an influential voice in the yoga communities of select American cities and would not be able to generate a large enough appeal for a collaboration with the Four Seasons.

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Beyond Yoga About:

Beyond Yoga is a luxury athleisure brand designed to seamlessly transition from workout to night out. Their mission is to promote body positivity by never retouching the shape of a woman’s body, offering a range of sizes from XXS to 3X, and featuring amazing women doing amazing things (Beyond Yoga).

The Verdict: Not Suitable.

Why?

Beyond Yoga is a relatively new “indie” brand with a very niche customer and only sells woman’s clothes. They currently do not operate any physical retail spaces and rely on online and American department store sales. Although they produce high-quality, functional, and stylish yoga apparel, they do not have an influential voice in the yoga community and are perceived as just an apparel brand. On a global scale the brand is unrecognizable, irrelevant, and would not be a suitable partner for the Four Seasons.

Nike About:

As one of the world’s most recognized and beloved brands, Nike’s mission is to do everything possible to expand human potential. Nike carries out their mission through its groundbreaking sport innovations, making their products more sustainably, building a creative and diverse global team, and making a positive impact in communities across the globe (Nike Inc.).

The Verdict: Not Suitable.

Why?

Although it has a very strong social, political, and sporting voice, Nike lacks the expertise and voice in the yoga community that the Four Seasons seeks in a partner. Nike’s equity is rooted in its performance-driven sporting products and trendy streetwear that does not marriage well with the discerning Four Seasons guest’s perception of yoga and wellness.

Outdoor Voices About:

Outdoor voices builds carefree athletic apparel that is designed to help its customers move their 88 things bodies and have fun in the process. It believes in attaining personal wellness through| doing and experiencing the world (Outdoor Voices). The company has no activity-based focus and is strictly aimed at young demographics.

The Verdict: Not Suitable.

Why?

This brand is far too small to be a strategic partner as its presence is limited to a select few cities in the USA. Moreover, it is targeted at a young demographic (18 to 30 years old) and therefore would not be relevant to a vast majority of the Four Seasons customer base. It has little to no connection or voice in the yoga or wellness community.

Lululemon About:

Since its founding in 1998, Lululemon has become synonymous with yoga lifestyle and culture.

Today Lululemon’s mission is “to create transformational products and experiences which enable people to live a life they love” (Lululemon Athletica) and they have developed a brand for those pursuing an active, mindful lifestyle. Lululemon utilizes a community-based approach to build brand awareness and customer loyalty through its local teams and ambassadors, digital marketing and social media, in-store community boards, and a variety of grassroots initiatives.

The Verdict: Suitable.

Why?

This synergetic Canadian partnership benefits not only from Lululemon’s extremely loyal North American customer base but also from its rapidly expanding global community - especially in Europe and Asia. As a very influential voice in the yoga community, Lululemon will provide the Four Seasons with a meaningful and relevant yoga partnership. Additionally, Lululemon already has experience with retreats and comparable luxury hotel brands. In 2015, Lululemon entered a short-term partnership with the Shangri-La Toronto to promote its new wellness package “Running is Shangri-La”.

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part7.

Strategic Partner, Lululemon

I.

About

II.

Current Status

III. Key Principles IV. Core Customer V.

A Yoga Lifestyle Brand

VI. Lululemon Global Yoga Ambassadors VII. Situational Analysis VIII.

Looking Ahead

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I. About Founded by Chip Wilson in Vancouver, Canada in 1998, Lululemon is a yoga-inspired, technical athletic apparel company for women and men. When Chip Wilson fell in love with yoga, it was predominantly practiced by the “hippie-yogi” who wore loose cotton pieces. Upon realizing the growing popularity of the activity, Wilson founded Lululemon based on the need for more functional and performance driven yoga attire (Sherman). Originally designed for women to wear during yoga, the brand has expanded to attire for running, cycling, training and most other sweaty pursuits for women and men (Lululemon Athletica).

Since its founding, Lululemon has become synonymous with yoga lifestyle and culture. Today Lululemon’s mission is “to create transformational products and experiences which enable people to live a life they love” (Lululemon Athletica). It has developed into a brand for those pursuing an active and mindful lifestyle. Lululemon utilizes a community-based approach to build brand awareness and customer loyalty through its local teams and ambassadors, digital marketing and social media, in-store community boards, and a variety of grassroots initiatives.

Although Lululemon benefits from the growing number of people that participate in yoga, they believe the percentage of products sold for other activities will continue to increase as the brand broadens its product range (Lululemon Athletica). Lululemon’s apparel assortment includes items such as pants, shorts, tops, and jackets designed for a healthy lifestyle and athletic activities such as yoga, running, training, and most other sweaty pursuits. In addition to fitness-related accessories, including items such as bags, socks, underwear, yoga mats and equipment, and water bottles.

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II. Current Status Lululemon is a publically held company listed on the New York Stock Exchange as LULU. As of January 2018, Lululemon operated 397 stores in the following countries: United States (including Puerto Rico), Canada, Australia, China (including Hong Kong), United Kingdom, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Germany, Japan, Ireland, and Switzerland. Plans for 2019 include new store growth primarily in the United States, Europe, and Asia (Lululemon Athletica). In 2018, new stores appeared in Quatar, United Arab Emirates, and Sweden. North America (Canada & USA) is Lululemon’s primary and largest market, accounting for 90.7 percent of net revenue in January 2018.

Lululemon is still relatively small in terms of the global sportswear industry, with 0.7 percent market share (Brand Shares). An increase in healthy consumers has resulted in a growth of competition from other niche yoga and sportswear brands, such as Alo Yoga and Beyond Yoga (Euromonitor International). However, Lululemon’s brand appeals to more affluent customers who are already accustomed to paying full price for its products - and might not need more incentives to keep shopping (Sun). Lululemon’s strategy for differentiation and brand equity lies in its product innovation, immersive guest experience, design-focused initiatives, and its global community.

At 2017 year-end, Lululemon had continued to inspire guest loyalty around the globe while experiencing substantial growth. In 2017, revenue increased by 13 percent to more than $2.6 billion which is attributed to product innovation, global expansion, marketing initiatives (including grassroots), and redesigned store formats (Lululemon Athletica). Looking ahead, Lululemon’s 2020 growth objectives comprise of $4 billion in total revenue, 25 percent e-commerce penetration, $1 billion in the men’s business, and $1 billion in its international markets (Lululemon Athletica).

In 2019, Lululemon plans to open 15 to 20 stores in the Asia-Pacific region, where comparable sales in 2018 surged 50 per cent and growth was particularly strong in China. Moreover, the company has opened an online store on WeChat, the top mobile messaging app in China, its key growth market. It hopes to open an online store in Korea and Japan during 2019 and hopes to continue its aggressive plan for how digital will lead them into the future, especially in China (Cheng). The brand has continued its grassroots initiatives in the Asian region by offering complimentary in-store sweat and mindfulness sessions in addition to large-scale events such as Unroll China, which in 2017 brought together 10,000 people in six cities to collectively practice yoga (Enervino). Around the globe, Lululemon is opening in shopping malls opposite big-name luxury brands, drawing in wealthy consumers looking to mix shopping with a group fitness class (Rapp). In Europe, sales rose in the double digits which exceeded the company’s internal targets (Shaw).

By 2020, Lululemon is expecting to grow its international business (Asia, Europe and Australia) to account for 20-25 percent of its total revenues (Enervino).

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III. Key Principles Culture

Innovation

1.

Lululemon promotes a set of core values in its business which include

1.

Lululemon focuses on functional performance wear and has made con-

taking personal responsibility, nurturing entrepreneurial spirit, acting with honesty and courage, valuing connection, and choosing to have fun.

tinuous strides to offer its customers innovative products. This includes cutting-edge fabrics (like Nulux™ and Everlux™) and innovative design solutions that position Lululemon as a global leader in technology-driven athletic apparel.

Design-Driven Vision

2.

Lululemon’s innovation and passion is optimized through its design-led vision. Each piece is carefully designed to deliver high-quality and truly captivating products. This fore-front of design is led by the Lululemon Lab’s in both Vancouver and New York City. These labs are concept design spaces that feature a team of in-house designers and sampling rooms. Each lab develops focused collections that are inspired by its local surroundings.

Community

2.

Lululemon utilizes a community based approach and grassroots initiative to share its culture with the world. Through its 1,500 brand ambassadors, Lululemon expands its global community and enhances every individual guest experience. At Lululemon, community is key: “Our vision for our store was to create more than a place where people could get gear to sweat in, we wanted to create a community hub where people could learn and discuss the physical aspects of healthy living, mindfulness and living a life of possibility. It was also important for us to create real relationships with our guests and understand what they were passionate about, how they liked to sweat and help them celebrate their goals. Today, we do this in our stores around the globe.” (Lululemon Athletica).

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IV. Core Customer Lululemon’s core customers seek a combination of performance, style, and sensation in their athletic apparel, choosing products that allow them to feel great however they exercise. Since consumer purchase decisions are driven by both an actual need for functional products and a desire to live a particular lifestyle, Lululemon believes the credibility of the brand and the authentic community experiences they offer expand its potential market beyond just athletes to those who pursue an active, mindful, and balanced life (Lululemon Athletica). Core customers have similar views towards attaining a healthy lifestyle through engaging in a range of sweaty pursuits, making nutritional diet decisions, a passion for the outdoors, and a desire to connect with the world.

Lululemon’s primary and largest customer group is made up of woman however, its male segment has grown immensely in recent years and the brand has a targeted strategy to serve male guests. The largest market for Lululemon is North America where its consumers are sophisticated and the brand benefits from high brand loyalty (Lululemon Athletica). In this region, Lululemon relies on its grassroots marketing to build its brand and relationship with its guests. However, in 2017 Lululemon made the decision to launch its first ever global ad-campaigns that focused on the international Millennial consumers especially in Europe and Asia-Pacific (Mau). An increase in global expansion will force Lululemon to rethink how it connects with and reaches its target customer on a global scale.

Although Europe is a mature and saturated market, Lululemon has delivered strong financial performance and growth which can largely be attributed to growing consumer trends towards attaining active and healthy lifestyles. These lifestyles are defined by integrating healthy daily choices with some form of exercise like yoga or the gym (Beuscher). According to Lululemon’s general manager EMEA Gareth Pope, European consumers, “are increasingly intentional with what they choose to buy, being drawn to brands and products that offer profound impact on how they feel and perform throughout all aspects of their life” (Beuscher). Additionally, European customers understand and appreciate innovate and high-quality products and are willing to pay a premium for these products (Beuscher).

Asian consumers are increasingly more concerned with their health and wellbeing which has been a great advantage for the growth of Lululemon throughout the region. The brand’s focus on an active and healthy lifestyle along with its innovative in-store community-based approach is what has driven its appeal amongst Asian consumers. In fact, in 2017 Retail in Asia had ranked Lululemon among the 10 Best Performing Brands in 2017 for “Best store experience and innovation” (Enervino).

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Lululemon stores, which are usually quite large for Asian standards, are characterized by clear lines and simple design, which make the items appealing to Asian customers (Enervino). Mr. Ken Lee, SVP of Lululemon Asia, provided insight on the brand’s Asian consumer: “Our guests lead busy, active lives… are digitally savvy and [are in-tune with] culture, music, art and style. Here in China, our guests are some of the most progressive and digitally-engaged consumers in the world … [they] are becoming more intentional with what they choose to buy, they’re drawn to purpose-led brands and products that offer profound impact on how they feel and perform throughout all aspects of their life… [They] value the function of our technically beautiful clothing that help them transition seamlessly to any activity throughout their day…

[Lululemon offers] opportunities for real human connection, extending beyond technical athletic apparel to experiences that highlight yoga, sweat, community connection and personal development. We are at the forefront of a behavioral shift towards communities seeking to pursue more active, mindful lifestyles” (Enervino).

Based on the consumer research outlined, guest profiles on the following page have been designed to form generalizations about various global Lululemon guests.

Lululemon Guest Profiles AGE 18 - 23 GENDER Female LIVES Victoria, BC CAREER Student - Kinesiology (BSc), University of Victoria INCOME $6000 from her summer job and financial support from parents ACTIVITY Training, Running WHY THEY LOVE LULULEMON She loves to look stylish in class but also wants functional athletic wear for her after class workout at the campus gym. She is very concerned with her image on campus and wants to be seen wearing stylish athleisure clothes. She is influenced by many of the fitness gurus she follows on social media.

Lulu on Campus

PURCHASE BEHAVIOR She will save up to add a couple staple pieces (leggings, sports bras, tank tops) to her wardrobe a couple times per year. She will browse online, but is likely to make a purchase in-store to ensure the perfect fit and feeling.

She is likely to look at an item a few times before committing to the purchase.

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AGE 34 – 60 GENDER Female LIVES Westchester County, New York CAREER Housewife, her husband works as a plastic surgeon in NYC INCOME $4,500,000 ACTIVITY Pilates, Yoga WHY THEY LOVE LULULEMON To the housewife, the aspirational Lululemon brand has a positive status symbol associated with it. She knows that Lululemon’s roots are in yoga and as a yoga enthusiast, she feels that buying Lululemon will give her a greater connection with the yoga lifestyle and community.

Housewife

PURCHASE BEHAVIOR She frequently goes shopping by herself, with friends, or with her daughter and will always visit Lululemon to see what is new. She will most always make a purchase in-store. She buys 90% of her athleisure apparel at Lululemon and her yoga equipment (her matt, yoga bad, and towels).

AGE 24 – 33 GENDER Female LIVES Sydney, Australia CAREER Junior Art Director, Saatchi & Saatchi INCOME $80,000 ACTIVITY Yoga, Training

Female, Young Professional

WHY THEY LOVE LULULEMON This Australian young professional has seen all of her favorite yoga and fitness influencers sport Lululemon. Like any Millennial she values authenticity, something she believes Lululemon to have a great deal of. As an avid yogi, she loves to attend Lululemon’s in-store classes and feel more connected with the yoga community.

PURCHASE BEHAVIOR As a lover of athleisure, she is fully engaged in the brand making a purchase at least every three months. She will browse online and visit instore frequently to immerse herself in the Lululemon experience. She will mostly buy seasonal collections and her first yoga matt purchase will be at Lululemon.

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AGE 24 – 33 GENDER Male LIVES London, UK CAREER Consultant, McKinsey & Company INCOME $525,000 ACTIVITY Training WHY THEY LOVE LULULEMON When he goes to the gym after work, he wants highly functional clothing. He believes Lululemon has the best performance oriented apparel. He sees the brand as highly aspirational and wears it to feel like his best healthy self.

Male, Young Professional

PURCHASE BEHAVIOR As a busy young-professional, he does not have much time to “shop-around”. He will likely order online a couple times a year and will make a few in-store purchases. He will likely buy a combination of gym and lifestyle clothes.

AGE 34 - 55 GENDER Male LIVES Cupertino, California CAREER Senior Research Engineer (Physics), Apple INCOME $1,000,000 ACTIVITY Running, Yoga

Mature Male

WHY THEY LOVE LULULEMON As a tech fanatic, he appreciates the innovative, design driven, and high-quality products at Lululemon. He is an avid runner who connects with Lululemon’s grassroots efforts and has participated in their San Francisco Ghost Race.

PURCHASE BEHAVIOR His wife will frequently buy him new pieces and they will sometimes shop together on the weekend where he will buy his own clothes. He buys apparel strictly for running with the added benefit that he can wear it for yoga and at home after work.

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V. A Yoga Lifestyle Brand Its community based approach, grassroots initiatives, and dedication to sweaty pursuits combine to brand Lululemon as an all-encompassing healthy lifestyle company. Lululemon’s mission is carried out through its network of global ambassadors (in-store, elite athletes, and yoga). Ambassadors are driven athletes and influencers who use their passions to elevate their communities.

Lululemon’s Global Yoga Ambassadors are highly influential voices in the yoga community. Lululemon says of their Global Yoga Ambassadors, “From years of teaching around the world, our global yoga ambassadors bring invaluable knowledge and experience to our collective. Not only are they committed to developing themselves, they’re committed to helping others and their communities—their hearts are as big as their talents” (Lululemon Athletica).

Lululemon’s grassroots approach to brand-building enables the brand to connect with and uniquely understand each guest. Lululemon hosts several events during the year, including their annual SeaWheeze half marathon in Vancouver, The Ghost Race in 15 cities in North America, the Sweatlife Festival in London (yoga and fitness), and Unroll China (yoga) across multiple cities. Local efforts were strengthened with its first global marketing campaign “This Is Yoga”, followed by men’s focused “Strength To Be” and finally, for holiday, “Breathe It All In” (Lululemon Athletica).

Lululemon provides the gift of online yoga as a platform that is accessible to all – the way yoga should be. Sessions are uploaded frequently on the Lululemon’s Youtube Channel and hosted by Global Yoga Ambassadors or In-Store Ambassadors. This is a popular platform where every yoga enthusiast, everywhere, at any level can practice yoga with Lululemon. The channel includes: Yoga for Beginners; Short “How To” videos that outline the technique behind specific poses; 20, 45, and 60-minute Yoga classes of various styles. Additionally, every week, Lululemon stores and showrooms push their products aside, unroll yoga mats, and turn their spaces into instant yoga studios.

Classes are complimentary and lead by instructors from local studios within the community or Lululemon yoga ambassadors (Lululemon Athletica). Immersing guests in an authentic Lululemon experience, helps the brand build meaningful and lasting connections with their guests.

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The ultimate Lululemon experience was introduced in 2018 at The Immersion retreat. This exclusive retreat was located at 4.5 star Calamigos Guest Ranch in Malibu, USA that featured: five days of yoga, meditation, development workshops, connection, optional adventures, exclusive products, and ample time to relax and recharge at the luxurious accommodations fueled by delicious food and drinks (Lululemon Athletica). At a price point of USD4000 and an intimate 50 spaces, The Immersion was a sought-after luxury wellness destination by yoga enthusiasts and Lululemon junkies alike. This price did not include flights, mini bar, or optional activities/excursions, like the spa (Lululemon Athletica). Over the past fifteen years, alongside industry leaders, Lululemon has developed and tested The Immersion method to be an experience filled with self-discovery, human connection, and transformation.

Lululemon is the first fitness/yoga brand to develop a retreat experience and is the first yoga brand to host festivals and races. These initiatives set Lululemon apart from their competitors and help transform it from an apparel brand to a lifestyle brand. A pair of Lululemon pants are not just “pants”, they are a symbolic representation of joining a community that promotes wellbeing and living life to the fullest.

“

We know that yoga rejuvenates our bodies and calms our minds, and one of the ways we practice giving without expectation is by sharing our love for yoga.

”

– Lululemon Athletica

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VI. Lululemon Global Yoga Ambassadors NAME Baron Baptiste LIVES Park City, USA AMBASSADOR SINCE 2015 WHY LULULEMON LOVES THIS PERSON? “Through his practice and teaching, Baron takes a stand for personal development and transformation. He is up to big stuff in this world and we are excited to be on the same journey.” (Lululemon Athletica) RECENT ACTIVITY Baron’s most inspirational teacher was his father and founder of Baptiste Yoga – Walt Baptiste. Today he continues his father’s vision: to make a difference and empower people to realize and manifest what is of interest and of most importance to them. He is active in leading Baptiste teacher training sessions. He actively supports The Baptiste Foundation - a not for profit that exists to bring yoga and educational programs to empower and inspire communities across the planet (Baptiste Institute).

TRAINING Baron is certified in Raja, Ashtanga, Iyengar, Baptiste, and Bikram Yoga, melding these styles together to produce his own vigorous, challenging vinyasa flow (Isaacs).

NAME Dr. Chelsea Jackson Roberts LIVES Atlanta, USA AMBASSADOR SINCE 2010 WHY LULULEMON LOVES THIS PERSON? “We love Chelsea for her unapologetic honesty and authenticity in everything she does. She is grace and power personified.

Chelsea inspires us to dig deep and connect to ourselves whilst widening our lens on the world to create more inclusivity, accessibility, joy and peace.” (Lululemon Athletica) RECENT ACTIVITY Chelsea is developing a yoga and literacy curriculum for Atlanta area youth organizations. She provides training for yoga practitioners, educators, community leaders, activists, and students on issues concerning marginalized youth, individuals, and communities.

TRAINING Chelsea is certified in E-RYT 200 and RCYT. Chelsea also completed two additional yoga trainings specifically for instructors who work with children and teens. Chelsea’s practice makes connections between the value of storytelling, critical literacy development, and yoga (Chelsea Loves Yoga).

NAME Gabrielle Bernstein LIVES New York City, USA AMBASSADOR SINCE 2015 WHY LULULEMON LOVES THIS PERSON? “Gabby has the rare combination of soul and purpose that allows her to make an impact on the world. She has pushed past her own boundaries to create a practice and curriculum that makes high-vibe living available to anyone. It’s the definition of selfless.” (Lululemon Athletica) RECENT ACTIVITY Gabby is a #1 New York Times Best Selling Author of “The Universe Has Your Back”, and has written five additional bestsellers. She is an international speaker who has presented lectures at Google, TEDxWomen, Oprah’s SuperSoul Sessions,

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The Chopra Center, The Omega Institute, L’Oréal, and others. Gabby is the creator of the Miracle Membership, a first-of-its-kind monthly subscription that helps people stay committed to their spiritual practices. Her flagship course, Spirit Junkie Masterclass, empowers people to awaken their confidence and live their purpose (Gabrielle Bernstein Inc.).

TRAINING Gabrielle is a certified Kundalini yoga and meditation teacher. She is also trained in the Emotional Freedom Technique and she’s a student of Transcendental Meditation, as taught by the David Lynch Foundation (Gabrielle Bernstein Inc.).

NAME Janet Stone LIVES San Francisco, USA AMBASSADOR SINCE 2003 WHY LULULEMON LOVES THIS PERSON? “We love Janet for her playful spirit and reverence for ancient yoga teachings. She has a way of making yoga approachable and accessible through storytelling and song. Janet’s magnetic personality invites you in and makes you want to stay. She lives yoga every day and shares her love of the practice with humility and love.” (Lululemon Athletica) RECENT ACTIVITY Janet is the founder of Stone Yoga School and offers teacher training programs that reflect Janet’s philosophy of teaching yoga. The Sadhana program builds on the philosophical and technical expertise gained in the 500-hour program, and asks students to find their own voice and path as teachers (Janet Stone Yoga).

TRAINING Janet Stone’s studentship began at 17 under the meditation teachings of Prem Rawat. His reverence for simplicity and finding joy in the rise and fall of life live on in her practice and teaching today. She shares from the alchemy of her own sadhana through bhakti yoga and the eight-limbed path. In 1996, she traveled to India and became dedicated to the path of yoga. Based in Bali and San Francisco, she leads immersions, retreats, workshops and more (Janet Stone Yoga).

NAME Ryan Leier

LIVES Saskatoon, Canada

AMBASSADOR SINCE 2011

WHY LULULEMON LOVES THIS PERSON? “We can’t get enough of Ryan’s incredibly sweaty Vinyasa Flow and his ability to crack our hearts open. Not to mention, his playlists are the best.” (Lululemon Athletica) RECENT ACTIVITY Ryan created Vinyasa Yoga for Youth, an innovative non-profit organisation designed to meet the physical, mental and spiritual needs of youth ages 5 to 22 through the empowering practice of yoga. Ryan currently is a teacher at One Yoga in Saskatoon and frequently leads retreat destinations and teacher trainings. He has collaborated with the Wanderlust Yoga Festival and Lululemon’s SeaWheeze Festival.

TRAINING Ryan is a student of Krishamacharya yoga and received his teachings directly from the Master, Sri BKS Iyengar and the Ashtanga Guru, Sri K. Pattabhi Jois. Registered as an E-RYT 500, RCYT, the highest designation with the Yoga Alliance. Ryan is rooted in local sacred teachings, and he regularly studies and serves the Elders in his home province of Saskatchewan (Ryan Leier Yoga).

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NAME Eoin Finn LIVES Santa Cruz, USA and Vancouver, Canada AMBASSADOR SINCE 2004 WHY LULULEMON LOVES THIS PERSON? “Eoin is enthusiastic, lighthearted and embodies joy in every moment. He also has a deep respect, love, and connection to our planet—he truly believes what we do to the earth, we do to ourselves.”

(Lululemon Athletica) RECENT ACTIVITY In 1999, Eoin founded Blissology, a yoga system exploring strategies for bringing more joy, awe, love and bliss into our lives. As an environmental activist, he encourages yogis to connect to the spirituality of nature. As an avid surfer and a passionate ocean-activist, he started the “Blissology EcoKarma project” in 2014 raising aid and awareness through yoga and activism for the world’s precious but imperiled coral reefs.

TRAINING Eoin is a philosophy graduate who continues to deepen his understanding of Meditation, Yoga + Eastern Philosophy since 1989. He is a student of Ashtanga, Power Yoga and, Vinjana Yoga (Blissology.).

NAME Gloria Latham LIVES Greece and Vancouver, Canada AMBASSADOR SINCE 2005 WHY LULULEMON LOVES THIS PERSON? “Gloria leads amazing Kundalini dance parties where she drops the beats and the truth bombs, but she won’t let you drop your arms or stop reaching for what you want.” (Lululemon Athletica) RECENT ACTIVITY Gloria worked as a licensed pharmacist for almost ten years before discovering true health through the practices of yoga and meditation. Gloria presents at numerous Yoga conferences and festivals worldwide, as well as Gaia TV, and is the founder of Semperviva Yoga Studios. She is best known for her week long transformational yoga immersions that help students powerfully break through barriers, and her high vibration Yoga Raves. She is the Director of Yoga Teacher Training at Semperviva International College of Yoga, and offers Yoga Alliance certified teacher trainings and retreats in Canada, Europe, Asia, Australia and Mexico.

TRAINING Gloria uses the chakra based practices of Kundalini Yoga and Meditation to create breakthroughs of the mind, body, and soul.

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NAME Kerri Kelly LIVES New York City, USA AMBASSADOR SINCE 2006 WHY LULULEMON LOVES THIS PERSON? “Kerri leads from honesty and courage—her yoga is a platform that brings us all to levels of greatness that we didn’t even see in ourselves.” (Lululemon Athletica).

RECENT ACTIVITY Kerri is passionate about bettering communities through her social action work in the public sector. She is the founder of CTZNWELL, a movement that mobilizes people into a powerful force for wellbeing for all. Kerri has been an active member (and former Managing Director) of Off the Mat Into the World for many years, facilitating local yoga in action groups and building community around yoga and activism. Kerri frequently hosts destination retreats, teacher training, online classes, and attends yoga festivals.

TRAINING Kerri sees yoga as a powerful source for personal healing and transformation. Her practice is one she considers to be radical a “kind that cuts to the core of who we are and what’s possible when we get out of the way of our own potential.” Kerri focus for her practice is to disrupt old patterns of limitation and transform into innovation and possibility (Kerri Kelly).

NAME Stephanie Snyder LIVES San Francisco, USA AMBASSADOR SINCE 2003 WHY LULULEMON LOVES THIS PERSON? “Steph’s teaching creates a space for people to discover their unique contribution to the world, and she encourages her students to use that insight to make a difference.” (Lululemon Athletica) RECENT ACTIVITY Stephanie teaches workshops, trainings and retreats internationally, is an industry festival and conference presenter, and has been interviewed and profiled by Yoga Journal magazine, YogiTimes magazine, Fox News, Redbook, Spirituality & Health, and InStyle Magazine who named Stephanie as San Francisco’s most sought after yoga teacher. She presents at colleges and universities as an expert on the subject of yoga and has written numerous articles for industry leading publications. Stephanie’s commitment to serving charitable organization is exemplified in the founding of Headstand a program that integrates yoga in school curriculums for at-risk-youth (Stephanie Snyder).

TRAINING Stephanie’s Vinyasa classes are filled with rich yoga philosophy, conscientious alignment, and heart-felt humor. She inspires her student to have a commitment to breath, movement, happiness, and prayer. She is indebted to her beloved teacher Sri Dharma Mittra for sharing with her the real heart of the practice. She has also been deeply influenced by Richard Rosen, Tias Little, Nicolai Bachman, and Ramanand Patel (Stephanie Snyder).

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VII. Situational Analysis Strengths

Weaknesses

Loyal customer base

Slow global expansion

Healthy financial growth

Loyal customers are predominantly in North America

High-quality and innovative products Strong brand identity in North America Considered a lifestyle brand

Brand equity is rooted in yoga, which is hard to overcome for its other activity lines.

Opportunities

Threats

Capitalize on growth of health food and beverage industry

Changing consumer preferences for athleisure trend

Wellness Tourism

Geopolitical and economic threats on a global scale in regions like China

Rise in demand for athletic footwear

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VIII. Looking Ahead Strategic global expansion provides Lululemon the opportunity to grow its global community while increasing brand recognition and global brand value. A majority of Lululemon’s sales and presence are concentrated in its loyal North American region. Building a loyal customer base around the globe, is imperative to sustain Lululemon’s long-term growth objectives on an international scale.

In a world where experience is driving the motivations and feelings of customers, Lululemon should continue its grassroots marketing efforts to become the ultimate global lifestyle brand. Unique and authentic experiences will ultimately help Lululemon deliver feelings of exclusive community membership while building deep and meaningful connections with their guests.

“

While Vancouver, Canada is where you can trace our beginnings, our global community is where you’ll find our soul.

”

– Lululemon Athletica

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A “Zen� part8.

Collaboration I.

Brand Synergy

II. A Strategic Collaboration III. The Immersion Yoga + Wellness Retreat IV. Deliverables

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I. Brand Synergy This project proposes a strategic collaboration between the Four Seasons and Lululemon to host “The Immersion” yoga retreat exclusively at select resorts. Lululemon provides The Four Seasons with an authentic yoga retreat partnership that specifically targets luxury-seeking wellness travelers. Lululemon has previous experience with both luxury yoga retreats and hotel brands. The Immersion retreat was held in May 2018 at 4.5-star resort, Calamigos Guest Ranch and Beach Club Malibu, where reservation fees were USD4,000 for four nights (Lululemon Athletica). In 2015, Lululemon entered a short-term partnership with the Shangri-La Toronto to promote its wellness package “Running is Shangri-La”. Lululemon provided rooms with yoga mats and in-room yoga videos that were hosted by Lululemon Yoga Ambassador, Amber Joliat, so that guests could practice pre- and post-run yoga (Shangri-La). This synergetic Canadian-duo benefits not only from Lululemon’s extremely loyal North American customer base, but also from its rapidly expanding global community - especially in Europe and Asia. As the passionate leader in the yoga community, Lululemon would help enhance and legitimize The Four Seasons yoga program.

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II. A Strategic Collaboration The Four Seasons will utilize the retreat format to address current market challenges at select destinations, while increasing occupancy during off-season. Retreats are a strategic move for the Four Seasons as wellness resorts are able to maintain stable occupancy throughout the year and are less impacted by seasonality. Wellness resorts are the most seasonality-proof product in the hospitality industry, breaking the traditional resort model and recording a substantially longer average length of stay (5-7 nights), and higher repeat guest visit ratio (40-50%) (Modena). By offering yoga and wellness retreats, The Four Seasons will be able to refine its wellness offering and retain a larger share of the market – especially given the rise in demand for wellness travel. The intimate and transformative nature of retreats, creates an opportunity for The Four Seasons to deepen its connection with its guests and thereby inspire repeat visits. As guests reflect upon their empowering journey, The Four Seasons will be regarded as an industry leader for wellness hospitality. This is an association never to be forgotten, especially when saying, “Where to next?”

Hosting retreats at spectacular Four Seasons resorts, will grant Lululemon the opportunity to deepen its connection with customers while expanding its global community. Lululemon’s brand will be highly visible around the resort which will help increase its brand recognition, especially among guests who do not have experience with the brand. Sharing its strong yoga culture with the resort provides a powerful branding opportunity for Lululemon, which aligns with its current grassroots initiatives. Guiding guests through this retreat will reinforce Lululemon’s position as the undeniable leader in the global yoga community.

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III. The Immersion Yoga + Wellness Retreat Lululemon’s retreat, “The Immersion”, will be extended to The Four Seasons to draw authentic and clear associations between the brand partnership. Under another name, it would be confusing for guests to understand Lululemon’s role in the partnership. Additionally, it would run the risk of being perceived as “forced”, “unauthentic”, or “just another marketing ploy.” For these reasons, The Four Seasons will adopt Lululemon’s “The Immersion”, which will be communicated to consumers as “The Immersion finding its permanent home at The Four Seasons”. The Immersion’s current logo (Figure 2) will be updated (Figure 3) to reflect the brand partnership and include “yoga + wellness retreat” in the graphic.

Figure 2: Previous Logo

Figure 3: New, Proposed Logo

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IV. Deliverables Location Scheduling Strategy A one year plan outlining how to strategically schedule The Immersion to optimize the financial benefit for The Four Seasons while still delivering locations of interest to yoga and wellness retreat guests. This includes: suitability for retreat locations, the experience-type of each resort, an analysis of seasonally affected destinations, and market challenges affecting each resort.

Transformative Experiences + Itinerary This section outlines the research and analysis behind crafting an authentic, local, and transformative wellness travel experience. A retreat itinerary that narrates an immersive and unique local experience will be designed for each of the four destinations.

Financial Strategy A comprehensive package pricing model, forecast revenues, and projected increase in occupancy.

Gifts + Takeaways

The strategic decision making behind each gift and local artist collaboration. A mockup of each piece that is unique to each destination has been provided.

Distribution Channels A detailed plan outlining how the package will be distributed and purchased.

Marketing Plan A comprehensive method for building awareness and enthusiasm for The Immersion during pre- launch, launch, and post-launch.

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part9.

I.

Research Design Secondary Research

II. Primary Research

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I. Secondary Research To inform the foundations for and creation of a strategic collaboration, the following secondary research sources were consulted throughout the duration of this project: 1. Amadeus | Industry outlook report on global luxury travel trends, regional performance, customer segmentation, and future outlook.

2. Euromonitor | Industry, market, company, competitor, financials, and consumer reports within Health and Wellness, Luxury Hotels, Luxury Travel, Wellness Tourism, Travel, and the Experience market.

3. Four Seasons Website | Company information, press releases/news, wellness initiatives, room types, pricing, destinations, and local activities.

4. Four Season Competitor Websites | Company information, destinations, news/press releases, wellness initiatives, pricing.

5. Global Wellness Institute | Wellness Tourism Economic Monitor Report, Wellness Tourism trend reports, Consumer Reports 6. Horwath HTL | Wellness Hospitality and Tourism reports, Transformative Travel Experiences report 7. ITB World Travel Global Travel trends report 8. Lululemon Website | Company information, annual reports, Global Yoga Ambassador profiles, products, yoga-based initiatives.

9. Lululemon Competitor Websites | Company information, global presence, marketing/wellness initiatives.

10. Online Magazines/Newspapers | Destination travel information, company financials, current status, and future initiatives, global wellness travel, yoga information, customer segmentation, industry information.

11. Statista | Global consumer feelings/attitudes towards yoga, wellness, retreats, four seasons, lululemon.

12. World Tourism Organisation | Global tourism trends, inbound and outbound travel receipts, numbers, and growth.

13. Yoga Ambassador Websites | Training, recent activity, philosophies.

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II. Primary Research To conduct high-level analysis for the primary research potion of this project, it was deemed statistically insignificant to use any form of quantitative research. This is due to the inability to successfully access the accurate target population (outlined in Part 10). For this reason, qualitative research was utilized in the form of interviews where interviewees were carefully selected and asked a series of highly relevant and significant questions. The following interviews were conducted: 1. Interview with the concierge at 19 Four Seasons Resorts (Appendix C) Objective: To assist in the creation of a comprehensive location scheduling strategy, gain knowledge on where guests are traveling from, explore yoga at each destination, and gain local knowledge. A concierge at each of the following resorts was interviewed: Chiang-Mai, Golden Triangle, Koh Samui. Bora Bora, Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru, Maldives at Kuda Huraa, Bali at Sayan, Bali at Jimbaran, Langkawi, Nevis, Bahamas at the Ocean Club, Anguilla, Lanai, Hualalai, Punta Mita, Peninsula Papagayo, Seychelles Desroaches, Mauritius, Serengeti.

Limitations: The concierge’s were under the pretense that they were speaking to a potential guest. They were likely not consulting databases to answer: 1) where most guests are from 2) off-season periods and 3) average length of stay. Answers were based on generalizations and their professional opinion.

Summary of Key Findings: 1. Build Location Scheduling Strategy: These interviews allowed me to judge the suitability of each destination by gaining insight on: interest in yoga/wellness; the average number of nights booked; off-season(s); level of local experience, culture, and activity; and where guests travel from. These interviews gave me valuable insight that helped me to better inform my location scheduling strategy. In addition, this process complimented my secondary research where I consulted the growth, receipts, and outlook on tourism.

2. Where Yoga Enthusiasts Travel: Through these interviews I learned that yoga is not highly requested at the following destinations: Anguilla, Bahamas, Punta Mita, and Serengti. In the case of the Golden Triangle, although Thailand is amongst Asia’s most attractive wellness tourism markets, the Four Seasons Golden Triangle property does not have the facility or staff to facilitate yoga. These interviews allowed me to learn that yoga is so popular at the Four Seasons Chiang-Mai, that the concierge said there are future plans for yoga retreats. Additionally, I learned that in Anguilla, Bahamas, and Punta Mita guests are more interested in attaining wellness through the fitness center and beach activities than through yoga.

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3. Local Knowledge: Every concierge sent multiple packages that outlined popular activities and excursions both within and outside the property. Some even provided high-end tour company’s packages.

This allowed for the acquisition of local knowledge that cannot be found on the internet. Through this knowledge, resorts were categorized as either “Beach & Sun”, “Ecotourism”, or “Cultural”. In addition, this process complimented my secondary research where I consulted the general outlook on tourism for each destination.

2. Interview with Meg Shuba, E-RYT, YACEP, US Yoga Alliance registered (Appendix D) Objective: Gain insight on retreat clientele, the decision-making process behind retreat locations, length of retreats, examples of how to curate the itinerary for the local culture and diversity of guests.

Limitations: Meg has made generalizations and assumptions based on her knowledge of American yoga and retreat consumers. Although she has taught international students, her professional opinion does not automatically extend to consumers in other parts of the world.

Summary of Key Findings: 1. Retreat Clientele: The interview with Meg provided profound insight on the upscale retreat clientele’s demographics and purpose for practice. According to Meg, retreat guests are typically aged 30 to 60 years old and are middle to upper class – as they must be able to spend at least $2,500 on the experience.

Although retreats attract mostly women, it is not uncommon for women to bring their male partners along with them. This individual is rarely an avid yogi, is open to new experiences, and their key motivators for the retreat are: to experience personal growth; go on a vacation, relieve stress from work or an emotional event, and/or do something for themselves. Additionally, she shared how to attract this clientele: be transparent and consistent in your offering, use social media to your advantage, and host intimate retreats for an optimal experience.

2. Yoga Instructor’s Perspective on Location: Meg provided her personal location scheduling process for retreats. She highlighted the importance of choosing a unique location that is rich in culture, nature, and excursions. In her professional opinion, destination yoga retreats are popular vacations among wealthier clients. In fact, she has had colleagues who host luxury yoga retreats ($5,000+) four times a year and they are hugely successful. Meg brought up an important point that “Level of wealth does not define connection” and that retreats are highly sought after by wealthy consumers.

3. Crafting Transformative Experiences: Meg believes that her retreat guests will leave feeling relaxed and revitalized, have a heightened sense of community, and find a way to come back home to themselves and

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perhaps even have a self-discovery. She emphasized the importance of creating a narrative for the retreat based on the essence of the location. Additionally, Meg stated that establishing an intimate group setting of no more than 15 retreat guests is a crucial element to creating a meaningful experience. To assist in the development of the itinerary, Meg suggested a yoga retreat 5 nights and 6 days in length as well as providing two yoga classes and one meditation per day.

3. Interview with Four Seasons yoga instructor’s – Debbie Seigel the Four Seasons St Louis and Will Donnely at the Four Seasons Lanai (Appendix E) Objective: To develop a broad understanding of the clientele who participate in yoga classes at the Four Seasons, how many times they participate, how the Four Seasons curates its yoga classes for local culture, and how yoga enhances their offering.

Limitations: This section only accounts for the professional opinions of two contracted employees and may not be representative of all Four Seasons yoga instructor’s. Additionally, these individuals are contracted yoga teachers that also work outside of the Four Seasons. For this reason, it is possible that their opinions differ from hotel management and/or Four Seasons corporate employees.

Summary of Key Findings: 1. Insight on Yoga Enthusiast: Yoga at the Four Seasons is designed to accommodate all types of guests with the only pre-requisite being, to bring an open mind for a new experience. Moreover, it is not uncommon for guests to practice daily. Individuals who practice are seeking something more than just the physical gains realized at the state-of-the art fitness facilities. It is rare for guests to consider themselves hardcore yogi’s but instead they practice because it is a form of self-care, relaxation, physical engagement, and wish to attain a deeper mind-body connection.

2. Why Yoga is so Important for The Four Seasons: Yoga allows The Four Seasons to immerse its guests in the culture of the area by bringing a local experience right to the classroom. Moreover, it is a hands-on wellness practice that they can deliver to themselves to attain some form of wellbeing. As Will Donnely put it, “Yoga greatly enhances the wellness offerings to the guests by giving them an actual experience of wellness and self-care through their bodies (strengthening, purifying, awakening, stimulating), rather than imagining wellness and personal radiance from a lounge chair.” The Four Seasons uses yoga as a tool to allow their guests to relax, attain peace-of-mind, and to connect with themselves, others, and their surroundings.

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The Luxury part10.

Seeking Yogi I.

Demographic

II. Psychographic III. Lifestyle IV. Guest Profiles

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I. Demographic LIVES | World Citizens of Power Cities The Immersion targets individuals living in countries with the world’s highest population of high net worth individual’s (HNWI) and the highest number of outbound international travelers – as outlined in Part 4: Wellness Tourism, Global Segmentation. The world’s top high net worth markets by population in 2017 in-order were: USA, Japan, Germany, United Kingdom, France, Canada, China, Australia, Italy, and Switzerland (Euromonitor International). Forecast International Arrivals by Leading Country of Origin by 2022 are as follows in order: China, USA, Germany, United Kingdom, France, Hong Kong, Canada, Netherlands, Italy, and South Korea. Singapore was also added to the analysis to accommodate for a smaller, yet crucial market, that holds a large proportion of potential Four Seasons guests. The Four Seasons should focus on these markets while also acknowledging their customers as global citizens, residing in the metropolitan power-cities of the world. This is especially important in a more connected world with a growing wealthy class where trends for emergent and mature markets show that distance traveled by outbound luxury travelers will increase primarily in the long-haul and cross-border travel segments (Dykins).

INCOME | HNWI and Affluent Individuals The industry has seen a trend towards the democratization of luxury travel that will increase the target market for luxury providers (Wouter Geerts). HNWI are those whose net wealth ranges from US$1 to US$5 million and affluent consumers are those whose net wealth ranges from US$100,000 to US$1 million. HNWI’s will account for just over 1% of the global population by 2030, while Affluent consumers will account for over 20%. Focusing solely on HNWI’s means the Four Seasons would miss out on a major luxury travel consumer segment composed of individuals with increasing disposable incomes (Wouter Geerts). For this reason, both affluent and HWNI’s are viewed as core consumer wealth segments.

EDUCATION | BACHELOR DEGREE + A higher level of education is directly related to a greater likelihood of luxury purchases. Especially given the nature of yoga and meditation, it is important that The Immersion target well-educated individuals who will appreciate and revel in the rich cultural offerings of each unique location.

AGE | 28 to 70

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II. Psychographic The Immersion guest is a jet-setting individual who seeks total well-being through connecting with local customs and nature, while not sacrificing their desire for luxury. This individual enjoys nutritious food, yet seeks culinary excellence. They enjoy being immersed in culturally refined experiences, living an exciting life, and the achievement of personal wellness. She\he is interested in healthy living, building a sense of community, and values time spent with loved ones. This global citizen seeks authentic and unique experiences that will help them achieve some form of personal transformation (Dykins).

Although this individual may purchase luxury, they would rather spend their money on experiences than material luxury goods (Dykins). The luxury seeking yogi looks to Lululemon as the expert in yoga and/or the Four Seasons as a luxury hotel leader with a collection of the world’s most captivating people and places.

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III. Lifestyle The Immersion guest leads a busy life and is in need of a relaxing escape to restore or maintain personal wellness. These individuals are comfortable with technology and are very well-connected – perhaps looking for an escape from this lifestyle. However, online security is still of high importance to luxury consumers, especially when considering HNWI’s and older generations.

The luxury seeking yogi is both comfortable with and frequently purchases luxury goods. To this individual, luxury may be seen as indulgent, aspirational, hedonistic, and desirable. They are also likely to have pre-existing brand loyalty and affinity for Four Seasons and/or Lululemon.

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IV. Guest Profiles The Immersion guest profiles combine select guest profiles of both The Four Seasons and Lululemon.

The Four Seasons customer groups not included were the “Honeymooner” and “The Wealthy Bachelor”. These groups account for approximately 20% and 18% of the Four Seasons current customer base respectively (Dykins). “The Wealthy Bachelor” is a “strictly opulent” individual who seeks glamorous travel experiences that can be shared on social media – a way of thinking that is opposite to the philosophy of The Immersion (Dykins). For this reason, the marketing message would likely be overlooked and irrelevant to this consumer. Honeymooners are considered “special occasion” travelers who are restricted by budget and may likely trade down on a luxury accommodation for a similar experience (Dykins). This consumer would likely choose a more budget-friendly retreat over The Immersion. This leaves roughly 72% of all Four Seasons customers to be accounted for and considered The Immersion’s core market. Although the Lululemon guest “Lulu on Campus” would view The Immersion as aspirational, this individual does not have the finances, independence, or time to be considered a potential guest – unless they were travelling with a wealthy parent.

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FOUR SEASONS GUEST Vacationing Housewife LULULEMON GUEST Housewife AGE 50 GENDER OF DECISION MAKER Female LIVES Toronto, Canada CAREER Housewife, but benefits from her husband cushy salary and investments.

INCOME $3,500,000 REASON FOR JOINING THE RETREAT The housewife and her two daughters love to stay fit year-round and consider themselves Lululemon-clad yogi’s. She is treating her daughters to the retreat while they are on Canadian University Reading Week.

Housewife

TRAVELLING WITH Two Daughters DESTINATION Hualalai, Hawaii ROOM BOOKED (USD) Superior Suite – Ocean View at $2,669 per night

FOUR SEASONS GUEST Bluxury LULULEMON GUEST The Mature Male AGE 44 GENDER OF DECISION MAKER Male LIVES Hong Kong CAREER Hedge Fund Manager, HSBC INCOME $4,000,000

Professional

REASON FOR JOINING THE RETREAT This individual has taken time off on his way home after his hectic business trip in London. He is in for some much-needed rest and recovery at The Immersion.

TRAVELLING WITH Alone DESTINATION Chiang-Mai, Thailand ROOM BOOKED (USD) Rice Terrace Pavilion at $757 per night

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FOUR SEASONS GUEST Weekend Warrior LULULEMON GUEST Female Young Professional, Male Young Professional AGE 30 GENDER OF DECISION MAKER Female LIVES London, UK CAREER Female – Dentist Male – Director Engineering, Oho Group INCOME $350,000 REASON FOR JOINING THE RETREAT The Immersion combines this couple’s love for luxury travel, yoga, and Lululemon. They have always wanted to do a retreat together and have finally taken the much-needed time off to do so.

TRAVELLING WITH As a couple

Young Professional

DESTINATION Mauritius at Anahita ROOM BOOKED (USD) Mangrove Pool Villa at $655 per night

FOUR SEASONS GUEST Jett-Setting Retired Couple LULULEMON GUEST Housewife, Mature Male AGE 67 GENDER OF DECISION MAKER Female LIVES Los Angeles, California INCOME $2,500,000 CAREER Mr. – Retired Surgeon, Mrs. – Retired Teacher

Retired Couple

REASON FOR JOINING THE RETREAT This couple loves ecotourism adventures and was attracted to the organized excursions. They think it is an added benefit to stay fit and healthy on vacation.

TRAVELLING WITH As a couple DESTINATION Peninsula Papagayo, Costa Rica ROOM BOOKED (USD) Canopy Plunge Pool Suite (One-Bedroom) at $1,435 per night

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Competitive part11.

Landscape I.

Established Luxury Brands

II. Luxury Health + Wellness Resorts III. Independent Yoga Retreats

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I. Established Luxury Brands The world’s foremost luxury hotel brands have adapted, enhanced, and refined wellness offerings to better cater to today’s health-conscious consumer. The key star brand competitors (outlined in Part 2, Section II.) are as follows: Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group Ltd., InterContinental, Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts, St. Regis Hotels, Bvlgari Hotels & Resorts, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, and the Hyatt. Of particular interest are the two wellness resort brands under The Ritz-Carlton and the Hyatt, Miravel and Six Senses respectively. These resorts offer industry-leading wellness formats and are primary competitors to the Four Seasons retreat offering. However, Miraval only has three locations in the American Southwest while Six Senses does not have the same long-standing luxury reputation that the Four Seasons benefits from. The Immersion Yoga + Wellness Retreat offers a unique wellness experience and point of differentiation for the Four Seasons.

II. Luxury Health + Wellness Resorts Health and Wellness Resorts operate primarily to offer programs that increase the personal well-being of its guests. Although these resorts may differ in the wellness services offered, they will typically be categorized as boutique luxury hotels. However, the Four Season’s competitors lie in the luxury yoga retreat realm. Although not a complete list, the following yoga retreats were classified

by Condé Nast as some of the best in the world (The Best Yoga Retreats in the World): Formentera Yoga, Ibizia, Spain Price: starting from $1,480 per person, per five nights Ananda in the Himalayas, IndiaPrice: starting from $5,890 per person, per seven nights Absolute Sanctuary, Koh Samui, Thailand starting from Price: £1,415 per person, per seven nights Nihi Sumba, Indonesia starting from $772 per person, per night Silver Island Yoga, Greece starting from $1,480 per person, per six nights

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III. Independent Yoga Retreats Independent yoga retreats are mostly organized domestically, but are also held internationally by local studios that consumers frequent. Importantly, customers have pre-existing relationships and a sense of community within their own local yoga studios which affords them with a major competitive advantage. Although such retreats are mostly small-scale and may not necessarily offer the same degree of luxury accommodations and services, they should not be ignored.

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part12.

I.

Location Scheduling Strategy Strategy Overview

II. Defining Resort Requirements III. Destinations for Year One

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I. Strategy Overview The location scheduling strategy has been designed to accommodate one full year of The Immersion Yoga + Wellness Retreat. The projected year of launch is 2021. One destination will be offered weekly for one month out of every season. The retreat will comprise of a 5-night, 6-day itinerary.

This schedule allows for one retreat to be held for each of the four seasons of the year, which suggests a reference to the Four Seasons brand. During its first-year-test-market, locations will be deliberately scheduled to offer an expansive global reach, seasonal synchronization, and a diverse experience portfolio. The Immersion provides an opportunity for each destination to address a current market challenge, while increasing occupancy during off-season.

Questions may be raised as to why a customer would want to travel during traditional off-seasons.

The answer is that, statistically speaking, wellness resorts are less impacted by seasonal changes of a destination. Thus, they maintain stable occupancies throughout the year (Modena). Wellness resorts are the most seasonality-proof product in the hospitality industry, breaking the traditional resort model and recording a substantially longer average length of
stay (5-7 nights), and higher repeat guest visit ratio (40-50%) (Modena). Due to this, Wellness tourism is also high-yield tourism as international guests will typically spend 53 percent more than the average travelers (Yeung and Johnston). The development of a strong and deliberate location scheduling strategy is ultimately what will determine The Four Seasons’ financial return from The Immersion.

Through this process, the following destinations were deemed suitable hosts for The Immersion Yoga + Wellness Retreat: Bali at Jimbaran, Indonesia; Bali at Sayan, Indonesia; Bora Bora, French Polynesia; Chiang-Mai, Thailand; Hualalai, Hawaii; Lanai, Hawaii; Langkawi, Malaysia; Maldives at Kuda Huraa; Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru; Mauritius at Anahita; Nevis, St. Kitts and Nevis; Peninsula Papagayo, Costa Rica; Seychelles; and Seychelles Desroches.

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II. Defining Resort Requirements Deciding Factor One: Getaway Vacation Destinations The Four Feasons operated 112 global hotels and resorts, and 39 residence clubs in 47 countries around the globe (New Openings). When deciding which locations will potentially host the retreat, the first step was to eliminate all urban hotels. It is not uncommon for urban hotels in the industry to offer wellness programs that include yoga, however, this attracts local clients, business travelers, and short-haul weekend travelers. The focus of The Immersion is to deliver a transformative wellness experience to long-haul travelers. Consequently, retreats should offer a serene natural setting with plentiful options for eco-tourism, cultural excursions, and secluded exclusivity.

The following urban properties will not be considered: Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Los Angeles (Beverly Wilshire), Los Angeles (Westlake Village), Mexico City, Miami, Miami Beach, New York, New York Downtown, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Seattle, Palo Alto Silicon Valley, St. Louis, Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Washington D.C, Bogotá, Bogotá Casa Medina, Buenos Aries, Sao Paulo, Athens (Astir Palace), Baku, Budapest, Florence, Geneva, French Riviera, Hampshire, Istanbul at the Bosphorus, Istanbul at Sultanahmet, Lisbon, London, London at Ten Trinity Square, Megève, Milan, Moscow, Paris, Prague, St. Petersburg, Abu Dhabi, Alexandria, Amman, Bahrain Bay, Beirut, Cairo at Nile Plaza, Cairo at the First Residence, Casablanca, Damascus, Doha, Dubai at Jumeirah Beach, Dubai Difc, Johannesburg, Kuwait, Casablanca, Riyadh, Sharm El Sheikh, Tunis, Beijing, Guangzhou, Hangzhou at West Lake, Hoi An, Vietnam (The Nam Hai), Hong Kong, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Kyoto, Macao, Mumbai, Seoul, Shanghai Puxi, Shanghai Pudong, Shenzhen, Singapore, Sydney, Tianjin.

Deciding Factor Two: Exclusivity One of the key decision-making factors is to host the retreats at locations that offer guests an exclusive and intimate feeling. It is believed that doing so will create for the optimal guest experience of relaxation, rejuvenation, and peace of mind. Properties with colossal structures that hold a high number of occupants are believed to create too busy of an atmosphere that will detract from the retreat experience. For this reason, the following resorts will not be considered: Oahu, Hawaii; Maui, Hawaii; Jackson Hole; Palm Beach; Orlando; Vail; Whistler.

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Deciding Factor Three: Meeting the Wellness Demands of Guests When deciding which locations are most suitable for hosting yoga and wellness retreats, it is important to understand which Four Seasons properties attract yoga enthusiast’s. Moreover, a key success factor for this strategy is to satisfy the needs and desires of guests. Interviews with the concierge staff at each of the nineteen resorts considered, helped to better inform this section. The concierge staff provided local insight that cannot be found through secondary research. These interviews concluded that yoga is not popular at the following destinations: Serengeti, Tanzania; Anguilla; The Oceans Club, The Bahamas; Golden Triangle, Thailand; Punta Mita, Mexico; Koh Samui, Thailand. It is important to note that in the case of the Golden Triangle, the property does not have the facilities or staff to accommodate yoga. Additionally, despite industry trends showing Thailand as a hotspot for wellness travelers, Four Seasons’’ Koh Samui property does not attract many yoga and wellness enthusiasts as this island is renowned for its busy nightlife scene. In Punta Mita, The Ocean Club, and Anguilla, yoga is not offered on a daily basis and if guests are to engage in physical activity, they prefer to do so in the fitness facility.

At the Serengeti property, yoga is not a popular activity as guests are more interested in full day safari and adventure excursions.

Deciding Factor Four: Type of Experience Potential locations for The Immersion are as follows: Bali at Jimbaran, Indonesia; Bali at Sayan, Indonesia; Bora Bora, French Polynesia; Chiang-Mai, Thailand; Hualalai, Hawaii; Lanai, Hawaii; Langkawi, Malaysia; Maldives at Kuda Huraa; Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru; Mauritius at Anahita; Nevis, St. Kitts and Nevis; Peninsula Papagayo, Costa Rica; Seychelles; and Seychelles Desroches. Each unique destination offers a different type of experience that can be categorized as sun and beach, ecotourism, culture, or a some mix of the three. In Figure 4 each destination has been ranked out of five on the categories sun and beach, ecotourism, and culture.

To cater to a variety of traveler preferences, create multi-faceted experiences, and inspire repeat visits, The Immersion must offer a diverse selection of destinations. Not only should locations prove diverse in seasonal offerings and geographic location, but also in the type of experience they offer. The four scheduled retreats should highlight one experience from each category (sun and beach, ecotourism, cultural), while the fourth destination should provide some mixture of the three. When a destination scores 4 or more in a given category, the experience-type will be assigned as the resorts “unique selling proposition”. This information will inform customer-facing communication that emphasizes the unique experience to be expected at each retreat. In addition, the destinations experience-type will determine retreat narratives, excursions, activities, and opportunities for guest education on matters such as marine conservation.

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A summary of the experience-types has been listed below:

Sun & Beach Experience Bali at Jimbaran, Indonesia; Bora Bora, French Polynesia; Lanai, Hawaii; Hualalai, Hawaii; Langkawi, Malaysia; Maldives at Kuda Huraa, Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru, Mauritius at Anahita, Nevis, St. Kitts & Nevis; Peninsula Papagayo, Costa Rica, Seychelles, Seychelles Desroches

Ecotourism Experience Hualalai, Hawaii; Lanai, Hawaii; Langkawi, Malaysia; Mauritius at Anahita, Peninsula Papagayo, Costa Rica, Seychelles

Cultural Experience Chiang-Mai, Thailand; Bali at Sayan, Indonesia; Mauritius at Anahita

Figure 4: Type of Experience at Each Destination, by a Rating Out of Five Bali at Jimbaran, Indonesia Bali at Sayan, Indonesia Bora Bora, French Polynesia Chiang-Mai, Thailand Hualalai, Hawaii Lanai, Hawaii Langkawi, Malaysia Maldives at Kuda Huraa Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru Mauritius at Anahita Nevis, St. Kitts & Nevis Papagayo Peninsula, Costa Rica Seychelles Seychelles at Desroches

1 Beach & Sun

2 Eco-Tourism

3 Culture

4

5

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The following pages provide a description of each resort’s unique experience along with their ranking out of five on sun & beach, ecotourism, and culture. This section helped to inform the category ranking of each destination found in Figure 4.

Sun & Beach

Ecotourism

Culture

Destination: Bali at Jimbaran, Indonesia Described by Four Seasons as: “Beachfront Balinese Village Rooted in Heritage” (The Four Seasons) Type of Experience: For beach lovers, Jimbaran Beach offers access to a 3-kilometre (1.9-mile) curve of golden sand and ocean waves. The Four Seasons has its very own private Coconut Grove beach where guests can relax under the canopy of sun and palms or if they’re feeling adventurous, enjoy a range of water sports activities (The Four Seasons). The Four Seasons brings the vibrant culture of Bali right to the resort with its local Artist Workshops, Jimbaran Bay Cooking Academy, and Ganesha Cultural Center. Its primary purpose is to actively support local artists by exhibiting their work to an international audience, while at the same time giving guests the opportunity to personally meet and learn from the artists. Guests can take a lesson in a variety of workshops, ranging from carving and painting to weaving and dance (The Four Seasons).

Rating:

5

2

3

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Destination: Bali at Sayan, Indonesia Described by Four Seasons as: “Your Riverside Sanctuary In Bali’s Cultural Heart.” (The Four Seasons) Type of Experience: The Bali at Sayan resorts is located in the cultural heartland of Bali – just 15 minutes from the vibrant town of Ubud. As the art capital of Bali, Ubud offers unique cultural shopping experience at various boutiques, galleries, and markets. Ubud offers a relaxed, bohemian atmosphere with international dining and a cool music scene. Ubud is also the home to the Hindu temples, yoga and meditation centers that helped inspire the book and movie Eat, Pray, Love (The Four Seasons). This region also boasts the renowned Jatiluwih rice terraces, celebrated for their beauty and tidiness – and appointed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. For guests seeking natural exploration, the Four Seasons arranges experiences like river rafting, volcano climbing, biking tours, and wildlife sanctuaries devoted to birds, butterflies, monkeys and elephants (The Four Seasons).

Rating:

1

3.5

5

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Destination: Bora Bora, French Polynesia Described by Four Seasons as: “Private Island Paradise in The Heart Of French Polynesia” (The Four Seasons) Type of Experience: The Four Seasons Bora Bora is a secluded beach destination where overwater bungalows and underwater adventures welcome guests to this sand-fringed idyll in the shadow of Bora Bora’s Mount Otemanu. The calm crystal blue waters create the ideal setting for a number of water sports and underwater activities. Guests can explore the coral ecosystem and marine life with a resident marine biologist in the Lagoon Sanctuary. Private eco-tours are designed to experience the Lagoon Sanctuary and the reef surrounding it – to understand, touch, hear and see all the marine life inside (The Four Seasons).

Rating:

5

2

0.5

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Destination: Chiang-Mai, Thailand Described by Four Seasons as: “A Haven of Well-Being In Northern Thailand” (The Four Seasons) Type of Experience: Chiang Mai is in the heart of an area once known as the Lanna Kingdom, meaning “the land of a million rice fields.” While its vibrant blend of cultures gives the area a distinctive charm, the landscape is still covered with vivid green rice fields. Chiang Mai is often fondly called the Rose of the North for its beauty and spirit (The Four Seasons). The region’s natural splendor is highlighted through spending a day with elephants at dedicated sanctuaries, hiking Doi Inthanon National Park, relaxing at the Mae Sa Waterfall, and exploring the Chiang Dao cave. As the art capital of Thailand, guests can explore Chiang-Mai’s vibrant art scene by visiting markets, galleries, and joining in on art tours and workshops. Guests can immerse themselves in Northern Thai culture by a visit to sacred Buddhist temples, learning about Buddhism through chats with Monks, and by visits to a number of Northern Thai villages (The Four Seasons).

Rating:

1

3.5

5

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Destination: Hualalai, Hawaii Described by Four Seasons as: “Oceanfront Splendour In Perfect Harmony with Nature” (The Four Seasons) Type of Experience: Located on Hawaii’s Big Island, The Four Seasons Hualalai is in the shadow of volcanic giants, surrounded by turquoise waters and offers some of the world’s most stunning coastline.

Guests can get their beach-fix while relaxing on pristine beaches or while enjoying a variety of watersports. For those seeking underwater adventures, the resort offers marine education dives and snorkels in addition to manta ray dives (The Four Seasons). The Big Island offers some of Hawaii’s most exciting hikes though Volcano National Park, Alkaka Falls State Park, and Waipi’o Valley Lookout. At around 14,000 feet above sea level is the summit of dormant Mauna Kea volcano, which is topped by the famous Mauna Kea Observatories where spectacular stargazing can be experienced. Some cultural landmarks of interest are The Hilo Farmers Market, Chocolate Farm, Coffee Farms, the Hawaiin Legacy Hardwoods, and Pu’uhonua O Honaunau (The Four Seasons).

Rating:

5

5

3

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Destination: Lanai, Hawaii Described by Four Seasons as: “A Secluded, Oceanfront Retreat on Hawaii’s Last Unspoiled Island” (The Four Seasons) Type of Experience: Lanai is an untouched haven of crystal-clear waters, white sand beaches, rugged red lava cliff coastlines, and misty highland forests. The waters of the island are home to amazing marine life that can be explored by diving, snorkeling, sailing, and guided coastline eco-tours by resident marine biologists. In partnership with the Monk Seal Foundation, Four Seasons Resorts Lanai helps support the critically endangered species and even runs an “adopt a seal” program where guest can donate to conservation efforts. The island’s beautiful landscapes can be explored by a number of hikes, cultural landmark tours, horseback trails, biking, and off-roading vehicles. Lanai City provides a glimpse into local culture, where guests can visit the Lanai Cultural and Heritage Center and the Lanai Art Center (The Four Seasons).

Rating:

5

5

2.5

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Destination: Langkawi, Malaysia Described by Four Seasons as: “A Jungle-Cloaked Island Retreat in An UNESCO Geopark” (The Four Seasons) Type of Experience: Langkawi is one of only four inhabited islands in an archipelago of 99 islands in the Andaman Sea. As Southeast Asia’s first UNESCO Geopark, it is an adventure-seeking eco-tourist’s paradise. Four Seasons Resort Langkawi is adjacent to the vibrant ecosystems of Kilim Karst Geoforest Park, where Mangrove & Eagles Safaris introduce guests to some of the world’s most intriguing wildlife: eagles, monitor lizards, monkeys, walking fish, fiddler crabs, bats, vipers, and otters (The Four Seasons). The island offers a number of exciting rainforest adventures and waterfalls hikes, village bike tours, deep-sea fishing, and archipelago cruises. The private beach at the resort offers guests a serene setting to unwind with unparalleled views of lush rainforest-covered mountains.

Rating:

5

5

1

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Destination: Maldives at Kuda Huraa Described by Four Seasons as: “Serene Island Living with a Maldivian Village Charm” (The Four Seasons) Type of Experience: The resort at Kuda Huraa is dotted with green palms and encircled by turquoise waters and white sand beaches. The waters are vibrantly decorated with marine life that can be explored by diving, snorkeling, or boating trips. Some of the best waves in the world can be found just minutes away from Four Seasons Resort Kuda Huraaa. The Resort’s surf school, run exclusively for Four Seasons by Tropicsurf, offers certified courses for beginners, a variety of clinics, and escorted excursions for more experienced surfers (The Four Seasons). Near Kuda Huraa sits the village of Bodu Huraa, where guests are encouraged to explore Maldivian culture and heritage. This trip offers guests a look into daily life: village schools, shipbuilders and fisherman at work, markets, and a taste of traditional Maldivian fare (The Four Seasons).

Rating:

5

3

2.5

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Destination: Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru Described by Four Seasons as: “A Pristine Island Hideaway in The Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve” (The Four Seasons) Type of Experience: The resort at Landaa Giraavaru lies on a stretch of breathtaking white sand beaches brought to life by the calm waves of crystal waters. Located in the Baa Atoll UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, Landaa Giraavaru boasts an on-island Marine Discovery Centre, run by marine biologists dedicated to research, conservation and guest education. The center is also home to the Maldives’ only full-time manta ray research facility. The Maldives is one of the world’s top diving destinations. Guests can enjoy a unique perspective in the underwater world around the resort, and encounter marine life, during a magical dive or snorkel (The Four Seasons). Guests can experience the culture and history of the Maldives by visiting the local island of Kudarikilu, which is home to a small fishing village, a mosque that is more than 100 years old, and a small museum—set up by the local chief—that’s brimming with historical artefacts (The Four Seasons).

Rating:

5

3

2.5

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Destination: Mauritius at Anahita Described by Four Seasons as: “A Secluded Oasis at The Edge of an Idyllic Lagoon” (The Four Seasons) Type of Experience: The resort at Anahita lies on the east coast of Mauritius, lapped by serene turquoise waters and surrounded by lush greenery and dramatic views. This ocean oasis is home to an array of natural wonders like the “underwater-waterfall” illusion viewed by helicopter or from a hike up Le Morne Brabant, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that once provided a safe-haven for runaway slaves. Calm waters and vibrant marine life allow for relaxation on pristine beaches, underwater adventures, and thrilling watersports. Mauritius’ many protected wildlife parks can be explored by visiting a number of animal sanctuaries, Black River Gorges National Park, Bras D’eau Nature Reserve, and the Seven Colored Earth among many other adventures. The island of Mauritius is a destination for cultural exploration with landmarks like the sacred Hindu lake Grand Bassin, a number of history museums, Hindu temple Triolet Shivala, and a number of local art galleries and markets (The Four Seasons).

Rating:

5

4

4

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Destination: Nevis, St. Kitts & Nevis Described by Four Seasons as: “Infinite Perfect Places in One Perfect Paradise” (The Four Seasons) Type of Experience: Nevis’ relaxing sandy beaches and lush forests make it an authentic Caribbean experience.

The pristine private beach and waterfront provide for a number of water sports like deep-sea fishing, sailing, and kayaking. Underwater activities showcase the vibrant marine life of Nevis which is home to three types of sea turtles. From June through October, the beaches of Nevis come alive as Lemuel Pemberton, founder and President of the Nevis Turtle Group, leads evening turtle walks on moonlit Nevis beaches. The Resort partners with the Nevis Turtle Group and Sea Turtle Conservancy to educate guests and bring awareness to these endangered sea creatures (The Four Seasons). For the adventurous, the iconic 3,232 foot Nevis Peak offers exhilarating hikes and tours of the dormant volcano. Nevis was once colonized by Britain and was a leading sugar producer. Colonial landmarks and hundreds of historic sugar mills make for historic-based day trips (The Four Seasons).

Rating:

5

3

2

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Destination: Peninsula Papagayo, Costa Rica Described by Four Seasons as: “Find Your “Pura Vida,” Where Adventure and Relaxation Meet” (Four Seasons) Type of Experience: The Peninsula Papagayo is a tropical wilderness nearly surrounded by sapphire waters that spans over 1,400 acres. It is home to one of the few remaining tropical dry forests on the planet, four volcanos, and one of the most biodiverse regions on earth – so it is no wonder why it is an eco-tourist’s paradise (Peninsula Papagayo). The Four Seasons created its own “Papagayo Explorers Club” that welcomes guests to join in on a world of epic eco-adventures that strives to connect, educate, and share in the discovery of the Peninsula, through experiences with purpose (The Four Seasons). Adventures include water activities, nature walks, rainforest adventures, mountain biking, bird watching, local farming, and a series of day trips that travel anywhere from volcanoes to local villages. The resort also highlights its holistic wellness program that aligns with the Costa Rican government’s wellness tourism initiatives.

Rating:

5

5

3.5

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Destination: Seychelles Described by Four Seasons as: “A Romantic Hideaway Set in A Tropical Paradise” (The Four Seasons) Type of Experience: The Four Seasons Seychelles is located on the tranquil turquoise waters of Petite Anse bay on Mahé Island – the largest in Seychelles network of islands. Seychelles is first and foremost a beach destination but its biodiverse ecosystems allow for extraordinary ecotourism experiences. The Four Seasons Seychelles has its own “WiseOceans” marine education and conservation center where specialists take guests along for dives and snorkeling to demonstrate their work on reef restoration in Petite Anse bay. The bay is home to 5 permanent guests – the beloved Seychelles Aldabra Giant Tortoises (Four Seasons). For the ultimate ecotourism experience, a trip to Morne Seychellois National Park, which covers 20 percent of Mahé, stuns guests with some of the world’s rarest species and the tallest point on Seychelles (905 meters) (Lonely Planey). Some local cultural experiences include the Victoria Market, the Botanical Gardens, Creole cuisine, and local art galleries (Mahlatini).

Rating:

5

4

2

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Destination: Seychelles at Desroches Described by Four Seasons as: “Your Own Private Paradise on A Lush Coral Island” (The Four Seasons) Type of Experience: The Four Seasons is the only hotel/resort on the secluded tropical island of Desroches. Experiencing the wonderful wildlife of this remote, 933-acre island, is what makes Desroches truly unique. Juts off the stretches of pristine white sand beaches, the island prides itself with some of the best diving in the Seychelles. The Ocean Conservation Charity runs guided snorkeling trips that educate guests on the extraordinary marine life. The island is home to an animal sanctuary where over 150 of the Aldabra tortoises, native to the Seychelles, live. Island exploration is encouraged through a network of bike paths – and the bikes are complimentary to every guest. On this journey, guests will come across the animal sanctuary, nature trails, the spa pavilion, and a Creole village that provides insight into the Seychellois way of life (The Four Seasons).

Rating:

5

3

1

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Deciding Factor Five: Responding to Market Challenges This next step outlines the primary markets, market challenges, months of low occupancy, and tourism industry outlook for each destination. Ultimately, this section will provide the information needed to prepare a comprehensive location scheduling strategy.

BALI, INDONESIA Months of lowest Occupancy: December, January, March, April (Bali Government Tourism Office) Wellness Tourism Outlook: Indonesia is the world’s 17th largest and Asia-Pacific’s seventh largest wellness tourism markets with a total of 8.3 million trips and total tourist generated receipts of USD6.9 billion in 2017. Wellness oriented travel to Indonesia grew 21.5 percent from 2015 to 2017.

General Tourism Outlook: Indonesia welcomed 12,948,000 tourists in 2017, of which Bali accounts for 44 percent (World Tourism Organization). In 2017 5,697,739 international tourists traveled to Bali, an increase of 15.6 percent from the previous year (Badan Pusat Statistik Provinsi Bali). Bali’s tourism receipts generated USD5.509 billion in 2017, an increase of 11.7 percent from the previous year (World Tourism Organization). In 2019, Bali has projected to welcome 8 million foreign travelers that are expected to generate tourism revenues of USD716.66 billion. (Williams Media). However, the main problem here is that Bali runs the risk of over tourism and over “Westernization” which will result in tourists spending less time and money in Bali (Coconuts Bali). For luxury resorts, this is especially problematic as it takes away from the exclusive and culturally refined reputation that Bali was once world-renowned for. The Balinese government has taken steps to preserve Bali’s unique cultural heritage and environment by imposing a per-tourist USD10 levy and cracking down on plastic waste (Koster). In order to respond to this issue, the Four Seasons will need to enhance its packages to include more unique cultural and environmental experiences. A retreat itinerary that crafts exclusive and authentic experiences for guests would help to increase the cultural significance of each location, thus enhancing the guest appeal.

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2017 Tourist Arrivals from Main Generating Countries (2017) Total 5,697,739 China 1,356,412 (23.8%) Australia 1,062,039 (18.6%) Other Europe 885,511 (15.5%) India 264,516 (4.6%) Japan 249,399 (4.4%) UK 240,633 (4.2%) USA 189,814 (3.3%) France 176,710 (3.1%) Germany 176,470 (3.1%) Malaysia 165,396 (2.9%) Other 930,839 (16.3%) (Statistics of Bali Province) Average Length of Stay 3.03 nights per hotel stay 9.60 nights, per trip to Bali (Bali Government Tourism Office) Average Expenditure USD142 Per person, per day (Bali Government Tourism Office)

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COSTA RICA Months of lowest Occupancy: September, October, November (Instituto Costarricense de Turismo).

Wellness Tourism Outlook: Costa Rica is the sixth largest wellness tourism market in the Latin America and the Caribbean region with a total of 1 million wellness trips and expenditure of USD1,350.0.

General Tourism Outlook: In 2017, Costa Rica welcomed a total of 2 959 869 tourists which is a 1.2 percent increase from 2016.

Tourist receipts generated USD3,876 million in 2017, which is a 4.3 percent increase from the previous year (World Tourism Organization). This is in part due to the increased interest from the Chinese market which grew 13.6 percent from 2017 to 2018 (Instituto Costarricense de Turismo). The Four Seasons at Costa Rica is located in the Guanacaste region which is the second most popular (out of seven) for tourists in Costa Rica, with 49.8 percent of all tourists visiting this region in 2017 (Instituto Costarricense de Turismo). Wellness tourism has become of significant importance to Costa Rica, in fact the government has branded the country as a wellness destination with special attention to the wellbeing of the people and the protection of its natural environment and cultural heritage (Yeung and Johnston). Costa Rica has also launched a wellness tourism campaign titled “Wellness Pura Vida,” and the government has implemented a long-term strategy to develop seven areas of the country around their unique wellness tourism assets (Yeung and Johnston). Offering a yoga and wellness retreat at the Four Seasons would help to encourage the growth of the Costa Rican government’s initiatives. The itinerary would work to incorporate the top interests of wellness travelers to Costa Rica: ecotourism and biodiversity.

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2017 Tourist Arrivals from Main Generating Countries Total 2 959 869 USA 1 199 241 (40.5%) Nicaragua 429 990 (14.5%) Canada 201 921 (6.8%) Mexico 106 783 (3.6%) Panama 104 795 (3.0%) El Salvador 81 091 (2.7%) Guatemala 78 032 (2.6%) UK 76 173 (2.6%) Germany 70 960 (2.4%) France 69 803 (2.4%) Spain 69 782 (2.4%) Other 471,298 (15.9%) (Instituto Costarricense de Turismo) Length of Stay 11.9 nights (Instituto Costarricense de Turismo) Average Expenditure USD1,561.4 per person, per trip An increase of 19.3% from 2016 (Instituto Costarricense de Turismo) Group Composition Couple 38.6% Solo 9.3% Group 52.2% “Group” consists of 34.1% family, 9.2% with friends, 8.3% family and friends, Coworkers 0.4%, Student group 0.2% (Instituto Costarricense de Turismo)

Purpose of Visit Sun and Beach 72.5% Boat Trips, Banana Boat, Jet Ski, Water Sky, Catamaran, kayak Eco-Tourism 65.1% Visit to the volcanoes, Observation of flora and fauna, Bird watching with equipment, hanging bridges, Diving, Cableway, Dolphin and Whale watching, Snorkel, Caving, caverns, Horseback riding or horseback riding Adventure 55.9% ATV, white water rafting, canoe, kite surfing, stand up paddle boarding, zip line, abseiling, trekking, hiking, rock climbing, canyoning, bungee jumping, free flight sports, tubing Wellness 36.4% Yoga, hot springs, therapeutic treatments, algae, salts, volcanic spa, therapeutic massage Culture 30.3% Visit to museums, theaters, galleries, art, visit to a rural community to share in local activities, traditions and lifestyles, dance/cooking classes, enjoy the local cuisine, visit to communities / towns or churches, visit to farm / small agribusiness, visit to botanical garden/butterfly gardens/zoos, attend religious activities, concerts or sports activities Sports 22.7% Refers to professional activities – equestrian, sport fishing, mountain biking, golf, surfing, wind surfing (Instituto Costarricense de Turismo)

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FRENCH POLYNESIA Months of lowest Occupancy: November, January, February, March, April (Virtual Itinerary) General Tourism Outlook: In 2017 French Polynesia welcomed a total of 198,956 tourists, a 3.4 percent increase from 2016 (South Pacific Tourism Organization). For the same year, tourism receipts totaled USD682.2 million a 39.8 percent increase from 2016. French Polynesia accounted for 9.3 percent of all trips to the South Pacific islands during 2017 – which is the second most popular destination after Fiji (South Pacific Tourism Organization). However, during 2017, arrivals from the United Kingdom, China, Other Asia and Other countries dropped during the year (South Pacific Tourism Organization). French Polynesia’s reliance on the couple’s market has continued to grow in recent years with 28 percent of tourism being generated from honeymoons (South Pacific Tourism Organization). This largely contributes to the winter off-season as this is not a popular wedding season. In addition, the country has the reputation of being a “once-in-a-lifetime” journey. For these reasons, French Polynesia has very low rates of repeat visitation. In recent years, the French Polynesian government has made efforts to broaden the appeal by diversifying visitor experiences (South Pacific Tourism Organization). Hosting a retreat experience during the off-season would help the Four Seasons to appeal to a broader range of customers while inspiring an increase in repeat visitation.

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2017 Tourist Arrivals from Main Generating Countries Total 198956 USA 68,204 (34.3%) France 41,683 (21.4%) Other Europe 23,278 (11.7%) Japan 12,808 (6.4%) Australia 10,015 (5.0%) New Zealand 9,392 (4.7%) Other 8,527 (4.3%) Canada 6,372 (3.2%) Pacific Islands 5,826 (2.9%) China 5,430 (2.7%) UK 3,768 (1.9%) Other Asia 3,653 (1.8%) (South Pacific Tourism Organization)

Purpose of Visit 80% - vacation 20% - other Of those travelling for vacation, 28% are traveling for their honeymoon.

(HVS) Average Length of Stay 4 to 5 nights (Based on interview with concierge) Average Expenditure USD3,429 Per traveler, per visit French Polynesia has the highest per trip expenditure out of all the South Pacific Islands.

(South Pacific Tourism Organization)

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HAWAII Months of lowest Occupancy: Hawaii State: April, May, September (Hawai‘i Tourism Authority).

Lanai – January, February, November (Hawai‘i Tourism Authority).

Big Island – September, April, May, mid-February (Hawai‘i Tourism Authority).

General Tourism Outlook: In 2017, Hawaii welcomed a total of 9,404,346 tourists which is a 5.3 percent increase from 2016.

Tourist receipts generated USD16,889.4 million in 2017, which is a 5.6 percent increase from the previous year (Hawai‘i Tourism Authority). Lanai is a relatively untouched and exclusive destination that is attractive to luxury travelers, however, the average length of stay is quite low at 3.4 nights. This is largely due to only 17.4 percent of guests traveling to Lanai as their sole vacation destination. The Four Seasons Lanai is faced with the challenge of increasing the average length of stay in addition to branding the island as a “must-do” Hawaii destination. Introducing a retreat package would incentivize guests to increase their stay to the full 5 nights – and perhaps extend their stay even longer. In May 2018, the Big Island witnessed a devastating volcanic eruption that caused approximately USD800 million in damages in addition to decreasing bookings by 50 percent during the summer peak-season (Dayton). This has left many travelers concerned with the safety of the Big Island and as a result, 30 percent of tourists cancelled their travel plans for the remainder of 2018 and beginning of 2019 (Steinmetz). To respond to the attitude shift of travelers, the Four Seasons Hualalai must communicate to its customers: embrace rather than fear the island’s nature, which can be done through the narration and marketing message of the retreat. Moreover, the retreat would aim to be a revenue driver during the off-season that would seek to aid in volcano relief.

Average Expenditure Big Island $1459 per person, per trip $185.2 per person, per night Budget (up to $100) 9.6% (up 0.7% from 2016) Standard ($101 to $250) 19.7% (down 7.3% from 2016) Deluxe ($251 to $500) 41.5% (down 2.0% from 2016) Luxury ($500+) 29.2% (up 8.6% from 2016)

Lanai $1,644.5 per person, per trip $438.8 per person, per night Budget (up to $100) 0% Standard ($101 to $250) 2.6% (down 1.9% from 2016) Deluxe ($251 to $500) 3.9% (down 22.4% from 2016) Luxury ($500+) 9 3.4% (up 24.2% from 2016)

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2017 Tourist Arrivals from Main Generating Countries Total Hawaii 9,404,346 Total Lanai 64,357 (2.1% increase from 2016) Total Big Island 1,761,489 (13.6% increase from 2016) US 5,842,568 (62.1%) Japan 1,587,781 (16.9%) Canada 520,062 (5.5%) Australia 324,564 (3.5%) South Korea 261,039 (2.8%) China 151,299 (1.6%) New Zealand 70,799 (0.8%) UK 48,602 (0.5%) Germany 41,468 (0.4%) Taiwan 24,998 (0.3%) Other 531,116 (5.6%)

Length of Stay Lanai - 3.40 (decrease of 3.1% from 2016) Big Island - 7.52 (decrease of 1.8% from 2016)

Purpose of Pleasure Based Vacation Hawaii - 84% Vacation, -16% honeymoon/wedding Big Island - 85.4% vacation - 14.6% honeymoon/ wedding - 47.9% of travelers to the Big Island traveled just to this island. While 52% visited other islands. Travelers staying only on the Big Island increased by 16.3% from 2016.

Lanai - 86.2% vacation - 13.8% honeymoon/ wedding - 14.8% of travelers to Lanai traveled just to this island. While 82.2% visited other islands.

Travelers staying only on Lanai. decreased by 4.1% from 2016.

Big Island Travel Demand - 19% of total visitors to Hawaii visited - 14.7% traveled on a package trip, up 7.8% from 2016.

- If it is someone’s first time to Hawaii, 20.2% will travel to the Big Island.

- 33.9% First Time - 66.1% Repeater

Group Composition Hawaii Average Party Size - 2.2 Hawaii Party Size % of those Staying in Hotels 1 person – 29.2% 2 people – 37.0% 3 people + - 33.8% Lanai Travel Demand - 0.7% of total visitors to Hawaii visited - 28.0% traveled on a package trip, up 7.1% from 2016.

- If it is someones first time to Hawaii, 7.4% will travel to Lanai.

(Hawai‘i Tourism Authority)

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MALAYSIA Months of lowest Occupancy: May, June, July, August, September (Tourism Malaysia) Wellness Tourism Outlook: In 2017 Malaysia was the world’s 18th largest and Asia-Pacific’s eighth largest wellness tourism market, hosting a total of 8.3 million wellness trips and a total expenditure of USD5,019.2 billion.

Malaysia’s number of inbound wellness trips grew 28.6 percent from 2015 to 2017 (Yeung and Johnston).

General Tourism Outlook: Tourism generated USD18,323 million in receipts during 2017, a 1.4 percent increase from the previous year (World Tourism Organization). In 2017, the number of international tourist arrivals in Malaysia was 25,948,459. This was a decrease of 3.0 percent from 2016. This is in part due to the decrease in Asia-Pacific and longhaul arrivals to the country. The long-haul market accounts for an 8.4 percent share of the total number of international tourists to Malaysia. A total of 2,183,996 tourists from the long-haul market visited Malaysia in 2017 compared to 2,284,796 tourists in 2016, marking a decrease of -4.4 percent. (Tourism Malaysia). For Langkawi specifically, the local government is targeting a USD2.202 billion in tourism revenue by 2020 which is primarily fueled by the latest terminal expansion at the Langkawi International Airport that currently serves six international and one domestic airlines (Yusof).

In recent years, the Malaysian government has made strides to brand Langkawi as a premier ecotourism destination while placing a focus on environmental protection and sustainable development (Langkawi Development Authority). The Four Seasons Langkawi is faced with the challenge of creating an ecotourism focused experience that will be attractive among the important Asia-Pacific and global long-haul markets. This can be facilitated through a retreat experience that seeks to attract long-haul customers, in addition to curating eco-tourism inspired itineraries.

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2017 Tourist Arrivals from Main Generating Countries, Malaysia Total 25,948,459 Singapore 12,441,713 (47.9%) Indonesia 2,796,570 (10.8%) China 2,281,666 (8.8%) Thailand 1,836,522 (7.1%) Brunei 1,660,506 (6.4%) India 552,739 (2.1%) South Korea 484,528 (1.9%) Japan 392,777 (1.5%) Philippines 370,559 (1.4%) UK 358,818 (1.4%) Others 2,772,061 (10.7%) (Tourism Malaysia) 2017 Tourist Arrivals from Main Generating Countries, Langkawi 2016 3.63 million inbound tourists, USD1.037 billion (from January 2016 to September 2016) 2015 3 million inbound tourists, USD927.62 million in tourist receipts (Langkawi Development Authority) Length of Stay 5.3 nights (Langkawi Development Authority) Average Expenditure Average - USD48.82 per person, per day Luxury - USD610 per person, per day Deluxe - USD217.01 per person, per day Mid-Range - USD104.72 per person, per day

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MALDIVES Months of lowest Occupancy: May, June, July, September (Ministry of Tourism Republic of Maldives) Wellness Tourism Outlook: Health and wellness oriented travel accounted for 3 percent of visits, which amounted to approximately 41,700 trips in 2017. While the total receipts/expenditure for this sector were USD82.26 million (Yeung and Johnston).

General Tourism Outlook: Maldives welcomed 1,390,000 international tourists in 2017, an 8 percent increase from the previous year. In 2017, international tourism receipts amounted to USD2,742 million which was a 9.4 percent increase from 2016. (World Tourism Organization). Over the past few years, Maldives has had an aggressive growth strategy to fuel its tourism industry. Dozens of uninhabited islands have been leased to local and foreign resort developers which has increased the number of resorts to 130, with another 20 expected to open by 2021 (Maldives Insider). As this trend continues, guests need some form of incentive choose a Four Seasons destination over the many other reputable luxury brands. Thus, challenging | to 162 the Four Seasons to design truly unique experiences at its Maldives locations that will help to set itself apart from competition. A surge in development and inbound tourism has created environmental and sustainability concerns for the government. Due to this, the government has enforced policies to ensure long-term tourism sustainability in economic, environmental, legislative, and social aspects (Chee). By offering a retreat program, the Four Seasons could strategically respond to these initiatives through a sustainability-focused itinerary that immerses guests in local culture and environment while educating them on sustainability efforts.

2017 Tourist Arrivals from Main Generating Countries China 306,530 (22.1%) Germany 112,109 (8.1%) United Kingdom 103,997 (7.5%) Italy 88,867 (6.4%) India 83,019 (6.0%) Russia 61,931 (4.5%) France 42,365 (3.0%) Japan 41,133 (3.0%) USA 39,180 (2.8%) South Korea 34,808 (2.5%) South Korea 34,808 (2.5%) Switzerland 32,651 (2.3%) Other 407,136 (29.3%) (Ministry of Tourism Republic of Maldives)

Average Expenditure (2016) Below USD1,000 12% Between USD1,000-5,000 41% Between USD5,001-10,000 32% Between USD10,001-20,000 12% Above USD20,000 3% (Ministry of Tourism Republic of Maldives)

Purpose of Visit Rest and Relaxation 35% Honeymoon 24% Snorkeling 20% Diving 8% Birthday Celebration 4% Health and wellness 3% Other 2% Business Conference 1% Wedding 0.9% Incentive Visit 0.6% Sailing 0.4% Fishing 0.4% Surfing 0.3% (Ministry of Tourism Republic of Maldives)

Accommodation Type Resorts 78% Hotel 13% Guest House 6% Boats 2% (Ministry of Tourism Republic of Maldives)

Length of Stay 6.2 nights (Ministry of Tourism Republic of Maldives)

Group Composition Partner 57% Family 30% Friends 7% Alone 4% Business/Work Associates 2% Study/Student Group 0.3% (Ministry of Tourism Republic of Maldives)

Influenced to Travel By Internet 27% Word of Mouth 24% Travel Agent 13% TV 10% Magazines 10% Visited Before 8% Guidebook 3% Newspaper 3% Outdoor Advertising 2% Radio 1% Travel Fair 1% (Ministry of Tourism Republic of Maldives)

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MAURITIUS Months of lowest Occupancy: May, June, July, (Association Des Hoteliers et Restauranteurs Ile Maurice) Wellness Tourism Outlook: Mauritius was the third largest wellness tourism market in the Sub-Saharan African region in 2017. The number of wellness trips amounted to 200,000 and the total receipts/expenditures for wellness tourism was USD315.1 million (Yeung and Johnston).

General Tourism Outlook: In 2017 the number of international tourist arrivals amounted to 1,342,000, which is a 5.2 percent increase from 2016. Tourism generated USD1,748 million in 2017, which was an 11.2 percent increase from the previous year (World Tourism Organization). Projections for 2019 show another 5 percent increase in international tourist arrivals due to an increased interest in the island, hosting the regional Island Games, significant air carrier expansion, and the expansion of year-round appeal. Currently, 40 percent of tourists are repeat guests, but the number of first time travelers is expected to increase due to growth potential amongst European markets like France, the UK, Germany, and Italy. In addition to an increased number of direct flights from Germany and Italy, new routes have been added with Saudi Arabian Airlines and KLM-Air (Hutchinson). To develop increased interest in the destination, the government has made efforts to immerse guests in cultural offerings to overcome the stigma of being branded a do-nothing beach destination (Hutchinson). The Four Seasons Mauritius is tasked with crafting culturally immersive experiences for its guests while also encouraging exploration of the islands natural wonders. Through a yoga and wellness retreat, the Four Seasons would be able to curate an itinerary that includes the listed desired experiences, while boosting the cultural and ecological significance of the destination.

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2017 Tourist Arrivals from Main Generating Countries France 273,419 (20.4%) UK 149,807 (11.2%) Reunion Island 146,040 (10.9%) Germany 118,856 (8.9%) South Africa 112,129 (8.4%) India 86,294 (6.4%) China 75,951 (5.4%) Switzerland 40,252 (3.0%) Italy 35,101 (2.6%) Australia 21,271 (1.6%) Austria 17,596 (1.3%) Other 267,030 (19.9%) (Ministry of Finance and Economic Development Statistics Mauritius) Purpose of Visit Holiday 80.4% Honeymoon 12.3% Business 3.3% Visiting Friends/Relatives 1.0% Other 3.0% (Ministry of Finance and Economic Development Statistics Mauritius 2018) Length of Stay 10.3 nights (Ministry of Finance and Economic Development Statistics Mauritius 2018) Average Expenditure USD1,329 per tourist, per trip USD118.28 per tourist, per night (Ministry of Finance and Economic Development Statistics Mauritius 2018)

Group Composition Average party size 2.1 Couple without children 56% With friends and/or relatives18% Couple with children 17% Alone 7% Business associates 1% Other 1% (Ministry of Finance and Economic Development Statistics Mauritius 2018) Accommodation Type Hotel 79.6% Tourist Residence 8.5% Guest House 5.0% Friends and Relatives 5.8% Other 1.1% (Ministry of Finance and Economic Development Statistics Mauritius 2018) Influenced to Travel By Friends 52% Internet 17% Travel Agency/Tour Operator 14% Publicity 9% Social media 3% Travel Fairs 2% Other 2% Incentive Trips 1% (Ministry of Finance and Economic Development Statistics Mauritius 2018)

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SEYCHELLES Months of lowest Occupancy: May, June (Lam and Voellm) Wellness Tourism Outlook: Seychelles was Sub-Saharan Africa’s fifth largest wellness tourism market in 2017, attracting 100,000 travelers and producing tourist receipts of USD282.8 million (Yeung and Johnston).

General Tourism Outlook: Seychelles welcomed a total of 361,844 tourists in 2017, which is a 15.4 percent increase from 2016. Tourist receipts generated USD483 million in 2017, which is a 16.6 percent increase from the previous year (World Tourism Organization). Visitor arrival projections are expected to increase by 3 percent for 2019 and although this is a slower growth in numbers, a higher growth in earnings is expected (ETurbo News). Significant growth among European markets has continued, however, there has been a significant decline in the number of visitors from important markets such as China, Russia, and South Africa (ETurbo News). In order to expand its global appeal outside of the European market, Seychelles must offer flight routes and resort packages that are market attractive to Asian and American markets. Given the increased demand for wellness and yoga in these regions, a Four Seasons retreat would provide Asian and American guests with an incomparable experience that would incentivize travel to the Seychelles. Additionally, in recent years the Seychelles government in cooperation with local resorts has been tasked with increasing environmental and cultural sustainability practices (ETurbo News).

The Immersion could encourage these initiatives through its purposeful opportunities for consumer education incorporated in retreat itineraries.

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2017 Tourist Arrivals from Main Generating Countries Germany 61,339 (17%) France 43,549 (12%) UK 26,671 (7%) UAE 25,024 (7%) Italy 24,409 (7%) India 13,901 (4%) Switzerland 13,394 (4%) South Africa 12,399 (3%) Russia 11,362 (3%) Austria (3%) Other 361,844 (33%) Europe 66% Asia 19% Africa (10%) America (4%) Oceana (1%) (National Bureau of Statistics)

Average Length of Stay 10 days (HVS) Average Expenditure (2017) USD1633.20 per traveler, per trip USD163 per traveler, per night Luxury accommodations average $500+ per night (World Bank) Purpose of Visit Holiday 90% Visiting Friends 3.1% Honeymoon 0.2% Wedding 0.2% Business/Conference 2.7% Other 3.8% (National Bureau of Statistics)

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ST. KITTS AND NEVIS Months of lowest Occupancy: September, October, November (The Department of Statistics & Economic Planning) General Tourism Outlook: In 2017, St. Kitts and Nevis hosted a total of 114,000 tourists which is a 1.4 percent decrease from 2017. Tourist receipts generated USD141 million in 2016, which is a 56.7 percent increase from 2010 (World Tourism Organization). In effort to increase international tourism, the country has increased flight routes with major North American airlines and airports (ETurbo News). However, the challenge is now to increase European interest in the island which would help decrease its reliance on North American markets. To increase appeal and expenditure, the St. Kitts and Nevis government has focused on branding the island as a luxury Caribbean destination and St. Kitts has seen the opening of a Park Hyatt and Ritz-Carlton (Britell). The global luxury wellness chain, Six Senses, is expected to open on St. Kitts in 2021 and seeks to target wellness luxury travelers.

The increase in luxury investment on St. Kitts challenges guest interest in the Four Seasons and ultimately its market share. However, the Four Seasons is located on the island of Nevis, which is more private and underdeveloped than St. Kitts, thereby offering guests a more exclusive experience. A retreat experience would give the Four Seasons a unique selling point that the Park Hyatt and the Ritz-Carlton lack. Importantly, this exclusive wellness experience would allow the Four Seasons to retain more market share upon the opening of the Six Senses resort.

2014 Tourist Arrivals from Main Generating Countries USA 52% Caribbean 29% Europe 8% Canada 6% South America 1% Other 4% (The Department of Statistics & Economic Planning)

Average Length of Stay 4 to 7 nights (interview with the concierge) Average Expenditure USD248 per person, per day USD992 – USD1736 per stay, per person

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THAILAND Months of lowest Occupancy: September, August. May (Bank of Thailand).

Wellness Tourism Outlook: Thailand is the world’s 14th largest and Asia-Pacific’s fourth largest wellness tourism market. It experienced a 13.1 percent growth from 2016 to 2017 in terms of wellness tourist arrivals. In 2017 the number of international wellness tourist arrivals amounted to 12,500,000. In 2017, receipts from wellness travel totaled USD12,018.4 million, which was a 13.1 percent percent increase from the previous year (Yeung and Johnston).

General Tourism Outlook: In 2017 Thailand’s international tourist arrivals totaled 35,381,000, which was an 8.6 percent growth from the previous year. Tourism generated USD57,477 million in 2017, which was a 17.8 percent increase from the previous year (World Tourism Organization). In 2017, Chiang-Mai welcomed a total of 10 million tourists – 7 million were domestic travelers and 3 million were foreigners. Of these foreigners, approximately 1 million were Chinese. Thailand’s Tourism Authority’s 2019 target is to increase domestic travelers by 10 percent and international travelers by 12 percent with the revenue growth at 11.5 percent from this year (The Thaiger). This is in-part due to the creation of direct flights from Europe to Chiang-Mai that increase the likelihood of these tourists staying in the region for a longer period of time, or around four to five days, compared to the two days that people currently spend (Panyaarvudh). The challenge for the Four Seasons Chiang-Mai is to develop some form of package that will incentivize guests to stay longer, rather than quickly moving around to various other regions of Thailand. A retreat would further incorporate the culturally significant elements of Chiang-Mai in the Four Seasons offering, while incentivizing guests to increase their length of stay.

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2017 Tourist Arrivals from Main Generating Countries Total: 35,381,210 tourists China 9,806,000 (27.7%) Malaysia 3,355,000 (9.5%) South Korea 1,709,000 (4.8%) Laos 1,613,000 (4.6%) Japan 1,544,000 (4.4%) India 1,412,000 (4.0%) Russia 1,346,000 (3.8%) USA 1,056,000 (3.0%) Singapore 1,028,000 (2.9%) Russia 1,346,000 (3.8%) UK 994,000 (2.8%) Other 28.7% (Ministry of Tourism and Sports)

Average Length of Stay, Chiang-Mai 3 days (Ministry of Tourism and Sports) Development Statistics Mauritius 2018)

2016 Chiang-Mai Tourist Arrivals From Main Generating Countries The following accounted for 78% of inbound travel: 1. China 2. Malaysia 3. South Korea 4. Hong Kong 5. USA (Hotelworks Hospitality Consulting) Also popular among: Australians, Indians, and Europeans (especially Italians and from German-speaking countries, as well as Russians) (The Nation)

Average Group Composition, Thailand Alone 4.4% Couple 13.2% Group 82.3% (Euromonitor International)

Average Length of Stay, Thailand Europeans, North Americans, Australians: 2 to 3 weeks Asian Countries: 1 week and under (Ministry of Tourism and Sports) Average Expenditure (2017) USD1,874 per person, per trip - based on the average expenditure of tourists from Russia, UK, US, China, Japan, and Malaysia (The Thaiger)

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III. Destinations for Year One This schedule allows for one retreat to be held for each of the four seasons of the year, which plays as a reference to the Four Seasons brand. For its first-year location scheduling strategy, The Immersion provides destinations that offer expansive global reach, seasonal synchronization, and a diversity in experience. The Immersion provides an opportunity for each destination to address a current market challenge, while increasing occupancy during off-season. The first-year location scheduling strategy is as follows: 1. Winter - February 2021 Hualalai, Hawaii 2. Spring - May 2021 Mauritius at Anahita 3. Summer - August 2021 Chiang-Mai, Thailand 4. Autumn – October 2021 Peninsula Papagayo, Costa Rica Hualalai primarily appeals to the North American and Asian markets and its unique experiences are ecotourism and sun & beach. Its off-season is in February with a monthly occupancy rate of 58.5 percent (Hawai‘i Tourism Authority). This is due to colder temperatures and a 30 percent decrease in reservations since the May 2018 volcanic eruption on the island. It is the hope that The Immersion will help change consumer’s perceptions of safety on the island. To respond, the retreat will communicate the message: to embrace rather than fear the island’s nature through ecotourism. Additional revenues from The Immersion retreat would help make-up for the financial loss and damage suffered after the eruption.

The Immersion at Mauritius helps to increase global interest in the destination, so that it is not so reliant on the European market. It also aims to rebrand the destination from a do-nothing beach vacation, to one that offers an array of natural wonders to be experienced in the sweet sunshine. Mauritius has been scheduled for May when its monthly occupancy rate averages 69 percent (Association Des Hoteliers et Restauranteurs Ile Maurice). Mauritius is first and foremost a beach and sun destination; however, it is also highly regarded for its ecotourism and cultural experiences. The Immersion hopes to curate an itinerary that focuses on beach and sun, while boosting the cultural and ecological significance of the destination.

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Peninsula Papagayo, Costa Rica is a popular destination for North and South Americans. However, it is important to increase global enthusiasm to be less reliant on these markets. The Immersion at Costa Rica would help to increase global interest in the destination, especially from the Chinese market, while complementing the government’s recent wellness tourism initiatives. The itinerary will highlight ecotourism, which is the unique selling point of Peninsula Papagayo. The retreat will be offered during October when monthly occupancy rates average 38.5 percent (Instituto Costarricense de Turismo).

The Four Seasons Chiang-Mai has been faced with the challenge of increasing average length of stay.

The goal is to make Four Seasons at Chiang-Mai the primary reason to travel to Thailand, thereby lessening the propensity of tourists to travel-hop around the country. The Immersion at Chiang-Mai would creative an incentive for guests to increase their length of stay. The Immersion at Chiang-Mai will be held during August, as monthly hotel occupancy is only 53.37 percent (Bank of Thailand). This itinerary will focus on Chiang-Mai’s rich culture and offers an expansive customer base primarily in Western Europe and Asia.

The monthly occupancy during off-season for each destination has been illustrated in Table 7.

Table 7: Room Occupancy in Month of Low Occupancy

Month of Low Occupancy Occupancy Rate Total Number of Rooms Booked

Hualalai

Mauritius

Chiang-Mai

Costa Rica

February

May

August

October

58.4%

69.0%

53.7%

38.5%

142/243

94/136

52/98

70/181

If The Immersion proves to be successful in its first test-year, future retreats could be held at any of the below mentioned destinations. The only condition would be that the schedule continue to offer a diverse global reach, seasonal schedule, experience-type, and solution to off-season and market challenges. The following destinations are suitable hosts for The Immersion: Bali at Jimbaran, Indonesia; Bali at Sayan, Indonesia; Bora Bora, French Polynesia; Chiang-Mai, Thailand; Hualalai, Hawaii; Lanai, Hawaii; Langkawi, Malaysia; Maldives at Kuda Huraa; Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru; Mauritius at Anahita; Nevis, St. Kitts and Nevis; Peninsula Papagayo, Costa Rica; Seychelles; and Seychelles Desroches.

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part13.

I.

Transformative Experiences + Itinerary A Transformative Narrative

II. Itinerary Design III. Hualalai, Hawaii IV. Mauritius at Anahita V. Chiang-Mai, Thailand VI. Peninsula Papagayo, Costa Rica

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I. A Transformative Narrative The direction of wellness travel is reaching far beyond mere experiences, toward transformative travel that sets guests on a journey of self-reflection. Which is why The Immersion has created a journey for each guest that is a multi-chapter story of physical, mental, and spiritual seeking within themselves and their community. Increasing their global awareness has resulted in consumers becoming more concerned with their impact on communities and environments around the world (McGroarty et al.). This is why every Immersion retreat incorporates underlying do-good initiatives, which align with emergent wellness travelers who are more aware of and interested in the wellbeing of the local people, their communities, and the natural environments they coexist with.

The Immersion’s philosophy communicates to consumers the unique selling proposition of each destination, as mentioned in Part 13, Section III. This, combined with the objective to craft transformative experiences, inspired the deliberate use of the five elements (fire, space, water, air, and earth) to build each retreat narrative. The symbolic meaning of each element provides a metaphor for the experience and discoveries of each destination. At each unique destination, the overreaching theme of the retreat, yoga/meditation practices, and excursions will be explored through these elements. Each destination will be assigned one element, with the exception that Haulalai will integrate two into its narrative (Figure 5). The keywords that guided the creation of The Immersion’s philosophy were: connect, embrace, transform, community, journey, immersion, empower, aspiration, self-discovery, multi-chapter story, nature, and element.

fire

space

water

air

earth

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The Immersion Yoga + Wellness Retreat Description:

“

The Immersion Yoga + Wellness Retreat is a six-day journey of self-discovery hosted by Lululemon and held exclusively at select Four Seasons Resorts. The transformative narrative that guides each practice, has been crafted by Lululemon’s Global Yoga Ambassadors and our own resident yogis. Our journey together is inspired by the elements that make each destination extraordinary. Expect excursions and practice with a purpose that offer total immersion with yourself, your community, and your surroundings. We invite you to connect, sweat, and experience the splendor of each destination with us.

”

The Immersion Yoga + Wellness Retreat Philosophy:

“

Connecting with the elements inspires the narrative that fuels our practice, journey, and community with one another. As we expand into knowing, we become aware of the interconnectedness of every instance in our universe. A lesson that drives our appreciation for our earth and every spirit that calls it home. Let us learn to cherish our community with one another, the significance of every organism, and our only home, here, on earth.

”

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II. Itinerary Design Instructors and Class Design At each destination, all yoga and meditation classes will be led by The Four Seasons resident yogis. Classes will be designed as a collaborative effort between Lululemon’s Global Yoga Ambassadors and The Four Seasons yoga instructors. As highly influential voices in the yoga community, their celebrity-like status offer an appealing competitive edge to The Immersion while maintaining a strong connection to the Lululemon brand. For example, Ambassador Ryan Leier is known for his “fiery” Vinyasa’s which could be used advantageously for The Immersion at Hualalai. Ultimately, classes will be led by Four Seasons’ resident yogis who have unparalleled local knowledge, that cannot be easily reproduced. This is how The Immersion will deliver authentic local experiences to guests.

Meditation Meditation will be offered once every day for the full six days and will be 40 minutes in length.

Practice will be guided by spiritual storytelling inspired by the narrative of each retreat. Guests are encouraged to record their journey in their meditation journals.

Yoga Yoga classes will be provided twice per day for four days and will be one hour in length. Narratives and class progression will be based upon the unique theme at each retreat. Each day, there will be one gentle yoga class that focuses on slow movement, restorative postures, and breath work in a relaxed setting. One yoga class each day will be higher in intensity, focusing on fluid movement through a series of athletic poses.

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Excursions Each retreat offers five excursions over the course of six days, three of which are low intensity.

The other two will involve a higher degree of physical effort such as hiking. These excursions have been designed as a way for guests to experience total immersion in their surroundings while exploring each retreat theme in depth.

Community Mealtime Through the interview conducted with Meg Shuba, it was found that “community� meal-time helps to build relationships, connections, and comfortability between guests on retreats. Group dining is optional every day for breakfast and dinner, but always available and encouraged.

Free Time It is important to understand that guests are on their well-deserved vacations and will want to have their own free time. Each itinerary has been designed to leave significant space for free time over the course of the retreat. Community mealtime, excursions, and classes are optional, yet highly encouraged to get the most out of the experience.

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III. Hualalai, Hawaii Retreat Narrative: Hualalai is located on the big island of Hawaii that is home to the active Kilauea Volcano, The Mauna Kea Observatories, stunning beaches, and lush tropical forests with an abundance of waterfalls. The Kilauea Volcano inspires the focus of this retreat: fire.

Fire is experienced as intensity and abundance. The heat and energy created is the result of the action, dedication and focus.

Fire delivers purification and transformation. It creates insight for our fiery practice that allows us to see and engage with what’s important and burn the rest.

Only through expanding our knowledge of the universe, do we begin to understand our origins here on earth. Inspired by the astronomical studies at Mauna Kea Observatories, through the element of space, we ponder our role as cosmic beings and our relationship with this divine power. We come to learn that fiery volcanoes and flowing lava symbolize an ecologically alive planet that provide the foundations for life. This same fiery power that burns in every being, invigorates our senses and brings us life.

This retreat is a journey of fiery self-discovery that allows us to ponder our connection with ourselves, each-other, and the universe. Under the starry sky, we surrender ourselves to the uncertain and complex fate of our universe - a force that connects us all. Our home on earth is a “pale blue dot� in a vast universe.

Let us learn to be respectful of one another and cherish our only home here on earth.

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Hualalai Retreat Itinerary Day One

Day Two

Day Three

Day Four

Day Five

Day Six

Arrive

8:00 AM Gentle Yoga

8:00 AM Breakfast

8:00 AM Yoga

8:30 AM Breakfast

8:00 AM Meditation

9:00 AM Breakfast

9:00 AM Kohala Waterfalls Adventure + Yoga

9:00 AM Breakfast

3:00 PM Gentle Yoga

9:00 AM Breakfast

2:00 PM Gentle Yoga

5:00 PM Dinner

11:00 AM Departure

4:00 PM Evening Volcano Explorer + Dinner + Meditation

6:15 PM Mauna Kea Observatories + Yoga + Meditation

4:00 PM Orientation 4:45 PM Meditation 6:00 PM Dinner

1:00 PM Yoga 3:00 PM Eco Guide Nature Walk +Meditation 7:00 PM Dinner

3:00 PM Meditation + Gentle Yoga 5:00 PM Dinner + Sunset Sail

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Excursion Descriptions Day Two, Eco Guide Nature Walk + Meditation This low intensity nature walk will be guided by a resident marine biologist that takes guests along the volcanic shores of the resort property. Guests will be educated on how the volcano allowed for the amazing life that exists both on ground and in the ocean. The included meditation will tell a story of how fiery lava formed life as we know it, while communicating the importance of conservation efforts.

Day Three, Kohala Waterfalls Adventure + Gentle Yoga + Sunset Sail Guests will be amazed by the stunning waterfalls found on this guided nature reserve hike. Inspired by the natural flow of the waterfall that embodies that of lava, guests will practice a fiery Vinyasa that will be rewarded with a jump in the refreshing water. Later that day guests will enjoy a relaxing sunset sail.

Day Four, Evening Volcano Explorer + Meditation Travelling to Kilauea volcano, guests will be provided an in-depth narration on the various lava flows and flora and fauna of the ecosystem. At Volcanoes National Park guests will be dazzled by the flowing lava that illuminates a fiery red against the black of the night sky. This powerful scene will set the stage for a meditation that allows guests to see and engage with what’s important – one’s communities, environment, and bond with earth - and burn the rest.

Day Five, Mauna Kea Observatories + Yoga + Meditation An evening journey to the Mauna Kea Observatories marks a journey filled with stargazing and the exploration of our bewildering universe. Here the elements of space and fire are combined to understand the powerful role of heat in creating the possibilities of life that exist in our infinite skies. The meditation and yoga practice is intended to open one’s souls to ponder their connection with the universe as cosmic beings, all created equally.

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IV. Mauritius at Anahita Retreat Narrative: In the midst of sparkling turquoise waters lies Mauritius, a secluded ocean oasis. The tiny island is home to the sacred Hindu lake Grand Bassin, the miraculous underwater waterfall, stunning beaches, and the breathtaking Chamarel waterfall. Mauritius is the perfect place to understand and appreciate the element of water. This fluid, connected, and adaptable element illustrates our ability to consciously hold on and at the same time, let go. It fuels our practice with compassion and resilience that returns to us as fluid movement.

A single water droplet optimistically begins its journey as a newly fallen raindrop into the sea.

Trying to remain hopeful, it soon realizes that being weighed down by waves, currents, and stormy weather are unavoidable forces it must endure. Over time the droplet’s optimism is rewarded by the moon, slowly the moon’s pull carries the droplet across the ocean to some kind of paradise. Like this single drop of water, we are resilient. We persevere through even the toughest currents to overcome adversity. Enlightenment is reached when we realize that at the end of every journey paradise awaits. And so we find Mauritius, an oasis in the ocean where a network of ocean currents, rivers, waterfalls, and lakes forever flow to shape and bring life to the idyllic island.

To appreciate water, is to understand this force that shapes and flows through every one of us. Life as we know it began in the ocean and connected us all from this single point in time.

On our journey, we learn how we can protect our waterways and oceans to preserve this finite resource and ecosystem on earth.

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Mauritius Retreat Itinerary Day One

Day Two

Day Three

Day Four

Day Five

Day Six

Arrive

8:30 AM Gentle Yoga

8:00 AM Breakfast

8:00 AM Breakfast

8:00 AM Yoga

8:00 AM Breakfast

9:45 AM Breakfast

10:00 AM Black River Gorges, National Park + Gentle Yoga

9:45 AM Ile aux Aigrettes Island + Gentle Yoga + Meditation

9:00 AM Breakfast

9:30 AM Mediation 11:00 AM Departure

4:00 PM Yoga

4:00PM Yoga + Meditation

6:00 PM Dinner

10:30 AM Le Morne Brabant + Meditation

7:00 PM Dinner

7:00 PM Dinner

4:00 PM Orientation 5:15 PM Dinner 6:45 PM Sunset Sail + Meditation

1:00 PM Grand Bassin + Meditation

8:30 PM Yoga

6:00 PM Dinner 8:30 PM Gentle Yoga

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Excursion Descriptions Day One, Sunset Sail + Meditation On their first night, guests will be immediately introduced to the element of water on a sunset sail that offers dramatic island views softened by pastel painted skies. The effortless movement of the waves inspire the theme of this meditation, to set an intention to be fluid and adaptable like the smallest drop of water treading through the roughest waters.

Day Two, Grand Bassin + Mediation Grand Bassin is a crater lake marked as sacred by the Hindus where worshippers gather in awe of the shrines to Shiva and other gods are worshipped. Shiva’s role is to destroy the universe in order to re-create it, much like the rebirth of each water droplet, through its infinite relationship with the skies above. This is the narrative the meditation will focus on.

Day Three, Black River Gorges, National Park + Gentle Yoga A trip through Black River Gorges will illustrate how every drop of waterfall supports a vast network of life on the island. This trip educates guests on the importance of water conservation.

Inspired by the movement of waterfalls in the National Park, this restorative yoga session shows guests that just like falling water, their bodies are adaptable and resilient.

Day Four, Ile aux Aigrettes Island + Gentle Yoga + Meditation The adventurous day trip to wildlife sanctuary, Ile Aux Aigrettes Islands, will set sail on a luxurious catamaran. After some time enjoying the water and exploring marine life, guests will visit the island for a restorative yoga and meditation narrated by an intention to preserve and protect life that exists within water - the force that shapes and flows through every being.

Day Five, Le Morne Brabant + Meditation This hike offers views of an island lapped by serene turquoise waters and the stunning “underwater-waterfall” illusion. A hike up Le Morne Brabant is an important trip to a UNESCO World Heritage Site that once provided a safe-haven for runaway slaves. Through this excursion guests learn about the dark history of this otherwise seemingly idyllic haven. This meditation focuses on one’s moral role as social beings, all connected by the flow of water.

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V. Chiang-Mai, Thailand Retreat Narrative: Chiang-Mai is a blissful destination surrounded by lush mountain rainforests, waterfalls, peaceful country villages, serene wรกt, markets, and elephant sanctuaries. It is here that we find an abundance of pure air. Air is movement, expansion, and lightness. The breath in and out of the body that gives us rhythm, grace, mobility and a sensation of mental and physical openness. During our practice, we learn that air fuels the body and allows us to reach awareness.

Awareness on this journey to Chiang-Mai is found in immersing ourselves in its rich cultural and serene natural offerings. Chiang-Mai is the vibrant art capital of Thailand where your personal artistic expression opens you to the beautiful reality of your own story. Immerse yourself in the unique heritage of the region while opening yourself to the ancient wisdom and fresh perspectives of Buddhist teachings. It is here that we find our souls expand and open up to the possibility of the new and different.

This retreat is a unique cultural journey that celebrates our diversity by profoundly increasing our awareness of self and the other. Our differences aside, this journey shows us we all need air to breathe, connect, and expand into knowing. Let us learn to be respectful of one another and strive for a life that is led by selfless intentions.

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Chiang-Mai Retreat Itinerary Day One

Day Two

Day Three

Day Four

Day Five

Day Six

Arrive

8:00 AM Gentle Yoga

8:00 AM Gentle Yoga

8:00 AM Yoga

8:00 AM Gentle Yoga

8:00 AM Breakfast

9:00 AM Breakfast

9:00 AM Breakfast

9:00 AM Breakfast

9:00 AM Breakfast

9:00 AM Meditation

10:30 AM Elephant Sanctuary

11:00 AM Departure

4:00 PM Orientation 6:00 PM Dinner 8:00 PM Meditation

10:15 AM Baan Mae Kampong Soft Trek + Meditation 4:00 PM Yoga 7:00 PM Dinner

10:15 AM 10:30 AM Monk Chat at Doi Inthano Wat Suan Dok National Park + Meditation and Waterfall + Gentle Flow 3:30 PM 6:00 PM Biking Through Dinner the Rice Fields 6:00 PM Dinner 8:30 PM Yoga

8:15 PM Meditation

4:00 PM Yoga + Meditation 7:00 PM Dinner

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Excursion Descriptions Day Two, Baan Mae Kampong Soft Trek + Meditation Baan Mae Kampong is a northern Thai village with a rich heritage and known for making some of the first fermented tea. On this journey guests will enjoy tea with friendly locals surrounded by lush rainforest, waterfalls, and mountain views. The meditation among the abundance of pure forest air shows guests that differences aside, all beings need air to breathe, connect, and expand into knowing.

Day Three, Monk Chat at Mat Suan Dok + Biking Through the Rice Fields Also known as the “Flower Garden Temple�, this Buddhist temple sits amidst wide, open, airy gardens. Guests are provided a culturally significant opportunity to freely chat with, tell their stories to, and meditate with a Monk. Embodying the element of air, this form of self-expression opens guests to the beautiful reality of their own story. On the afternoon of the third day, a low intensity bike ride will be offered to take in the scenery of rice fields adjacent to the property.

Day Four, Doi Inthano National Park and Waterfall + Gentle Flow This preserved National Park will take guests on a journey past four waterfalls, terraced rice fields, picturesque valleys, and small hill tribe villages. This ecosystem provides life to exotic butterflies, wild flowers, various animals, and more than 300 species of birds. The gentle yoga session amidst the terraced rice fields focuses on the restorative power of our breath. As guests experience the pure abundance of air, they find their souls expand and open up to the possibility of the new and different.

Day Five, Elephant Sanctuary On this excursion guests can interact with elephants, feed them bananas, learn from elephant caretakers, and even give them a bath in the river. Interacting with this gentle and patient animal inspires guests to live a life leaded by less selfish intentions.

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VI. Peninsula Papagayo, Costa Rica Retreat Narrative: Amidst volcanic giants, rugged white sand beaches, lush rainforests, and the endless possibility for life lies the Peninsula Papagayo of Costa Rica. The beautiful Peninsula is home to one of the most biodiverse regions on earth where its ecosystems tell a story of every organisms’ interdependence. Earth is the structure, cohesion, and foundation that connects every organism.

It’s the centered, grounded, and authentic, expression of you and everything around you. In our practice, earth is the sensation that we want to return to, the physical stillness that creates mental and emotional stillness and vice versa.

Peninsula Papagayo’s vibrant ecosystems began fervently with the activity of its four volcanoes which formed the earth’s foundation. Over 75 million years, the earth’s structure unfolded a story of magnificent biodiversity that connects and celebrates the role of every organism from the smallest ant to the largest jaguar. Through this experience we understand that personal transformation is a patient effort where we must open and offer ourselves to our surroundings. It is at this point that we truly understand our responsibility on earth and achieve a grounded and centered expression of ourselves.

This experience transforms our understanding of human interdependency as we come to understand the precious role of every organism in the rainforest. By discovering ourselves in the rainforest, we gain appreciation for this precious ecosystem and learn how we can protect it so that life’s possibilities may continue to amaze and inspire us.

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Peninsula Papagayo, Costa Rica Retreat Itinerary Day One

Day Two

Day Three

Day Four

Day Five

Day Six

Arrive

8:00 AM Yoga

8:00 AM Gentle Yoga

8:00 AM Gentle Yoga

8:00 AM Meditation

9:00 AM Breakfast

9:00 AM Breakfast

7:00 AM Meditation + Gentle Yoga

9:00 AM Breakfast

9:00 AM Breakfast

10:00 AM Guanacaste Nature Expedition + Meditation

11:00 AM Rio Celeste Waterfall + Meditation

11:00 AM Eco-Guide Nature Walk + Meditation

11:00 AM Departure

4:00 PM Orientation 5:00 PM Dinner 6:30 PM Sunset Sail + Meditation

6:00 PM Dinner 8:00 PM Gentle Yoga

6:00 PM Dinner 8:00 PM Yoga

8:30 AM Breakfast 9:30 AM Arenal Volcano National Park + Hot Springs + Yoga 6:00 PM Dinner

3:00 PM Yoga 6:00 PM Dinner

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Excursion Descriptions Day One, Sunset Sail + Meditation On their first night, guests will enjoy a sunset sail that overlooks the beautiful rugged coastline edged. Looking out at densely green covered earth, leaves us pondering the possibility of lives within it. To connect with earth and set the tone for the retreat, this meditation will inspire a physical stillness of mental and emotional peace.

Day Two, Guanacaste Nature Expedition + Meditation At an animal sanctuary, guests will learn about conservation efforts and see rescued monkeys, jaguars, toucans, parrots, and macaws, to name a few. Next is a rainforest walk filled will exotic plants, rainforest trees, and even an abundance of sloths. This meditation narrates the interdependence of every organism here on earth. Guests are encouraged to embody earth like-qualities to protect and support the rainforest so that life, in all its forms, may continue to flourish.

Day Three, Rio Celeste Waterfall + Meditation A light hike to a stunning waterfall is coupled with a meditation inspired by the transformative aspect of earth. Seeing how the water shaped the earth over millions of years allows us to understand that personal transformation is a patient effort. Guests will learn that we must set our intentions today to do better tomorrow.

Arenal Volcano National Park + Hot Springs + Yoga Arenal Volcano National Park welcomes guests to an ecosystem that is home to a number of rainforest plant species and animals like spot deer, howler monkeys, white-faced monkeys, snakes, and parrots. It is here that guests will come to understand the precious role and interconnectedness of every being that earth supports. This yoga practice will narrate the element of earth encouraging guests to find their center through foundational movements. After their practice, guests may relax in the therapeutic waters of the hot springs.

Day Five, Eco Guide Nature Walk This is a low intensity nature walk on the property of the resort. It will be guided by a resident ecologist who will educate guests on dry rainforests ecosystems. A rainforest meditation will be included that focuses on integral role of every organism here on Earth.

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Gifts + part14.

Takeaways I.

Overview

II. Hualalai, Hawaii III. Mauritius at Anahita IV. Chiang-Mai, Thailand V. Peninsula Papagayo, Costa Rica

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I. Overview The Immersion will gift every guest a complementary welcome package that includes their itinerary along with a Lululemon yoga matt, water bottle and sack, meditation journal, and welcome bag. These products are currently produced by Lululemon, therefore the brand will incur all production costs and supply the pieces complimentary to The Four Seasons. For this reason, a cost analysis for this initiative has not been provided.

Lululemon will collaborate with one local artist from each destination to create artwork inspired by local surroundings and the retreat’s theme. This artwork guides the guest’s immersion in local culture while reinforcing the theme of every retreat. Custom artwork produces collectible items that inspire repeat visits as a means to “collect them all”. A forever keep-sake, these pieces exceed expectations and build long-term connections with every guest. Inspired artwork has been designed under the assumption that if Lululemon and The Four Seasons approached these artist, this is what they would create. The artwork in in Section II was designed by Jacqui Hinkson and in Section III, IV, and V by Steph Yao. Yoga Mat Lululemon wants to ensure that all yogi’s practice on brand-new, high-quality yoga matts. All Lululemon’s yoga matts are reversible which means that guests can choose which material suits their practice. Materials are antimicrobial and therefore help to prevent mold and mildew on the mat, which is especially important in hot and humid climates (Lululemon Athletica).

Water Bottle and Sack Hydrated guests are healthy and happy guests. Water bottles encourage regular water intake which is especially important given the physical nature and hot climate of the retreats. Plastic is so 2003, so providing reusable water bottles reinforces themes of environmental stewardship while supporting the sustainability efforts at each resort. Every water bottle lives in a sack, which provides a layer of protection to the beautiful artwork on each bottle.

Meditation Journal By encouraging guests to use a meditation journal, The Immersion hopes to inspire them to connect with themselves and their surroundings by expressing their thoughts as they need. The meditation journal provides a space for every guest to record their personal journey, so that they may reflect upon it even long after the retreat has ended.

Welcome Bag The Welcome Bag houses the water bottle and sack, retreat itinerary, and notebook. It also provides guests with a bag to take with them on excursions to carry and protect personal belongings, such as a camera. Reusable, functional, and stylish, this bag has a useful life that reaches far beyond the end of the retreat. Exposure in places like high-end fitness and yoga studios provides an opportunity to promote the retreat while increasing brand recognition.

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II. Hualalai, Hawaii Inspired Artwork The Immersion at Hualalai is all about exploring our roles as cosmic beings through our fiery practice that is inspired by The Big Island’s active volcanoes. This piece aims to communicate the theme of this retreat through a vibrant and powerful starry scene atop Mauna Kea. Local Artist Collaboration Robert McGuire About the Artist’s Work Robert McGuire’s work assigns a dark and powerful voice to the Big Island’s beloved landmarks. His paintings capture small moments in nature that make for alluring and empowering scenes.

Robert McGuire’s Work:

Source:

“Robert McGuire.” Nohea Gallery. https://noheagallery.com/product-category/original-paintings-hawaii/robert-mcguire/. Accessed 15 Jan. 2019.

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Custom Artwork for The Immersion at Hualalai

Artwork Provided By: Jacqui Hinkson https://www.flapjac-qui.com/ @flapjac jacquihinkson@gmail.com

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Yoga Mat

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Welcome Bag

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Meditation Journal

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Water Bottle + Sack

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III. Mauritius at Anahita Inspired Artwork Following the theme of The Immersion at Mauritius, this piece demonstrates interconnectivity and constant movement/flow of the water in and around the island. The objective is to emulate how water is connected in a vast network that works to shape the earth and life as we know it. This artist was chosen for her ability to create breathtaking scenes that are mostly inspired by the water on the island.

Local Artist Collaboration Vinella Soobrayen About the Artist’s Work As a Mauritius native, Vinella has been in awe of her tropical island since her childhood. She specializes in colorful landscape acrylic paintings and hopes her artwork to inspires happiness (Mauritius Arts).

Vinella Soobrayen’s Work:

Source:

“Vinella Soobrayen.” Mauritius Arts. https://mauritiusarts.com/artist/vinella-soobrayen/. Accessed 15 Jan. 2019.

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Custom Artwork for The Immersion at Mauritius

Artwork Provided By: Steph Yao https://www.chyaoroscuro.com @chyaoroscuro chyaoroscuro@gmail.com

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Yoga Mat

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Welcome Bag

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Meditation Journal

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Water Bottle + Sack

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IV. Chiang-Mai, Thailand Inspired Artwork The elephant is the national animal of Thailand and is known to be a patient, agreeable, and open animal.

The artist chosen is famous for his use of the elephant as well as his whimsical style. In most of his paintings, the elephants are seen interacting with other species, irrespective of their obvious differences. This emulates the teaching of the retreat, to set our perceived differences aside to respect and connect with one another.

Local Artist Collaboration Supachet Bhumakarn About the Artist’s Work Supachet Bhumakarn is most famous for his signature use of the elephant, which creates a happy and peaceful feeling in viewers (Metta Fine Arts Ltd). Supachet works in an intuitive way to create whimsical, almost child-like, scenes in acrylic on canvas that explores relationship between self and creativity (Metta Fine Arts Ltd).

Supachet Bhumakarn’s Work:

Source:

“Supachet Bhumakarn.” Ezistock. http:// www.ezistock.com/ index.php?main_ page=index&manufacturers_id=8/ Accessed 17 Jan. 2019.

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Custom Artwork for The Immersion at Chiang-Mai

Artwork Provided By: Steph Yao https://www.chyaoroscuro.com @chyaoroscuro chyaoroscuro@gmail.com

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Yoga Mat

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Welcome Bag

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Meditation Journal

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Water Bottle + Sack

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V. Peninsula Papagayo, Costa Rica Inspired Artwork The work of the artist selected demonstrates the biodiversity of the Guanacaste province. The objective for this piece is to create a scene inspired by the interconnectedness of the precious rainforest ecosystem along with the amazing possibilities of life that it houses.

Local Artist Collaboration Juan Carlos Ruiz About the Artist’s Work Juan is inspired by nature, the sound of water, the wind in the trees, and the many colors of nature that change through the seasons (Ruiz). His artwork develops organic themes, that showcase the abundance of life and biodiversity in the Costa Rican peninsula. He focuses on the many natural wonders of the region and highlights their beauty through vibrant and lively colors.

Juan Carlos Ruiz’s Work:

Source:

Ruiz, Juan Carlos. “Biografía.”

Juan Carlos Ruiz Artista Visual.

11 Jun. 2018. http://www.juancarlosruizcr.com/biografia/. Accessed 15 Jan. 2019.

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Custom Artwork for The Immersion at Costa Rica

Artwork Provided By: Steph Yao https://www.chyaoroscuro.com @chyaoroscuro chyaoroscuro@gmail.com

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Yoga Mat

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Welcome Bag

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Meditation Journal

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Water Bottle + Sack

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Financial part15.

Strategy I.

Package Pricing Model

II. First Year Revenue and Occupancy Projections

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I. Package Pricing Model Overview At participating locations, The Immersion Yoga + Wellness Retreat (YWR) will be sold as a package add-on, rather than a built-in, per-night, room cost. The package model follows the typical distribution format of wellness resorts and yoga retreats, while addressing the target consumer’s preference for all-inclusive packages. This is a per-person package, which is a typical format for wellness resorts that show on average 2.5x higher RevPAR (revenue per available room) compared to traditional resorts of a similar standing (Modena). During the booking process guests will be offered the package, even if they may have not known about it. This increases the awareness and visibility for The Immersion and also creates an opportunity to “upsell” the customer. In addition, it allows group travelers to add-on the package regardless of participation from the whole group. The total package cost varies between destinations due to discrepancies in prices/currency. Included in the total cost are all yoga and meditation classes, an all-inclusive 5-night meal plan, and all five excursions. Table 8 shows a summary of the package cost, while the subsequent tables provide a detailed breakdown of the three cost categories. However, the average package price between all destinations considered is $2,147 per person, per trip.

Table 8: Summary of Package Cost, Per Person, Per Trip (USD)

Hualalai

Mauritius

Chiang-Mai

Costa Rica

$644

$704

$588

$322

$1,013

$1,154

$1,115

$1,123

Total Excursion Cost

$556

$336

$590

$443

Per Night Package Cost

$443

$439

$459

$378

$2,213

$2,194

$2,293

$1,888

Total Yoga Cost Total Meal Package Cost

Total 5 Night Package Cost

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1. Yoga and Meditation Classes At participating locations, The Immersion Yoga + Wellness Retreat (YWR) will be sold as a packThe price for yoga is one of the elements built into The Immersion YWR’s add-on package. The current price for yoga at each destination was used as a baseline measure, which was found through interviews with the concierge at each destination. A 15 percent markup was applied to the current yoga price to compensate for the specialized programming and additional staff hours. This premium charge for the Lululemon branded curriculum, helps to set the retreat classes apart from those scheduled on a daily basis. If both classes were the same price, a customer may not see the value in spending extra money on the whole retreat package. The package includes all yoga classes that the itinerary features, which amounts to 14 total yoga/ meditation classes over a 5-night/6-day period. The price for yoga at each destination has been outlined in Table 9.

Table 9: Price for Yoga, by Destination (USD)

Hualalai

Mauritius

Chiang-Mai

Costa Rica

Current Price Per Yoga Class

$40.00

$43.72

$35.00

$20.00

Price Per Yoga Class at 15% Markup

$46.00

$50.28

$42.00

$23.00

Total Price for 14 Classes

$644.00

$704.00

$588

$322

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2. Meal Package Part 4: Wellness Tourism, Global Segmentation provided a general consensus that the target market prefers all-inclusive meal packages, which is the primary reason behind its inclusion in this package. An all-inclusive format provides the Four Seasons with guaranteed revenue from resort restaurants, while mitigating the risk of guests looking outside the resort for dining experiences. Moreover, through the interview conducted with Meg Shuba, it was found that “community” meal-time helps to build relationships, connections, and comfortability between guests. The meal package is valid at most resort restaurants and includes a full buffet breakfast and three-course dinner. Group dining is optional, but always available and encouraged. The Four Seasons currently offers “Bed and Breakfast” packages at all four destinations considered, in addition to a “Breakfast & Dinner” package at its Mauritius property. The price of these packages helped to inform the pricing of the meal package at each destination, which is outlined in Table 10.

Table 10: Meal Package Price, by Destination (USD)

Hualalai

Mauritius

Chiang-Mai

Costa Rica

Per Day Price of Breakfast

$32.50

$60.18

$50.00

$74.50

Per Day Price of Dinner

$170.00

$170.54

$173.00

$150.00

Total Per Day Price of Meal Package

$202.50

$230.72

$223.00

$224.50

$1,013.00

$1,154.00

$1,115.00

$1123.00

Total Five-Night Price of Meal Package

(rounded to whole number)

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3. Excursion Cost The itineraries outlined in Part 13 include five excursions each and the total price for them have been included in The Immersion package. This is believed to aid in the customer experience as they will not have to worry about booking/paying for any excursions while on the retreat.

Although excursions are optional, they are strongly encouraged to “get the most� out of the experience. Pre-paying helps to prepare guests for the activities to come, while incentivizing them to participate allows them to fully reap the benefits of The Immersion experience. A 20 percent markup has been added to the total excursion cost to compensate for retreat staff hoursworked, specialized programming efforts, and concierge booking fee. However, this markup allows the Four Seasons to deliver a luxury experience to guests by offering upgrades on local tour company offerings. The price of all excursions is outlined in Table 11.

Table 11: Excursion Price, by Destination (USD) Hualalai

Mauritius

Item

Price

Mauna Kea Observatories

$100

Kohala Waterfalls Adventure

Item

Chiang-Mai

Costa Rica

Price

Item

Price

Item

Grand Bassin

$43

Elephant Sanctuary

$121

Rio Celeste Waterfall

$184

Ile aux Aigrettes Island

$125

Monk Chat at Wat Suan Dok

$90

Arenal Volcano and Hot Springs

Evening Volcano Explorer

$179

Black River Gorges, National Park

$75

Baan Mae Kampong Soft Trek

$131

Eco-Guide Nature Walk

Free

Le Morne Brabant

$37

Doi Inthano National Park and Waterfall

$150.25

Sunset Sail

Free

Sunset Sail

Free

Biking through the Rice Fields

Free

Eco-Guide Nature Walk

Free

Total

$463

Total

$280

Total

$492

Total

$369

Total, 20% Markup

$556

Total, 20% Markup

$336

Total, 20% Markup

$590

Total, 20% Markup

$443

Guanacaste Nature Expedition

Sunset Sail

Price $99 $160

$110

Free

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Excursion Notes: 1. Mauna Kea Observatories: This is a pre-existing Four Seasons excursion and the cost includes the shuttle and “luxury� tent set-up (The Four Seasons).

2. Kohala Waterfalls Adventure: Offered by local tour company Hawaii Forest & Trail and includes: guided walk, access to parks, lunch, and transportation. The 20 percent markup provides a luxury upgrade for transportation and lunch (Hawaii Forest & Trail).

3. Evening Volcano Explorer: Offered by KopohoKine Adventures and includes: winery, lunch, access to parks, and a guided hike. The 20 percent markup provides a luxury upgrade for transportation and lunch (Kapoho Kine Adventures).

4. Eco-Guide Nature Walk: This excursion is complementary as it is offered on the Four Seasons property and is offered regularly to guests free of charge (The Four Seasons).

5. Elephant Sanctuary: The Four Seasons will facilitate this excursion and it includes tickets, transportation, and guides (The Four Seasons).

6. Monk Chat at Wat Suan Dok: The Four Seasons will facilitate this excursion and it includes tickets, transportation, and guide (The Four Seasons).

7. Baan Mae Kampong Soft Trek: The Four Seasons will facilitate this excursion and it will include transportation, lunchbox, and guide (The Four Seasons).

8. Doi Inthano National Park and Waterfall: The Four Seasons will facilitate this excursion and it includes transportation, entrance fees, picnic basket, and tour guide (The Four Seasons).

9. Biking through the Rice Fields: This excursion is complementary as it is offered on the Four Seasons property and is offered regularly to guests free of charge (The Four Seasons).

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10. Rio Celeste Waterfall: This is held by Papagayo Tours and includes access to parks, guided hikes, lunch, and transportation. The 20 percent markup provides a luxury upgrade for transportation and lunch (Papagayo Tours).

11. Arenal Volcano and Hot Spings – This is held by Papagayo Tours and includes access to parks, guided hikes, lunch, and transportation. The 20 percent markup provides a luxury upgrade for transportation and lunch (Papagayo Tours).

12. Guanacaste Nature Expedition: This is held by Papagayo Tours and includes access to parks, guided hikes, lunch, and transportation. The 20 percent markup provides a luxury upgrade for transportation and lunch (Papagayo Tours).

13. Sunset Sail: This excursion is complementary as it is offered on the Four Seasons property and is offered regularly to guests free of charge (The Four Seasons).

14. Grand Bassin: The Four Seasons will facilitate this excursion which carries a $28.34 per person entry fee of $61.21 and the group shuttle fee of $283.38, or $14.17 per person (ABZ Travel).

15. Ile aux Aigrettes Island: The excursion will include a day luxury catamaran hire (27 people capacity), which will cost $1393.13. It costs an additional $598.51 to host 22 passengers, which includes 2 Four Seasons staff members. The catamaran will make a stop at Ile aux Aigrettes Island which carries a 24.94 per person entry fee (ABZ Travel).

16. Black River Gorges, National Park – The Four Seasons will facilitate this excursion which carries a per person entry fee of $61.21 and the group shuttle fee of $283.38, or $14.17 per person (ABZ Travel).

17. Le Morne Brabant: The Four Seasons will facilitate this excursion and includes the cost of transportation and snacks ($20). It is approximately, $141.69 per 10 person shuttle. Two shuttles will be needed to accommodate a group of 20 people - $283.38 total (ABZ Travel).

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II. First Year Revenue and Occupancy Projection Overview In its first year of operations The Immersion Yoga + Wellness Retreat is estimated to generate additional revenues of $2,175,912.20 for the Four Seasons. The Immersion generates an average increase of 103.8 percent in revenues and 51.08 percent in occupancy across all destinations during low-season. Costa Rica accounts for the largest portion of this revenue at 31.3 percent followed by Hualalai at 29.3 percent while Mauritius and Chiang-Mai account for 19.75 percent and 19.65 percent respectively. Each property chosen to host the retreat, is estimated to realize financial gains from package add-ons in addition to the increase in off-season room-bookings. The given location scheduling strategy for The Immersion allows for financial gains that otherwise would not be realized by the Four Seasons. Analysis of first year revenues and occupancy increases, demonstrate the potential for long-term success of the program.

Table 12: Revenue from The Immersion YWR, Including Package Add-On (USD) The following table shows the total revenue generated from The Immersion Yoga + Wellness Retreat. This includes both the revenue for a five-night stay in addition to the package add-on from 80 guests at each location.

Hualalai

Mauritius

Chiang-Mai

Costa Rica

Total Retreat Guests, per month

80 guests

80 guests

80 guests

80 guests

Price of Package, Per Guest

$2,213.00

$2,194

$2,293.00

$1,889.00

Total Revenue from Package

$177,040.00

$175,520.00

$183,440.00

$151,120.00

Total Revenue from 5 Night Room Booking

$460,187.05

$254,226.00

$244,116.30

$530,262.85

Total Revenue, The Immersion YWR

$637,227.05

$429,746.00

$427,556.30

$681,382.85

29.29%

19.75%

19.65%

31.31%

% of Total Revenue Generated, by Property

Total Additional Yearly Revenue, the Four $2,175,912.20 Seasons

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Table 13: % Increase from The Immersion Package in Occupancy and Room Revenues (USD) This table outlines a comparison of occupancy and total revenue between the chosen month of low occupancy and The Immersion YWR program during this same month. This is a comparison between room-booking revenue and occupancy and does not include revenues from the Immersion package addon.

Hualalai

Mauritius

Chiang-Mai

Costa Rica

Total Rooms Booked in Months of Low Occupancy, by Hotel Capacity

142/243

94/136

52/98

70/181

Total Rooms Booked in Months of Low Occupancy with The Immersion YWR, by Hotel Capacity

215/243

132/136

83/98

107/181

51.4%

40.4%

59.6%

52.9%

5 Night Room Booking Revenue, Month of Low Occupancy

$812,753.95

$303,012.70

$153,343.10

$465,591.90

5 Night Room Booking Revenue, Month of Low Occupancy during Immersion YWR

$460,187.05

$254,226.00

$244,116.3

$530,262.85

5 Night Room Booking Total Revenue, with The Immersion YWR included

$1,272,941.05

$557,238.70

Total Room Booking Revenue, % Increase

56.62%

83.90%

Occupancy, % increase

$398,229.40

160.70%

$995,854.75 113.89%

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Table 14: Room Occupancy in Month of Low Occupancy This shows the average room occupancy at each destination and low-occupancy month. These numbers were collected from the secondary research outlined in Part 12, Section 11.

Month of Low Occupancy Occupancy Rate Total Number of Rooms Booked

Hualalai

Mauritius

Chiang-Mai

Costa Rica

February

May

August

October

58.4%

69.0%

53.7%

38.5%

142/243

94/136

52/98

70/181

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Table 15: Number of Rooms Added from The Immersion YWR Guests This section estimates the occupancy for each destination during the month of The Immersion YWR. To arrive at these estimates, the average group compositions at each destination were considered when allocating rooms to the number of total number of guests (80 people) during the retreat. Average group composition was found through research conducted in Part 12, Section 11.

Hualalai

Mauritius

Chiang-Mai

Costa Rica

% Alone (1 person)

29.2%

7%

4.4%

9.3%

Guests (out of 80)

23.36 guests

5.6 guests

3.52 guests

7.44 guests

23 rooms

6 rooms

4 rooms

7 rooms

37.0%

56%

13.2%

38.6%

29.6 guests

44.8 guests

10.56 guests

30.88 guests

15 rooms

22 rooms

5 rooms

15 rooms

33.8%

37%

82.3%

52.2%

27.04 guests

29.6 guests

65.84 guests

41.78 guests

Number of 3 + Person Rooms

9 rooms

10 rooms

22 rooms

14 rooms

Total room Count

47 rooms

38 rooms

31 rooms

37 rooms

Number of 1 Person Rooms % Couple (2 people) Guests (out of 80) Number of 2 Person Rooms % Group (3 + people) Guests (out of 80)

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Table 16: Total Room Booking Revenue by Immersion YWR Guests (USD) This section demonstrates estimated room booking revenues if The Immersion were to run during the given month of low occupancy. The average group composition by destination has been considered when arriving at estimates. Average group composition was found through research conducted in Part 12, Section 11. Average prices at each destination can be found Appendix F: Average Price Per Night.

Hualalai

Mauritius

Chiang-Mai

Costa Rica

Number of 1 Person Rooms

23 rooms

6 rooms

4 rooms

7 rooms

1 Person Room, Avg. Price Per Night

$1,928.29

$663.50

$684.00

$919.80

Total Revenue, 1 person rooms

$44,350.67

$3,981.00

$2,584.00

$6,438.60

Number of 2 Person Rooms

15 rooms

22 rooms

5 rooms

15 rooms

2 Person Room, Avg. Price Per Night

$1,928.29

$697.50

$684.00

$1,134.33

Total Revenue, 2 person rooms

$28,924.35

$15,345.00

$3,420.00

$17,014.95

Number of 3 + Person Rooms

9 rooms

10 rooms

22 rooms

14 rooms

3+ Person Room, Avg. Price Per Night

$2,084.71

$3,151.92

$1,946.33

$5,899.93

Total Revenue, 3 + person rooms

$18,762.39

$31,519.20

$42,819.26

$82,599.02

Total Per Night Room Booking Revenue by Immersion YWR Guests

$92,037.41

$50,845.20

$48,823.26

$106,052.57

5 Night Room Booking Revenue

$460,187.05

$254,226.00

$244,116.3

$530,262.85

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Table 17: Estimated Revenue Derived from Room Booking in Month of Low Occupancy (USD) This section demonstrates estimated room booking revenues generated during the given month of low occupancy. Average group composition by destination has been considered when arriving at estimates.

Average group composition was found through research conducted in Part 12, Section 11. Average prices at each destination can be found Appendix F: Average Price Per Night.

Hualalai

Mauritius

Chiang-Mai

Costa Rica

142

94

52

70

29.2%

7%

4.4%

9.3%

41.46 guests

6.58 guests

2.29 guests

6.51 guests

Number of 1 Person Rooms

41 rooms

7 rooms

2 rooms

7 rooms

1 Person Room, Avg. Price Per Night

$1,928.29

$663.50

$684.00

$919.80

Total Revenue, 1 person rooms

$79,059.89

$4,644.50

$1,368.00

$6,438.60

37.0%

56%

13.2%

38.6%

52.54 guests

52.64 guests

6.86 guests

27.02 guests

Number of 2 Person Rooms

26 rooms

26 rooms

3 rooms

14 rooms

2 Person Room, Avg. Price Per Night

$1,928.29

$697.50

$684.00

$1,134.33

Total Revenue, 2 person rooms

$50,135.54

$18,135.00

$2,052.00

$15,880.62

33.8%

37%

82.3%

52.2%

48.00 guests

34.78 guests

42.80 guests

36.54 guests

Number of 3+ Person Rooms

16 rooms

12 rooms

14 rooms

12 rooms

3+ Person Room, Avg. Price Per Night

$2,084.71

$3,151.92

$1946.33

$5,899.93

Total Revenue, 3+ person rooms

$33,355.36

$37,823.04

$27,248.62

$70,799.16

Total Per Night Room Booking Revenue, Month of Low Occupancy

$162,550.79

$60,602.54

$30,668.62

$93,118.38

5 Night Room Booking Revenue, Month of Low Occupancy

$812,753.95

$303,012.70

$153,343.10

$465,591.90

Rooms Booked, Month of Low Occupancy % Alone (1 person) Alone, Rooms Booked

% Couple (2 people) Couples, Rooms Booked

% Group (3+ people) Group, Rooms Booked

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Table 18: Total Revenue, Room Booking in Low Occupancy Month with The Immersion YWR (USD) This section consolidates the information from Table 16 and Table 17 to arrive at the total estimated occupancy and revenue during a month of low occupancy when The Immersion YWR is offered. The information in this table informs the total percent increase between the month of low occupancy with no YWR and with the YWR. Average prices at each destination can be found Appendix F: Average Price Per Night.

Hualalai

Mauritius

Chiang-Mai

Costa Rica

Rooms Booked with Immersion package, Month of Low Occupancy

215

132

83

107

Number of 1 Person Rooms

64

13

6

14

1 Person Room, Avg. Price Per Night

$1,928.29

$663.50

$684.00

$919.80

Total Revenue, 1 Person Rooms

$123,410.56

$8,625.50

$4,104.00

$12,877.20

41

48

8

29

2 Person Room, Avg. Price Per Night

$1,928.29

$697.50

$684.00

$1,134.33

Total Revenue, 2 Person Rooms

$79,059.90

$33,480.00

$5,474.00

$32,895.57

25

22

36

26

3+ Person Room, Avg. Price Per Night

$2,084.71

$3,151.92

$1946.33

$5,899.93

Total Revenue, 3+ Person Rooms

$52,117.75

$69,342.24

$70,067.88

$153,398.18

Total Per Night Room Booking Revenue, Month of Low Occupancy with The Immersion YWR

$254,588.21

$111,447.74

$79,645.88

$199,170.95

5 Night Room Booking Revenue with The Immersion YWR

$1,272,941.05

$557,238.70

$398,229.40

$995,854.75

Number of 2 Person Rooms

Number of 3+ Person Rooms

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Distribution part16.

Channels I.

Overview

II. The Four Seasons Phone Reservations III. The Four Seasons App IV. The Four Seasons Website

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I. Overview The Immersion Yoga + Wellness Retreat Package will be distributed solely through the Four Seasons direct booking systems - mobile app, website, and phone reservation assistance. For wellness resorts, 39 percent of reservations are booked through the brand website and 35 percent from other forms of direct booking, which results in over 70 percent direct bookings. Unlike traditional resorts, wellness resorts do not accept bookings placed through global distribution systems and online travel agencies, which are commonly replaced by specialized travel agents (Modena). The Immersion is sold as a per-person package add-on, so any third-party distribution system/agency would not be suitable as these distributors sell rooms, not specialty offers and packages. Additionally, the Four Seasons records guest information for any injuries, dietary needs/restrictions, yoga preferences, or any other special requests. Customer information is proprietary and must be handled securely.

Choosing direct booking creates an efficient and effective system to handle customer privacy and health concerns, especially due to the physical nature of the experience.

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II. The Four Seasons Phone Reservations The Four Seasons currently offers global phone reservations and provides customers with toll-free numbers. As with any other package, guests making reservations at any of the select retreat destinations will be offered The Immersion package. Reservation personnel will be trained to communicate the value of each retreat experience. Employees will also be trained to inform guests, from all in-coming calls, about the new package as a chance to drive awareness and intrigue for the retreat.

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III. The Four Seasons App The Immersion Yoga + Wellness Retreat package will be offered on the current Four Seasons Mobile App. The primary purpose of the App is for reservation bookings, including package add-ons.

For the purpose of this demonstration, the Peninsula Papagayo, Costa Rica resort will be used.

When a customer selects their room, they will be prompted to select an optional package as shown in Figure 5. Customers must also select the number of guest participating as this a per person charge. They will then be directed to input any health concerns, dietary needs, yoga preferences, or any other special requests (Figure 7). During checkout, guests will be charged based on their room selection for five nights, in addition to the package price per guest. For guests wanting to know what is included in the price, they may click “What’s Included” in Figure 5, which will immediately bring them to Figure 6. This page provides a breakdown of the cost and a brief description of the experience. However, before a guest makes a reservation, they will likely want to read a general resort overview and in doing so may click on “Offers” (Figure 8). The guest will be directed to Figure 9 which provides an overview of current offers available at the resort. This will provide a brief description of the experience and a link to check “Rates & Availability” which will direct the guest to Figure 5.

Figure 5: Select a Package

Figure 6: What’s Included

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Figure 7: Special Requests

Figure 8: Resort Overview

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Figure 9: About Current Offers

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IV. The Four Seasons Website Resort bookings done through the Four Seasons website follow a similar process to the app, however, the website offers much more information about the brand and each destination. For the purpose of this demonstration, the Peninsula Papagayo, Costa Rica resort will be used.

When a customer enters the Four Seasons website they will land on the home page and when “More” is pressed on the banner, they will be able to click on “The Immersion Yoga + Wellness Retreat” (Figure 10). When clicked, the customer will be directed to Figure 11 where they can learn about the retreat and scheduled destinations. By clicking on a destination, the guest will be directed to an information page for The Immersion at that specific resort (Figure 12). When a customer enters a specific resorts home page, pressing “More” on the banner will present an option to click on “The Immersion Yoga + Wellness Retreat” (Figure 13). The customer will be directed to Figure 12 upon clicking this option, which provides a description of the retreat at the host resort. If they instead choose to scroll down on the homepage they will come across Figure 14 and by clicking “Learn More” they will be directed to Figure 12.

Once a room has been selected, the customer will be directed to Figure 15 where they will be offered a selection of various packages. Customers must select the number of guests participating, as this a per person charge. If the customer wishes to learn what is included in the price they may press “What’s Included?” which will direct them to Figure 16. This page provides a breakdown of the cost and a brief description of the experience. Once the package is selected, guests will be directed to input any health concerns, dietary needs, yoga preferences, or any other special requests (Figure 17). During checkout, guests will be charged based on their room selection for five nights, in addition to the package price per guest.

Lululemon currently provides information and reservations for The Immersion on their website, under the Community, Festivals & Retreats tab. This page will continue to provide guests information on the retreat, however, will be updated to reflect the strategy and philosophy of this new partnership (Figure 18). If a customer clicks the “Explore More” button, they will be directed to Figure 11.

The hyperlinked destinations under “Upcoming Retreats”, will direct customers to Figure 12 where they can learn more about the retreat at this specific resort.

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Figure 10: The Four Seasons Home Page

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Figure 11: About The Immersion

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Figure 12: About the Immersion at the Host Resort

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Figure 13: Resort Homepage

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Figure 14: Relaxation Experiences – The Immersion

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Figure 15: Optional Package Selection

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Figure 16: What’s Included in the Package

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Figure 17: Special Requests

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Figure 18: About The Immersion on Lululemon’s Website

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Marketing part17.

Plan I.

Budget

II. Strategic Objectives III. Campaign Headline IV. Social Media V. Print VI. Public Relations VII. Customer Relationship Management

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I. Budget Pre-launch marketing efforts will begin one-year prior to the first retreat, as destinations can only be reserved one-year in advance. For this reason, the budget will account for two years of marketing activities to accommodate for pre-, launch, and post-launch. In 2015, Four Seasons earned total revenues of USD4.3 billion (HAC). Assuming their 2014 marketing budget of USD40 million remained constant, global media spend accounted for just 0.93 percent of total revenues in 2015 (O’Leary).

The total projected yearly revenues of The Immersion amount to USD2,175,912.20. Therefore, the total yearly marketing budget of this initiative is USD20,235.98. To allocate funds for the pre-launch in 2020, the Four Seasons will make a one year investment of USD20,235.98 that will be returned over 2021, in addition to any future retreat offerings. Over the full two-year period, The Immersion has a total marketing budget of USD40,471.96.

The Four Seasons does very little traditional advertising (Wentz and Colas), while Lululemon focuses more on grassroots based initiatives. However, both brands are consistent with public relations (PR), customer relationship management (CRM), and social media. The marketing dollars for the Immersion will be split between Print, Social Media, PR, and CRM (Figure 19). The allocation of marketing dollars will remain constant during 2020 and 2021. Any additional marketing done on Lululemon’s terms will be paid for by Luluelemon.

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Figure 19: Yearly Marketing Dollars (USD)

Yearly Marketing Dollars (USD)

Social Media

Print

PR

CRM

$2,036 10% $8,094

40%

20%

30% $6,071

$4,047

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II. Strategic Objectives 1. Build Market Awareness Consumer awareness is the first step in the marketing strategy as this is a new package that consumers will not know about. It is important to educate the consumer on what the package is, where it is offered, and what they will get out of it. Increasing awareness among the target market aims to attract customers both new and old.

2. Drive Enthusiasm Communicating to consumers The Immersion’s unique values and offers will be done to peak interest in the retreat. Developing an engaging consumer-facing message will help to drive enthusiasm and build a narrative for the retreat that sets it apart from competition. This step will ultimately determine the target markets purchase decision. With every marketing message, the Four Seasons hopes to attract new customers, maintain the existing customer base, and/or drive repeat visitations.

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III. Campaign Headline The campaign headline for the duration of the two-year marketing plan reads, “Begin your journey, embrace your element.” The philosophy of The Immersion was the guiding principle that lent to the creation of the “big idea” which is present in each marketing initiative. For a refresher, The Immersion’s philosophy reads: “Connecting with the elements inspires the narrative that fuels our practice, journey, and community with one another. As we expand into knowing, we become aware of the interconnectedness of every instance in our universe. A lesson that drives our appreciation for our earth and every spirit that calls it home. Let us learn to cherish our community with one another, the significance of every organism, and our only home, here, on earth.”

The keywords that inspired the campaign headline were “connect, embrace, transform, community, journey, immersion, empower, aspiration, self-discovery, multi-chapter story, nature, and element”.

These words ultimately work together to create an extraordinary experience that deepen guest’s connection with the Four Seasons and Lululemon. By communicating the idea behind the campaign headline, The Immersion is able to empower guests who yearn for a sense of community, self-discovery, and the start of a life-long journey. The aspirational impression that is left on guests, is truly what makes The Immersion one-of-a-kind.

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IV. Social Media YouTube and Instagram are the two social media platforms that The Four Seasons will use to promote The Immersion. These platforms reach a significant number of consumers who have an affinity for both brands and/or are either current, past, or future customers. Sharing about The Immersion with both brands preexisting loyal community, drives awareness and enthusiasm for The Immersion while working to solidify the partnership early in the pre-launch.

Lululemon’s YouTube channel has 60,000 subscribers, while The Four Seasons has 32,000. Lululemon’s channel includes: Yoga for Beginners; Short “How To” videos that outline the technique behind specific poses; 20, 45, and 60-minute Yoga classes of various styles. To help promote the brand partnership during pre-launch, Lululemon will upload videos of yoga classes, led by Yoga Ambassadors, at Four Seasons (explored in Section VI. Public Relations). This will help consumers to draw a connection between the two brands one-year prior to the launch. The Four Seasons and Lululemon will post one minute teasers of the retreat to build excitement and inform consumers where and when retreats will be held. During launch and post-launch, highlight reels, which will be about three minutes in length, will be posted after every single retreat to reaffirm connections with guests and engage with potential future guests. These highlight reels will be posted to both the Lululemon and Four Seasons YouTube channels. The timeline for the YouTube promotions has been outlined in Figure 20.

Lululemon and Four Seasons have a combined Instagram following of approximately 3.776 million (Figure 21). Content will be posted to all Instagram accounts, with the exception that resort-specific accounts, like @fscostarica, will only highlight information about the retreat at that resort. The timeline for these initiatives has been outlined in Figure 22. The Four Seasons and Lululemon Instagram pages will both have the website address for The Immersion linked in the bio section (Figure 23).

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Figure 20: Four Seasons and Lululemon’s YouTube Timeline Winter 2020

Spring 2020

Summer 2020

Autumn 2020

Winter 2021

Spring 2021

Summer 2021

Autumn 2021

Lululemon Yoga at the Four Seasons Lululemon Retreat Teasers Lululemon Retreat Highlight Reel Four Seasons Retreat Teasers Four Seasons Retreat Highlight Reel

Figure 21: Instagram Followers of The Four Seasons and Lululemon Four Seasons

Four Seasons Mauritius

Four Seasons Chiang-Mai

@fourseasons

@fsmauritius

@fschiangmai

847,000 followers

21,700 followers

23,300 followers

Four Seasons Hualalai

Four Seasons Costa Rica

Lululemon

@fshualalai

@fscostarica

@lululemon

41,800 followers

42,500 followers

2.8 million

Figure 22: Four Seasons and Lululemon’s Instagram Timeline Winter 2020

Spring 2020

Summer 2020

Autumn 2020

Winter 2021

Spring 2021

Summer 2021 Autumn 2021

Sneak Peaks/Teasers Interviews Highlights from Lululemon Yoga at the Four Seasons Retreat Highlights User Generated Content

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Figure 23: Website Address linked in Instagram Bios

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1. Pre-Launch Posts Early during the pre-launch, Instagram posts will be centered around creating awareness for the partnership. Sneak peaks/teasers of future retreats (Figure 24) will be posted to Lululemon and The Four Seasons account along with each resort-specific account that the retreat will be hosted at. This announces the date, location (with a geotag), and a teaser on the theme of the retreat. Interviews with resident yogis will be posted on the resorts Instagram page and will provide details on the partnership in addition to sneak peaks of the retreat itineraries (Figure 25). To promote Luluelmon yoga classes held at select Four Seasons, an announcement about the partnership will be made on both The Four Seasons and Lululemons Instagram’s. Individual hotel accounts will take it from here, with posts about upcoming classes in addition to highlights from every class (Figure 26). Interviews with Lululemon’s Global Yoga Ambassadors will be posted on both Luluelmons and Four Seasons Instagram’s (Figure 27).

2. Launch and Post-Launch Posts During the year of launch, the promotions will focus on building connections with past, current, or future guests. During and after each retreat, each Four Seasons resort will collect user generated content to post on their Instagram’s (Figure 28). This helps connect with guests but also incentivizes them to share their experience on Instagram, thereby increasing awareness and interest in the retreat. Content that highlights each retreat (during and after) will be posted to all Instagram pages (Figure 29).

The budget for social media is USD2,035.60 per year, and USD4,071.20 for the full two-year promotion plan. This accounts for just 10 percent of the total marketing budget. Both Four Seasons and Lululemon have preexisting social media teams that work to post and create content, so no additional office labor costs are associated. Additionally, each resort is equipped with personnel who are responsible for running social media and creating new content. However, The Four Seasons will have to budget for the creation of short social videos (under three minutes) and photographs.

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Figure 24: Sneak Peaks/Teasers of Future Retreat Destinations

Figure 25: Interviews with Resident Yogis on the Partnership

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Figure 26: Highlights & Announcements from Lululemon Yoga Classes at The Four Seasons Metropolitan Hotels

Figure 27: Interviews with Global Yoga Ambassadors on Designing Retreat Classes

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Figure 28: User Generated Content From Each Retreat

Figure 29: Highlights From Each Retreat

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V. Print The Four Seasons Magazine is comprised of four annual issues. It is currently distributed online through the Four Seasons website and in every guest room. Four Seasons Magazine features locally-inspired stories from various destinations along with events, opinion pieces, and fashion spreads.

Advertisements in the Magazine are primarily from luxury brands such as Stuart Weitzman, Richard Mille, and Gucci to name a few. However, advertisements from the Four Seasons are also featured throughout the magazine.

Four Seasons Magazine will feature an advertisement for each unique destination that has been shown in Figures 30 though 33. Each advertisement features a retreat-inspired photograph, the name of the resort, the logo, and the campaign headline. The website address has been provided (www.fourseasons.com/theimmersion/) on all ads. Advertisements for each destination will begin one year prior to the retreat, or four full issues ahead. They will terminate with the issue that is released within the same season as the retreats commencement (Figure 34). This magazine is distributed in every Four Seasons guestroom on a global scale and has the potential for significant reader circulation. This initiative provides the opportunity to build awareness for The Immersion among the Four Seasons pre-existing customers.

Through Four Seasons Magazine, guests can read and learn about unique Four Seasons experiences around the globe. Engaging storytelling has the unique ability to not feel like marketing. This creates an opportunity for the Four Seasons to strengthen connections with its guests and drive enthusiasm for the brand. Four Seasons Magazine will dedicate one page out of every issue to tell a story about The Immersion. Features may come in the form of retreat recaps, a collection of guest’s social media shares, the creation process of each upcoming retreat, or interviews with key itinerary contributors. Two examples have been shown in Figure 35 and Figure 36. Sharing stories told through a “journey” based narrative, is anticipated to foster an aspirational desire to join the experience. Using Four Seasons Magazine as an outlet to tell multi-chapter stories, is intended to help drive enthusiasm and engagement among Four Seasons current customer base.

The Four Seasons will distribute branded postcards, for The Immersion, in every guestroom and at select Lululemon stores as a means to build awareness for the retreat. This initiative will reach out to the Four Seasons current customers in addition to Lululemon customers in select wealthy metropolitan neighborhoods. Each guest room will display one postcard from each of the four

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destinations. In the select Lululemon stores, a wooden rack will hold a supply of each of the four different postcards. In both locations, postcards will be displayed from January 1, 2020 to October 31, 2021, the termination date of the one year location schedule. The postcards show an advertisement on the front and locations, dates, the retreat philosophy, and a mailing section on the back.

The website address is found on the back of each postcard (Figure 37).

Print accounts for 20 percent of the total marketing spend, which amounts to USD8,094.40 (beginning of 2020 to 2021 year-end). For the magazine advertisement, the budget accounts for a loss in revenue from other potential advertisers in addition to the compensation for the creative team.

The cost for narrative pieces includes contracting a writer for content creation. The cost incurred for the postcards involves distribution to each destination and select Lululemon stores, printing, and compensation for the creative team.

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Figure 30: Four Seasons Magazine Advertisements - Peninsula Papagayo, Costa Rica

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Figure 31: Four Seasons Magazine Advertisements - Hualalai, Hawaii

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Figure 32: Four Seasons Magazine Advertisements – Mauritius at Anahita

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Figure 33: Four Seasons Magazine Advertisements - Chiang-Mai, Thailand

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Figure 34: Four Seasons Magazine Advertisement Timeline

Issue 1 Winter 2020

Issue 2 Spring 2020

Issue 3 Summer 2020

Issue 4 Autumn 2020

Issue 1 Winter 2021

Issue 2 Issue 3 Spring 2021 Summer 2021

Hualalai, Hawaii Advertisements Mauritius at Anahita Advertisements Chiang-Mai, Thailand Advertisements Peninsula Papagayo, Costa Rica Advertisements

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Figure 35: Four Seasons Magazine, “Get Your ‘Zen’ On in Hualalai”

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Figure 36: Four Seasons Magazine, “Share Your Journey”

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Figure 37: Postcards

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VI. Public Relations The Four Seasons offers paid-for yoga classes to guests at most of their city hotels. These classes are open to the public at a cost, which is an additional revenue driver for hotels. This lends to the idea of a cost-effective public relations effort, to host Lululemon yoga classes in place of already scheduled classes. The hotels that have been chosen for this initiative are those that offer a yoga program and are in close proximity to a Lululemon store (Figure 38). These destinations have the added benefit of being in close proximity to the target market, as they exist in wealthy neighborhoods. Local Lululemon Yoga Ambassadors would lead the classes and Lululemon branding would be present in the complimentary yoga matts that would be provided for guests. This complements Lululemon’s current in-store yoga classes and is simply an extension of this idea. These classes would be held once a month at each location for the full pre-launch in 2020. This initiative will work to establish awareness for the partnership so that customers can draw an authentic connection between the brands. Additionally, all guests will be handed The Immersion postcards shown in Figure 37 will be used as a way to build awareness for the upcoming retreat.

The Four Seasons has been featured in the articles of luxury travel magazines/publication including Conde Nast, Travel and Leisure, Luxury Travel Magazine, and Jetsetter. The Four Seasons will pay for mentions in the listed media publications as a means to build awareness and enthusiasm for The Immersion. These articles allow for authentic advertising as consumers have the propensity to “trust the expert”, who in this case are the journalists. Engaging travel stories and “expert” suggestions work to build enthusiasm among readers. An example of this format has been shown in Figure 38.

Public relations accounts for 30 percent of the Four Seasons promotional budget, or USD6,070.79 per year and USD12,141.58 for the full two-year plan. This cost is fully dedicated to the paid-for mentions in the various media publications. There are no additional costs associated with running the Lululemon yoga classes. Regardless of who is teaching the class, yoga must be paid for, and teachers must be paid for their time. The cost incurred, will be the same as what the Four Seasons is already paying, which is based on local rates for yoga teachers. In fact, these classes will actually incentive a higher proportion of non-hotel guests to pay for yoga classes at The Four Seasons, thus driving additional revenues.

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Figure 38: Selected Four Seasons Hotels to Host Lululemon Yoga Classes North America Atlanta, USA Chicago, USA Dallas, USA Los Angeles, USA Miami Beach , USA Montreal, Canada New York Downtown, USA Seattle, USA Toronto, Canada Vancouver, Canada

Europe London at Ten Trinity, UK Paris, France Asia-Pacific Beijing, China Hong Kong Seoul, Korea Singapore Sydney, Australia

Figure 39: Paid for Mentions in Media Publications

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VII. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) CRM accounts for the highest proportion of marketing dollars (40 percent) with a yearly budget of $8,094, and $16,188 over the full two-year promotion plan. CRM is the highest budgeted-for category since wellness travelers typically spend significantly longer researching different wellness programing options than traditional tourists (Modena). Additionally, The Four Seasons prides itself with having a high service standard, a value that will be extended to The Immersion. For these reasons, it is crucial for the Four Seasons to have a tactical CRM plan.

In late 2017, the Four Seasons launched its Four Seasons Chat where guests can send a message via multiple channels – namely the Four Seasons App, Facebook Messenger, WeChat, or text. The result is a seamlessly integrated conversation that creates uniquely tailored hospitality experiences, facilitated digitally but delivered with a distinctly human approach (The Four Season). Customer service agents via Four Seasons Chat, phone, and web, are expected to be knowledgeable regarding details surrounding The Immersion. Customer service agents will require additional training regarding details of The Immersion to ensure that the customers booking process is to their utmost satisfaction.

The Four Seasons will use its current CRM databases to collect information from guests who have participated in fitness/yoga classes, resort sporting facilities, and spa services. As these customers have clearly expressed interest in wellness activities across global Four Seasons properties, they will be targeted with emails about The Immersion. Emails will include information about scheduling, the philosophy of The Immersion, and the unique experience to be had at each retreat. Once guests have completed their stay with The Immersion, the automatic emails will be sent from the concierge to follow up with guest and thank them for their stay. Every email will include a survey so that The Immersion can get guest feedback to make the experience even better. By completing the survey, guests will automatically be entered for a chance to win a trip for two to an upcoming retreat. This will help incentivize guests to complete the survey and provide feedback.

The Four Seasons will use customer information to target its most receptive audience through sponsored ads. Ads will appear on website browsers (Figure 40) and Instagram (Figure 41). This method is to be used as a means to drive sales by persuading and reminding customers to complete their reservation.

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Figure 40: Web Browser Sponsored Ad

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Figure 41: Instagram Sponsored Ad

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part18. Conclusion For luxury hotel brands, wellness programs have become an essential point of differentiation, given the rise of healthy-minded consumers and wellness tourism. As wellness resorts increasingly enter the luxury space, hoteliers are tasked with creating holistic and authentic wellness programs to retain greater market share. Global luxury hotel brand, The Four Seasons, has a wellness offering that is virtually the same as its competitors. This puts Four Seasons at risk of losing market share among emergent wellness travelers. To address this issue, this project proposes a collaboration between the Four Seasons and Lululemon to host The Immersion Yoga + Wellness Retreat, held exclusively at select Four Seasons resorts. As a passionate and influential voice in the yoga community, Lululemon is a well-aligned and strategic partner for the Four Seasons.

Applying characteristics of traditional wellness resorts has the added benefit for the Four Seasons of increasing occupancy during off-season. This is because wellness resorts are able to maintain stable occupancy throughout the year and are less impacted by seasonality. For its first-year location scheduling strategy, The Immersion provides destinations that offer expansive global reach, seasonal synchronization, and diversity in experience. One destination will be offered weekly for one month out of every season. The retreat will comprise of a 5-night, 6-day itinerary. The selected destinations and months are Hualalai, Hawaii (February 2021), Mauritius at Anahita (May 2021), Chiang-Mai, Thailand (August 2021), and Peninsula Papagayo, Costa Rica (October 2021). Additionally, The Immersion provides an opportunity for the chosen destinations to address current tourism market challenges.

The Immersion narrates a journey for each guest that is a multi-chapter story of physical, mental, and spiritual seeking within themselves and their community. Every retreat incorporates underlying do-good initiatives, which align with emergent wellness travelers who are more aware of and interested in the wellbeing of the local people, their communities, and the natural environments they coexist with. Each guest is provided with a welcome package that includes the retreat itinerary along with a Lululemon yoga matt, water bottle and sack, meditation journal, and welcome bag. Lululemon will collaborate with one local artist from each destination to create artwork

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inspired by the empowering narrative at each retreat. The Immersion will be distributed through Four Seasons direct-booking as a package add-on. In its first year of operations, The Immersion is projected to generate additional revenues of $2,175,912.20 across all locations. The Immersion generates an average increase of 103.8 percent in the total monthly revenues at all locations and 51.08 percent in occupancy across all destinations during low-season.

The promotional budget accounts for 0.93 percent of The Immersion’s total yearly revenue, or USD20,235.98. As this is a two-year marketing plan, USD40,471.96 will be allocated for the duration of the pre-, launch, and post-launch. Through marketing initiatives, The Four Seasons hopes to build awareness and drive enthusiasm for The Immersion. The marketing dollars for the Immersion will be split between Print, Social Media, PR, and CRM and will remain constant during 2020 and 2021.

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Biographical Statement I grew up in a small Canadian town, named Campbellville, outside of Toronto, Canada. The idea of living in the country, surrounded by forest, may conflict with assumptions about the luxury and fashion enthusiast. However, my upbringing developed my passion for environmental stewardship that I hope to extend to this industry. My love for connecting with the world, nature, and others began with the wanderlust my parents instilled in me from a young age. Some of my earliest memories include my family and I trekking through the jungle in Costa Rica, portage canoe trips in Northern Ontario, and backpacking the High-Sierra camps of Yosemite, California.

My engagement in adventurous activity created my awareness for total wellness comprising of mind and body connection. As a former ballerina and current fitness fanatic, my body has been conditioned for physical engagement. And although I may have not become the prima ballerina I once dreamed of, I found an even more meaningful way to exercise both my mind and body through practicing yoga. Since finding yoga when I was 15 to becoming the self-proclaimed yogi I am today, I have focused my attention inward to learn more about myself, others, and the world. I hope to further my training and share my passion and knowledge with others through becoming a certified yoga teacher.

I have always had an affinity for understanding people, their social cohorts, and what motivates their connections to brands. This led me to pursue a career in marketing, and taking my first step to do so, I graduated with my Bachelor of Commerce from McMaster University in 2017.

As a travel enthusiast with a passion for international business relations, I was inspired to do an exchange at the University of Sydney Business School in 2016. I decided to further my education and attend graduate school for Luxury and Fashion Management, where I have truly transformed my ability to analyze markets, brands, consumer segments, understand the importance of visual narrative efforts, and draw meaningful conclusions for luxury brand strategy. I hope to utilize my skills and knowledge through a career in advertising.

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Appendix A: 2018 Awards and Accolades AAA Five Diamond Awards • 21 Four Seasons hotels and resorts across the Americas were awarded the AAA Five Diamond rating this year.

• Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown was one of only eight new hotels to receive the AAA Five Diamond designation.

AFAR Traveler’s Choice Awards • Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora was named the “Best for an Epic Stay” in the ranking of best hotels for every type of traveller.

Business Traveller Middle East Awards • In its first year of operation, Four Seasons Hotel Kuwait at Burj Alshaya was named the Best Business Hotel in Kuwait.

Condé Nast Traveler Gold List • Condé Nast Traveler editors listed nine Four Seasons properties as some of their favourite hotels in the world on their annual Gold List, including Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo; Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris; Four Seasons Hotel Firenze; Four Seasons Private Island Maldives at Voavah, Baa Atoll; Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat, A Four Seasons Hotel; Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahment; Four Seasons Hotel Baltimore; Four Seasons Resort Lanai; and Four Seasons Hotel Kyoto.

Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards • Four Seasons received 51 awards in the 2018 Condé Nast Traveler Reader’s Choice Awards Condé Nast Traveler China Gold List • 13 Four Seasons properties were featured on the 2018 Condé Nast Traveler China Gold List.

Condé Nast Traveller Middle East Hot List • Four Seasons Hotel at The Surf Club, Miami, Surfside, Four Seasons Hotel Kuwait at Burj Alshaya, and Four Seasons Hotel London at Ten Trinity Square were all named among the best new hotel openings in the world.

Condé Nast Traveller UK Hot List • Four Seasons Resort Seychelles at Desroches Island was named the top choice in the Indian Ocean on the 2018 Condé Nast Traveller UK Hot List.

DestinAsian Awards • Eleven Four Seasons properties received recognition in the 2018 DestinAsian awards, including Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay; Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai; Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong; Four Seasons Hotel Koh Samui, Thailand; Four Seasons Resort Langkawi; Four Seasons Hotel Macao, Cotai Strip; Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa; Four Seasons Hotel Mumbai; Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai, Hoi An, Vietnam; Four Seasons Hotel Seoul; and Four Seasons Hotel Sydney.

FORTUNE Magazine’s 100 Best Companies to Work For • Four Seasons was listed for the 21st consecutive years on Fortune’s “100 Best Companies to Work for List.”

• Four Seasons is one of just ten organisations to be featured on the list every year since its inception.

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Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Awards • Four Seasons received a record number of Five-Star Ratings in 2018, with 33 properties receiving the coveted Five-Star recognition.

• This marks the most Five-Star ratings ever won by a single hotel company in a year in the Guide’s 60-year history.

• Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown received a Five-Star designation for the first time in 2018, after being operational for only one year.

• Four Seasons Hotel Dubai International Finance Centre and Four Seasons Resort Dubai Jumeirah Beach each received a Five-Star designation for the first time in 2018, the first year that Forbes has ever awarded properties in Dubai.

Michelin Starred Restaurants • 16 restaurants at 12 Four Seasons hotels currently sparkle under a canopy of 24 Michelin Stars, including the world’s first Chinese restaurant to achieve the highest ranking of three stars, the most Michelin stars under one roof at Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong with 8 stars, and all three restaurants at Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris - the only hotel in Europe to have this distinction.

• Restaurants include Lung King Heen (3 Stars), Caprice (3 Stars) and Sushi Saito (2 Stars) at Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong; Le Cinq (3 Stars), L’Orangerie (1 Star) and Le George (1 Star) at Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris; Le 1920 (2 Stars) at Four Seasons Hotel Megève; Zi Yat Heen (1 Star) at Four Seasons Hotel Macao, Cotai Strip; Yu Yuan (1 Star) at Four Seasons Hotel Seoul; Il Palagio (1 Star) at Four Seasons Hotel Firenze; Il Lago (1 Star) at Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues Geneva; Le Cap (1 Star) at Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat, A Four Seasons Hotel; Sushi Wakon (1 Star) at Four Seasons Hotel Kyoto; Le Dame de Pic London (1 Star) at Four Seasons Hotel London at Ten Trinity Square; Yu Yue Heen (1 Star) at Four Seasons Hotel Guangzhou; and Jiang-Nan Chun (1 Star) at Four Seasons Hotel Singapore.

Travel + Leisure’s It List: The Best New Hotels in the World •Four Seasons Hotel The Surf Club was listed by Travel + Leisure as one the best new hotel openings in 2017.

TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Awards • 46 Four Seasons hotels and resorts won a total of 98 TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Awards.

Source: Tuite, Sarah. “AWARDS AND ACCOLADES FOR FOUR SEASONS HOTELS AND RESORTS.” Four Seasons Press Room. 13 Sept. 2018. https://press.fourseasons.com/news-releases/awards-and-accolades-for-four-seasons-hotels-and-resorts/. Accessed 18 Oct. 2018.

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Appendix B: Wellness Traveler Classification

Source: Ophelia Yeung et al. “The Global Wellness Tourism Economy.� Global Wellness Institute. 2014. https://www.globalwellnesssummit.com/images/stories/pdf/wellness_tourism_economy_exec_sum_final_10022013.pdf. Accessed 15 Oct. 2018.

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Appendix C: Interview with the Concierge at 19 Four Seasons Resorts Destination

Rep.

Where Guests Are From

Chiang-Mai, Thailand

Kate, Four Seasons Resorts Thailand, Sat. Jan 12

Golden Triangle, Thailand

Lingling, Camp Mostly from the Host, on Jan. US, Latin 18 at 8:38 pm America, and Europe.

Koh Samui, Thailand

Fon our guest 40% is Reservations Chinese and Department, 60% is other Four Seasons countries.

Resorts Thailand (Bangkok Office) Jan. 13 at 2:45 am

40% chinese and 60% other countries

Off Season May to Sept.

The quiet season will be around April to September each year.`

Average Length of Stay 3 – 4 nights

Cost for Yoga?

Is yoga popular?

Are there any yoga retreats?

We do offer schedule group session as complimentary and chargeable both. As well as private session also available.

Yoga program are popular and we offer group Currently we do and individual both kind of sessions, guest to not have yoga choose according preference. We offer daily retreats, however schedule group Sunrise Yoga 07:00 hours at we are working THB 1,100++ per person. Schedule group on it for the near Asana on Monday 16:00 hours as future. complimentary. Schedule group Wheel Yoga on Sunday & Wednesday 16:00 hours at THB 1,300++ per person Varies from 2 to no yoga program Should you are interested in Yoga, we can No. provide complimentary Yoga mat to be sent in 5 nights. But the the tent for you. We, unfortunately however, most popular do not have a Yoga Instructor in our property period of time and hence no Yoga program to be offered. will be 3-4 nights as it will leave you spontaneous time to enjoy our camp and each activity we provide. normally guest Our resort are Koh Samui it's quite hard to find the place for Our resort are do some local activities for wellness. provide provide private will stay 4 -7 However, there is one resort named Kamalaya yoga class at complimentary nights. which is wellness resort. kindly see link as class at every guest's villa or below; Monday and Spa Hut(Spa Friday at 08:00 Sala). kindly see AM (Maximum 8 file attached. persons)

Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui is famous and can be visiting for year round.

So, there is non offseasons for this location.

Bora Bora, Fleur We receive November 1st 4 to 5 night We have Yes, offered daily.

There are no complimentary Knopkiewicz, guests from all to March 31st yoga retreats at French morning yoga Reservation over the world (except during the Resort.

Polynesia sessions most of Agent, on Jan. but the majority Festive). the time and other 13 at 12:17 am comes from the daily pay yoga United States. classes.

Maldives at Hathu We have guests our low we have guests We do have Yoga is a popular activity among the guests We do not have and we have professional yogis on the island. yoga retreats Mohamed, travelling from all seasons are in travelling from 2 scheduled Landaa we do have private yoga sessions with the complimentary Reservations over the world June and available at the Giraavaru days to long yoga sessions and yogi which we will be able to customise Agent, on Jan. and the guests September resort. stays as well special anti gravity based on your needs and you may speak 14 at 1:03pm receive 30 days which varies with yoga and aqua for with the ayurvedic doctor for consultation and tourist visa upon every guest the guests which they will advise which of the treatments will be arrival at the is on chargeable best for you. basis. airport Maldives at Nasrulla Adhil, Mostly Asian and May to july 1 to 35 nights 2 complimentary It is popular and depends on each what each We have our individual guests are looking for during the and 2 charge European Island Spa which Kuda Huraa Reservations yoga classes per stay. Offered daily.

Agent countries, but all is located on a day. More Four Seasons, over separate available on on Jan. 13 7:05 secluded island request for am. which is near to upcharge Four Seasons Kuda Huraa.

Bali at Sayan, Putu Udayana They are coming March to May 3 nights Some are Yes, its one of our signature activities at It can be Sayan complimentary Resort Assistant from around the organised Indonesia and some are Manager, on world, but most separately base chargeable Jan. 14 6:03 am are coming from on request and United States, the availability Europe and Asia Bali at Rino, All over the Our high and There are long- complimentary There are complimentary yoga classes at the Unfortunately, we Jimbarren, Reservation world, peak seasons staying guests and fee for private Resorts which are scheduled almost daily. We are not provides can provide you with the list for your Indonesia Sales Agent , on unfortunately we fall in July – and some who yoga retreats reference. It is pretty popular and commonly Jan 13 at 11:35 are not able to August and are staying for a program. liked by guests who are staying for relaxation. pm specify all details late December night or two.

Otherwise, we may accommodate you with

Manager, on world, but most chargeable Jan. 14 6:03 am are coming from United States, Europe and Asia Bali at the Our high and There are long- complimentary 295 | T HRino, E I M M E RAllSover ION YOG A + W E L L N E S S R E T R E AT Jimbarren, Reservation world, peak seasons staying guests and fee for private Indonesia Sales Agent , on unfortunately we fall in July – and some who Jan 13 at 11:35 are not able to August and are staying for a pm specify all details late December night or two. due to – early January. confidentiality.

Langkawi, Pavin, UK, American, May to 3 to 7 nights, as complimentary Malaysia Reservations Chinese and beginning of long as 2 weeks and chargable yoga Supervisor European September Malaysia. Jan 12 at 11:06pm.

Kiajah Liburd, St. Kitts and United States Concierge, on Nevis Jan 15 at 1:30 pm Anguilla

June to November

1 to 2 weeks

concierge, Anguilla, on Jan 19. at 3:39 pm Lanai, Hawaii Phone call with Shanon, Concierge

The Oceans Club, The Bahamas

Hualalai, Hawaii

Punta MIta, Mexico

Peninsula Papagayo, Costa Rica

Seychelles Desroches

Mauritius

Serengeti, Tanzania

There are complimentary yoga classes at the Unfortunately, we Resorts which are scheduled almost daily. We are not provides can provide you with the list for your yoga retreats reference. It is pretty popular and commonly program. liked by guests who are staying for relaxation.

Otherwise, we may accommodate you with our yoga scheduled whether in class session and private session. reccomended activity by the resort and it is At the moment, offered on a daily basis we can make we do not have arrangements accordingly to your needs any specific through consultation with our in-house Yogis retreats that takes place. cost of US$35.00 Certainly Yoga is a high demand for many No, the is no per person with registered guest. Yoga is schedule at 8:00am retreats offerred the group or for 1 hour every Tuesdays, Thursday & here at the Hotel.

US$75.00 private Saturdays. If you do wishe to have a private sessions for one session that can be arrange. hour. $35 per class Moderately so. Classes are not offered for No retreats but free and only take place on a weekly schedule they will offer that is not fixed.

all over the world sping, summer 1 week high season, and holidays Other yoga Most travelers USA and Varies in the are last minute. 5 classes at a Canada, but summers, charge sometimes very and 10 nights from all over busy or very slow.

Chantiek Yes, Yoga is For example: The month of Our UK guest Lightbourne, China, U.K, and September, normally stay 7 - offered every morning at Concierge, on U.S. April, August 14 days. US 8:00am Jan. 23 at 10:44 guest 7 days complimentary. am Diana, $40 per class USA, Japan slower middle 5 night is concierge, on of January to average Jan 19. at 3:41 early February + September to early October Phone call with Mosy NA, but September, last 5, 6, 8 nights Extra charge approx. $100.

Gina, Concierge from all over days of june on

and first half of july beginning june, 5-7 nights august – October

Patricia, Chief Concierge spoke on Fri. Jan. 11 at 3:09

Mostly North American Tourists from USA East Coast or from LA and Seattle on West Coast. From Canada Betsia Jean We have a mix of peak seasons nationalities for are mainly Front Office during festive Agent, on Jan. guests who 14 at 7:01 am comes to stay at for Christmas our resort, mainly and New year from America, and also during Easter Europe and Middle East Vianney, European, 07 May - 3 Concierge, on Middle East, June Jan. 13 4:51 Asian Countries 13 June - 11 am. all depending on Aug the Seasons.

23 Aug - 30 Sep Emmanuel, Reservation Department Serengetin on Jan 12 at 11:03am.

North America and Europe

separately base on request and the availability

fee $20

€15 per person Minimum stay will be approximately 2/3 nights and max 9 nights or more

depend on your both budget as we do complimentary have long stay and payable sessions as well. guest and short term stay guest which stays 5 to 7 days.

April, May, mid 4 nights Complimentary to late November, and December

spa does fitness and yoga. One daily complimentary yoga. Class in yoga

Private fitness lessons only. No retreats.

Moderately, more fitness.

No yoga retreats are offered

yes the spa offers yoga classes depending on no, but you can the day. Additional cost, offered daily scheudle a depending on the schedule private yoga session

Fitness schedule indlucing yoga. Not on daily No basis. At least 2 or 3 dys per week. Not the same program every week fee $20

No retreats offered by the resort.

Private yoga sessions are offered at the spa We do not offer yoga pavilion or at the guest villa with yoga retreats at advance reservations (chargeable). We do present. have a complimentary 15 minutes spa opening and closing ceremony conducting at the spa daily at 8:00am and 6:45pm. Group Yoga sessions are daily at the spa from 8:15am (except Monday and Friday Yes it is indeed it is a very popular activity, Yes No we do not we do have it offered daily have yoga retreats

offered daily from 7 to 7:45 am. This is not a popular activity yet.

Not available

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Appendix D: A Interview with Meg Shuba, E-RYT, YACEP, US Yoga Alliance registered 1. Define your typical in-class clientele (demographic, motivations).

• Savannah – students, 18 to 72 in sav, tends to be primary physical activity • In career – primarily 20 to 40, upper to middle class because they are spending $100 + per month on yoga or students from upper class background • Depends on city, but yoga class is the first taste of spirituality they have gotten or people that are starting because of the physical practice but find there is an added benefit for mental healing. Dallas – people in it for physical supplement in more active cities, Austin + Colorado – more spiritual based but also liked , California – mixed. Typically with more outdoor culture you have more of a spiritual culture 2. Define your typical clientele for the retreat (demographic, psychographic).

• Demographic is higher in age than class age due to financial restrictions. It is not typical for young people to go. Age 30 to 60.

Most people who go on yoga retreats are yogi’s but depending on location they are not necessarily die hard yogi’s.

• Depending on the location and the price, upper to middle class who can afford to spend on a retreat. Typically, these are people that are interested in spirituality and don’t have the physical mindset to workout. The point is to discover something new and experience personal growth. Mainly for people who want to get away: Stressed out at work, gone through an emotional experience, wanting to do something in life for themselves.

3. What is your ideal retreat clientele? Why? • Someone that I have had a connection with prior. A lot of inquiries through public post, however I would prefer someone to have taken a class with me to understand my style to know what they should expect on the retreat – for their own satisfaction.

Someone who is open to try various modalities. Mindset, “whatever you throw my way I will try because it is for my wellness.”

4. How do you hope to attract your ideal clientele?

• Through my offering whether it be my classes, or how I project myself on social media. If I am authentic to my hearts message and how I teach, I will attract my audience. What I put out there reflects how I teach, and if people connect to that they will come to my classes and want to come on a retreat with me. Continuity. If I see myself as a brand how to I put it out there? Artwork, streaming live classes, anything that reflects my style so that there are no surprises.

5. What is your optimal retreat patron size? Why? • 15 – If you get too big it can be too many people to manage as an independent yoga teacher. You don’t want anyone to get lost in the crowd and you want to strive for intimacy. It is all about getting to know each other and connecting with them.

6. Does the yoga retreat offer luxury accommodations (at which price point)?

• A typical yoga retreat will have bunk style lodging where people are rooming and lodging together. This attracts a lower income bracket but the clientele is probably also younger.

• My retreat personally, I will be offering luxury accommodations. This creates a higher income bracket and opens up to people 30 and up, if they are younger in this bracket then they would typically be hardcore yogi. My retreat has bunk style up to luxury accommodations. Pricing is anywhere from $800 to $2300 all together for everything except flight. However, my pricing is not typical. Your typical retreat will be between $2500 to $4000. I choose luxury destinations because I know the people on the retreat would want that.

7. What are the deciding factors behind choosing a destination?

• I choose destinations that aren’t typical yoga retreat destinations. So I don’t want to do Tulum, Costa Rica, and Iceland because those have been really popular. I want places where you haven’t seen a bunch of retreats done there already. A place rich in nature, optional excursions, something that is all inclusive, group discount, flight prices and accessibility, location/proximity to airport – unless retreat center had shuttle service.

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8. What would your be ideal retreat destination? Why? • Corna Spore, Lago d’Orta (outside of Milan) Mountain, Alps, water, food, proximity to other countries, not far from bustling city scene (Milan).

9. How did you draw inspiration from the local culture to craft the retreat itinerary?

• “The flow designed will have a nod to the Italian lifestyle… as we leave the fast pace life of America behind us an embrace the simmer. Practices will be slower, fluid, romantic, and rich with storytelling. Guided meditations, Yoga Nidra (yogic sleep) and Restorative practices will be offered before or after dinner. Classes are all levels. Please bring a journal to write in after your practices.”

10. What kind of individual/community experience do you hope to design for the yoga retreat?

• In Arrival, Home Abroad: spiritually or emotionally they are arriving back into themselves, even though they aren’t home.

11. What measures are taken to accommodate all levels of health, fitness, and varying preferences?

• A form patrons fill out that includes: “Have you Done Yoga Before?” “Injuries, Allergies, Health Concerns”. Classes are all levels and will be for everybody. They will also be featured at a slower pace. Also featuring a variety of classes practicing twice a day with a meditation everyday and a flow class, restorative.

12. Other than yoga and meditation practices, what sort of experiences will you offer on the retreat (optional activities or workshops, and community building time)?

• Every morning optional silent seat – time for the guest to sit on their own, reflection journaling • Hiking – including meditations • Optional group excursions to the town • Mealtime – especially in Europe because eating is an experience so you enjoy the meal and build a community taking the time to sit down together.

• Or they can do there own thing to take those options.

13. Describe an average day on the retreat.

• 7:30 – silent seat, 8 am – flow, 9 am – breakfast,11 to 1 – hiking/exploring/spa, 1 – lunch, 1 to 5 – free time, 5 – practice more restorative, 7 – dinner 14. What do you hope retreat patrons will gain from the experience?

• Build a community. Tie it back to the tagline “Arrival Home, Abroad”. I hope people feel relaxed and revitalized all in one. I hope that they don’t use it as an escape from their daily life, but more of as a way to enjoy and be more present in life as an extension of everyday. A way to come back home to yourself and maybe have a self-discovery. Even though I went to Italy, I can have this same in-depth conversation with myself even sitting in my own home.

15. Do you find that wealthier people want more private experiences?

Its innate in us to want to connect to people and our first line of defense is to try and build walls. But you are going to a retreat and these individuals want to have a connection. Level of wealth does not define connection. I have a friend who does retreats five times a year and they are hugely successful being offered at five grand plus. But retreat activities are optional, so if you need alone time that is there for you. If you want to be part of the group that is there for you. It is however you need to heal.

16. What is the best length for a yoga retreat? 6 days, 5 nights

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Appendix E: Interview with Four Seasons yoga instructor’s – Debbie Seigel the Four Seasons St Louis and Will Donnely at the Four Seasons Lanai Interview 1: Debbie Siegel, Yoga Instructor (MSA, RYT), Four Seasons Hotel St. Louis https://yoga-evangelist.com 1. Define the target/core customer that participates in the Four Seasons yoga classes.

Anyone with a body and who can breathe is included in the yoga classes offered at Four Seasons Hotel St. Louis. Our classes are open to all and guided from the ground up, simple to complex with varying degrees of postures made available for each student to feel and find their edge.

2. On average, in a single stay how many times will a guest participate in a yoga class?

I am not aware of this answer. I don’t have access to this data. We just began the non-private yoga class options at the hotel Dec 8, 2018, so this may not even be enough time to track it just yet. This data may be available across the hospitality industry though.

3. In your professional opinion, how does yoga enhance or shape the Four Seasons Wellness offering?

Yoga offers people an opportunity to deeply connect to themselves and discover a relaxed state of being. We all tend to live in the fight, flight or freeze mode these days and one of the main intentions of practicing yoga is to bring your mind and body to the opposite state of rest and digest, with a relaxed central nervous system. While Four Seasons St Louis has an incredible gym, many people staying at the hotel for business or weddings are seeking more than just staying fit in their bodies. It makes sense to offer this tool for calming and connecting to hotel guests. Anyone who has been a bride or groom will understand the value of soothing their energy during the stressful times of wedding planning. We recently opened the yoga classes to the public as well. The spa and adjacent spaces are outstanding for flowing in serenity.

4. How does the Four Seasons tweak its yoga program to integrate the local culture into the classes?

We just opened it to the public December 8, 2018. We are just beginning reaching out locally to embrace those in the community. We will hang flyers at area lofts and advertise to their communities online soon.

Interview 2: Will Donnelly, Yoga Instructor, Four Seasons Resort Lanai, Hawaii 1. What are some of the qualities for similarities you notice between guests that participate in the four seasons yoga classes?

I believe all students who approach the practice of yoga, do so with the intention to feel better, and are willing to do the physical work to explore what that means. As a teacher, there is that wonderful moment when you see the student as an explorer.

Each student who walks through the studio door is there for self care, which is an exceptional characteristic. Some students only articulate that they want a physical boost from the practice. Yet some students hunger for so much more - for the deeper understanding of how to turn simple movement into sacred movement; how to transform their worrying mind into a mind of constant mindful creation. It is here, in this space of mutual exploration, that the true wonder of the practice blooms.

2. On average, in a single stay now many times will a guest participate in a yoga class?

Anywhere from 1 to 7 times during any given week. Usually, about 2 or 3 classes.

3. In your professional opinion how does Yoga enhance or shape the four seasons wellness offerings for its guests?

The practice of yoga holds its own centuries-defined perspective on wellness. Offering classes that develop more than just asana (postures) - classes that also include the mindfulness, conscious breath, and overall sharp awareness of what is right now - allows students to gradually deepen their understanding of yoga as an energy management system for the physical body, the mental state of mind, and the overall creative process inherent to being a human being. In this way, yoga greatly enhances the wellness offerings to the guests by giving them an actual experience of wellness and self-care through their bodies (strengthening, purifying, awakening, stimulating), rather than imagining wellness and personal radiance from a lounge chair.

4. How do you and the four seasons use inspiration from local Hawaiian culture in yoga classes?

Hawaiian culture, at its best, holds that we are each a powerful creator. One popular hawaiian chant, done for meetings & gatherings (both business and pleasure) as well as all significant ceremonies, is the “E Ho Mai” chant. Roughly translated, it says “Let it come and let it flow.” This matches yoga’s general encouragement to “get in the flow of life” and monitor our attachments so we avoid getting stuck from over-attaching to people, places or events that occur around us regularly.

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Appendix F: Average Price Per Night.

Average Price of Rooms By Number of Occupants (Hualalai, Average Price of Rooms ByHawaii) Number of Occupants (Hualalai, Hawaii) 1 person room 2 person room 3+ person room 1 person room 2 person room 3+$1,009.00 person room $839.00 $839.00 $839.00 $839.00 $1,009.00 $939.00 $939.00 $1,109.00 $939.00 $939.00 $1,109.00 $1,039.00 $1,039.00 $1,209.00 $1,039.00 $1,039.00 $1,209.00 $1,139.00 $1,139.00 $1,309.00 $1,139.00 $1,139.00 $1,309.00 $1,239.00 $1,239.00 $1,409.00 $1,239.00 $1,239.00 $1,409.00 $1,339.00 $1,339.00 $1,509.00 $1,339.00 $1,339.00 $1,509.00 $1,439.00 $1,439.00 $1,609.00 $1,439.00 $1,439.00 $1,609.00 $1,789.00 $1,789.00 $1,959.00 $1,789.00 $1,789.00 $1,959.00 $2,089.00 $2,089.00 $2,259.00 $2,089.00 $2,089.00 $2,259.00 $2,389.00 $2,389.00 $2,389.00 $2,389.00 $2,259.00 $2,689.00 $2,689.00 $2,859.00 $2,689.00 $2,689.00 $2,859.00 $2,989.00 $2,989.00 $3,159.00 $2,989.00 $2,989.00 $3,159.00 $3,489.00 $3,489.00 $3,759.00 $3,489.00 $3,489.00 $3,759.00 $3,589.00 $3,589.00 $3,769.00 $3,589.00 $3,589.00 $3,769.00 $1,928.29 $1,928.29 $2,084.71 $1,928.29 $1,928.29 $2,084.71 Average Price of Rooms

By Number of Occupants Average Price of Rooms

By Number of Occupants (Mauritius) (Mauritius) 1 person room 2 person room 3+ person room 1 person room 2 person room 3+ person room $456.00 $456.00 $578.00 $456.00 $456.00 $578.00 $517.00 $517.00 $915.00 $517.00 $517.00 $915.00 $650.00 $650.00 $677.00 $650.00 $650.00 $677.00 $983.00 $650.00 $650.00 $983.00 $854.00 $854.00 $1,119.00 $854.00 $854.00 $1,119.00 $1,255.00 $854.00 $854.00 $1,255.00 $616.00 $1,650.00 $616.00 $1,650.00 $983.00 $2,041.00 $983.00 $2,041.00 $2,381.00 $2,381.00 $3,245.00 $3,245.00 $4,536.00 $4,536.00 $11,044.00 $11,044.00 $10,551.00 $10,551.00 $663.50 $697.50 $3,151.92 $663.50Price of Rooms $697.50 $3,151.92 Average

By Number of Occupants Average(Peninsula Price of Rooms

By Number Occupants Papagayo, Costa of Rica) (Peninsula Papagayo, Costa Rica) 3+ person room 1 person room 2 person room 1 person room 2 person room 3+ person room $557.00 $557.00 $557.00 $557.00 $557.00 $557.00 $686.00 $686.00 $686.00 $686.00 $686.00 $686.00 $836.00 $836.00 $836.00 $836.00 $836.00 $836.00 $1,085.00 $1,085.00 $1,085.00 $1,085.00 $1,085.00 $1,085.00 $1,435.00 $1,435.00 $1,435.00 $1,435.00 $1,435.00 $1,435.00 $2,207.00 $2,307.00 $2,207.00 $2,307.00 $11,550.00

$1,139.00 $1,139.00 $1,309.00 $2,207.00 $2,307.00 $1,239.00 $1,239.00 $1,409.00 $11,550.00 $1,339.00 $1,339.00 $1,509.00 $1,908.00 $1,439.00 $1,439.00 $1,609.00 $2,207.00 $1,789.00 $1,789.00 $1,959.00 $2,797.00 $2,089.00 $2,089.00 $2,259.00 $3,081.00 $2,389.00 $2,389.00 $2,259.00 $15,050.00 $2,689.00 $2,689.00 $2,859.00 $18,550.00 $2,989.00 $2,989.00 $3,159.00 $20,550.00 $3,489.00 $3,489.00 $3,759.00 $919.80 $1,134.33 $5,899.93 $3,589.00 $3,769.00 Average Price of Rooms$3,589.00

By Number of Occupants (Chiang $1,928.29 $1,928.29 $2,084.71 Mai, Thailand) Average Price of Rooms By room Number of3+ Occupants 1 person room 2 person person room (Mauritius) $462.00 $462.00 $557.00 1 person room 2 person room 3+ person room $517.00 $517.00 $612.00 $456.00 $456.00 $578.00 $598.00 $598.00 $693.00 $517.00 $517.00 $915.00 $652.00 $652.00 $748.00 $650.00 $650.00 $677.00 $788.00 $788.00 $1,305.00 $650.00 $650.00 $983.00 $1,087.00 $1,087.00 $1,985.00 $854.00 $854.00 $1,119.00 $2,205.00 $854.00 $854.00 $1,255.00 $2,188.00 $616.00 $1,650.00 $2,623.00 $983.00 $2,041.00 $3,711.00 $2,381.00 $4,649.00 $3,245.00 $2,080.00 $4,536.00 $684.00 $684.00 $1,946.33 $11,044.00 $10,551.00 $663.50 $697.50 $3,151.92 Average Price of Rooms By Number of Occupants (Peninsula Papagayo, Costa Rica) 1 person room 2 person room 3+ person room $557.00 $557.00 $557.00 $686.00 $686.00 $686.00 $836.00 $836.00 $836.00 $1,085.00 $1,085.00 $1,085.00 $1,435.00 $1,435.00 $1,435.00 $2,207.00 $2,307.00 $11,550.00 $1,908.00 $2,207.00 $2,797.00 $3,081.00 $15,050.00 $18,550.00 $20,550.00 $919.80 $1,134.33 $5,899.93 Average Price of Rooms By Number of Occupants (Chiang Mai, Thailand) 1 person room 2 person room 3+ person room $462.00 $462.00 $557.00 $517.00 $517.00 $612.00 $598.00 $598.00 $693.00 $652.00 $652.00 $748.00 $788.00 $788.00 $1,305.00

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namaste.