Health and Wellbeing Tourism - Ireland

Published by: Mintel International Group Ltd.

Published: Nov. 1, 2008 - 139 Pages

Table of Contents

ISSUES IN THE MARKET

Key themes in the report

Note on terminology

Definitions

Tourism bodies in Ireland

Abbreviations

SECTOR IN BRIEF

Irish tourism sector performing well

Holiday numbers increasing beyond overall tourist numbers

Just 45% of tourists to Ireland are holidaymakers

50% of overseas holidaymakers to Ireland aged 45+ years

Ireland in enviable position to establish itself as wellbeing destination

Marked slowdown in both economies

Sterling: Euro exchange rate changes: good for NI, bad for RoI

Irish consumers’ concern for health

Internet plays critical role in holidaymakers’ decision-making

Trend towards multiple holiday-taking and shorter breaks

Split in opinion between familiarity and novelty

A quarter of UK consumers open to a wellness break

INTERNAL MARKET ENVIRONMENT

Key points

Leveraging health concerns could bear fruit

Figure 1: Agreement with statement, ‘I should do more about my health’, RoI & NI, 2003-08

‘Busy’ consumers a captive market

Figure 2: Agreement with statement, ‘Because of my busy lifestyle, I do not take care of myself as well as I

should’, by gender, NI & RoI, 2008

Irish lag in health and wellness appreciation

Figure 3: Activities engaged in by domestic tourists, RoI, 2007

Ireland well-equipped as a health and wellbeing destination

But some issues need ironing out

‘Bandwagoning’ detracting from overall quality

Lack of uniformity and consistency within sector

Indication that oversupply already a factor

Pampering or holistic health? It depends on the consumers

Potential for NI providers to attract more RoI business

Perception of Ireland as expensive destination

Figure 4: Overseas holidaymakers’ assessment of RoI as a value-for-money holiday destination, RoI,

1997-2007

BROADER MARKET ENVIRONMENT

Key points

Marked slowdown in both economies

RoI

NI

Figure 5: Economic outlook, NI and RoI, 2007-09

Consumer confidence fragile in both markets

RoI

NI

Holidays/short breaks a target for consumer cutbacks

Figure 6: Consumer responses to statement ‘when feeling the pinch, which of these are you most likely to

do when trying to cut back your personal spending?’, NI and RoI, january

Sterling: Euro exchange rate to benefit NI providers

Increasing internet use in both markets

Demographic changes

End of budget flights?

Decline in household size could benefit short breaks

TOURISM TRENDS: IMPLICATIONS FOR HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Key points

Irish tourism sector faring relatively well

Figure 7: Tourist arrivals, year-on-year % change, Ireland/Europe/World, 2003-07

Britain largest single market for Irish holiday sector

Figure 8: Total number of holiday trips to Ireland (000s visitors), by source market 2003-07

Domestic tourists turning away from NI

British tourists account for 40% of NI market

Figure 9: Tourism (domestic and out-of-state) trips, % share by market, NI, 2007

Stronger mainland European presence in RoI

Figure 10: Tourism (domestic and out-of-state) trips, % share by market, RoI, 2007

Just one in five tourists to Ireland stay in NI

Figure 11: Where did visitors (all categories) to Ireland overnight, NI and RoI, 2007

‘Rural retreats’ holding appeal over city breaks

Figure 12: Type of holiday taken, overseas holidaymakers to RoI, 2004-07

Out-of-state tourists average 7.6 nights in Ireland

Growth in RoI domestic tourism fuelled by short trips

‘Long trips’ concentrated in summer months

Less than half of tourists to Ireland actually on holiday

Figure 13: Purpose of visit, IoI, NI & RoI, 2007

Most holidaymakers in NI are domestic tourists

Figure 14: Holiday (domestic and out-of-state) trips (000s), by market, NI, 2007

Out-of-state holidaymakers as important as domestic in RoI

Figure 15: Purpose of visit, all tourists (000s), RoI, 2007

Figure 16: Number of holiday trips, by source market (000s), RoI, 2003-07

Irish health and wellness sector must be ‘age-inclusive’

Figure 17: Age of overseas holidaymakers to Ireland, 2007

Domestic tourism skewed even more towards older consumers

ABC1s constitute 82% of holidaymakers to Ireland

Figure 18: Socio-economic profile of overseas holidaymakers to Ireland, 2007

Couples increasingly prominent in RoI tourism

Figure 19: Party composition of out-of-state holidaymakers, RoI, 1997-2007

MARKET VALUE

Key points

Total tourism revenue of €6.5 billion/£4.5 billion in 2007

Figure 20: Total tourism revenue (domestic and overseas) Ireland, NI and RoI, 2007

Steady growth in overseas tourism revenue in Ireland

Figure 21: Overseas visitor revenue, £/€, Ireland, 2003-07

Just 52% of revenue attributable to holidaymakers

Figure 22: Revenue by purpose of visit, overseas tourism revenue, Ireland, 2007

Domestic specialty wellness holidays valued at just €10.9 million

Figure 23: Domestic holiday and domestic health and wellness holiday spend, Ireland, NI and RoI, 2007

Overseas health and wellness tourism valued at £1.7 million/€2.4 million

Figure 24:Spend by overseas tourists on health and wellness holidays in context of overall holiday spend,

Ireland, 2007

HEALTH AND WELLNESS PROVIDERS

Figure 25: Profiled health and wellness resorts, RoI & NI, 2008

ROI

Destination spas

Monart Destination Spa

Park Hotel Kenmare

Temple Country Retreat & Spa

Resort spas

Aghadoe Heights Hotel & Spa

The Brooklodge Hotel & Wells Spa

Heritage Golf & Spa Resort

Kellys Resort Hotel

Kildare Hotel & Country Club

Mount Wolseley Hotel, Spa & Country Club

Radisson SAS Farnham Estate Hotel

Shandon Hotel Spa & Wellness

Sheraton Fota Island Hotel & Spa

Slieve Russell Hotel, Golf & Country Club

Specialised retreats

A Healthy Choice Spa & Clinic

Inchydoney Island Lodge & Spa

Voya Seaweed Baths

Hotel spas

NI

Culloden Estate & Spa

Galgorm Resort & Spa

Killyhevlin Hotel & Health Club

Lough Erne Golf Resort

Manor House Country Hotel

Radisson SAS Roe Park Resort

Slieve Donard Resort & Spa

CHANNELS TO MARKET

Key points

Internet the main influence on overseas holidaymakers’ destination choice

Independent travel dominates

Internet main source of information for Irish consumers

Figure 26: Source of information for last holiday, NI & RoI, 2008

Preference among Irish consumers for booking holidays online

Figure 27: Method used to book last holiday, NI & RoI, 2008

CONSUMER (IRISH): HOLIDAY TRENDS

Key points

Majority of Irish consumers have taken holiday in last 12 months

Figure 28: Consumers who have taken a holiday in the last 12 months, NI & RoI, 2008

Multiple holiday-taking emerging as dominant trend

Figure 29: Total number of holidays taken in last 12 months, NI & RoI, 2008

Evident trend towards shorter breaks

Figure 30: Total number of nights spent away during last holiday, NI & RoI, 2008

Specialty wellness breaks remain small niche sector

Figure 31: Type of holiday taken (last holiday), NI & RoI, 2008

APPENDIX

Introduction

Figure 32: Glossary of relevant terms

Internal market environment

Health concerns

Figure 33: Agreement with statement, ‘I should do more about my health’, by age, NI & RoI, 2008

Figure 34: Agreement with statement, ‘I should do more about my health’, NI & RoI, 2008

Busy Lifestyle

Figure 35: Agreement with staatement, ‘Because of my busy lifestyle, I do not take care of myself as well

as I should’, by age, NI & RoI, 2008

Figure 36: Agreement with statement, ‘Because of my busy lifestyle, I do not take care of myself as well as

I should,’ NI & RoI, 2008

Spas as “an important part of my life”

Figure 37: Experience of spa/wellness facilities among spa users, RoI, 2006

Cross-border tourism

Figure 38: Cross-border visits, NI and RoI, 2003-08

Cost of hotel accommodation - Ireland v Europe

Figure 39: Average price per room per night, Europe, March 2008

Price inflation: Spain, France and Italy

Figure 40: Average price of a three-course meal for two, Spain/France/Italy, 2007-08

Condé Nast Readers’ Spa Awards 2008

Figure 41: Conde Nast Readers’ Spa Awards 2008 - Top hotel spas (Europe)

Broader market environment

Consumer confidence: RoI and UK

Figure 42: Consumer Sentiment Index, RoI, 2007-08

Figure 43: Consumer Confidence Index (seasonally adjusted), UK (incl. NI), 2007-08

Consumer cutbacks on spending

Figure 44: Top consumer responses to statement ‘when feeling the pinch, which of these are you most

likely to do when trying to cut back your personal spending, by age, RoI and NI, January 2008

Figure 45: Top consumer responses to statement ‘When feeling the pinch, which of these are you most

likely to do when trying to cut back your personal spending’, by age, RoI, January 2008

Figure 46: Top consumer responses to statement ‘When feeling the pinch, which of these are you most

likely to do when trying to cut back your personal spending’, by age, NI, January 2008

Sterling:euro exchange rate

Figure 47: Sterling to euro exhange rate, 2002-08

Use and role of internet

Figure 48: Internet usage, NI and RoI, 2002-07

Figure 49: Agreement with statement, ‘When I need information, the first place I look is the internet’, NI and

RoI, 2003-08

Figure 50: Agreement with statement, ‘I often refer to the internet before making a purchase,’ NI and RoI,

2003-08

Figure 51: Consumers who bought travel services (incl. flights and accomodation) via internet in the last

12 months, NI and RoI, June 2007

Demographic changes

Figure 52: Population change, by age group, NI, 2000-20

Figure 53: Population change, by age group, RoI, 2000-20

Decline in household size

Figure 54: Number of households, by size, NI and RoI, 2000-05

Tourism trends

Tourism revenue: Ireland

Figure 55: Tourism revenue, year-on-year % change, Ireland/Europe/world, 2007

Tourism trips: Ireland

Figure 56: Overseas visitor numbers (000s), Ireland, 2003-07

Figure 57: Year-on-year % growth overseas visitor numbers, Ireland, 2003-07

Tourism trips: NI

Figure 58: Tourism trips (domestic and out-of-state), 000s, NI, 2006-07

Figure 59: Tourism (domestic and out-of-state) trips (000s), by market, NI, 2007

Tourism trips: RoI

Figure 60: Tourism trips (domestic and out-of-state), 000s, RoI, 2003-07

Figure 61: Tourism trips, by market source, RoI, 2007

Tourism revenue: NI

Figure 62: Tourism (domestic and out-of-state) revenue, % share by market, NI, 2007

Tourism revenue: RoI

Figure 63: Tourism (domestic and out-of-state) revenue, % share by market, RoI, 2007

Where do overseas tourists stay when in Ireland?

Figure 64: Where did holidaymakers in Ireland stay, NI and RoI, 2007

Length of stay: Ireland

Figure 65: Average no. of nights, holidaymakers, Ireland, 2007

Length of stay: Ireland

Figure 66: Duration of holiday, overseas holidaymakers, Ireland, 2007

Length of stay: RoI

Figure 67: Length of stay, overseas holidaymakers, RoI, 1997-2007

Figure 68: Holiday trips, domestic tourists, RoI, 2003-07

Seasonality: RoI

Figure 69: Seasonality, by length of stay, RoI, 2007

Purpose of visit: NI

Figure 70: Trips by purpose of visit, domestic tourists, NI, 2007

Figure 71: Revenue by purpose of visit, domestic tourists, NI, 2007

Figure 72: Tourism (out-of-state) trips by purpose of visit, NI, 2007

Figure 73: Tourism (out-of-state) revenue, by purpose of visit, NI, 2007

Figure 74: Purpose of visit, by trips (British tourists), NI, 2007

Figure 75: Purpose of visit, by trips (Mainland European tourists), NI, 2007

Figure 76: Purpose of visit, by trips (North American tourists), NI, 2007

Figure 77: Purpose of visit, by trips (RoI tourists), NI, 2007

Purpose of visit: RoI

Figure 78: Growth in holiday trips to RoI, 2003-07

Figure 79: Holiday trips, by source market, Roi, 2007

Figure 80: Business trips to RoI, by source market, RoI, 2007

Figure 81: Trips by purpose of visit, domestic tourists, RoI, 2007

Figure 82: Tourist revenue, by purpose of visit, domestic tourists, RoI, 2007

Figure 83: Trips by purpose of visit, out-of-state tourists, RoI, 2007

Figure 84: Trips by purpose of visit, British tourists, RoI, 2007

Figure 85: Trips by purpose of visit, mainland European tourists, RoI, 2007

Figure 86: Trips by purpose of visit, North American tourists, RoI, 2007

Figure 87: Trips by purpose of visit, rest of the World tourists, RoI, 2007

Figure 88: Business trips, domestic tourists, RoI, 2007

Age of overseas holidaymakers: Ireland

Figure 89: Age of British holidaymakers to Ireland, 2007

Figure 90: Age of North American holidaymakers to Ireland, 2007

Age of holidaymakers: RoI

Figure 91: Age of domestic holidaymakers to RoI, 2007

Figure 92: Age profile of foreign holidaymakers to RoI, 2007

Socio-economic background of overseas holidaymakers: Ireland

Figure 93: Socio-economic profile of British holidaymakers to Ireland, 2007

Figure 94: Socio-economic profile of North American holidaymakers to Ireland, 2007

Figure 95: Socio-economic profile of mainland European holidaymakers to Ireland, 2007

Socio-economic background of out-of-state holidaymakers: RoI

Figure 96: Socio-economic profile of foreign holidaymakers to RoI, 2007

Party composition: RoI

Figure 97: Party composition of foreign holidaymakers to RoI, 2007

Channels to market

Information sources influencing choice of Ireland as holiday destination

Figure 98: Information sources that influenced choice of Ireland as holiday destination, overseas

holidaymakers, 2007

Figure 99: information sources that influenced choice of Ireland as a holiday destination among foreign

tourists to Ireland, by market area, 2007

Information sources in planning holiday in Ireland

Figure 100: Information sources in planning holiday in Ireland, overseas holidaymakers, 2007

Figure 101: Information sources in planning holiday in Ireland used by foreigh tourists to Ireland, by market

area, 2007

Growing role of internet when choosing destination/planning holiday

Figure 102: Influence of internet as an information source and planning tool among foreign tourists to

ireland, 1999-2007

Use of internet for booking/purchasing by overseas tourists to RoI

Figure 103: Use of internet for booking/purchasing by overseas tourists to RoI, 2007

Use of internet by US spa-goers

Figure 104: Information sources used by spa travellers to plan spa holidays during the last two years, US,

2006

How last holiday booked

Figure 105: How last holiday booked, NI & RoI, 2008

Independent vs package travel to Ireland

Figure 106: How trip arranged by overseas tourists to RoI, 2007

Health and wellness providers

Hotel with comprehensive spa

Hotel spa with extensive spa

Hotel with selective spa

Hotel spa with leisure club spa

Consumer: Irish holiday trends

Advance booking

Figure 107: Amount of advance booking for last holiday, NI & RoI, 2008

Number of family members on last holiday

Figure 108: Number of family members on last holiday, NI & RoI, 2008

Important factors when choosing holiday

Figure 109: Most important factors when choosing holiday, NI & RoI, 2008

Consumer (Irish): Attitudes towards holidays

Preference for domestic holidays

Figure 110: Agreement with statement, “I like to take holidays in my own country rather than abroad”, by

socio-economic background, NI & RoI, 2008

Preference for going somewhere different on holiday

Figure 111: Agreement with statement, “I try to go somewhere different on holiday every time”, by socioeconomic

background, NI & RoI, 2008

Desire for organised activities when on holiday

Figure 112: Agreement with statement, “I like to go on holidays where activities are organised for me”, by

age, NI & RoI, 2008

Consumer (overseas): Attitudes towards health and wellness breaks

UK consumers’ interest in wellness holidays

Figure 113: Attitudes towards health and wellness holidays, by age, UK, 2006

Market value

Figure 114: Total tourism revenue, Ireland, % market share, 2007

Figure 115: Tourism (domestic and out-of-state) revenue by market source, NI, 2007

Figure 116: Tourism revenue (domestic and out-of-state), NI, 2007

Figure 117: Tourism revenue, €m, RoI, 2003-07

Figure 118: Tourism (domestic and out-of-state) revenue by market source, €m, RoI, 2007

Figure 119: Domestic tourism revenue by purpose of visit, RoI, 2007

APPENDIX: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Abstract

• Are Irish consumers ready to embrace health and wellness as a component in their leisure lives?
• Is the general focus of the Irish health and wellness sector (being relaxation and pampering as opposed to holistic health) the right one?
• Is there a marketable fit between health and wellness tourism and the modern consumer lifestyle?
• To what extent will the current downturn in global economies (particularly that of the UK) impact upon growth of the Irish health and wellness tourism sector?

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