The $2 Trillion Wake-Up Call

What Gen Z and Millennials Just Told Us About Wellness (and Why It Matters for Events & Hotels)

What happens when a $2 trillion global wellness industry gets a Millennial and Gen Z glow-up?

You get a blueprint for the future of hotels, events, and hospitality. You also get a stern warning to anyone still treating wellness like a line item on a spreadsheet.

According to McKinsey’s new 2025 Future of Wellness report, younger generations aren't just talking about wellness — they're funding its expansion. Gen Z and Millennials account for just 36% of U.S. adults but drive 41% of all wellness spend.

And here’s the kicker: they're not cutting back even in uncertain economies.

So what does this mean for planners, hoteliers, and wellness professionals?

It means we need to stop “offering wellness” and start operating with wellness.

6 Wellness Growth Areas You Should Already Be Designing For:

Here’s what today’s consumers are buying into — and what we should be building around:

1. Functional Nutrition: Think adaptogens, nootropics, and protein-packed travel snacks. Guests want fuel with a function. → Action: Replace sugary pastries and smoothies at your morning break with cognition-boosting mocktails and high protein options.
2. Beauty x Wellness: Beauty isn’t just skin deep. From red-light therapy to collagen gummies, self-care now includes science. → Action: Partner with beauty-tech brands to create recharge lounges or in-room rituals. We know a few of them we can bring in.
3. Longevity (Yes, Even for Gen Z) Aging is out. “Preserving energy and independence” is in across all generations. → Action: Offer sessions or services that emphasize mitochondrial health, posture support, or mobility.
4. In-Person Wellness Experiences 56% of retreat-goers are willing to travel 2+ hours for the right reset. → Action: Curate mini-retreats at your next event that combine movement, mindfulness, and take-home practices for your next customer or field marketing event.
5. Weight Management With the GLP-1 boom, attendees are shifting from calorie-counting to nutrient-optimizing. → Action: Add high-protein, gut-friendly options to all menus. Educate through on-site nutritionists, signage at meals, or QR code tips.
6. Mental Health & Mindfulness Gen Z is stressed, but proactive. They see mental health in everything — from skincare to sleep hygiene. → Action: Go beyond meditation apps. Build calming environments, support social connection, and prioritize recovery.

Mindset Shift: It’s Not “Wellness Add-Ons.” It’s Holistic Design.

Events and hotels that win will:

• Break barriers: Design experiences that meet physical, mental, and emotional needs.
• Emphasize expertise: Leverage science-backed partners and protocols. Or as we call it "Educate when you Activate."
• Deliver value: Not just low cost, but high impact.
• Your hotel gym? It’s not just for travelers, make it a local community hub.
• Your F&B program? Rethink it as preventative medicine.
• Your next agenda? Cut the content bloat and build in moments to breathe, move, and connect.

Final Thought: Are You Building for the Guest You Had or the Guest You Want?

This new wave of wellness consumers is reshaping hospitality. They're demanding more, spending more, and influencing older generations in the process. We have already seen the spend patterns of these generations spending more on wellness over bars and entertainment by 7%.

If you're not evolving — you're becoming irrelevant.

And if you're ready to lead the way? Let’s connect. At Olympian Meeting ™️ we help organizations design experiences where wellness isn't just featured — it's foundational.

David T. Stevens is a Harvard-certified Lifestyle Medicine & Wellness Coach, 6x Fittest Male #EventProf, and co-founder of Olympian Meeting and Club Ichi. He helps brands embed wellness and social connection into the heart of events and hospitality.