Rituals Travel Retail Director Neil Ebbutt describes the wellbeing opportunity in travel retail as “huge”. This is evidenced, he says, by the growing number of spas and wellness lounges at airports across the world.

“Cruise ships provide us with the ideal way to get our brand in front of a captive audience while they receive a treatment. We think our ‘Slow Down’ philosophy aligns nicely with the mindset of cruising passengers.”

Eu Yan Sang General Manager Group Business Development Tonya Tan argues that consumers worldwide are embracing healthier lifestyles and that this affects their travel habits. Wellness tourism, she says, is a significant and fast-growing market. These health-conscious travellers, adds Tan, are the target audience in travel retail for Eu Yan Sang, a specialist in traditional Chinese medicine and remedies.

Best-sellers include Bottled Bird’s Nest, Lingzhi Cracked Spores Capsules, Cordyceps and Essence of Chicken. Though traditional products, they are new to many consumers, and Tan believes that wellness consumers in particular respond to novelty.

“The wellbeing sector is becoming a crucial part of the travel retail channel,” says Gary Leong, the brand’s Global Travel Retail Director. “With the emerging trend of ‘digital wellness’, the category is expected to grow exponentially. Travellers won’t compromise their wellbeing just because they are on-the-go, so they are constantly seeking time-saving beauty gadgets that are easy to carry around, but also fit perfectly into their lifestyle.”

French company Nuxe specialises in cosmetics developed using pharmaceutical expertise. Travel Retail Director Marion Bruimaud says wellbeing-related beauty products are performing strongly in travel retail. “There is a real interest in seeking out these kinds of products”, she says. “Our consumers understand that taking care of their skin is not just about looking good; healthy, glowing skin creates an important feel-good factor as well.”

“It takes a greater share of space in people’s lives,” he explains. “If airports and duty free operators want to increase their revenue, they will have to adapt their offer to the demand. We have to reinvent duty free every day, stick to people’s needs and aspirations.” He adds that many retailers are already working towards this.

Nuxe’s Bruimaud agrees that airport retailers are reacting to the changing consumer demand and need. She argues that innovative and relevant products are what customers want, and says that wellbeing products are “clearly meeting that demand”.

“It makes good business sense to evolve the product mix to give this sub-category the space it needs,” she adds, noting that Nuxe has recognised a growth in wellbeing-dedicated spaces in travel retail.

Tonya Tan too agrees, explaining that Eu Yan Sang believes new spaces should be “curated” for the wellness sub-category and that retailers should work with brands to ensure the range is communicated in the best possible way.

Rituals and Foreo agree that increased and dedicated space is essential to connecting with consumers when it comes to wellbeing-related products and services. For Foreo, says Leong, this offers customers the opportunity to trial products before purchase.

Experience, he says, is more important than ever to travelling consumers. “Experiential displays, demos and retail platforms help to engage and excite,” he says. “But lack of space is often a big challenge.”

“For Rituals,” says Ebbutt, “a bigger space or a standalone store offers us the best way to showcase the brand’s full potential and product range via storytelling. The advantage of space also enables us to bring our core messages to life by creating opportunities for experiential engagement with customers.”

For Nuxe, too, education and experience are key to capturing the wellness customer. Bruimaud suggests interactive activations, personalisation and demonstrations to engage potential customers. “We know today’s shoppers are looking for an immersive experience, not just a purchase,” she explains.

“Wellbeing brands such as Rituals can offer customers as much, if not more, of a relevant experience compared to traditional beauty brands,” argues Ebbutt. “Not every traveller is looking for a make-over or skin consultation before flying but almost all, men included, would say yes to a massage.”

Massage is something Rituals offers in its in-store spas, most of which are in domestic channels. The brand currently has two airport spa locations, both at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. Reception to date has been very positive, says Ebbutt, who adds that – given enough space and the right location – Rituals could roll out its full spa services in the airport environment.

This in turn would likely provide a boost in retail sales. “There are clear synergies between spas and retail with opportunities to upsell and drive additional purchases of products, which shoppers get to experience first-hand,” he notes.

Nuxe, which operates 56 spas in domestic markets but has yet to expand into the travel channel, also recognises the opportunity. Bruimaud suggests that spas should develop new concepts and services specifically with passengers in mind to “help cocoon passengers and ease their comfort when travelling”.

“Health,” says Delteil, “is the future of beauty.” That’s a sentiment echoed by each brand we spoke to. Whether or not the concepts of wellness and wellbeing come to eclipse more traditional sectors within beauty, consumer demand means this category looks sure to have a greater share of voice in the future.