Sleep has often been sacrificed at the altar of ambition in a world hardwired to equate busyness with success. But as chronic stress and burnout give rise to new lifestyle diseases, the narrative is shifting. Sleep is now the new luxury and a booming travel trend. TTJ speaks to travel designers and wellness stakeholders to decode this rising phenomenon and understand why, for a growing tribe of travellers, sleep is now the destination itself.
From curated restorative itineraries to hospitality brands placing sleep at the heart of their wellness offerings, sleep tourism is redefining travel. No longer an afterthought, sleep is becoming the central experience in a new era of mindful, meaningful journeys.
Growing Demand for Sleep-Focused Wellness
The growing demand for restful wellness holidays is being driven by a perfect storm of modern lifestyle challenges and a shift in how people define luxury and vacation.
Naresh Chandnani, Founder and CEO, Bespoke Serenity, shares, “We specialise in wellness holidays and have a dedicated section on Sleep Retreats under Healing Holidays. The pandemic has revealed a big surge in demand for wellness holidays as people’s priorities have changed considerably.”
Aseem Hattangadi, Founder of The Travel Therapist, has long advocated for the value of rest in holiday planning. For him, sleep is not just a trend but a core part of his travel curations. He asserts, “No matter the destination, I always make sure my clients have at least a day or two at the start and end of their trip with unscheduled intentional pauses to relax and catch up on sleep.” He believes the pressure to cram every moment with activity often backfires, and they return more exhausted than when they started.
Sadhana Sharma, Curator of Experiential Journeys, The Intrepid Club, has noticed that while sleep tourism was not a dominant request earlier, it has now quietly but surely found its way into travel preferences. “My client’s focus was more on activities than rest, but this growing interest in slow, immersive stays is evident,” she notes.
Vinitaa Rawat, Founder and Director, Amazing Vacations, also identifies a significant rise in traveller enquiries for wellness-based stays, prompting a more intentional approach to curating rejuvenation-led itineraries. She says, “We are now more mindful and make it a point to ask the right questions before booking accommodations for certain clients.”
Choosing the Right Properties
With Indian travellers becoming more discerning, demand for personalised, sleep-focused stays is rising. Aseem shares, “Clients often have their list of preferred properties to stay in, depending on previous experiences, brand loyalty, or recommendations. To ensure that accommodations meet expectations, we dive deep, evaluating pillow menus, bed linen, mattresses, mood-enhancing fresheners, low-noise room locations, sleep-inducing spa treatments, and yoga programmes.” Some of his go-to properties for sleep-centric experiences include the Four Seasons in Bali, the Park Hyatt in New York City, the St. Regis in Mumbai, the Marriott Marquis Queens Park in Bangkok, and the Kimpton in London.
Naresh prides himself on finding the perfect restful solution for his clients. He says, “We have extensive experience in designing wellness breaks and a deep understanding of the strengths of most of the leading destination spa resorts.” Among his top choices for sleep retreats are Six Senses Bhutan, Sha Wellness Clinic in Spain, COMO Shambhala Estate in Bali, and Kamalaya in Koh Samui, Thailand.
Vinitaa focuses on hotels that provide wellness-specific amenities, like pillow selection, quality bathroom products, and bathtubs with sleep-inducing bath salts. “These key elements are vital to induce healthy sleep cycles,” she says.
According to Sadhna, the secret lies in customising each programme to the client’s specific needs. Luxury hotels are increasingly targeting India, with many introducing tailored offerings in the past three to four years, catering to this growing demand. Sadhna notes, “Wellness seekers often turn to renowned sanctuaries like Chenot Palace in Weggis (Switzerland) and Gabala (Azerbaijan), SHA Wellness, Bad Ragaz, and Chiva-Som, where environments are engineered for deep rest, from blackout and soundproofing to aromatherapy and melatonin-boosting meals, all anchored by holistic, nutritious cuisine.”
Rest Comes at a Price
The growing demand for sleep-focused travel goes beyond comfort; it is about value, and discerning travellers are increasingly willing to invest in the premium pricing. Aseem observes, “The result is a thoughtful balance of routine and rejuvenation, with quiet rooms, custom meals, and sleep-friendly touches like pillow menus to help clients truly unwind.”
Reputed wellness retreats are not cheap, and the clients are willing to pay a premium for a fulfilling experience. Naresh explains, “A sleep retreat is a peaceful escape where rest is reimagined. With expert guidance from sleep specialists and holistic wellness practitioners, it is an experience of evidence-based practices in soothing environments, all designed to reset sleep and restore well-being.”
Vinitaa agrees with Naresh, emphasising the growing recognition that wellness, particularly sleep, is crucial for overall well-being. She affirms, “Clients are willing to pay a premium for specialised sleep-focused wellness treatments in sleep-enhancing environments to improve their mental clarity and emotional resilience.”
“Sleep is the cornerstone of physical and mental well-being and, unlike diet or exercise, it is non-negotiable,” asserts Sadhna. Luxury wellness resorts have techniques that aid in restoring the circadian cycle through scientific methods, and guests are willing to pay a premium for such restorative programmes.
Client Reflections
Consistently positive feedback for sleep-focused travel and the growing demand for immersive wellness drive repeat guests to seek out similar restorative experiences. According to Sadhna, Sleep tourism is often a lifestyle choice for high-profile, celebrity clients with high-intensity lives who need to reboot every few months. A controlled, restful environment is essential for their recovery. While luxury wellness retreats cater to this niche, a parallel market is emerging for the mid-range segment. Sadhna shares, “It is no longer just for the elite. Wellness programmes in Rishikesh, Kerala, Bali, and Sri Lanka now offer similar experiences in naturally serene settings to help people regain mental and physical balance.”
Aseem believes quality sleep is the most overlooked need in our hyper-connected lives. “We underestimate how crucial rest is for our physical and mental sanity,” he says. Many of his clients now embrace intentional rest even beyond vacations. To him, sleep tourism aligns perfectly with the essence of travel, as he muses, “A holiday is meant to offer a true escape, a chance to relax and step away from the stresses of daily life.”
“Repeat guests for wellness holidays are quite high, as it is almost like an addiction,” says Naresh. Feedback from happy clients highlights favourites like sleep diagnostics, breathwork, yoga, meditation, aromatherapy, sound healing, digital detox, and tailored nutrition set in calming, luxurious surroundings.
“Our guests return truly rejuvenated, and even a short, well-designed wellness break away from daily chaos resets the mind,” says Vinitaa. Describing the experience as transformative, a client likened the time-out to being recharged to full, a complete reset of energy and clarity.
Sleep-Focused Hospitality Players
As travel curators across India increasingly design itineraries prioritising rest and slower rhythms, wellness centres are stepping up to meet this growing appetite for sleep-focused experiences. The journey of sleep tourism begins with bespoke preparation and culminates in a destination where carefully set intentions manifest as real, restorative impact.
Wellness destinations are offering immersive sleep retreats that combine ancient wisdom with modern-day science of sleep diagnostics, guided breathwork, blue light detoxing, aromatherapy, personalised nutrition, and tech-free zones, all expertly calibrated to help guests reset their internal clocks.
Dr. Narendra K Shetty, Chief Wellness Officer, Kshemavana Naturopathy and Yoga Centre, Karnataka, has noticed the considerable surge of sleep-centric tourism in recent years. He notes, “With increasing sleep disorders, people are turning towards integrative retreats that provide natural, non-pharmaceutical methods of enhancing sleep quality. Travellers are no longer looking for a holiday, they are looking to reboot!”
Dr. Swetha R., HOD – Naturopathy Department at SwaSwara, CGH Earth Wellness, Karnataka, also observes a growing trend of travellers, both domestic and international, seeking rest as their primary reason for choosing a wellness destination. “At SwaSwara, we understand that sleep is an intricate, layered process, not something that can be ‘fixed’ in isolation,” she says.
Margy Leander, Associate Director of Digital Marketing and Communications, Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Ubud, Bali, has observed a similar significant shift in traveller priorities from traditional sightseeing to rest and restoration. Sleep tourism, once a niche, is now central to the luxury wellness narrative. She says, “We curate experiences that deeply honour rest. From our tranquil riverside setting to bespoke sleep rituals, we offer a calm setting where guests can fully decompress.”
The Restorative Process
Sleep well-being is central to Kshemavana’s healing philosophy. It is designed for rest, right from the peaceful forested spot of Kshemavana to the architecture with minimal EMF exposure, natural illumination, and silence-proof construction. Rituals like Yoga Nidra, Shirodhara, acupuncture, sound healing, hydrotherapy, and aqua yoga have proven their efficacy in enabling guests to achieve restorative sleep.
SwaSwara’s holistic approach includes sleep assessments, acupuncture, aromatherapy, nature walks, sleep-inducing diets, and guided meditation techniques, designed to gently restore the body’s circadian rhythm. The newly launched Sleep Program integrates melatonin and tryptophan boosting diets, rhythmic routines, and mind-body therapies to guide the body back to its natural sleep rhythm. They create an ecosystem for rest, offering an environment rooted in silence, nature, holistic therapies, and mindful rhythms.
Mandapa offers tailored sleep therapy through personalised assessments, guided meditation, and one-on-one sleep coaching. It includes Balinese treatments, yoga, and sound therapy, all aimed at improving sleep quality, reducing stress, and restoring balance.
Sleep Stories
True success stories come from guests who fully immerse themselves in the hands of experts to rejuvenate themselves. A SwaSwara guest overcame long-standing sleep issues through a 10-day holistic programme combining naturopathy, acupuncture, and aromatherapy. Dr. Swetha says, “By the fifth night, she reported deep, consistent sleep and renewed mental clarity.”
At Mandapa, guests are known to find deep healing through mindful rest. A guest recently called the experience ‘transformational,’ saying it was the first time in years they achieved uninterrupted sleep, thanks to the serene valley setting and guided Sleep Therapy. Another credited Mandapa’s natural rhythm and spa therapies for helping reset years of insomnia. With such successful feedback, Mandapa has carved a niche in this segment.
The Future of Sleep Tourism
As sleep evolves from a wellness trend into a transformative lifestyle movement, plans are underway to expand with dedicated sleep retreats, integrate wearable tech for real-time monitoring, and launch digital detox programmes to restore circadian health. “Sleep tourism will be a major vertical in wellness travel, especially for corporate clients facing burnout,” says Dr. Reddy.
“Sleep tourism is no longer niche as it is becoming central to wellness travel. Guests do not just want to relax, they want to relearn how to sleep naturally,” says Dr. Swetha. Their evolving Sleep Program focuses on long-term impact through virtual follow-ups, emotional wellness, and personalised circadian rhythm coaching for lasting results.
Margy shares the Mandapa belief that true luxury lies in stillness. She says, “It is about deep rest and self-reconnection as guided by Balinese principles of harmony, mindfulness, and nature-led healing.”
Sleep is no longer just a personal health goal; it is the cornerstone of wellness travel as we seek more intentional rest.” For a growing number of travellers, that choice begins with a well-planned escape and culminates in a deeply curated stay designed to bring body and mind back into alignment.
