ACCORDING TO THE Global Wellness Institute, the global wellness economy is a $4.2 trillion market. Clearly, wellness is BIG business, so it’s no surprise the travel industry took notice and developed wellness offerings to appeal to and wow this segment. Today, also according to the Global Wellness Institute, wellness tourism brings in $639 billion. We also took notice a few years ago, and that’s why we are pleased to unveil our third annual Wellness Issue this month. And it’s not just hotels and resorts with this focus. Airlines and airports jumped on the trend as well; Harriet Baskas shares more on those doing it well on page 40.

Wellness can, of course, take many different forms. Perhaps you travel to hike, or maybe personal well-being means a spa weekend with no technology. If tennis or squash is more your thing, you probably look to hotels and resorts with those amenities to bring your wellness options on the road with you. I met a man on a recent cruise who, as a frequent cruiser, rises every morning before dawn to walk the decks of the cruise ship. It could be seeking destinations with temperate climates and tons of green space. However you define it, we’ve identified some of the best wellness destinations around the globe on the following pages.

For me, I incorporate wellness into my travels as a way to enjoy the outdoors. I’ve hiked in Los Angeles while in town for an event, I book hotels along the South Beach walking and running path when in Miami for business for early-morning walks, and I try to decompress with a spa treatment whenever possible. Finding a way to get out on the water is also always a method of wellness for me. And I like to seek out something different, in which my colleagues Katie Skrzek and Angelique Platas often join me, especially when it comes to yoga. We’ve down-dogged from coast to coast, in gardens, overlooking the ocean, on rooftops and on the baseball diamond at Citizens Bank Park, home of the Philadelphia Phillies.

Let the wellness journey begin with stops in Cape Town, Vienna, Sedona, Luxembourg, Geneva, Melbourne, Bali, Peru and the Maldives. Next month we highlight another area where people seek relaxation as we look at some of the best beach towns in the United States. Until then, namaste!