Forget sightseeing and holiday snaps, sleep tourism is the new frontier in travel

The new frontier in tourism is people who want to see nothing more than the insides of their own eyelids.

Beatriz Soares and attendant Anjali Bhujel at The Langham. Picture: John Feder

The new frontier in tourism is ­people who want to see nothing more than the insides of their eyelids.

It’s called sleep tourism, and is being taken up by hordes of weary business people, new parents and older holiday-makers who prioritise a good nap above all else.

With it already an established trend in the US and Britain, savvy Australian accommodation providers are getting in on the act with specially tailored “sleep retreats” and “sleep weekends”.

The Langham in Sydney launched its “sleep matters” package just over a year ago, comprising everything required for a quality sleep, from a pre-nap massage and alcohol-free dining to pillow mist, ear plugs and eye mask.

“Sleep is seen as an important part of life,” said The Langham Sydney director of sales and marketing Jayson Heron-Smith.

“It’s something The Langham is doing globally in response to customer feedback and industry trends.”

Beatriz Soares settles in for a good night’s sleep at The Langham in Sydney, after being tucked in by housekeeping attendant Anjali Bhujel. Picture: John Feder

Shea Morrison, co-founder of the Good Night Co, started offering “sleep retreats” prior to the Covid pandemic, in recognition of the value certain segments of the community placed on sleep.

She said clients included parents as well as people in their 50s and 60s, struggling with hormonal changes that impacted sleep.

“We wanted to help people finding it difficult to break the habit of not being able to sleep, so we find beautiful locations in mostly rural settings where people can connect with nature, and really surround themselves with the ultimate set-up to get good sleep,” Ms Morrison said.

The Accor Group, which includes Sofitel, Novotel, Mercure and Pullman Hotels confirmed it was preparing to roll out out a “sleep/wellness collaboration” with one of its brands in June.

Overseas, Zedwell in London promotes itself as the city’s first “sleep-centric hotel” featuring soundproof rooms and an absence of televisions or electronic devices to improve sleep quality.

And the Park Hyatt New York boasts an enormous sleep suite with a “restorative bed to help guests fight off jet lag, fall asleep more quickly, and stay asleep longer”.

In Paris, the Hotel de Crillon offers a range of packages for the sleep tourist, including “sleeping beauty”, sleep naturopathy and a dreamscape retreat.

Rosewood London’s two-night sleep transformation package includes a two-hour intensive sleep treatment, facial, meditation, and personalised sleep amenities.

University of Sydney associate professor of sleep and wellness, Chin-Moi Chow said awareness of the role sleep played in a person’s health and wellbeing was still growing. “Sleep medicine is still a relatively young science. It’s only since the 1980s that people have become more and more aware of its importance,” Professor Chow said.

“Previously we talked about the two pillars of life being exercise and nutrition, but now we talk about the three pillars, with the third being sleep.”

Originally published as Forget sightseeing and holiday snaps, sleep tourism is the new frontier in travel