Getting a good night's sleep has gone from being a side benefit of travel to the main reason for visiting. By 2026, sleep tourism is emerging as one of the strongest trends in the global hotel industry, with establishments selling silence, deep rest, and zero notifications as the new standard of luxury.
Sleep tourism involves traveling with the specific goal of improving sleep quality , redefining the traditional concept of well-being. This trend has emerged at a time when the industry agrees that deep sleep has become a contemporary aspiration, especially among high-spending travelers.
The Accor sums up the phenomenon clearly: “Rest is no longer an add-on to travel, but the main reason for traveling.” Similarly, Hilton included sleep tourism among the top trends in its 2025 Travel Trends Report , highlighting the proliferation of specialized rooms, spa treatments focused on relaxation, and sleep optimization programs.
Why did sleep become a luxury?
The rise of sleep tourism is a response to a global context marked by chronic stress, hyperconnectivity, and sleep deprivation . According to data cited by the World Health Organization ( WHO ), sleep disorders and insomnia are on the rise: nearly a third of adults worldwide report difficulty sleeping, while a similar proportion of Americans do not get the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep per night.
In this scenario, sleeping eight hours straight became the new “status symbol.” The market responded with accelerated growth in sleep-related products and services—from supplements and wearables to smart mattresses—and now also with destinations designed exclusively for better sleep .
When the need for sleep is reflected in the infrastructure
- RAKxa Integrative Wellness Retreat
One of the most representative examples of sleep tourism is RAKxa Integrative Wellness Retreat , located in Bang Krachao, known as the “green lung” of Bangkok. Recognized as Thailand’s Best Wellness Retreat at the 2024 World Spa Awards, RAKxa launched a comprehensive sleep optimization designed to address rest through integrative medicine, science, and traditional therapies.
The retreat is located less than an hour from Bangkok, but in a protected natural setting along the Chao Phraya River, far from the noise of one of the world's busiest airports, which handled over 35 million international tourists The contrast is not accidental: silence and nature are an essential part of the treatment.
Design, tranquility, and personalization in luxury destinations
- Emerito Hotel (Italy)
The quest for profound rest has driven luxury hotels and retreats to design spaces where silence is a product in itself , not an add-on. This trend is reflected in resorts and retreats that prioritize tranquil environments, connected to nature, or with designs that minimize sensory distractions. For example, establishments like the Eremito Hotel in Umbria , Italy, offer monastery-like retreat experiences with minimal cell phone coverage and silent activities , allowing guests to disconnect from digital notifications and reconnect with their inner rhythm.
- Pomâlo Inn (Croatia)
Another example is found in properties that embody the concept of quiet luxury , focusing on the tranquility of their spaces and the reduction of stimuli. In countries like the United Kingdom and Croatia, hotels such as the Saltmoore in North Yorkshire and the Pomâlo Inn on the island of Vis offer experiences centered on tranquility, conscious design, and connection with the natural environment, where silence and slow travel are key elements of the experience.
- Aman Nai Lert (Bangkok)
This approach is also being reflected in the creation of urban rest areas: in large cities like Bangkok, new properties such as Aman Nai Lert Bangkok have been developed with a clear emphasis on tranquility and inner peace, combining wellness services with a location next to serene parks within bustling urban environments, targeting a clientele that values silence even in metropolitan destinations.
A trend that is already expanding
Quiet luxury—sometimes described as hushpitality —is no longer a niche market, but a global trend being integrated into the offerings of high-end hotels. By 2026, travel trend experts indicate that travelers will be seeking destinations that allow them to minimize distractions and regain a more serene pace, both in natural settings and urban environments, prioritizing deep relaxation over frenetic activities.
Furthermore, travel and wellness publications highlight examples of luxury hotels incorporating this philosophy in different parts of the world. Spaces designed to be “sanctuaries of silence”—where the absence of noise becomes a valuable attribute—are increasingly promoted as escapes from everyday life, reinforcing the idea that silence and tranquility will be recurring elements in premium hospitality in the near future.
Projection
By 2026, silence is no longer simply the absence of noise: it has become a luxury experience sought after by travelers looking for genuine well-being, deep rest, and a meaningful disconnection from the digital and urban world . This shift in preferences is redefining what luxury means in contemporary hospitality, where serenity, thoughtful design, and the absence of notifications compete with traditional services like spas or gourmet cuisine to attract the most discerning travelers.
As the global hotel industry adjusts its offerings to meet this demand, destinations and establishments that prioritize tranquil environments, experiences of silence and reconnection with body and mind are positioning themselves as benchmarks in the new paradigm of high-value tourism.
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