The global consortium of holistic hotels, resorts and retreats – Healing Hotels of the World – has announced its aim to add eight more partner hotels to its portfolio of 100 properties by the end of 2014.

At a press briefing on 5 November, co-founders of the global brand – Anne Biging and Elizabeth Ixmeier – revealed that they are in discussions with four hotels, located in Egypt, Cyprus, Portugal and Croatia. Biging attended the first of three Spafinder Wellness sessions at the World Travel Market the day before – debating the expected duration of the ‘wellness tourism’ boom.

Biging spoke to Spa Opportunities about Healing Hotels of the World’s selection of facilities to become partners and why the consortium does not include any sites in the UK or the US.

“Our partner hotels have to meet very strict criteria to become part of our consortium. We believe holistic health should run through every department of a property. We don’t support simply spas; it’s about the philosophy of our partners’ developments. For example, after a massage you feel extremely sensitive. It is this sensitivity that we need to see throughout the property to create a partnership. Everything about the property needs to be carefully considered, down to the mattresses in the bedrooms and filtered water in each communal area”

“We’ve found no UK hotels to partner with because none of them have moved forward from pampering,” said Biging. “There’s a lack of understanding of holistic health, which is a shame because it is such a healing place. There are health farms, the same way that in the US there are health farms, and these operators don’t understand what modern customers want.

“In the US, health-based hospitality businesses are just focused on how much money they can make,” added Biging. The exception to the rule is The Golden Door retreat (which is giving 100 per cent of its profits away to charity) but still, these facilities don’t want to market themselves globally because they don’t need to.”

Biging also invited the meeting’s attendees to the next Healing Summit - the second edition of the summit that was previously held in March this year. The next one will be on 3 March 2015 in Berlin. “On this day, thought leaders and visionaries from all over the world in the field of hospitality, social change, sustainability, charity and healing will come together to discuss and debate new insights and concepts – and commit to make an impact for a better life,” read the invitation.