Translated from English, the term healing denotes a process of restoration and renewal. In this sense, healing tourism represents a health vacation, but it should not be equated with spa treatments alone. Sanatoriums typically offer comprehensive treatment plans that combine medical procedures with individualized diets and strict daily regimes. Staying in such facilities is governed by formal schedules and institutional rules. By contrast, the healing approach emphasizes flexibility, aiming to balance relaxation with gentle restorative practices chosen for personal pleasure and well-being rather than rigid constraints.
Sanatoriums, by definition, concentrate on physical health through balneology, a medical field that studies how natural factors contribute to the body’s healing and prevention. Balneotherapy and pelotherapy have long featured mineral waters and medicinal mud as core therapies, and these remain among the most popular procedures in wellness centers across regions such as the Stavropol Territory and beyond. Healing hotels, meanwhile, attract guests seeking improvements in mental well-being and emotional balance as part of a holistic wellness experience.
The concept centers on gradual, unobtrusive habit changes achieved through the soothing synergy of nature, comfortable surroundings, restful routines, varied physical activities, mindful nutrition, and targeted healing methods. In this model, the emphasis is on sustainable lifestyle shifts rather than dramatic, sudden reform.
– Representing the International Healing Hotels World Association, Green Flow announced its leadership in Russia as the first hotel group to adopt the healing-hotel concept on a national scale.
Recovery hotels offer a range of distinctive procedures, including floating therapy, a non-contact vibroacoustic hydro-massage, and neuromeditation, which uses neural interfaces to monitor brain activity during guided meditation. These offerings illustrate how modern wellness facilities blend traditional relaxation with cutting-edge technology to support mental and physical recovery.
The concept has gained traction among Russian travelers and wellness enthusiasts. In 2022, Green Flow Rosa Khutor reported an occupancy rate of 80 percent, well above the then-average resort occupancy of 58 percent. Guests are drawn year-round because accommodation packages often include numerous activities beyond lodging. About 20 percent of visitors become return guests, underscoring the perceived value of the health-focused experience, noted Alexander Tertychny, founder and CEO of Green Flow.
Healing hotels tend to attract a younger demographic, with nearly 80 percent of guests aged 24 to 45 who travel across the country in search of vibrant, energizing destinations. This generation prioritizes experiences and places where personal growth can occur alongside rest. Tertychny remarks that guests increasingly view a hotel as a place not only to sleep and eat but as a curated space offering meaningful concepts and additional services that enhance well-being.
Data show that more than half of Green Flow guests are couples, with about a quarter of travelers visiting with families. A smaller segment participates in group or corporate travel events. The distribution reflects the broad appeal of wellness-oriented getaways across relationship statuses and life stages.
Meanwhile, interest in sanatoriums continues to grow among Russians. Experts note a rising demand for spa holidays, with the pandemic year serving as a turning point that heightened public awareness of health. After 2020, the sector rebounded and reached near-record levels by the end of 2022, with a continued uptick into early 2023 (citation: Health Tourism and Corporate Health Association). Marketing analysts mention that many travelers opt for sanatoriums in Abkhazia, with significant portions choosing destinations such as Pitsunda, Sukhumi, Gagra, Tsandripsh, Greater Sochi, and Mineralnye Vody (citation: Travel industry data).
Industry observers link the growing appetite for sanatorium stays to a broader shift toward health-conscious living, a trend reinforced by precautionary health measures during the pandemic. The shift has encouraged domestic travel toward Russian wellness centers, reducing reliance on foreign resorts. sanatoriums tend to attract a more mature audience, though recent years show a trend toward younger visitors seeking preventive health benefits and a longer, active lifestyle. The membership bodies of wellness associations report that the typical guest age is trending downward, now approximating the late 40s, with increasing demand for maintaining physical and mental health as part of an active, extended lifespan (citation: Health Association reports).