Why Running & Walking Are Now Your Hotel’s Most Valuable Wellness Amenity

According to Accor’s global research, the #1 priority for high-net-worth travelers right now is exercise – not dining, spa, or entertainment. Wellness is no longer a “nice to have”; it is now the core of luxury and aspirational travel decision-making.

WHOOP’s aggregated activity data echoes this shift:

• #1 most-tracked activity: Walking

• #2 most-tracked activity: Running

These aren’t niche preferences. They are the most popular forms of movement among millions of highly engaged, health-focused travelers. This means running and walking are not just popular guest amenities… they are the most important amenities you can offer.

Runner-Friendly Hotels are already doing exactly what today’s traveler values most.

Additional global wellness trends reinforce this:

• The Global Wellness Institute reports that “active travel” is the fastest-growing segment of wellness tourism.

• TripAdvisor shows ongoing growth in searches for outdoor, nearby, and self-guided experiences.

• Business travelers increasingly prioritize hotels that help them maintain exercise routines, with running and walking rated as the most accessible and time-efficient ways to stay consistent.

This matters right now because travelers expect instant clarity, zero friction, and authentic local discovery. The old methods – pointing vaguely at a sidewalk, describing a route verbally, handing out paper maps or pocket “jogging cards” – simply don’t meet the expectations of a modern, mobile-first guest.

A hotel that provides beautiful, curated, on-demand running and walking routes is offering something powerful:

• A sense of place

• A moment of freedom

• A wellness experience aligned with the highest-value travelers in the world

If your property is already offering a structured RunGo program, you are not just keeping up. You are leading.

And guests notice.