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Hyatt has created a dedicated position to set the SkiftX: What else is Hyatt developing in the
HOW HYATT IS TAKING STEPS TO
INCORPORATE WELLNESS INTO
EVERY ASPECT OF ITS BUSINESS
Skift Take:
With so many hospitality brands jumping on the wellness
bandwagon today, the companies that are actually going
to resonate with customers are those that create true
opportunities for customers to enhance their wellbeing.
Wellness has become the trend du jour across We think of wellness as the road and well-being
the hospitality industry as of late — there’s as the destination you hope to reach, and this
been no shortage of brands sporting imagery journey is personal to each and every one of
of a guest thoughtfully “zenning out” in a yoga us. There are detours, of course, like work, the
pose or at a hotel spa in the last few years. But weather, the environment, or even politics, but
Hyatt believes true well-being goes way beyond we empathize with these realities and aim to
some updated branding and a few healthy food positively impact how our guests and customers
options. Hyatt is making a promise to care for its feel, fuel, and function every day.
guests and colleagues both inside and outside
its hotel properties. SkiftX: What exactly does a “global head of
wellbeing” do?
SkiftX spoke to Mia Kyricos, Hyatt’s senior vice
president, global head of wellbeing, about how Kyricos: At Hyatt, this role is about realizing our
the company is integrating wellness into not purpose, and that comes to life by building on
only its spas, menus, and fitness centers, but its our current foundation to further incorporate
larger brand values and business philosophies. well-being into our DNA. Commercially, that
means considering the value proposition of our
SkiftX: Where does wellness f it into the brands, the cultures we work in, and the needs
equation for Hyatt? of our most loyal guests and customers. It also
means looking at the traditional wellness areas
Mia Kyricos: Hyatt’s growing focus on wellness of our hotels, like spas and fitness centers, while
is unique in the marketplace in that it did not also considering how to make wellness transcend
stem exclusively f rom a particular product or the four walls of our hotels, and the relationship
service, or the wellness brands we’ve incorpo- we have with our guests both during and in
rated into our organization. We view well-being between their stays.
as more than spas, fitness centers, and healthy
food options on an in-room dining menu. We Internally, it’s about focusing more on how we
offer these types of amenities and options, but work, rather than what we do, and making the
well-being at Hyatt is ultimately driven by our culture of care and well-being something that
purpose –– we care for people so they can be can be felt across our workforce. The fact that
their best.
8 Skift
vision and strategy for well-being, both internally wellness space?
and externally, which speaks volumes about how
seriously Hyatt takes its purpose. Kyricos: We have a lot of exciting things in the
works. Internally, we’re piloting a program to help
SkiftX: How is Hyatt integrating wellness colleagues find their own paths to well-being.
options into its World of Hyatt loyalty program? We’re also working with a partner company to
help colleagues learn how to better manage
Kyricos: Amy Weinberg, senior vice president, their energy, whether at work, home, or play.
World of Hyatt & consumer insights, has been
very focused on integrating well-being into the Commercially, we’re piloting new products and
World of Hyatt loyalty program. One example of services with our wellness brands, Miraval and
how we’ve brought this to life for members is by Exhale, to learn how to have the most positive
providing access to complimentary Exhale fitness impacts on the health and well-being of our
classes when staying at our hotels. Additionally, guests and customers. Creatively expanding
we’re making Exhale On Demand, a platform to those brands within our portfolio continues to
stream Exhale fitness and meditation classes, be a priority, as is leveraging the decades of
available for guests to access in over 19,000 Hyatt expertise they offer in the areas of spa, fitness,
Place and Hyatt Regency hotel rooms in the U.S. mindfulness, and holistic well-being in other ways.
We’re also committed to our members’ well-being SkiftX: How do you determine the return on
when they’re not traveling, evident by the recent investment of well-being?
integration of Exhale into World of Hyatt, where
members can earn and redeem points for Exhale Kyricos: We focus on what’s in the best interest
fitness classes and spa therapies. This is the first of our colleagues, guests, and customers. We also
integration of its kind and was a collective effort look at data and research from organizations like
with the World of Hyatt team and Exhale CEO the Global Wellness Institute that provide insight
Annbeth Eschbach. into the business of wellness to prove that these
investments are indeed worth pursuing in the
World of Hyatt also recently launched FIND, a travel industry.
new well-being experiences platform, which was
shaped by consumer interest in experiences over For example, wellness tourism is growing twice
“things” and transformative travel. Through this as fast as global tourism. And we now know
platform, eligible World of Hyatt members can that wellness tourists are spending between
earn and redeem points on a curated selection 50 percent and 180 percent more than their
of well-being experiences, both in and outside of average counterparts. So the opportunities and
hotel stays. FIND allows us to provide members demand for well-being are there –– and it’s clear
with more value and care while aligning with that they’re here to stay.
our overall well-being focus.
Well-being is also part of the new World of Hyatt
credit card, which allows cardholders to earn
twice the points on fitness and was the first of its
kind to reward self-care. These are all examples
of how Hyatt thinks and approaches wellness
and well-being differently in the marketplace,
and stands to make wellness and well-being a
greater part of our overall DNA.
Mia Kyricos
Senior Vice President,
Global Head of Wellbeing,
Hyatt
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