Clear skies, abundant sunshine, dramatic mountains and lush landscapes have made Greater Palm Springs a popular escape for decades, with a sense of calm prevailing the minute you land.
“When you get off the airplane, you literally walk into an open-air concept airport, and when you walk out, there are the mountains, and it’s this beautiful feeling of being outside with an immediate sense of relaxation,” said Mark Crabb, director of convention sales and services for the Greater Palm Springs CVB, which represents the nine communities throughout the Coachella Valley.
“And while people think they’re coming to a desert, they’re really coming to an oasis within a desert with an abundance of palm trees and flowers and greenery,” he added.
“We have a great opportunity to really showcase our wellness-oriented offerings such as our natural springs, our mountain ranges and our sunshine,” Crabb said.
As a leading wellness tourism destination, Greater Palm Springs is taking it to new heights with recent initiatives that are also carrying over into the meetings realm.
Greater Palm Spring’s ‘9 Pillars of Living Your Wellest’
In fall 2018, the Greater Palm Springs CVB launched its Live Your Wellest campaign, encouraging visitors to indulge in the variety of wellness experiences the destination offers.
The CVB’s “9 Pillars of Living Your Wellest,” include:
- Spa Experiences.
- Fitness.
- Outdoor Adventures.
- Nutrition.
- Mindfulness and Mediation.
- Beauty and Cosmetic.
- Medical Tourism.
- Natural Medicine.
- Community and Contribution.
Alongside the Live Your Wellest campaign was the kickoff of the first annual Wanderlust Wellspring in Palm Springs, a first-of-its kind gathering of the world’s leading innovators, teachers and socially conscious companies.
“It was an opportunity for people to come down, rejuvenate and reconnect, and it turned out to be a great experience with a great turnout,” Crabb said, adding that the event attracted roughly 2,500 people. “It had great speakers and an industry-wide consumer show highlighting a wealth of products—everything from cleansing your body to reenergizing yourself. It was eye-opening.”
Meanwhile, other notable events surrounding the Live Your Wellest campaign included the 33rd Annual Palm Springs Aerial Tram Road Challenge, the Ironman 70.3 and Tour de Palm Springs.
As part of the Wanderlust Wellspring initiative in fall 2018, resort partners were invited to learn about the importance of wellness offerings at their properties to meet increasing demand, and they are now taking it to the next level, according to Crabb.
“The majority of our resorts have a spa component, and they are now interacting with their meeting planners and attendees to think differently about the breakouts,” he said. “That could mean something in the morning before the meeting starts such as a yoga or meditation class or a hike and understanding the importance of healthy cuisine to keep attendees energized and alert.”
Groups to Can Easily Get Outdoors in Palm Springs
Being outside is everything in Palm Springs, Crabb added, and with that in mind, he said the resorts have done a great job to get groups outside during meeting breaks or pre- and post-meeting activities.
“First and foremost, we want to make meetings special, but as an added value, we want planners and attendees to know they can easily get outside and hike, bike or go to the many beautiful pools,” Crabb said.
Greater Palm Springs properties that are leading the charge in wellness include:
- Hyatt Regency Indian Wells Resort and Spa.
- JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort and Spa in Palm Desert.
- La Quinta Resort and Club in La Quinta.
- Morongo Casino Resort and Spa near Palm Desert.
- Renaissance Indian Wells Resort and Spa.
- The Ritz-Carlton, Rancho Mirage.
- Two Bunch Palms in Desert Hot Springs.
- Westin Mission Hills Golf Resort and Spa.
Two Bunch Palms is one of the destination’s top properties for group retreats specifically focused on wellness, with a full roster of experiences designed to relax, rejuvenate and inspire attendees. The 67-room boutique hotel is situated within a lush oasis on 72 acres of desert landscape.
Two Bunch Palms is renowned for its lithium-rich geothermal hot springs, beautiful outdoor spaces and fire pits, uniquely designed rooms, variety of spa treatments, wellness-oriented enrichment programs and organic SoCal-inspired foods.
Palm Springs Properties Promote One-of-a-Kind Wellness
Aside from extensive spa experiences, other properties feature unique wellness offerings for groups.
Hyatt Regency Indian Wells features an aromatherapy mixing station to allow attendees to blend their desired essential oil scents for use during sessions.
JW Marriott Desert Springs offers mini massages in between meetings and trails for fitness walks.
La Quinta Resort and Club features group yoga and meditation in addition to its wealth of outdoor diversions, including teambuilding at the PGA West Golf Academy and refreshing walks along its trails. The resort is situated among flowering gardens and pathways at the base of the Santa Rosa Mountains.
Westin Mission Hills is also an ideal place to get out on the trails, as well as take yoga classes or participate in The Westin Run program. The property’s spa has its own apiary and raises bees that provide the resort with fresh local honey that is incorporated into treatments.
Meanwhile, a number of companies will arrange group excursions into the mountains for hiking, biking and other rejuvenating adventures.
Off-site venues in Greater Palm Springs also provide wellness-oriented inspiration, including Sunnylands, a 200-acre estate in Rancho Mirage that features stunning architectural details, art exhibitions and a lush landscape with plenty of areas for quiet reflection.
Yoga classes are regularly offered as part of the programming at Sunnylands.
The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens in Palm Desert is another favorite spot for outdoor exploration, with an extensive network of nature and hiking trails that showcase the flora and fauna of the region.
Meanwhile, in 2020, a new Agua Caliente Cultural Center will open at the location of Palm Springs’ original hot mineral spring and feature a spa and bathhouse with treatment rooms, a tranquility garden and outdoor natural mineral pools that draw on the valley’s rich history as a place of healing.
For more information on health and wellness in Greater Palm Springs, visit its website.
Palm Springs CVB Contact Information
Greater Palm Springs CVB
760.770.9000
