JAKARTA, Indonesia, Aug. 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Wellness tourism has become one of the fastest-growing segments in the global travel industry. As public awareness of the importance of physical and mental health continues to rise, travel is no longer merely a moment to take a break, but also an opportunity to restore energy and adopt a healthy lifestyle. According to the Indonesia Tourism Outlook 2025/2026, the health and wellness tourism trend is projected to keep growing as more travellers prioritise health and relaxation as part of their travel experience.
In response to this need, Archipelago Hotels, the largest privately-owned hotel management group in Indonesia and Southeast Asia, offers a wide range of wellness facilities across its network of hotels in various destinations. From fitness centres, swimming pools, spas, saunas and jacuzzis to fitness activities such as yoga, zumba and pilates, every facility is designed to help guests maintain their health routines while enjoying a higher-quality travel experience.
To date, 77 hotels across the Archipelago Hotels network offer at least one wellness facility. These include 55 properties with fitness centres, 31 properties with swimming pools, 67 properties with spa services, 6 properties with saunas, 4 properties with jacuzzis, and 12 properties with fitness activities. These facilities are spread across Java, Bali & Nusa Tenggara, Sumatra, Kalimantan and Sulawesi.
These facilities can be enjoyed across various Archipelago Hotels brands, including Aston, Kamuela, The Alana, Harper, Quest Hotels, Hotel Neo and fave hotel. A number of hotels also offer relaxation experiences through spa treatments inspired by Indonesian traditions, in collaboration with trusted partners such as Alaya Spa, Annathaya Spa, Kamma Spa and Apsara Spa.
This combination of fitness facilities and spa services rooted in local wisdom gives guests the flexibility to maintain their physical and mental health while travelling, whether for business or leisure.
"The health and wellness tourism trend is projected to keep rising as more travellers make health, relaxation and life balance an essential part of their travel experience. We see the role of hotels evolving, not only as places to stay, but also as spaces that support a healthy lifestyle and guest wellbeing. Through the development of wellness facilities across our brands, we strive to deliver a stay experience that is increasingly relevant to the needs and lifestyles of today's travellers", said John Flood, CEO Archipelago Hotels.
About Archipelago Hotels
Archipelago Hotels is the largest privately-owned hotel management group in Indonesia and Southeast Asia, operating more than 45,000 rooms across 350+ hotels throughout Southeast Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, the Middle East and Oceania. With 13 award-winning brands, including Aston, Huxley, Park Lane, Alana, Avanika, Kamuela, Harper, Aston Collection Hotels, Quest, Four Corners, Neo, fave and Nordic, the company is recognised as one of the most reliable and fastest-growing hospitality leaders in the region. www.archipelagohotels.com
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Wellness Experiences Become Part of the Stay at More Than 70 Archipelago Hotels Properties
SYDNEY, Aug. 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- More than three-quarters (76%) of Australians trust AI shopping recommendations as much as or more than advice from a retail sales assistant, according to new research revealing how artificial intelligence is challenging the traditional role of retail staff.
The study, commissioned by global leader in supply chain commerce, Manhattan Associates Inc. (NASDAQ: MANH), found nearly half of Australians (47%) trust AI recommendations more than those provided by a retail sales assistant, while a further 29% place about the same level of trust in both.
The shift is also reflected in where Australians turn for help when researching a significant purchase. Nearly one in four (23%) use AI as their first source of information, compared with just 7% who first seek advice from an in-store sales assistant.
Raghav Sibal, APAC Vice President at Manhattan Associates, said consumers are increasingly using AI to inform purchase decisions, changing the information they may have before they do reach a retailer and what they need from sales staff.
"Consumers are using AI for product discovery, to compare options and inform their purchasing choices. These are some of the many things they might previously have relied on a retail sales assistant for," Sibal said.
"This doesn't make retail staff irrelevant, but it does change what customers expect from them. Shoppers might now arrive in-store already knowing which products they are considering, what alternatives are available and what they expect to pay. Retailers and their teams need to be ready to add value beyond information the customer can now find for themselves."
The changing role of retail staff comes as AI becomes a more established part of how Australians research purchases. More than four in five Australians (83%) have used an AI assistant such as ChatGPT, Gemini or Copilot for shopping research, with 36% doing so regularly.
Value and convenience drive AI adoption
The growing use of AI comes as Australians continue to balance convenience with a greater focus on value. Separate research from PayPal found price comparison is now the most common way Australians use AI when shopping, with 57% of AI shoppers saying the technology helps them save money.
Manhattan Associates' research suggests convenience is another important part of AI's appeal. When asked why they would choose AI over speaking to a retail sales assistant, 42% of respondents said for its 24/7 availability, followed by speed (20%) and the ability to compare products more easily (19%).
Sibal said the speed and ease of AI-led research is raising expectations for the experience retailers provide through to purchase and fulfilment.
"AI can make it easier for consumers to reach a decision, but that puts more pressure on retailers to deliver when they move from research to purchase. Knowing a product exists isn't good enough. Customers need to know whether it's available, where it's available, what it will cost and how quickly they can get it," he said.
AI expands the path to purchase
Despite the rapid uptake of AI, Australians are not abandoning retailer-owned channels. Even if AI could accurately answer every product question, 84% of Australians said they would still be likely to visit a retailer's website before, while 81% would still be likely to visit a physical store.
"AI can help a customer decide what they want, but it can't compensate for a poor experience when they are ready to buy. If the price they find is different, the product isn't available or the fulfilment options don't meet their expectations, retailers still risk losing that customer at the point that matters most," Sibal said.
"As AI becomes more influential earlier in the journey, retailers need to ensure they deliver a connected experience through to purchase. Consumers are arriving better informed and with clearer expectations, putting greater importance on the retailer's ability to turn that intent into an accurate and reliable purchase and fulfilment experience," he concluded.
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Methodology:
Manhattan Associates surveyed 500 Australian consumers.
About Manhattan Associates
Manhattan Associates is a global technology leader, providing supply chain and omnichannel commerce solutions with unmatched AI capabilities. We design, build and offer best-in-class, AI-powered, cloud-based solutions that drive resilience and efficiency for businesses. We enable enterprises to uniquely unify front-end sales with back-end supply chain execution.
Our commitment to innovation, cloud-native platform and API-first architecture create simpler experiences and faster paths to value for our customers. We empower them to preempt and react to emerging trends and global disruptions with technical expertise and operational confidence, transforming challenges into competitive advantage. For more information, please visit www.manh.com.
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Nearly half of Australians trust AI shopping recommendations more than retail staff
