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Hyatt hires Aman wellness chief to strengthen luxury hotel strategy. By Iuliia Tore / Sep 21, 2026 / 3 minutes of reading Table of Contents Hyatt Hotels Corporation has appointed longtime Aman wellness executive Yuki Kiyono as corporate vice president of brand effectiveness, luxury, strengthening the hotel group's focus on wellbeing across its growing high-end portfolio. Kiyono joins Hyatt after 13 years with Aman, where she most recently served as global head of health and wellness development and oversaw wellness, spa and medical operations across Aman and its sister brand Janu. At Hyatt, she will work under Tamara Lohan, global brand leader - luxury, helping shape how wellbeing is integrated across brands, hotel development, residences, operations, guest experience and commercial performance. READ MORE: Hyatt puts wellness deeper into luxury strategy. Hyatt has been strengthening its luxury leadership as it expands brands including Park Hyatt, Alila, Miraval, Impression by Secrets and The Unbound Collection by Hyatt. The group appointed Mr & Mrs Smith co-founder Tamara Lohan to lead its global luxury brand strategy, with responsibility for differentiating its high-end brands while improving consistency and guest experience across the portfolio. Hyatt said in December that its luxury estate had grown to nearly 125 hotels representing more than 21,000 rooms worldwide, with further expansion planned across major leisure and urban destinations. Kiyono's appointment adds specialist wellness expertise to that structure, linking wellbeing more directly with luxury brand positioning rather than treating it only as a spa or resort amenity. From Aman Tokyo to global wellness strategy. Kiyono joined Aman in 2013 ahead of the opening of Aman Tokyo, the luxury group's first urban hotel. She went on to hold senior spa and wellness positions across North Asia before becoming global head of health and wellness development in 2022. In that role, she worked across Aman and Janu on wellness concepts, spa operations and broader health-focused guest experiences. Kiyono was also closely involved in shaping the wellness proposition for Janu, including Janu Tokyo and its four-floor, 4,000-square-metre wellness centre. Miraval expands beyond the United States. The appointment comes during a significant period for Hyatt's wellness business. Miraval opened its first resort outside the United States in Saudi Arabia earlier this year, bringing the wellness brand to Shura Island at The Red Sea. Miraval The Red Sea includes 180 guestrooms and suites alongside a 3,000-square-metre Life in Balance Spa with 39 treatment rooms, wellness studios and dedicated mindfulness spaces. Hyatt has also expanded wellbeing initiatives across its wider portfolio through hotel programming, partnerships, retreats and wellness-focused meetings. Kiyono's arrival suggests the next stage will place particular emphasis on how wellness influences the identity and commercial positioning of Hyatt's luxury brands as the company continues to expand globally. Iuliia is the editor-in-chief and oversees all editorial content.She was born and raised in Kharkiv, Ukraine. Iuliia is passionate about all aspects of travel and tourism and holds a Master's degree in International Tourism Management.Iuliia Tore lives for two houses in Kharkiv and in Valencia, Spain, and loves spending time outdoors. Work aside, she has a passion for travel, painting, arts, food, and culture.

Aman Spa at The Connaught wins SATCC award at the Luxury Spa Edit Awards 2026. School of Natural Therapies is delighted to share some wonderful news for one of its valued training partners. Aman Spa at The Connaught has won the SATCC award at the Luxury Spa Edit Awards 2026, recognising the very best SATCC-approved spas providing safe touch therapies for clients undergoing or recovering from cancer treatment. Mandarin Oriental, Carden Park and Jumeirah were highly commended in the same category. The Standards Authority for Touch in Cancer Care (SATCC) is a registered charity dedicated to setting the standard in oncology touch care, bringing together expert training, spa therapists and the clients who need them. It is a charity School of Natural Therapies is proud to be affiliated with, and this award is a fantastic acknowledgement of the work Aman Spa's team have put into supporting their guests through every stage of their wellbeing journey. A training partnership School of Natural Therapies is proud of. Aman Spa at The Connaught has worked closely with School of Natural Therapies over the past year, with their team completing its Diploma in Oncology Massage & Cancer Care alongside advanced clinical sports and remedial massage training. You can read more about that partnership in its earlier article, Aman Spa at The Connaught Partners with The School of Natural Therapies, and see how the training was delivered on-site in its Connaught on-site training case study. The three-day oncology programme gave the Aman Spa team the theoretical knowledge and hands-on techniques needed to safely and confidently adapt spa therapies for guests at any stage of their cancer journey, including an understanding of the fascial network and how touch can help alleviate some of the physiological effects of cancer treatment or surgery. Training extended beyond the therapists themselves too, with the Aman Spa reception team also learning how to sensitively guide guests through their spa journey. Why this award Matters. Awards like this help raise the profile of oncology massage training within the luxury spa sector, showing that compassionate, well-informed touch therapy has a genuine place alongside traditional spa treatments. It is exactly the kind of recognition that reflects why School of Natural Therapies introduced its Diploma in Oncology Massage & Cancer Care in the first place. If you would like to understand more about this area of practice, its guide, A Guide to Oncology Massage Training: Benefits and Why It Matters, explains the training in more depth. School of Natural Therapies were also proud to be featured in the SATCC Spring 2026 newsletter, another reflection of its ongoing commitment to this specialist area of training. Congratulations to the Aman Spa team. Huge congratulations to everyone at Aman Spa at The Connaught on this achievement. It has been a genuine privilege to support their team's professional development, and this award is a wonderful reflection of the skill, care and dedication they bring to their guests every day. If you manage a spa, wellness centre or luxury hotel and would like to offer your team specialist training in oncology massage or other advanced techniques, visit its Diploma in Oncology Massage & Cancer Care page or its Massage Training for Teams page to find out more.

Global searches for premium class flights double as travellers prioritise comfort and personalised journeys. Sep 03, 2026, 04:00 ET * Custom tour bookings surge 600% as demand grows for exclusive and tailored experiences * Platinum Luxury Hotel bookings rise as travellers place greater value on wellness and privacy SINGAPORE, Sept. 3, 2026 /CNW/ - Travel has become a top priority for many today, with 7 in 10 Millennials and Gen Zs saying that travel is a 'non-negotiable' expense, based on a 2026 AMEX Global Travel Trends Report. Not just that, people are increasingly splurging on trips, from live entertainment to personalised experiences. Research from the UK found that holidays, festivals, concerts and wellness top the 2026 wishlist as people swap big-ticket purchases for memorable experiences. Trip.com's latest data tells the same story: high-end travel is booming like never before. Global searches for first and business class flights on Trip.com jumped by 99% year-on-year (YoY) in the first half of 2026, while 5-star hotel searches grew by 57% YoY. What this translates into is a growing demand for premium travel options that are highly customisable and once-in-a-lifetime moments that make a trip unforgettable. Premium Travel Redefined: Personalised and Unforgettable Experiences Holidays are no longer just about getting out of a country but a way to experience life differently. Travellers are increasingly looking for memorable experiences that are fully catered to their needs and preferences. Custom tours on Trip.com, where users are able to chat with a travel expert and book a tour fully tailored to their requests, have seen bookings surged by over 600% YoY globally. The largest demand is coming from Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR and Singapore, which is seeing some of the fastest growth in affluent travellers in the region[[1]]. Among Trip.com's top two highest membership reward tiers, known as Black Diamond and Diamond+ members, custom tours are also one of the fastest-growing product lines, suggesting a shift in demand towards customised itineraries and bespoke experiences as travellers spend more on their trips[[2]]. Recognising this need, Trip.com offers Black Diamond members access to a dedicated 24/7 relations management team, allowing deeper personalisation and seamless service that caters to their preferences. Beyond tailored experiences, live entertainment has emerged as a top reason for people to splurge on trips, as travellers seek unforgettable moments. 63% of Asia Pacific travellers have already crossed borders for concerts, and 66% are willing to go abroad for one, based on data from Trip.com Group. Identifying this demand, Trip.com Group has launched integrated offerings that combine concert tickets, accommodation, transportation and local attractions into one-stop packages, and this resulted in triple-digit growth in 2025. From front row seats to a sellout K-pop concert to the exclusive thrill of the F1 Paddock, live entertainment is fast becoming the motivating factor for travellers to book and spend more on their next trip. Focus on Privacy and Wellness as Luxury Retreat Bookings Rise For many high-end travellers, wellness and privacy are essential on any trip. Reports show that worldwide searches for "luxury" and "best spas" went up by 170%, reflecting an increased focus on wellness and relaxation as travellers seek premium experiences[[3]]. Luxury retreats, such as Aman Tokyo, known for its panoramic views and zen vibes, and Cheval Blanc Randheli Maldives, praised for its serene environment and private pools, are some of the top-ranked hotels featured on Trip.Best's Top Luxury Hotels list, Trip.com's collection of data-backed travel recommendations. Meanwhile, global bookings for "Platinum Luxury Hotels" on Trip.com rose in the first half of this year, with interest concentrating on hotels in Mainland China and Southeast Asia, and reflecting a growing preference for high-quality stays in this region. For instance, bookings for Platinum Luxury Hotels in the Minamitsuru District in Japan, an area known for iconic Mount Fuji views and serene lakeside resorts, saw a three-digit YoY jump[[4]]. In particular, Mainland China has emerged as a popular destination for premium stays at comparatively lower prices. Novotel Shanghai Clover in Shanghai, one of the most popular 5-star properties in China booked by international travellers in the second half of this year, costs about USD 126 per night, making Mainland China a go-to destination for many holidaymakers seeking high-end experiences but at more affordable prices. Travellers from Singapore, South Korea and Hong Kong have picked up on this trend, forming the largest overseas source markets for quality stays in China[[5]]. Premium Travellers are Going Further and for Longer Most premium travellers are not constrained by seasonality nor budget, making them frequent travellers whether for work or for leisure. Black Diamond members make almost twenty times the number of bookings compared to the average member, suggesting that many high-end travellers are frequent travellers all year round[[6]]. Premium travellers are not just frequent travellers, they are also choosing longer-distance destinations and extending their stays. International travellers flying first or business class are expected to spend at least 14 days overseas each trip, close to 40% more than the average traveller. This stretches to as long as 20 days when it comes to European premium travellers, based on Trip.com data. In addition, more than 4 in 10 of first and business class flights booked globally in the second half of this year are long-haul flights, indicating a strong preference for long-distance destinations when it comes to high-end travellers. Japan is a destination that premium travellers frequent, with four out of the top 10 most-booked 5-star hotels globally located there, while the Tokyo to Sapporo flight route is also the top-selling first class flight route[[7]]. Similarly, booking patterns among Black Diamond and Diamond+ members reflect a preference for long-haul destinations, and in particular, Western countries such as Australia, the UK, and the US. Japan stands out as a high-frequency repeat destination as well[[8]]. Millennials and Gen X Lead Demand for High-End Experiences Premium travellers today comprise largely of the Millennials and Gen X, signalling a higher-placed value on elevated, comfortable and bespoke travel experiences among these age groups. Close to 1 in 2 international travellers who booked 5-star hotels in the second half of this year are aged 35-49 years old, who also form the largest majority of first and business class flight bookings, based on Trip.com data[[9]]. A similar trend is observed across various regions, and also among the higher tiers of Trip members, suggesting that Millennials and Gen X worldwide are eager to spend on quality experiences when they travel. In recent years, demand for senior travel has also grown. With spending power three times that of younger travellers, many affluent and active seniors are increasingly looking to explore and spend on quality travel. Gross hotel bookings for Old Friends Club, an initiative launched by Trip.com Group to cater exclusive products for users aged 50 and above, increased by over 100% YoY in the first quarter of this year, reflecting rising demand for more personalised and experience-oriented travel offerings among seniors. AI features on Trip.com, such as Trip.Planner, also allow users to cater their itineraries and recommendations based on their preferences and travel group types across age, lifestyles and comfort level. Luxury travellers today are not merely seeking opulence, but a one-of-a-kind experience that goes beyond everyday moments. From impactful experiences like attending a live concert to quiet exclusivity, the premium travel experience is one that is seamless, end-to-end and ultra-personalised. About Trip.com Group Trip.com Group is a global travel service provider comprising Trip.com, Ctrip, Skyscanner, and Qunar. Across its platforms, Trip.com Group helps travellers around the world make informed and cost-effective bookings for travel products and services and enables partners to connect their offerings with users through the aggregation of travel-related content and resources, and an advanced transaction platform consisting of apps, websites and 24/7 customer service centres. Founded in 1999 and listed on NASDAQ in 2003 and HKEX in 2021, Trip.com Group is on the mission "to pursue the perfect trip for a better world". Find out more about Trip.com Group here: group.trip.com. | [[1]] Based on Trip.com data from 1 January to 30 June 2026 | | [[2]] Based on Trip.com Group data since September 2025 | | [[3]] Based on data from Trip.com Group's "Why Travel?" Report | | [[4]] Based on Trip.com data from 1 January to 30 June 2026 | | [[5]] Based on Trip.com data from 1 July to 31 December 2026 | | [[6]] Based on Trip.com Group data since September 2025 | | [[7]] Based on Trip.com data from 1 July to 31 December 2026 | | [[8]] Based on Trip.com Group data since September 2025 | | [[9]] Based on Trip.com data from 1 July to 31 December 2026 | SOURCE Trip.com Group [email protected]