Issue link: https://www.balharbourdigital.com/i/1538963
P H OTO C O U R T E S Y O F N I Z U C R E S O R T A N D S PA It's a timely move. The Global Wellness Institute declared the market it covers exceeded $6.8 trillion last year, and projects it will reach nearly $9 trillion by 2028; within that sector, there's an emerging niche that emphasizes medicine over massages. The longevity-focused vertical is seeing a notable boom, on track to more than triple in size to $63 billion by 2035. It's driven by rising consumer curiosity: A recent Booking.com survey showed 52 percent of Americans are willing to pay for vacations "solely to expand their lifespan"—a trend it has since dubbed The passport to longevity, though you could also call it the The healthspan holiday. One of the latest spots to draw travelers' attention (and dollars) will be that new spa at Nizuc. Neorgana's Novelo proudly touts its suite of services, which will be anchored with the use of cells known as Muse (that's multilineage-differentiating stress-enduring). These were discovered by Japanese scientist Mari Dezawa in 2007; her work has formed the basis of some of the most cutting-edge longevity treatments. Stem cells, of course, are viewed as miraculous for their ability to rejuvenate from the inside out; this particular form of them, Muse, removes one of the small risks from the treatment, claims Novelo. "They don't express oncogenesis," he says, "So they cannot become cancer cells." In addition, Novelo says, the body's immune response is less likely to be triggered by the appearance of the One of the treatment rooms at Nizuc Spa by ESPA Muse stem cells, which can often be an unwelcome side effect of many alternative injections. "Ninety-nine percent of patients do not have that immune response, so they feel pretty amazing after therapy," he raves. Huguett Garcia, Nizuc's spa director, is just as enthusiastic about the expansion because of the way these treatments work: They focus on more than the surface, in terms of both mindset and metabolism. "You can apply lotions, products, and new devices on your skin, but if you don't change your mind to be good from the inside, nothing is going to change," she says. "We're trying to combine this new opportunity for longevity but not lose the line that we are a resort for vacation and relaxation." Evidence of that equal emphasis on indulgence: Following this year's wellness clinic debut, there will be a new, 9,000-square-foot Presidential Villa (inclusive of sundeck, patio, and outdoor entertaining areas) added to the resort's inventory in 2026. It's a smart move, says Kristiana Capati Choquet, a travel advisor with luxury agency Embark Beyond who has carved out a specialty in longevity-focused trips. She reports that these stem cell injections are a major driver for her clients' travel decisions. Little wonder, given that they're nicknamed A facelift without the knife. "Usually, they're done in a hospital setting, but my clients want a luxurious experience," she says, "So they're always on the lookout for that." BALHAR B O U RSH O P S .CO M