Abstract
The rapid growth of the global wellness tourism industry presents both opportunities and challenges for emerging businesses seeking to establish a unique market identity. This paper explores strategic branding and positioning approaches tailored for startups and small enterprises within this evolving sector. It emphasizes the increasing importance of authenticity, sustainability, and personalized experiences as core values influencing consumer behavior. The paper highlights how digital branding, influencer marketing, and experiential brand building foster deeper emotional connections and trust among wellness consumers by referring to the examples of global cases, the recommendations of the practical branding solutions are implied to startups, such as the storytelling, customization, and compliance with environmental-friendly endeavors. The research also presents the stepwise strategic framework that startups should follow to develop differentiation and credibility within the competitive market environment. The findings underscore that successful brand development in wellness tourism must transcend traditional marketing by integrating wellness ideologies with modern digital engagement strategies. Ultimately, a well-executed branding and positioning framework grounded in consumer values and data analytics is essential for long-term sustainability and competitive advantage in this niche market.
KEYWORDS
Wellness Tourism, Branding, Tourism, Strategy.
Neha V Shah1, Neethu Alex2*
1Assistant Professor, Department of Commerce and Business Management, Faculty of Commerce, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda-390002, Gujarat, India
2Research Scholar, Department of Commerce and Business Management, Faculty of Commerce, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda-390002, Gujarat, India