• The Alps have the bulk of the world's major ski resorts.
• Property companies say the quality of the skiing is not the only criteria for some Alpine buyers.
• Instead of winter sports, wellness is taking priority for many seeking an Alpine chalet.

Powdery snow, wide slopes, epic mountain views, and a vast network of interconnected trails weaving through snowcapped forests are hallmarks of skiing in the Alps, home to many winter resorts.

About 120 million people visit the Alps between December and April for its ski and snowboard offerings.

Yet, for some wealthy chalet buyers in upmarket towns such as Gstaad and Courchevel, it seems skiing is no longer the only draw.

In its 2024 Alpine Market Review published in November, property company Knight Frank reports buyers are just as interested in the "après ski" health and wellness activities after hitting the slopes as strapping on the skis.

Knight Frank surveyed about 730 high-net-worth individuals from more than a dozen countries for the report and found that health and wellness ranked above skiing and snowboarding in priority when asked about the Alpine lifestyle they're most interested in.

Wellness offerings also came out ahead of ski-in/ski-out access and proximity to the village center when wealthy respondents were asked what amenities were most important in their purchasing decisions.

The rebalancing of their priorities aligns with findings from Bain & Company and Altagamma's 2024 Luxury Monitor. They found that consumer spending has shifted away from tangible goods to luxury experiences, particularly those linked to wellness and personal treatment.

In response to increased demand for wellness offerings, Knight Frank notes that resorts in the Alps are repositioning themselves as "a top destination for rejuvenation" with high-end spas, thermal baths, and specialized health resorts.

"The Alps are increasingly viewed as a year-round destination, with health and wellness now overtaking skiing as the primary lifestyle driver for buyers," said Kate Everett-Allen, head of European residential research at Knight Frank.

Knight Frank's results echo a similar ski market report from Savills, highlighting the emergence of "wellness/medical retreats" in luxury winter resorts.

Jeremy Rollason, head of ski for Savills and author of the report, told Business Insider that health and wellness offerings are not an entirely novel concept. In the mid-1900s, he said, the Swiss Alps had sanatoriums visited by those with physical and mental health issues.

But interest in modern health and wellness trappings, such as saunas, steam rooms, and heated outdoor pools, among Alpine buyers, is now picking up speed, Rollason said.

"You buy in a ski resort because you like the mountains and probably because you like skiing or winter sports," he said. "There is much more than that now, and that's required developers and providers of hospitality in the ski resorts to offer so much more."

Rollason added that if the uber-wealthy are buying a chalet, "then it's not just a chalet — it's an all-encompassing leisure object."