You probably didn't know that the origin of the Pet Rock was in Baja. Advertising exec Gary Dahl collected smooth stones at Rosarito Beach then marketed them as live pets. While the fad lasted about half a year, this enterprising Mad Man sold more than one million rocks. (I'm happy to report mine is still alive and well).

Baja is also the location of, arguably, the first modern wellness spa, Rancho La Puerta, which opened in 1940 and is still welcoming guests with its old-school charm. Those of us at MEA have loads of respect for them at the northern end of the Baja peninsula.

But, given how entrepreneurs and the establishment have jumped on the wellness bandwagon, I'm starting to wonder whether wellness is becoming too trendy for its own good, the Pet Rock of this era. Many companies are treating wellness like "greenwashing," a branding trick that uses keywords associated with genuinely sustainable products to fool customers into believing their offering is more eco-friendly than it is.

The travel industry alone is pushing this to the extreme. Industry analysts predict that consumers will spend nearly $1 trillion on wellness vacations in 2022. According to a new global survey by American Express, sixty-eight percent of world travelers say they are likely to base their next trip around improving their mental well-being due to the pandemic.

As a result, hotels and resorts are creating all kinds of crazy wellness programs—from "yoga and vino" (drinking alcohol while doing yoga!) to "flora and aura arranging" (how to find your aura while creating a beautiful bouquet). There's now even a "wellness horror" genre, courtesy of TV shows like "Nine Perfect Strangers" or "The White Lotus." Please don't mistake me for Masha or Armond's characters, the leaders of these two ridiculous wellness resorts. LOL.

Don't get me wrong. I believe in the idea of "transformational travel." Philosopher Alain de Botton's "The Art of Travel" (highlighting how travel is a form of therapy) is still one of my favorite books. As one recent guest told me, MEA sits at the Venn diagram intersection of wellness, education, and hospitality.

Stanford's Dr. Phil Pizzo has shown that purpose, wellness, and community are what we most thirst for after age 50, so it's no surprise that a modern elder would appreciate some focus on their well-being, especially when they're traveling. But I just want to make sure the travel industry doesn't debase the definition of wellness by the rush for the almighty buck.

What do you think?