World-class wellness hub draws interest

The search is on for a top national or international operator to establish a flagship presence in a world-class Rotorua clinical wellness hub.

The more than 3,200-square-metre city centre complex now for lease is one of New Zealand’s most distinctive purpose-built health campuses. It caters to soaring global wellness sector demand with an extensive combination of on-site clinical, rehabilitation and geothermal facilities rarely found in this country.

The landmark Hinemaru Street complex has pride of place within Rotorua’s internationally recognised lakeside health and wellness precinct.

The opportunity for a new operator comes as Rotorua pursues an ambitious plan to establish itself as the spa and wellness capital of the Southern Hemisphere – further growing an existing local sector that attracts $275 million of wellness visitor spending a year.

The activity forms part of a global wellness economy that is tipped to grow 7.6 percent annually to an estimated $10 trillion by 2029.

The commercial-zoned property at the corner of Hinemaru and Whakaue streets is being offered to new tenants by expressions of interest closing on Wednesday 16 September, through sole agents Damien Keenan, Brei King and Mark Slade of Bayleys Rotorua.

The expansive modern campus includes premium consulting rooms, treatment suites, and an accommodation wing for patients, visitors or staff. Geothermal mud treatment rooms and therapeutic mineral pools are supplied from the calming alkaline waters of the renowned Rachel Spring.

Other facilities include a dedicated rehabilitation and movement studio, extensive staff and patient amenities, and 52 licensed on-site car parks.

Keenan says the scale and diversity of the complex means there are flexible options for a new tenant to sub-lease facilities to other operators.

“On offer is the chance to anchor a new operation in a special place where world-class healthcare meets geothermal wellness.

“Designed by award-winning Rotorua-founded national design house DCA Architects, and completed in 2023, this is a striking facility custom designed to support integrated healthcare, rehabilitation and wellness.

“It is thoughtfully configured throughout to bring together clinical services, patient accommodation, rehabilitation facilities, and natural therapies – all within a calm, premium environment,” says Keenan.

King says the complex presents an exceptional platform for a diversity of disciplines – spanning specialist healthcare, rehabilitation, sports medicine, preventative health, executive wellness, medical research, or an internationally recognised centre of excellence.

“Positioned within the established lakefront health-and-wellness precinct, it offers the potential to develop a distinct clinical or health-focused destination that complements, and is complemented by, neighbouring wellness attractions,” says King.

Slade says new operators will have a stake in a lucrative economic sector that is targeting major expansion.

“Spa and wellness is a core focus of tourism development in Rotorua. With wellness travellers typically spending 40 percent more than the average visitor, the city’s tourism and economic development agency, RotoruaNZ, has its sights set on creating a spa and wellness capital with global pulling power.

“An estimated 260,000 domestic holidaymakers and 160,000 international visitors engaged in these activities in Rotorua in 2023, collectively spending more than $275 million in the region. With further investment and development, this is projected to soar to an inflation-adjusted $408 million by 2028,” Slade says.