( CNN ) Looking for a spa break ? In the past , the world 's chill-seekers might have ventured to Thailand or India to get their massage fix . In the future , they 're more apt to be Africa-bound . A new report in the Global Spa and Wellness Monitor puts Sub-Saharan Africa as the world 's fastest growing region for wellness tourism . The number of spas has tripled since 2007 , and spa revenue has leaped 184 % . The number of those lured to the continent for a little R & R has also soared . 2013 saw 4.2 million wellness tourists -- a 90 % increase from 2012 . As a testament to this growth , this year 's annual Global Spa and Wellness Summit took place in Morocco -- the first time the event was held on African soil . `` Africa is seen as the final frontier . It 's virgin territory , '' says Magatte Wade , the Senegal-born founder and CEO of beauty brand Tiossan , and a keynote speaker at the summit . She attributes the continent 's spike in spas not only to the increase of international travelers , but to the growth of the consumer class within Africa . `` The middle class is growing , there are more African billionaires right now , and then you have people like me , who 've had the opportunity to live all over the world and have money to spend , and want to go back home and have the same top-of-the-line service you have in New York or Tokyo , '' she says . The wellness trend has also started to leak into Africa 's safari industry , according to Henry Hallward , founder of both the Good Safari Guide and the Safari Awards , and former chairman of the African Tourism and Travel Association . Hallward estimates there are 9,000 safari lodge operators today , up from approximately 400 in 1995 . Pampering , he admits , has also become a stronger focus . `` Almost every safari lodge that I 'm aware of has added into its suite of services either massage , or else an entire spa branded by product suppliers , '' he says . A geographical shift . Even countries that were once eschewed due to political concerns are set to emerge as wellness hotspots . Hallward says he 's seen growth in markets such as Ethiopia and even the Sudan , `` now that the politics has calmed down . '' He is also noticing a shift in the type of safaris on offer . The old formula of trekking the `` Big Five '' in the Masai Mara from the comfort of a jeep is outdated . Instead , safaris are becoming more active , and different countries are starting to specialize in niche versions . `` Botswana has become the center for safaris on horseback , while Malawi and Zambia are emerging for the underwater wildlife experience , '' he says . Wade too is also noticing growth in regions that were once considered off-limits . `` Angola is getting up there , and Rwanda is starting to pay attention . It 's still in its infancy there , but it will grow fast , '' she says . A taste of the continent . Wade says there is an incredible opportunity for new properties to embrace the numerous healing traditions and natural ingredients indigenous in the continent . Her product line , which boasts Senegalese black seed oil , is one of the few to do so , but Wade is hoping it 's a trend that will spread . `` There are 54 countries in Africa , and each of these has dozens upon dozens of different healing rituals . There is a richness and diversity that we need to tap into , '' she says . So far only a handful of brands have taken a similar track -- such as the South African spa brand Healing Earth , which incorporates local ingredients like Kalahari melon or mongongo nut . Wade worries about the implications if more do n't follow suit : . `` If we 're not careful , the wellness industry will come and put a blanket over what we already have . They 'll bring the Asian- and European-inspired traditions they already know , and what we 've had for thousands of years will be lost , '' she warns .
Africa has a multitude of healing traditions and ingredients . I have been to the African continent many times, but never in my life did i ever see any one with this kind of skin condition. It 's the fastest growing market for wellness tourism . There is opportunity for beauty brands and resorts to showcase these traditions to the world .