A $15-million luxury wellness retreat featuring premium accommodation pods has been proposed for a 19.8ha site near Victor Harbor in South Australia.

The project is a significant bet on the wellness tourism market and comes as nature-based tourism demand surges nationally—Tourism Research Australia data shows a 47 per cent growth in nature-based activities since 2014.

The development also aligns with growing demand for agritourism in Australia. CSIRO analysis estimates the annual opportunity for agri-related tourism will reach about $18.6 billion by 2030.