It’s time for governments to pay attention to wellness, says Global Wellness Institute
By Megan Whitby 20 Oct 2019
The Global Wellness Institute (GWI) has released a white paper – Opportunities and Impacts of the Wellness Economy for Regional Development – to guide policymakers, researchers and business people.
Researched and written by GWI senior fellows, Ophelia Yeung and Katherine Johnston, the paper explores the wellness industry’s potential to fuel regional development and economic growth at all levels – locally, nationally and internationally – and the opportunities this would create.
“The wellness economy is a US$4.2 trillion global industry, yet growth has been largely a private sector phenomenon and off the radar of most government leaders, policymakers and economic developers,” explained Yeung.
“It’s time governments around the world started paying attention to this crucial sector,” said Johnston.
“The wellness industry enables economic development, competitiveness and growth,” Johnston said. “It has implications for health, urban planning, environmental and cultural sustainability, workforce equity and diversity, social and cultural affairs, and much more”.
This is the second of GWI’s Understanding Wellness series of white papers which are intended to demonstrate the major force wellness is becoming around the world and exploring likely impacts of growth.
The white paper was researched and written by GWI senior fellows, Ophelia Yeung and Katherine Johnston.
Mass protests have been taking place since Monday 1 June in Albania over the development of a luxury resort by Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner. The country’s capital city, Tirana, ...More
Eighty-four per cent of consumers now say wellness is a top priority in their lives, with this percentage increasing year on year, according to a preview presentation of McKinsey and Company’s Future of Wellness 2026 ...More
The UK spa review and discovery platform for consumers, the Good Spa Guide, has announced it will host the Good Spa Guide Awards 2026 during an event on 16 November at Sopwell House Hotel and ...More
Global luxury hospitality brand, Six Senses, has partnered with longevity healthcare provider, HUM2N, to launch a clinic at Six Senses London, at The Whiteley. This collaboration is significant as it reflects a shift by Six ...More
Premium London health club, KX Chelsea, is gearing up to unveil its most significant redevelopment since its launch in 2002. The club has been reimagined to create an integrated wellness model combining training, recovery and ...More
Barons Eden, the UK parent company that operates luxury destination properties in England, has rebranded to become Hiddenwell. The change to the parent identity was carried out following research conducted to help the business strengthen ...More
Hotel de France, located on the British Isle of Jersey, has created a wellness retreat package that includes a hot yoga session that will take place in Jersey Zoo’s butterfly sanctuary. The all-inclusive two-night Ayush ...More
Longevitix, a clinical platform for preventive and longevity medicine, has launched its AI-powered intelligence system to help physicians deliver continuous, personalised longevity-focused care at scale. Longevitix combines years of scattered patient data into a complete ...More
Luxury wellness resort, The Retreat Costa Rica, has introduced its Vida Mía Longevity Centre at the property’s Vida Mía Healing Centre and Spa. The longevity centre adds physician-guided programming to the resort, which was founded ...More
Atmantan Wellness Centre, an integrative wellness destination in Mulshi, near Pune in India, is expanding its portfolio by adding a new centre in Hyderabad that will launch between 2028 and 2029. Atmantan is a retreat ...More
As part of its first hotel partnership, Mayrlife – the medical health resort company known for its site in Altaussee, Austria – has launched a day clinic at the Rosewood Vienna. Mayrlife offers holistic health ...More
Rosewood Le Guanahani St Barth, on the northeast coast of Saint Barthélemy in the French West Indies, is offering a programme of ocean-inspired yoga classes between 8-14 June to celebrate Global Wellness Day (GWD). GWD ...More
In today’s premium spa environment, every detail shapes the guest experience – right down to
the softness of towels and the freshness of linens. ... more
It’s time for governments to pay attention to wellness, says Global Wellness Institute
POSTED 20 Oct 2019 . BY Megan Whitby
The white paper was researched and written by GWI senior fellows, Ophelia Yeung and Katherine Johnston.
The Global Wellness Institute (GWI) has released a white paper – Opportunities and Impacts of the Wellness Economy for Regional Development – to guide policymakers, researchers and business people.
Researched and written by GWI senior fellows, Ophelia Yeung and Katherine Johnston, the paper explores the wellness industry’s potential to fuel regional development and economic growth at all levels – locally, nationally and internationally – and the opportunities this would create.
“The wellness economy is a US$4.2 trillion global industry, yet growth has been largely a private sector phenomenon and off the radar of most government leaders, policymakers and economic developers,” explained Yeung.
“It’s time governments around the world started paying attention to this crucial sector,” said Johnston.
“The wellness industry enables economic development, competitiveness and growth,” Johnston said. “It has implications for health, urban planning, environmental and cultural sustainability, workforce equity and diversity, social and cultural affairs, and much more”.
This is the second of GWI’s Understanding Wellness series of white papers which are intended to demonstrate the major force wellness is becoming around the world and exploring likely impacts of growth.
The UK spa review and discovery platform for consumers, the Good Spa Guide, has announced
it will host the Good Spa Guide Awards 2026 during an event on 16 November at Sopwell House
Hotel in St Albans, UK.
Eighty-four per cent of consumers now say wellness is a top priority in their lives, with this
percentage increasing year on year, according to a preview presentation of McKinsey’s Future of
Wellness 2026 research report.
Mass protests have been taking place since Monday 1 June in Albania over the development of
a luxury resort by Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner.
Global Wellness Day (GWD) marked its 15th anniversary on Saturday 13 June 2026, with the
theme: #JoyMagenta – a celebration of the healing qualities of simple gestures and activities
that spark joy.
Global luxury hospitality brand, Six Senses, has partnered with longevity healthcare provider,
HUM2N, to launch a clinic at Six Senses London, at The Whiteley.
