SUMMIT 2024: St Andrews, Scotland
Location: Old Course Hotel, St Andrews, Scotland
Theme: “A Watershed Moment for Wellness”
2024 Agenda
2024 Photo Gallery
2024 Sponsors
2024 Speakers
2024 Videos & Presentations

The Global Wellness Summit (GWS), the foremost gathering of international leaders in the multitrillion-dollar global wellness economy, held its 18th annual conference November 4-7, 2024 at the prestigious Old Course Hotel, Golf Resort & Spa, overlooking the birthplace of golf and West Sands Beach near the ancient town of St Andrews, Scotland. The conference brought together global leaders from the wellness, medical, public policy and tech worlds to explore the very different future for health and wellness. In addition, Summit delegates were the first to learn about industry research data in a report titled “The 2024 Global Wellness Economy Monitor”

SUMMIT 2023: Miami, FL, USA
Location: Hyatt Regency Miami, Miami, FL, United States
Theme: “A Time of Transformation”
2023 Agenda
2023 Photo Gallery
2023 Sponsors
2023 Speakers
2023 Videos & Presentations

The Global Wellness Summit (GWS), the foremost gathering of international leaders in the multitrillion-dollar global wellness economy, held its 17th annual conference November 6-9, 2023 at the Hyatt Regency Miami in Miami, Florida, USA. The conference brought together global leaders from the wellness, medical, public policy and tech worlds to explore the very different future for health and wellness. In addition, Summit delegates were the first to learn about industry research data in a report titled “The 2023 Global Wellness Economy Monitor”

SUMMIT 2022: Tel Aviv, Israel 
Location: Hilton Tel Aviv, Tel Aviv, Israel, United States
Theme: “Open Minds. Open Hearts. Open for Business.”
2022 Agenda
2022 Photo Gallery
2022 Invitation
2022 Sponsors
2022 Speakers
2022 Videos & Presentations

The Global Wellness Summit (GWS), the foremost gathering of international leaders in the multitrillion-dollar global wellness economy, held its 16^th annual conference October 31-November 3, 2022 at the Hilton Tel Aviv in Tel Aviv, Israel. The conference brought together a record number of global leaders from the wellness, medical, public policy and tech worlds to explore the very different future for health and wellness. In addition, Summit delegates were the first to learn about industry research data in a report titled “Defining Wellness Policy.”

SUMMIT 2021: Boston, MA, US
Location: The Encore Boston Harbor, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Theme: “A New New Era in Health & Wellness”
2021 Agenda
2021 Photo Gallery
2021 Invitation
2021 Sponsors
2021 Videos & Presentations 

The Global Wellness Summit (GWS), the foremost gathering of international leaders in the multitrillion-dollar global wellness economy, held its 15^th annual conference at the Encore Boston Harbor and virtually (November 30 to December 3). The conference brought together a record number of global leaders from the wellness, medical, public policy and tech worlds to explore the very different future for health and wellness in the wake of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. In addition, Summit delegates were the first to learn about industry research data in a report titled “The Global Wellness Economy: Looking Beyond COVID.”

SUMMIT 2020: Palm Beach, FL, US
Location: The Breakers Palm Beach, Florida, United States
Theme: “Resetting the World with Wellness”
2020 Agenda
2020 Photo Gallery
2020 Invitation
2020 Sponsors
2020 Videos & Presentations 

The 14th Annual Global Wellness Summit was held at The Breakers Palm Beach, a wellness-focused resort that prioritizes employee well-being and social responsibility. The 2020 GWS was the Summit’s first-ever hybrid event. Delegates to the in-person Summit convened from November 8–11 at the iconic The Breakers Palm Beach. As always, top wellness leaders from around the world attended the most important conference on the business of wellness. In addition, the Virtual Access Package brought the Spirit of the Summit to the entire global wellness community.

SUMMIT 2019: Singapore
Location: Grand Hyatt Hotel Singapore
Theme: “Shaping the Business of Wellness”
2019 Agenda
2019 Invitation
2019 Photo Gallery
2019 Sponsors
2019 Videos & Presentations 

The 13th Annual Global Wellness Summit was held at Grand Hyatt Singapore with host sponsor Hyatt Hotels Corporation. Business trends and opportunities in the 10 sectors that comprise the $4.5 trillion global wellness market were center stage on the Agenda, along with insight into Asia’s rapidly growing business economy. In addition, Summit delegates were the first to see the new research report Move to Be Well: The Global Economy of Physical Activity released by the Global Wellness Institute.

SUMMIT 2018: Italy
Location: Technogym Village, Cesena, Italy
Theme: “Shaping the Business of Wellness”
2018 Agenda
2018 Invitation
2018 Photo Gallery
2018 Sponsors
2018 Videos & Presentations 

The 12th Annual Global Wellness Summit was held at Technogym, the world-leading company specializing in technologies for fitness, wellness and health that pioneered the use the word wellness in the early ‘90s.  Under the theme “Shaping the Business of Wellness,” the sold out conference attracted delegates from over 50 countries who explored the current business landscape and future trends for the ten diverse segments that make up the $4.2 trillion global wellness economy. Highlights of Summit included the release of the highly anticipated 2018 Wellness Economy Monitor, keynotes and presentations by more than 50 top wellness experts and visionaries and the first “Wellness Meets Fashion” show, which celebrated the confluence of fashion and wellness.

SUMMIT 2017: Palm Beach, FL, US
Location: The Breakers Palm Beach, Florida, United States
Theme: “Living a Well Life”
2017 Agenda
2017 Photo Gallery
2017 Invitation
2017 Sponsors
2017 Videos & Presentations 

The 11th Annual Global Wellness Summit was held at The Breakers Palm Beach, a wellness-focused resort that prioritizes employee well-being and social responsibility. With the theme of “Living a Well Life,” the 2017 Summit examined a variety of central content threads, as they relate to the future of the business of wellness globally. The event attracted a record 600+ business and thought leaders from 43 countries and included the launch of an inspirational “Wellness Moonshot,” a call-to-action to rid the world of preventable disease, led by the non-profit Global Wellness Institute.

SUMMIT 2016: Tyrol, Austria
Location: KitzKongress, Kitzbühel, Tyrol, Austria
Theme: “Back to the Future”
2016 Agenda
2016 Photo Gallery
2016 Invitation
2016 Sponsors

The Global Wellness Summit celebrated its 10th anniversary in the town of Kitzbühel, nestled in the Alps in the region of Tyrol, Austria. Long regarded as the European cradle of wellness tourism, Tyrol holds a unique place in history as a wellness pioneer. With the theme “Back to the Future,” we acknowledged Europe’s contribution to the wellness movement, along with the Summit’s prestigious history, while at the same time, conceiving the best strategies for the next 10 years.

SUMMIT 2015: Mexico City, Mexico
Location: The St. Regis, Mexico City, Mexico
Theme: “Building a Well World”
2015 Agenda
2015 Photo Gallery
2015 Invitation

With a rich history and sophisticated setting, Mexico City was the perfect destination for the ninth annual GWS, and the first one in Latin America. The vibrant capital wows visitors with a deep commitment to preserving its history and culture, while providing a showcase for innovation in art and commerce. Our theme last year was “Building a Well World.” It describes a mission to catalyze collaborative action within every aspect of the wellness industry and achieve sustainable change on a global scale. The keynote speaker was Deepak Chopra, MD, renowned author, physician and Ayurvedic expert. The event was emceed by Giselle Fernandez, the Emmy Award-winning journalist and noted philanthropist.

SUMMIT 2014: Morocco
Location: Four Seasons Resort, Marrakech, Morocco
Theme: “>>Fast Forward”
2014 Agenda
2014 Photo Gallery
2014 Invitation

The eight annual GSWS was held September 10-12, 2014 at the Four Seasons Resort Marrakech, Morocco. The second annual Global Wellness Tourism Congress (GWTC) will be held on day one of the Summit. The theme for this year’s event is Fast Forward, and the agenda and keynote speakers will be focused on looking closely and creatively at the future of spa and wellness. Famous for its hammams, argan oil and historical spas, Morocco is one of the top 10 nations worldwide predicted for wellness tourism growth. As well, its government is investing heavily in growing the wellness tourism market—which makes Morocco the ideal host country for this year’s Summit.

SUMMIT 2013: India
Location: The Oberoi, Gurgaon, New Delhi, India
Theme: “A Defining Moment”
2013 Agenda
2013 Photo Gallery
2013 Invitation

The seventh annual GSWS was held in India for the first time in 2013. A truly “defining moment” for our industry occurred when His Holiness the Dalai Lama took the stage for his keynote speech. The record number of delegates also heard from 30 other high-profile keynote speakers who explored where the spa and wellness industries have been, where they’re heading and the many opportunities emerging in new wellness concepts and markets. The 2013 conference featured several critical firsts, including the inaugural Global Wellness Tourism Congress (GWTC) and six Global Forums on key industry subsectors. Unprecedented released research from the “Global Wellness Tourism Economy” report revealed this evolving sector to be worth $439 billion globally, or representing one in seven of all tourist dollars.

SUMMIT 2012: Aspen
Location: The Aspen Meadows Resort, Aspen, Colorado, United States
Theme: “Innovation through Imagination”
2012 Agenda
2012 Photo Gallery
2012 Invitation

For its sixth-annual conference, and after adding “& wellness” to its name, the GSWS was held for the first time in collaboration with another organization: the Aspen Institute. The event set a new attendance record, and delegates heard from eclectic speakers such as the former president of Costa Rica, the governor of Colorado, the former chair of Disney’s Imagineering, an Academy Award-nominated actress and an innovation heavyweight. Big-picture economic and geo-political trends were presented, and groundbreaking research from SRI International addressed the spa management education gap.

SUMMIT 2011: Bali
Location: The Bali International Convention Center, Bali, Indonesia
Theme: “Engage the Change: The Customer. The Money. The Future.”
2011 Agenda
2011 Invitation

Held for the first time in Asia, the 2011 Summit attracted a record number of delegates and media. Attendees explored new ways to engage with consumers, enter new markets and embrace new technologies. The world’s first online portal dedicated to the medical evidence that exists for spa and wellness therapies, www.spaevidence.com, was unveiled. A landmark research report explaining the differences between wellness tourism and medical tourism was also presented.

SUMMIT 2010: Turkey
Location: The Ciragan Palace Kempinski, Istanbul, Turkey
Theme: “Bridges Worth Building”
2010 Agenda
2010 Photo Gallery
2010 Invitation

The 2010 Summit attracted top-level executives and thought-leaders from 40 nations, as delegates tackled critical industry issues and emerging opportunities. Highlights included a keynote speech from futurist Edie Weiner, of Weiner, Edrich and Brown. A research report, Spas & the Global Wellness Market: Synergies & Opportunities, from SRI International, examined how the industry can capitalize on the explosive consumer wellness revolution.

SUMMIT 2009: Switzerland
Location: The Victoria-Jungfrau Resort & Spa, Interlaken, Switzerland
Theme: “The Power of Collaboration”
2009 Agenda
2009 Invitation

The third-annual Global Spa Summit, held in Interlaken, Switzerland at the Victoria-Jungfrau Grand Hotel & Spa was attended by delegates from a record 32 nations. The 2009 Summit featured keynote presentations by Dr. Adolf Ogi, the former president of Switzerland and United Nation’s Special Advisor, and Reto Wittwer, the president and CEO of Kempinksi Hotels, along with roundtable discussions on topics ranging from profit margins, to the value of hydro and thermal spa experiences, to spa design of the future.

SUMMIT 2008: New York City, NY, US
Location: The Waldorf Astoria Hotel, New York, New York, United States
Theme: “Advancing the Global Spa Economy”

Building on work that began in 2007, the 2008 Summit addressed an industry-wide skilled labor shortage, the lack of agreed-upon benchmarking and the need for environmental leadership. Keynote presentations by hotel visionary Ian Schrager and Dr. Richard Carmona, 17th surgeon general of the U.S., provided delegates with powerful calls to action. The landmark Global Spa Economy Report from SRI International was presented.

SUMMIT 2007: New York City, NY, US
Location: The Waldorf Astoria Hotel, New York, New York, United States
Theme: “Joining Together. Shaping The Future.”

The inaugural Global Spa Summit made history as leaders from the global spa, real estate, investment, travel, spa education, beauty and wellness sectors came together to chart the future of the booming spa industry, which had seen double-digit growth for the past two decades. The Summit featured a keynote address by Steve Case, whose Revolution LLC. is leading innovation in the health care, wellness and resort industries.