Global Wellness Industry Booms

Wellness is now a $3.72 billion global industry, with 10.6 percent growth from 2013-2015 while the global economy shrank by -3.6 percent.

New data on the 10 markets that comprise the global wellness “cluster” released this week by the Global Wellness Institute (GWI) provides fresh evidence that wellness is one of the world’s largest, fastest growing and most resilient markets.

Among the 10 wellness markets analysed, the fastest growing from 2013-2015 were:

  1. Preventative/personalised medicine and public health (+23.5%)
  2. Fitness and mind-body (+21.4%)
  3. Wellness lifestyle real estate (+18.6%)
  4. Wellness tourism (+14%)
  5. Healthy eating, nutrition and weight loss (+12.8%).

These topline numbers were released at the 10th annual Global Wellness Summit being held in Kitzbühel, Austria, which has attracted 500 industry leaders from 45 nations.

“Recent years have been marked by global economic contraction and disruptive geopolitical events, but a ‘wellness economy’ just keeps rising, with an upward trajectory that seems unstoppable,” said Ophelia Yeung, Senior Research Fellow, GWI.

“And we predict that consumers, governments and employers will continue to spend big on wellness because of these megatrends: an emerging global middle class, a rapidly ageing world population, a chronic disease and stress epidemic, the failure of the ‘sick-care’ medical model (resulting in uncontrollable healthcare costs), and a growing subset of (more affluent, educated) consumers seeking experiences rooted in meaning, purpose, authenticity and nature.”

Global Wellness Markets 2013 revenues – 2015 revenues

Note: Growth percentages are conservative, as revenues are reported in US dollars, which appreciated significantly from 2013-2015 against the currencies of major wellness markets, including the Euro, Russian ruble, Canadian dollar, Japanese yen, Indian rupee and Brazilian real.

  • Beauty and Anti-Ageing: $1.02 trillion – $999 billion
  • Healthy Eating, Nutrition and Weight Loss: $574.2 billion – $647.8 billion
  • Wellness Tourism: $494.1 billion – $563.2 billion
  • Fitness and Mind-Body: $446.4 billion – $542 billion
  • Preventative and Personalised Medicine and Public Health: $432.7 billion – $534.3 billion
  • Complementary and Alternative Medicine: $186.7 billion – $199 billion
  • Wellness Lifestyle Real Estate: $100 billion – $118.6 billion
  • Spa Industry: $94 billion – $98.6 billion
  • Thermal/Mineral Springs Facilities: $50 billion – $51 billion
  • Workplace Wellness: $40.7 billion – $43.3 billion

Wellness Market Forecast 2020

“A profound shift in the way people consume wellness is underway: once a luxury or ‘add-on’, it’s now being infused into every aspect of daily life – from how people work to how they travel,” noted Katherine Johnston, Senior Research Fellow, GWI.

“And the spend on proactive healthy choices – on wellness – will continue to comprise a greater percentage of massive multi-trillion industries, whether real estate, food and beverage, or travel.”

About the Global Wellness Institute

The non-profit GWI is considered the leading global research and educational resource for the global wellness industry, and is known for introducing major industry initiatives and regional events that bring together leaders and visionaries to chart the future. GWI positively impacts global health and wellness by advocating for both public institutions and businesses that are working to help prevent disease, reduce stress, and enhance overall quality of life. Its mission is to empower wellness worldwide.

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