Global Wellness Summit 2024 to dive into the topic of water wellness

The annual, invite-only three-day Summit is to be hosted at the Old Course Hotel & Spa in Scotland

Global

By Wendy Golledge

05 July 2024

www.globalwellnesssummit.com

The Global Wellness Summit (GWS) has announced that the theme for its 2024 event will be ‘A Watershed Moment for Wellness’.

The 18th annual Summit is to be held at the Old Course Hotel in St Andrews, Scotland from November 4-7. Organisers have revealed the agenda will explore the H2O experience economy and, more specifically, the surge in water wellness.

Experts will discuss the renaissance in water-based therapies that is currently underway, as well as how emerging hydrothermal approaches and technologies could revolutionise future wellness.

“As the ancient birthplace of water-wellness and spa, the UK is the ideal place to explore this theme. Scotland’s water is famed worldwide and it’s one of the world’s most water-rich countries with more than 30,000 lochs and enough rivers and streams to circle the Earth three times.”

Susie Ellis

Chair and CEO, GWS

“This really is a watershed moment for wellness,” said Susie Ellis, chair and CEO of the GWS. “In our 2024 trends report, we note that we’ve seen more industry disruptions in the last year than in the last decade.

“With fast-shifting consumer demands, fast-evolving technology and accelerating climate change, this year’s agenda will investigate how our industry will continue to see further radical transformation.”

Water-based wellness

Topics will include the global surge in new urban bathhouses and sauna centres, plus vast water wellness parks that are opening.

Also on the agenda will be from the explosion of interest in cold immersion and wild-swimming experiences, plus the industry’s role in creating a sustainable blue economy.

Seasoned wild swimmers Anna Deacon and Vicky Allan, Scottish authors of Taking the Plunge, The Art of Wild Swimming, will join Robert Hammond, president and chief strategy officer at Therme US, for a conversation on the new era of wild swimming.

The Old Course Hotel, Golf Resort and Spa in St Andrews, Scotland is the host venue

Exploring longevity and prevention

It has also been announced that Sue Harmsworth, MBE, founder of ESPA and the SATCC, will lead a conversation on the future of optimal living, longevity and prevention.

She will be joined by Simone Gibertoni, CEO of Clinique La Prairie, and Isaac Jones, founder of Health Experts Alliance.

The discussion will centre around what’s next in integrated, evidence-based wellness and preventative health.

“With all the wellness-washing currently flooding social media and the press, and growing noise and confusion in the longevity space, I’m honoured to have the opportunity to share how [Gibertoni and Jones] are bringing evidence-based solutions to the new frontier of optimal living and longevity.”

Sue Harmsworth, MBE

Founder of ESPA and the SATCC

Growth and disruption

The wider agenda will explore the growth in the wellness economy, which is forecast by the Global Wellness Institute to be worth $8.5 trillion by 2027.

GWS will unveil a complete update of the Global Wellness Economy Monitor in Scotland, with new data and insights on each wellness sector.

Also on the agenda, health industry entrepreneur, Dave Asprey, known as the founder of the biohacking movement, will discuss the future of biohacking. His session will explore what might be the next groundbreaking idea or product to enhance mental and physical performance.

He will be joined by 17-year-old Lewis Swire, a social entrepreneur, activist and ballet dancer, and founder of the Curious Times, a youth-led media organisation. Swire is also the co-founder of the Global Young Entrepreneur Society, an international nonprofit supporting young people in reaching their aspirations.

Registration for the Summit is now open. First-time delegates can apply to attend here.

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