Anna Bjurstam launches Wahayla to shape the next generation of wellness and longevity

Wellness industry leader Anna Bjurstam has launched Wahayla, a new consultancy dedicated to creating wellness, longevity and human performance strategies for businesses across the global hospitality, healthcare, fitness, cruise and corporate sectors.

Named after an ancient Aramaic phrase meaning the power of the heart, Wahayla is a response to the increased demand for integrated wellness and longevity.

With advances in precision health, diagnostics and longevity science reshaping guest expectations, hospitality brands are increasingly seeking long-term wellness solutions that extend beyond traditional spa offerings.

The launch follows Bjurstam’s career spanning almost four decades as co-founder of Raison d’Être, LivNordic and RoseBar Longevity.

This is alongside her role as wellness pioneer at Six Senses between 2013 and 2026. Bjurstam has been instrumental in the development of more than 200 spa and wellness projects across 70 countries.

Supporting the future of wellness and longevity

Wahayla will work with hotels and hotel groups, medical and longevity clinics, fitness operators, cruise and maritime businesses, membership clubs and corporate organisations, helping them develop wellness philosophies, operational standards, guest programming and performance-driven environments.

“It’s a wellness, longevity, and consciousness company that’s more than just a consultancy. We work through partnerships and joint ventures, as well as consultancy and advisory,” said Bjurstam. “For example, we’re launching a joint venture with VIKAND, a medical company that provides medical services on cruise ships and freight ships.”

The consultancy’s services span the creation of wellness and spa concepts, longevity clinics and fitness facilities, while also providing strategic advisory services for organisations looking to embed wellness into their wider business proposition and brand positioning

Its launch reflects a broader shift within the wellness economy, where operators are moving beyond stand-alone spa facilities towards integrated wellbeing ecosystems that combine scientific innovation with meaningful guest experiences.

Responding to a changing market

Bjurstam believes the industry is entering a new phase in which longevity science will become increasingly mainstream, requiring operators to rethink how wellness is delivered across every touchpoint of the customer journey.

“The conversation in wellness has shifted,” she said. “For years the ambition was to make it credible, more scientific, more measurable, more clinically serious. That work has been done, and it matters. What comes next is harder and more interesting: how do you build organisations and environments where people do not just get healthier but become more fully alive? That is the question I have been moving toward my entire career. Wahayla is where I answer it.”

Current projects already span hotel brands, medical wellness clinics, major fitness companies, cruise operators and corporate organisations, while Wahayla is also building a network of senior specialists across hospitality, longevity medicine and human performance.

“We also do quite a bit of brand work,” Bjurstam added. “For Patina and Capella, I’ve created their future wellness strategy – it hasn’t been rolled out yet. We’ve also worked with a four‑star brand here in Sweden called Elite, which has 44 hotels. We’ve developed where the brand is going, what its wellness expression will be, what they can do, and what they can roll out.”

Positioning wellbeing as a core business function

For spa operators, hotel owners and wellness investors, the launch of Wahayla signals the merging of hospitality, preventive healthcare and longevity science. As guest demand continues to evolve, strategic wellness planning is increasingly becoming a competitive differentiator, positioning wellbeing as a core business function rather than a siloed amenity.

With a well-established track record in wellness innovation, Bjurstam’s latest venture aims to help organisations navigate this next chapter by combining evidence-based concepts with purpose-led experiences that support long-term health, resilience and performance.

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