Innovators in wellness will gather in Thailand this November for a 20th– anniversary Summit that will explore the future of a $6.8 trillion industry at a critical inflection point
BANGKOK, July 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Thailand will take center stage in the global wellness conversation this November as the Global Wellness Summit (GWS) brings its landmark 20th anniversary event to Angsana Laguna Phuket. CEOs of wellness companies, doctors and academics, investors, tech innovators and policymakers will gather to celebrate two decades of staggering growth for the wellness industry while being immersed in three days of keynotes and panels on its very different future.
Twenty years ago, wellness was at its defining moment, just taking off in the cultural imagination and as a consumer market. This year’s Summit will explore how a new inflection point for wellness is here, marked by an unprecedented integration with medicine, where breakthroughs in longevity science, women’s health and precision medicine are converging with a revived interest in ancient wisdom and the emotional, spiritual and creative dimensions of wellbeing. This year’s theme, “The Science, Art and Soul of Wellness,” captures this defining moment with an extensive agenda spanning scientific breakthroughs to deep dives into neuroarts and neurowellness. All against the backdrop of Thailand, a soulful, inspiring destination that embraces balance and harmony as the true gateway to health and longevity.
“Our industry is at another pivotal moment, where advances in science, medicine and longevity are converging with a return to—but also a reinvention of—the timeless need for connection, creativity and purpose,” said Susie Ellis, GWS chair & CEO. “There’s no more perfect place to explore this future than Thailand, where ancient wellness traditions are being united with an impressive push to become the world’s newest medical-wellness and preventative health destination.”
“The theme, The Science, Art and Soul of Wellness, truly reflects Thailand’s identity, heritage and way of life. For centuries, Thailand has embraced a holistic approach to health and wellbeing, one that connects body, mind, spirit, community and nature,” said Patana Promphat, Thailand’s Minister of Public Health. “We’re proud to host the 2026 Global Wellness Summit in Phuket. This Summit reflects our commitment to advancing Thailand as a leading global wellness destination and a trusted partner in shaping the future of wellbeing.”
Hot Topics, New Speakers:
Future of Wellness + Medicine: From Women’s Health to Evolving Longevity Models
Experts will explore how precision and longevity medicines are becoming radically personalized, finally focusing on women, and how healthspan paradigms will matter more than longevity quests.
Andrea Maier, MD, PhD, globally renowned geroscientist, professor of medicine at the National University of Singapore, and founder of Asia’s first precision geromedicine clinics (Chi Longevity), will discuss what’s ahead in longevity science.
Dan Buettner, founder of the Blue Zones movement and #1 New York Times bestselling author, whose decades of research demonstrate that some of the world’s healthiest, longest-lived populations owe more to culture, community and lifestyle than clinical interventions, will keynote on the personal bet he’s making on the future of longevity.
George Gaitanos, MSc, PhD, chief operating and scientific officer of Chenot Group, with over 30 years of experience spanning elite sports performance, lifestyle medicine and preventive health, will deliver a provocative keynote arguing for a far broader understanding of lifelong health.
Christopher Asandra, MD, founder and medical director of AsandraMD in Beverly Hills, California, is a leader in precision and age-management medicine, hormone optimization and personalized preventive healthcare. He’ll explore the bright, fast-evolving future for women’s health, hormone therapy and personalized longevity medicine, and how this is a massive, unmet opportunity in Asia.
New Global Wellness Market Research
The Global Wellness Institute will unveil the 2026 Global Wellness Economy Monitor, the industry’s go-to, authoritative research on the wellness economy, providing all new data and insights on the global and Asian wellness markets.
Asia: The Future of Wellness Travel
Asia has recently recorded by far the largest growth in wellness tourism: the market grew 31% in 2024 to reach $215 billion, surpassing Europe for the number of wellness trips. Four of the top five recent annual growth leaders are in Asia: India (57%), Thailand (36%), South Korea (36%) and China (35%). Hospitality leaders will explore the powerful wellness tourism opportunities across Asia and how the region is trailblazing unique wellness destinations.
William E. Heinecke, founder and chairman of Minor International, will keynote. Having built one of the world’s largest hospitality and restaurant groups from Thailand, he brings a rare vantage point on why Asia is now setting the pace in wellness travel, and on the opportunity for the region to define, rather than follow, what comes next.
Cathy Feliciano-Chon, managing partner of FINN Partners APAC, will hold a conversation with Ronald Akili, co-founder of Bali’s Potato Head, and Huy Hoang, founder of Japan’s Shishi-Iwa House, on how Asia’s independent hospitality brands are creating a different future for wellness travel—with creativity, culture, community and sustainability at the core.
Ingo Schweder, founder and CEO of GOCO Hospitality, one of Asia’s wellness hospitality visionaries, having developed award-winning wellness resorts across the globe, will lead a panel of experts discussing the future of wellness travel and the wealth of opportunities emerging across Asia.
The Art and Soul of Wellness
The agenda will dive deep into wellness’s emotional and creative dimensions, with a special focus on the role of the arts in human wellbeing.
Susan Magsamen, neuroaesthetics pioneer, founder and executive director of the International Arts + Mind Lab at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and co-author of the New York Times bestseller Your Brain on Art: How the Arts Transform Us, will present the latest research on how music, art and architecture can transform brain health and overall wellbeing.
Tal Danai, founder and CEO of ArtLink, one of the world’s leading hospitality art consultancies, will preview an ambitious film initiative celebrating traditional craftsmanship and artisan cultures around the world, arguing for the crucial role that creativity and cultural preservation will play in the future of wellness.
A first-of-its-kind Intentional Spaces Design Challenge will be launched, developed by the GWS and Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Applied Neuroaesthetics (and in strategic partnership with Aldar Properties), exploring how neuroaesthetics and neuroarchitecture can shape healthier buildings, communities and public spaces.
New Frontiers in Wellness Business
Exploring how hospitality brands are reimagining wellness through retail and lifestyle experiences to drive guest engagement and revenue, a panel will feature Lisa Von Tang, Singapore-based designer, artist and founder of the eponymous fashion label; Lexie Rodriguez, vice president of lifestyle at Capella Hotel Group; and Colin Low, CEO of Patience Lifestyle, a division of the leading real estate and private equity investment fund management firm, Patience Capital Group.
Looking Back to Look Forward
Strategists will analyze the extraordinary evolution of beauty, consumer wellness trends, and wellness marketing over the past 20 years, while forecasting what the next 20 may hold. Keynotes include Kelly Kovack, founder and CEO of BeautyMatter; global brand strategist Nick Vaus, founder of Free The Birds; Beth McGroarty, vice president of research at the Global Wellness Institute; and Dave McCaughan, Asia-based marketing expert.
The conference will celebrate Thailand’s wellness traditions, from its incredible culture of textiles and silk to its profound spiritual practices. The award-winning Buddhist Chanting Team from Dhammajarinee Witthaya School, empowering underserved young women through education, will take the stage. This is made possible by Summit co-chair, Jessica Jesse, founder, CEO and creative director of Zen Collective and BuDhaGirl.
Photos of 2026 Summit speakers are here.
Snapshots of the global, Asian and Thai wellness markets are here.
Registration for the Summit is now open.
Accredited media can apply to attend here.
About the Global Wellness Summit:
The Global Wellness Summit brings together leaders and visionaries to positively shape the future of the US$6.8 trillion global wellness economy. In addition to its annual conference, hosted in a different location around the world each year, GWS convenes industry leaders through events including the New York Media Event, Wellness Real Estate & Communities Symposium, and the Wellness Master Classes webinar series. The organization’s annual Future of Wellness report is among the industry’s most widely cited forecasts. The 20th annual Global Wellness Summit will take place at Angsana Laguna Phuket, Thailand, November 10–13, 2026.
SOURCE Global Wellness Summit
