Global Wellness Summit Holds 20th Anniversary Event in Phuket, Thailand | News
The Global Wellness Summit™ (GWS), the premier gathering of leaders in the global wellness economy, has announced that its twentieth annual conference will take place in Phuket, Thailand from November 10 to 13, 2026. The landmark event – which will be the largest Global Wellness Summit to date – will bring together CEOs from leading wellness companies, physicians and academics, investors, technology innovators and policymakers for four dynamic days exploring the forces shaping all eleven sectors of the wellness economy. transforming wellness tourism and physical healthcare. activity in mental wellness, beauty, spas and wellness real estate, with a lens on the evolving landscape of longevity.
This year marks the twentieth anniversary of the Global Wellness Summit – two decades in which the organization has helped define, track and catalyze the extraordinary expansion of the global wellness industry. The sector is now valued at $6.8 trillion and reflects both age-old traditions and breakthrough innovation. Thailand, with its deep legacy of traditional healing and its rise as a global hub for medical wellness and longevity science, embodies this powerful duality, making it an ideal destination to celebrate wellness’s storied past while exploring its high-tech future.
According to GWI’s latest Global Wellness Economy: Country Ranking Report, among the world’s top 25 wellness markets, Thailand ranks seventh in terms of wellness market growth between 2023 and 2024 (by 10.1%). Even more striking, the wellness tourism sector grew by 36.4% – around three times the global average – underscoring the country’s growing influence as a leading wellness destination.
“As we celebrate two decades of bringing together the visionaries and decision makers shaping the wellness economy, hosting the Summit in Thailand feels especially meaningful,” said Susie Ellis, president and CEO of the Global Wellness Summit. “Thailand represents the full spectrum of what wellness has become – rooted in ancient healing traditions, yet boldly investing in medical innovation, sustainability science and integrative health. It is a place where wellness is not a trend, but a way of life. For our 20th anniversary, we wanted a destination that reflects both the heritage and horizon of wellness – and Thailand fits the bill perfectly.”
Thailand has long been recognized as a global leader in wellness. Condé Nast Traveler has praised its “legendary hospitality and holistic healing traditions,” while Travel + Leisure consistently ranks Thai retreats such as Chiva-Som and Kamalaya among the best in the world. Forbes Travel Guide has awarded multiple Thai hotels five-star status, and both The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal have highlighted the country’s strength in combining traditional healing practices with modern preventative and medical wellness, further cementing Thailand’s reputation as one of the most comprehensive wellness destinations in the world.
Host sponsors for the GWS 2026 are the Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), Amazing Thailand and the Ministry of Health, Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine.
Registration is now open
