Global wellness tourism industry to be worth P75 trillion by 2028

MANILA, Philippines — There are many reasons for a person to travel, and it can be as simple as the eagerness to improve one's well-being.

Wellness tourism was among the topics discussed at the recent 2025 TravMedia Summit Asia in Singapore last October 13 attended by select international media outlets, including Philstar.com.

Singaporean host-actor Paul Foster moderated the discussion after overseeing a brief breathwork exercise for over a hundred attendees.

Participating in the talk were Flex Studio founder-director Heather Thomas, Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas wellness vice president Mark Sands, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts Regional Vice President Peter Draminsky, and Oster Group co-founder and chief medical officer Dr. Tsin Uin Foong.

The four exchanged words on redefining wellness tourism or travelling for one's well-being, a global industry that is estimated to be worth $1.3 trillion (P75 trillion) by 2028 — a 100% increase from 2022 data.

Dr. Foong, from a healthcare perspective, believes the growth is attributed to a shift from sick to preventive as a result of the pandemic.

"People's sense of time have changed [and are] choosing to live," said Thomas, adding that people are more fully present and want to achieve more present daily living.

Sands said people want to continue their good behaviors from home when travelling, whether it's activities or intentional meals, while Draminsky jumped on Dr. Foong's statement by saying "indulgence is turning into a lifestyle post-pandemic."

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On the subject of trends in the wellness tourism landscape, Dr. Foong said tourists are now more sophisticated and discerning by looking for science-based and personalized experiences.

Draminsky brought up the Chi Longevity Clinic at the Four Seasons as an example, where someone is there to help an individual outside of regular appointments.

The guest speakers were asked their opinions on how business travellers differ from wellness tourists.

Thomas raised the term flow-state, the heightened state of concentration that results in productivity.

She believes business travellers want an uninterrupted flow-state by sleeping better and eating the same food as the body wants consistency.

Another factor Thomas brought up between the two tourist kinds are their attitude to money, or rather whoever pays the bill.

Sands noted that programming can when in urban destinations, adding that business travellers want to optimize performance.

Draminsky ended by sharing that sleep, nutrition, and recovery is huge for both kinds of tourists, and the overlap almost makes it difficult to differentiate.

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