Event co-founder Anne Biging (left) with Gina Diez Barroso (right) / Photo: healingsummit.org
It’s been a challenging couple of years for spas, but the future is finally looking brighter. Consumers have never been more interested in wellness, although staffing in the sector is still a struggle. As we continue on the path forward, it’s an ideal time to embrace ‘the healing of everything’ which was the theme for this year’s Healing Summit.
Now in its seventh year, the summit is definitely unique among wellness industry conferences. It’s intended to provoke thought and a collective consciousness regarding the future. “The three main influences on climate change are tourism/hospitality, fashion and food – and we have to find ways for hospitality to become a change maker, I truly believe this,” says event co-founder Anne Biging. “As I evolve the Healing Summit, this will stay front of mind.
“There are lots of industry events that give people chances to do business and there is a place for these. Our aim, however, is to bring people together from different cultures to learn from and support each other and to grow. By understanding and empowering ourselves first makes us more able to manifest change in other ways.”
Over two days there are impactful speakers, panels and networking opportunities, yet no power points or handouts. Rather, sessions are mixed with meditation, breathwork and sensory guides and we’re encouraged to sit with an open mind and really listen.
Speaker highlights The Pine Cliffs Resort in Albufeira, Portugal, a serene destination overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, provided a fitting backdrop for the 100 spa, wellness, hospitality and travel professionals who gathered in search of inspiration as well as purposeful direction. Mornings began with movement or breathwork sessions, a dip in the bracing sea and a healthy breakfast, before gathering in a sunny conference room above the tree-studded lawns.
Paul Polman, former Unilever CEO, discussed the need for healing now, framed by his latest book Net Positive. Since leaving the corporate world, he’s been heavily involved with the UN and WTTC to help advance SDGs globally. We need to understand reasons behind the ‘great resignation’ he said – people still want to work, just with more clarity of purpose. With a higher sense of awareness, we can bring more humanity to the business world, resulting in positive change. Polman also noted that through the pandemic, the most resilient companies were those with a diversified business model.
Mexican entrepreneur and educational activist Gina Diez Barroso urged us to think beyond stereotypes and work on our empathy and collaborative skills. In a panel discussion, she cited a McKinsey study which highlights the gaps in workforce skills in a post-COVID world. So-called soft skills such as empathy, leadership and adaptability have grown greatly in importance since 2019.
You can’t underestimate the passion of Barroso, who says she found her “why” – to improve educational opportunities for women – at age 42. She started CENTRO, a university for creativity in Mexico City, in 2014, when everyone told her it couldn’t be done. The entire campus is LEED platinum certified and currently enrolls 3,000 students. Her other company Dalia Empower also champions female empowerment globally.
The founder and owner of Euphoria Resort in Greece, Marina Efraimoglou, discussed an issue facing many in attendance – how to bridge the duality between being a healer and an entrepreneur. She recommended that we can reach balance by holding on to our intention for our projects and having the courage to ask for help when we need it.
Diving even deeper into mental wellness, Mahesh Natarajan, COO of Ananda in the Himalayas, explained how ayurvedic practices such as meditation and mindfulness support the healing of the mind, and the importance of the inner journey. Natarajan shared the Sanskrit term kosha, meaning layers, which represents how knowledge resides in the interlocked sheaths of our personalities. By observing these ancient practices we can become adept at controlling our minds and reach the highest state of unending bliss, a space of wisdom and clarity.
Working on yourself “It’s obvious that our world needs healing,” concludes Elisabeth Ixmeier, who heads up the event alongside Biging. “We showcased the areas where change must occur, from economics to sustainability. We started this summit with the understanding that true change can only occur when we change ourselves and ended with the insight that when we heal ourselves, we can change everything.”
Attending this event feels less like working on your business and more like working on yourself. Because the delegation was smaller, we were able to really connect with each other. Led on a lawn overlooking the ocean, a closing ceremony by Sarah Livia Brightwood and Alex Von Bidder from Rancho La Puerta, was uplifting and left us filled with hope for a future where we can balance giving and receiving in our businesses, and in ourselves.
At a glance: Top takeaways
• Amelia Kang, founder of Ame de Lumière Holistic Consultancy in Singapore, led an engaging discussion on quantum mechanics via Zoom. “Many drops of water can penetrate a rock,” she analogised, advising us to ask for help from those around us as it makes us all stronger
• The amazing and generous Molly Melching, founder of the NGO Tostan, who’s lived and worked in Senegal for 48 years said: “In local culture, you do a good deed not to get it back, but to do something for someone else; people are people’s medicine”
• Jaya Kader founder and principal of KZ Architecture, explained permaculture as “the growth of agricultural ecosystems in a sustainable way,” and recommends blending indigenous wisdom with modern technology
• “We’re drowning in knowledge but starved of wisdom,” said Karin Bleecker, psychologist and clinical director of wellness retreat New Life Portugal. Bleecker shared some excellent suggestions for cultivating wisdom within ourselves, such as being aware of our urge to feel comfortable, rather than embracing the unknown. Others included modelling intellectual humility, asking good questions and normalising uncertainty so you don’t fear that feeling
• “Transformation drives change that doesn’t change back,” and “The stone age did not end because we ran out of stones!” These gems came from Janet Rogan, COP26 regional ambassador for the Middle East and Africa
Photo: healingsummit.org
"We’re drowning in knowledge but starved of wisdom" – PKarin Bleecker, psychologist
Photo: healingsummit.org
"Ayurvedic practices support the healing of the mind" – Mahesh Natarajan, Ananda in the Himalayas
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
Spa People: Marc Cohen
Leading medical, research, science and educational activities are all part of the new medical director’s role at the Peninsula Hot Springs Group in Australia
Menu engineering: At your service
Get inspired by the latest wellness services including a high-tech diagnostic circuit at SHA and a Zita West fertility programme at Bürgenstock
Interview: Stephan Wagner
As Saudi Arabia taps into tourism, the man heading up wellness at Amaala talks to Spa Business about what the major development is looking to bring to a previously undiscovered part of the Kingdom
Interview: Aradhana Khowala
The chair of the advisory board of the Red Sea – a Saudi development the size of Belgium – shares her passion for regenerative tourism with Spa Business
Sponsored: RKF: Dressed to impress
Following exciting new launches at Equip Hotel in Paris, including the new DresSoft line, RKF Luxury Linen is gearing up for an eco-friendly and fashion-conscious 2023
Everyone’s talking about...: Cold water immersion
A new scientific paper warns of the significant risk of cold water therapies. Spa Business investigates how operators can protect those taking part in extreme bathing programmes
Event report: Healing summit
Self-help and self-love were the key messages from this wellness event in Portugal, says Spa Business’ Lisa Starr
Sponsored: Comfort Zone: Effective by nature
Comfort Zone has revealed three new
products, including a new neck and
décolleté fluid, leveraging the power of
botanical bioactive extracts
Interview: Alex & Sue Glasscock
Editor-at-large, Jane Kitchen is put through her paces at The Ranch's new outpost in Palazzo Fiuggi, Italy and catches up with the owners
Event Report: Global Wellness Summit
The 16th annual GWS, held in Tel Aviv, Israel, homed in on the sector’s biggest issues following the pandemic. Spa Business reports on the highlights
Research: Wellness for all
A new study by the Global Wellness Institute provides a framework for businesses and governments to make healthy lifestyles accessible to all
Sponsored: TechnoAlpin Snowroom
The TechnoAlpin Snowroom made our Grand Aufguss Masters event extra special, says Robert Heinevetter
Finishing Touch: Cold call
Tumor suppression and boosting ‘good fat’ are two potential benefits of exposure to cool temperatures and swimming in icy waters, scientists reveal
Event co-founder Anne Biging (left) with Gina Diez Barroso (right) / Photo: healingsummit.org
It’s been a challenging couple of years for spas, but the future is finally looking brighter. Consumers have never been more interested in wellness, although staffing in the sector is still a struggle. As we continue on the path forward, it’s an ideal time to embrace ‘the healing of everything’ which was the theme for this year’s Healing Summit.
Now in its seventh year, the summit is definitely unique among wellness industry conferences. It’s intended to provoke thought and a collective consciousness regarding the future. “The three main influences on climate change are tourism/hospitality, fashion and food – and we have to find ways for hospitality to become a change maker, I truly believe this,” says event co-founder Anne Biging. “As I evolve the Healing Summit, this will stay front of mind.
“There are lots of industry events that give people chances to do business and there is a place for these. Our aim, however, is to bring people together from different cultures to learn from and support each other and to grow. By understanding and empowering ourselves first makes us more able to manifest change in other ways.”
Over two days there are impactful speakers, panels and networking opportunities, yet no power points or handouts. Rather, sessions are mixed with meditation, breathwork and sensory guides and we’re encouraged to sit with an open mind and really listen.
Speaker highlights The Pine Cliffs Resort in Albufeira, Portugal, a serene destination overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, provided a fitting backdrop for the 100 spa, wellness, hospitality and travel professionals who gathered in search of inspiration as well as purposeful direction. Mornings began with movement or breathwork sessions, a dip in the bracing sea and a healthy breakfast, before gathering in a sunny conference room above the tree-studded lawns.
Paul Polman, former Unilever CEO, discussed the need for healing now, framed by his latest book Net Positive. Since leaving the corporate world, he’s been heavily involved with the UN and WTTC to help advance SDGs globally. We need to understand reasons behind the ‘great resignation’ he said – people still want to work, just with more clarity of purpose. With a higher sense of awareness, we can bring more humanity to the business world, resulting in positive change. Polman also noted that through the pandemic, the most resilient companies were those with a diversified business model.
Mexican entrepreneur and educational activist Gina Diez Barroso urged us to think beyond stereotypes and work on our empathy and collaborative skills. In a panel discussion, she cited a McKinsey study which highlights the gaps in workforce skills in a post-COVID world. So-called soft skills such as empathy, leadership and adaptability have grown greatly in importance since 2019.
You can’t underestimate the passion of Barroso, who says she found her “why” – to improve educational opportunities for women – at age 42. She started CENTRO, a university for creativity in Mexico City, in 2014, when everyone told her it couldn’t be done. The entire campus is LEED platinum certified and currently enrolls 3,000 students. Her other company Dalia Empower also champions female empowerment globally.
The founder and owner of Euphoria Resort in Greece, Marina Efraimoglou, discussed an issue facing many in attendance – how to bridge the duality between being a healer and an entrepreneur. She recommended that we can reach balance by holding on to our intention for our projects and having the courage to ask for help when we need it.
Diving even deeper into mental wellness, Mahesh Natarajan, COO of Ananda in the Himalayas, explained how ayurvedic practices such as meditation and mindfulness support the healing of the mind, and the importance of the inner journey. Natarajan shared the Sanskrit term kosha, meaning layers, which represents how knowledge resides in the interlocked sheaths of our personalities. By observing these ancient practices we can become adept at controlling our minds and reach the highest state of unending bliss, a space of wisdom and clarity.
Working on yourself “It’s obvious that our world needs healing,” concludes Elisabeth Ixmeier, who heads up the event alongside Biging. “We showcased the areas where change must occur, from economics to sustainability. We started this summit with the understanding that true change can only occur when we change ourselves and ended with the insight that when we heal ourselves, we can change everything.”
Attending this event feels less like working on your business and more like working on yourself. Because the delegation was smaller, we were able to really connect with each other. Led on a lawn overlooking the ocean, a closing ceremony by Sarah Livia Brightwood and Alex Von Bidder from Rancho La Puerta, was uplifting and left us filled with hope for a future where we can balance giving and receiving in our businesses, and in ourselves.
At a glance: Top takeaways
• Amelia Kang, founder of Ame de Lumière Holistic Consultancy in Singapore, led an engaging discussion on quantum mechanics via Zoom. “Many drops of water can penetrate a rock,” she analogised, advising us to ask for help from those around us as it makes us all stronger
• The amazing and generous Molly Melching, founder of the NGO Tostan, who’s lived and worked in Senegal for 48 years said: “In local culture, you do a good deed not to get it back, but to do something for someone else; people are people’s medicine”
• Jaya Kader founder and principal of KZ Architecture, explained permaculture as “the growth of agricultural ecosystems in a sustainable way,” and recommends blending indigenous wisdom with modern technology
• “We’re drowning in knowledge but starved of wisdom,” said Karin Bleecker, psychologist and clinical director of wellness retreat New Life Portugal. Bleecker shared some excellent suggestions for cultivating wisdom within ourselves, such as being aware of our urge to feel comfortable, rather than embracing the unknown. Others included modelling intellectual humility, asking good questions and normalising uncertainty so you don’t fear that feeling
• “Transformation drives change that doesn’t change back,” and “The stone age did not end because we ran out of stones!” These gems came from Janet Rogan, COP26 regional ambassador for the Middle East and Africa
Photo: healingsummit.org
"We’re drowning in knowledge but starved of wisdom" – PKarin Bleecker, psychologist
Photo: healingsummit.org
"Ayurvedic practices support the healing of the mind" – Mahesh Natarajan, Ananda in the Himalayas
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
Spa People: Marc Cohen
Leading medical, research, science and educational activities are all part of the new medical director’s role at the Peninsula Hot Springs Group in Australia
Menu engineering: At your service
Get inspired by the latest wellness services including a high-tech diagnostic circuit at SHA and a Zita West fertility programme at Bürgenstock
Interview: Stephan Wagner
As Saudi Arabia taps into tourism, the man heading up wellness at Amaala talks to Spa Business about what the major development is looking to bring to a previously undiscovered part of the Kingdom
Interview: Aradhana Khowala
The chair of the advisory board of the Red Sea – a Saudi development the size of Belgium – shares her passion for regenerative tourism with Spa Business
Sponsored: RKF: Dressed to impress
Following exciting new launches at Equip Hotel in Paris, including the new DresSoft line, RKF Luxury Linen is gearing up for an eco-friendly and fashion-conscious 2023
Everyone’s talking about...: Cold water immersion
A new scientific paper warns of the significant risk of cold water therapies. Spa Business investigates how operators can protect those taking part in extreme bathing programmes
Event report: Healing summit
Self-help and self-love were the key messages from this wellness event in Portugal, says Spa Business’ Lisa Starr
Sponsored: Comfort Zone: Effective by nature
Comfort Zone has revealed three new
products, including a new neck and
décolleté fluid, leveraging the power of
botanical bioactive extracts
Interview: Alex & Sue Glasscock
Editor-at-large, Jane Kitchen is put through her paces at The Ranch's new outpost in Palazzo Fiuggi, Italy and catches up with the owners
Event Report: Global Wellness Summit
The 16th annual GWS, held in Tel Aviv, Israel, homed in on the sector’s biggest issues following the pandemic. Spa Business reports on the highlights
Research: Wellness for all
A new study by the Global Wellness Institute provides a framework for businesses and governments to make healthy lifestyles accessible to all
Sponsored: TechnoAlpin Snowroom
The TechnoAlpin Snowroom made our Grand Aufguss Masters event extra special, says Robert Heinevetter
Finishing Touch: Cold call
Tumor suppression and boosting ‘good fat’ are two potential benefits of exposure to cool temperatures and swimming in icy waters, scientists reveal
The Wellness Tourism Association (WTA) has published a non-regulatory global industry
framework designed to ensure the retreat market offers responsible experiences.
A new survey of UK and international spa practitioners shows that stress, burnout and
wellbeing concerns have caused one in three respondents to consider leaving the industry.
The UK's four Chief Medical Officers have published a refreshed edition of Physical activity
guidelines: UK Chief Medical Officers' report, updating the evidence that underpins the nation's
physical activity recommendations and placing greater emphasis on strength, balance, reducing
sedentary behaviour and, for the first time, supporting people taking weight loss medications.
Anna Bjurstam has left her role as Wellness Pioneer at Six Senses Hotels and Resorts and
launched a new wellness, longevity and “consciousness consultancy” called Wahayla.
Fairmont Cheshire, The Mere, has opened today (10 July) in the Northwest of England
with a
1,715sq m Fairmont Spa that has been designed using a ‘Wellness without Walls’
concept.
Wellness hotels generating less than US$1 million (€932,700, £785,200) – or 10 per cent of
total revenue from wellness and leisure – recorded the strongest RevPAR and TRevPAR growth
in 2025 across categories when compared with 2024, according to the latest Wellness Real
Estate Report by RLA Global, produced in partnership with P and L benchmarking firm HotStats.
Lefay Resorts, the portfolio of two luxury wellness properties in Italy, has added emotional
dance classes and group cold plunge sessions in response to market demand for social
connection.
