The world’s spa economy grew by 5 per cent between 2013 and 2015 to reach US$98.6bn (€90.1bn, £80.6bn), according to preliminary findings from the 2016 Global Wellness Economy Monitor
Presenting the data: different size balls represent the 10 sectors in the US$3.72tn wellness industry
The topline figure includes spa facility revenues of US$77.6bn (€71.1bn, £63.4bn) as well as the associations and education, consulting, media and event sectors that support spas, which are valued at US$21bn (€19.2bn, £17.2bn).
And while worldwide spa revenues increased by a modest 2.3 per cent from 2013 to 2015, researchers at the Global Wellness Institute (GWI) – the organisation behind the report – says this is largely due to the US dollar currency conversion from large spa markets across Europe and Asia. If global spa facility revenues are converted to the euro instead, the market actually grew at a robust 25 per cent.
Spa locations worldwide jumped from 105,591 in 2013 to 121,595 in 2015 – meaning the industry has added just over 16,000 spas, more than 230,000 workers (to reach 2.1m) and US$3.5bn (€3.2bn, £2.9bn) in revenue.
These figures from the spa sector feed into the wider international wellness market which the GWI estimates is now a US$3.72 trillion (€3.4tn, £3tn) industry, a number which has increased by 10.6 per cent since 2013.
“Recent years have been marked by global economic contraction and disruptive geopolitical events, but a ‘wellness economy’ just keeps rising, with an upward trajectory that seems unstoppable,” says GWI senior research fellow Ophelia Yeung.
Yeung pointed to ‘megatrends’ of an emerging global middle class, a rapidly ageing population, increase in chronic disease and stress, the failure of the ‘sick-care’ medical model, and a growing subset of more affluent, educated consumers “seeking experiences rooted in meaning, purpose, authenticity and nature”, as fuelling the growth in the market.
Revenue-earning thermal and mineral springs added 660 facilities across 109 countries between 2013 and 2015, earning US$51bn (€46.7bn, £42bn) in 2015, up 2 per cent from 2013. The GWI said that while these gains look modest, its research finds rapidly rising consumer interest in springs-based activities – and similarly, 2015 revenues are also heavily impacted by the depreciation of European currencies against the dollar.
Wellness tourism grew 14 per cent in the same two-year period – more than twice as fast as overall tourism expenditures. World travellers made 691 million wellness trips in 2015.
Wellness real estate – which includes residential, hospitality and mixed-use developments incorporating wellness – was one of the fastest-growing sectors, up 19 per cent to US$118.6bn (€108.6bn, £97bn) in 2015.
Other subsets measured in the report include beauty and anti-ageing; workplace wellness; fitness and mind-body; healthy eating, nutrition and weight loss; preventative and personalised medicine and public health; and complementary and alternative medicine.
* The preliminary figures were unveiled at the Global Wellness Summit in late October, ahead of the full research which will be released in January. Turn to p80 to read about the summit in more depth.
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
Promotional feature: Phytomer
As a pioneer of marine skincare, Phytomer represents a story of three impassioned generations and a dedication to cultivating the purest spa ingredients from the northern French coast
The Spa Life UK Convention returns from 21–23 June 2026 at Whittlebury Park Hotel, Spa &
Golf Resort, bringing together spa managers, directors and owners for two days of focused
education, meaningful connection and commercial insight. [more...]
In today’s premium spa environment, every detail shapes the guest experience – right down to
the softness of towels and the freshness of linens. [more...]
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The world’s spa economy grew by 5 per cent between 2013 and 2015 to reach US$98.6bn (€90.1bn, £80.6bn), according to preliminary findings from the 2016 Global Wellness Economy Monitor
Presenting the data: different size balls represent the 10 sectors in the US$3.72tn wellness industry
The topline figure includes spa facility revenues of US$77.6bn (€71.1bn, £63.4bn) as well as the associations and education, consulting, media and event sectors that support spas, which are valued at US$21bn (€19.2bn, £17.2bn).
And while worldwide spa revenues increased by a modest 2.3 per cent from 2013 to 2015, researchers at the Global Wellness Institute (GWI) – the organisation behind the report – says this is largely due to the US dollar currency conversion from large spa markets across Europe and Asia. If global spa facility revenues are converted to the euro instead, the market actually grew at a robust 25 per cent.
Spa locations worldwide jumped from 105,591 in 2013 to 121,595 in 2015 – meaning the industry has added just over 16,000 spas, more than 230,000 workers (to reach 2.1m) and US$3.5bn (€3.2bn, £2.9bn) in revenue.
These figures from the spa sector feed into the wider international wellness market which the GWI estimates is now a US$3.72 trillion (€3.4tn, £3tn) industry, a number which has increased by 10.6 per cent since 2013.
“Recent years have been marked by global economic contraction and disruptive geopolitical events, but a ‘wellness economy’ just keeps rising, with an upward trajectory that seems unstoppable,” says GWI senior research fellow Ophelia Yeung.
Yeung pointed to ‘megatrends’ of an emerging global middle class, a rapidly ageing population, increase in chronic disease and stress, the failure of the ‘sick-care’ medical model, and a growing subset of more affluent, educated consumers “seeking experiences rooted in meaning, purpose, authenticity and nature”, as fuelling the growth in the market.
Revenue-earning thermal and mineral springs added 660 facilities across 109 countries between 2013 and 2015, earning US$51bn (€46.7bn, £42bn) in 2015, up 2 per cent from 2013. The GWI said that while these gains look modest, its research finds rapidly rising consumer interest in springs-based activities – and similarly, 2015 revenues are also heavily impacted by the depreciation of European currencies against the dollar.
Wellness tourism grew 14 per cent in the same two-year period – more than twice as fast as overall tourism expenditures. World travellers made 691 million wellness trips in 2015.
Wellness real estate – which includes residential, hospitality and mixed-use developments incorporating wellness – was one of the fastest-growing sectors, up 19 per cent to US$118.6bn (€108.6bn, £97bn) in 2015.
Other subsets measured in the report include beauty and anti-ageing; workplace wellness; fitness and mind-body; healthy eating, nutrition and weight loss; preventative and personalised medicine and public health; and complementary and alternative medicine.
* The preliminary figures were unveiled at the Global Wellness Summit in late October, ahead of the full research which will be released in January. Turn to p80 to read about the summit in more depth.
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
Promotional feature: Phytomer
As a pioneer of marine skincare, Phytomer represents a story of three impassioned generations and a dedication to cultivating the purest spa ingredients from the northern French coast
Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai in Hoi An, Vietnam, has put together a Global Wellness Day
(GWD) agenda with activations rooted in nature and shaped by four pillars of Joy – in
alignment with the day’s theme #JoyMagenta.
The Global Wellness Summit (GWS) will celebrate its 20th anniversary at the 2026 event in
Phuket, Thailand, later this year with the theme: The Science, Art and Soul of Wellness.
Auko, an all-inclusive development, is opening in Phong Nha in Vietnam in Q3 2026, with a
series of 30 tented eco-lodges and wellness hospitality operations by Lumina Wellbeing.
Therme Manchester’s 28-acre development, which will include interconnected glass pavilions
that measure 65,000sq m, will be the largest bathing and wellbeing attraction in the world once
complete, according to prof David Russell, CEO of Therme UK.
Naples Beach Club, a Four Seasons Resort, has opened a 2,800sq m spa called The Sanctuary,
with the design and concept inspired by the Native American people that populated Florida’s
Southwest coast – the Calusa.
Swire Hotels’ luxury hospitality brand Upper House has revealed it will roll out its two-day
House of Healing retreats at its three hotels in Hong Kong, Chengdu and Shanghai.
LVMH-owned beauty house Guerlain will launch up to five spas with partners a year as part of
its plan to expand globally, according to the brand’s international spa and wellness director,
Diane Davody.
A new global study by Kevin Kelly and Peter Yesawich, called WELLSurvey 2.0, has revealed
more than half of consumers in the UK, US and Germany would not choose numerous high-
profile wellness resort brands for a future trip.
Luxury hospitality and wellness pioneer Jeremy McCarthy has launched Leisure Alchemy, a
digital platform that will provide professionals with strategic guidance on how to build
transformational leisure experiences that drive profit.
The Spa Life UK Convention returns from 21–23 June 2026 at Whittlebury Park Hotel, Spa &
Golf Resort, bringing together spa managers, directors and owners for two days of focused
education, meaningful connection and commercial insight. [more...]
In today’s premium spa environment, every detail shapes the guest experience – right down to
the softness of towels and the freshness of linens. [more...]
+ More featured suppliers
COMPANY PROFILES
Wellhub Wellhub (formerly Gympass) is the
world’s leading corporate wellness
platform, trusted by 70,000+ [more...]
