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Bhutan’s King Jigme Khesar is
planning a ‘mindfulness city’
underpinned by the country’s
deep-rooted spirituality and
Gross National Happiness index.
Spa Business finds out more
The monarch says the project will be his most significant undertaking / photo: paula Bronstein/Getty Images
Taking to the stage for Bhutan’s 116th National Day in December, King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck delivered one of the most important speeches of his life. The revered monarch revealed his ambition to safeguard the future of the nation by creating an economic hub close to the size of Hong Kong in Gelephu – a small town in the south that borders India.
Its key selling point? “It will be a ‘mindfulness city’, encompassing conscious and sustainable businesses, inspired by Buddhist spiritual heritage and distinguished by the uniqueness of the Bhutanese identity,” said the king, referring to the country’s culture of respect and compassion for others and nature.
It will also be anchored by the values of Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness (GNH) index – a measure based on the wellness of people that guides the government of Bhutan, alongside Gross Domestic Product (see p34).
He declared: “I became king at 26 and now I’m 43 years old. I’ll do everything in my power to realise this [mindfulness city] vision.”
All things Bhutanese The monarch intends to transform Gelephu, which has a population of less than 10,000, into a central point for business, finance, communication and transportation covering 1,000sq km – an area just under the size of Hong Kong.
It will operate as a special administrative region, he said, giving it legal independence and autonomy to formulate laws, policies and incentives to provide a conducive business environment and attract foreign investment. This is not unique to other economic hubs worldwide, admits the king, but he’s confident that the mindfulness approach will be the lynchpin to success.
“We build on strong foundations,” he said. “Bhutan is globally renowned for its GNH and strong spiritual heritage ... admired for safeguarding our culture and traditions.” This has led to a high level of credibility, he explained, without which “we would have never been able to embark on such an endeavour”.
Businesses will be screened to ensure they’re sensitive to Bhutan’s deeply ingrained wellness ethos – most likely favouring eco-friendly enterprises and prohibiting those involved with weapons manufacturing.
Traditional wellness practices John Reed, the wellness development advisor on the project, revealed to Spa Business that while it’s still very early days we can expect the mindfulness city to feature healing centres and world-class spas drawing on Bhutanese wellness practices. These include meditation, hot stone baths incorporating ‘menchu’ (medicinal spring water) and ‘sowa rigpa’, traditional Tibetan medicine based on herbs and minerals and modalities such as acupuncture and moxibustion.
The hospitality consultant, previously COO of China’s Octave wellness community and at Aman for 25 years before that, says: “Incorporating the spirituality of Bhutan is critical as we develop the wellbeing aspects for residents and guests – accommodation built from natural and renewable materials, indoor and outdoor areas for movement and meditation and green spaces for relaxation bathing and wildlife exploration.”
Master plan by Bjarke Ingels To appeal to Bhutan’s younger generations, the king has enlisted star architecture firm Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) to design the master plan alongside Arup and Singaporean planning city consultancy Cistri. BIG, known for its ‘hedonistic sustainability’ approach, has imagined 11 neighbourhoods that each boast a Bhutanese public focal point – from a Vajrayana spiritual centre which will allow glimpses into monks’ daily practices and a healthcare facility which bridges the gap between Eastern and Western medicine to a visitor attraction educating people about local culture. A new international airport, railway connections and a hydroelectric dam are also part of the bigger picture.
BIG’s founder and creative director, Bjarke Ingels, says: “The Gelephu master plan gives form to His Majesty’s vision to create a city that becomes a cradle for growth and innovation while remaining founded on Bhutanese nature and culture.”
Natural and spiritual design Bhutan, the world’s first carbon-neutral country, is nestled between mountains, forests and rivers. With 70 per cent of the country covered in woodland, it’s been labelled as one of the last biodiversity hotspots in the world and BIG’s master plan aims to amplify this.
The mindfulness city design highlights a tapestry of interconnected neighbourhoods and ecosystems naturally shaped by the flow of Gelephu’s 35 rivers and existing infrastructure. This results in ribbon-like neighbourhoods cascading down from the hills to the valley which are tied together by three main ‘inhabitable bridges’.
Ingles says: “We imagine the mindfulness city as a place that could be nowhere else. Where nature is enhanced, agriculture is integrated and tradition is living and breathing, not only preserved but also evolved.”
BIG has developed a language for local building typologies based on the nine GNH domains. These are repeated symmetrically around the central public spaces. Overall, there’s a notable gradual transition in density – from small buildings dispersed in the landscape in the north to larger footprints within an urban environment in the south. This, says BIG, is in keeping with the design principles of a mandala – a geometric pattern used in Buddhism.
Inflexion point The rationale behind the mindfulness city is to kick-start Bhutan’s economy following years of voluntary isolation – the country has staunchly protected its culture for years by closing off its borders, but now recognises that things need to change.
“South Asia is experiencing an unprecedented economic transformation,” said the king, highlighting his vision to create a “vibrant economic corridor” linking Gelephu to north-east India and, beyond that, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore. He said: “This is a period of growth and a period of immense opportunities … We [Bhutan] are in a unique position to reap great benefits if we seize the opportunity, make good plans and work together diligently.”
The goal is to create employment opportunities for locals, thousands of whom are being driven abroad, to places such as Australia, Singapore and Thailand, for work. “Our challenge is that we have barely 700,000 people in our country. Unless we find the right solution, our population may dwindle to the point when we have more shops than customers, more restaurants than diners and more houses than tenants,” said the king, urging Bhutanese people living in other countries to come back home to be a part of the mindfulness city project.
The inflow of foreign investments will see major improvements in public infrastructure such as roads, bridges and railways, as well as the construction of offices, residences, hospitals and businesses such as hotels, shops and restaurants. It’s this growth that will generate more jobs for younger generations as well as demand for local goods and services, especially from farmers, he predicts.
“During my reign as king, and for our generation, this is one of the most significant undertakings,” he concluded. “It’s an inflexion point, a moment in history that’s very important for us.
“Gelephu will become a gateway connecting Bhutan to the world and the future. The road we have chosen is a gateway to the world – to markets, capital, new ideas, knowledge and technology towards our future – to chart our destiny.
“Our responsibility is not just for the immediate future … Let’s build a legacy that will continue to benefit Bhutan 500 years into the future.”
photo: John Reed
“Healing centres and world-class spas will draw on Bhutanese wellness practices such as hot stone baths and sowa rigpa” –
John Reed
Gross National Happiness index
King Jigme Khesar Namgyel’s father, Jigme Singye Wangchuck – the fourth ruler of Bhutan – introduced the Gross National Happiness (GNH) index 50 years ago to measure the wellbeing of its people alongside its economic output.
The GNH index is based on nine domains:
• Psychological wellbeing
• Health
• Education
• Time-use
• Living standards
• Good governance
• Community vitality
• Ecological diversity and resilience
• Cultural diversity and resilience
In 2011, The UN General Assembly passed a resolution which recognised happiness as a “fundamental human goal”. It’s been urging member nations to follow the example of Bhutan in measuring happiness and wellbeing ever since.
photo: Ehrhorn Hummerston
“We imagine the mindfulness city as a place that could be nowhere else ... Where tradition is living and breathing” –
Bjarke Ingles
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
Profile: King of Bhutan
Plans for a 'mindfulness city' nearly as big as Hong Kong have been unveiled by the King of Bhutan. Katie Barnes takes a closer look
Destination focus: London
Major hotel brands from Mandarin Oriental and Raffles to Six Senses are all investing in the UK capital, but how will they differentiate themselves asks Katie Barnes
Sponsored: Beltrami – made in Italy
Beltrami has more than 50 years’ experience creating bespoke textile products for spas around the world, with a focus on quality
Jeremy McCarthy: Details matter
Attention to detail is a superpower and necessity in the luxury spa arena, says our contributing editor
Interview: Esin Güral Argat
The owner of Joali Being tells Neena Dhillon what inspired her to create an island dedicated to transformative wellbeing in the Maldives
Family matters: The Wilhelmis
The father and son duo behind the Buchinger Wilhelmi fasting method share their exciting plans for research and innovation with Megan Whitby
First person: By royal appointment
Lindsay Madden-Nadeau has a hypo-healing experience at Atlantis The Royal, Kerzner's sister property to the iconic Atlantis The Palm
Interview: Lyndell Nelis
The wellness director for Atlantis Resorts explains how its two Dubai properties are 'smashing it' when it comes to spa performance
New opening: Kilolani Spa
Grand Wailea's famous Hawaiian spa has been transformed into a moon-inspired, open-air haven
Event report: Hotting it up
Jane Kitchen reveals the thermal spa issues and trends delegates were talking about at this industry gathering in California
Sponsored: High end
Hoar Cross Hall has a new gym to match its award-winning hotel and spa. We find out more about the transformation
Software: Building relationships
Using personal data to create tailored experiences is paramount for spas, but operators have been fined millions for breaching GDPR. How can software systems help navigate this?
Sponsored: Add life
Increasing life expectancy is one of the great achievements of our
times and Starpool is working to bring real meaning to longevity
The city will be nearly the size of Hong Kong and has been planned by Bjarke Ingels / photo: Bjarke Ingels Group
A number of ‘inhabitable bridges’ include features such as a Vajrayana spiritual centre (pictured) and a healthcare facility / photo: Bjarke Ingels Group
The end goal is to create employment opportunities for locals / photo: Bjarke Ingels Group
In the fast-paced world of fitness and wellness, where high-intensity workouts push us to
our limits and the sweat pours, the importance of efficient recovery cannot be overstated. [more...]
Bhutan’s King Jigme Khesar is
planning a ‘mindfulness city’
underpinned by the country’s
deep-rooted spirituality and
Gross National Happiness index.
Spa Business finds out more
The monarch says the project will be his most significant undertaking / photo: paula Bronstein/Getty Images
Taking to the stage for Bhutan’s 116th National Day in December, King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck delivered one of the most important speeches of his life. The revered monarch revealed his ambition to safeguard the future of the nation by creating an economic hub close to the size of Hong Kong in Gelephu – a small town in the south that borders India.
Its key selling point? “It will be a ‘mindfulness city’, encompassing conscious and sustainable businesses, inspired by Buddhist spiritual heritage and distinguished by the uniqueness of the Bhutanese identity,” said the king, referring to the country’s culture of respect and compassion for others and nature.
It will also be anchored by the values of Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness (GNH) index – a measure based on the wellness of people that guides the government of Bhutan, alongside Gross Domestic Product (see p34).
He declared: “I became king at 26 and now I’m 43 years old. I’ll do everything in my power to realise this [mindfulness city] vision.”
All things Bhutanese The monarch intends to transform Gelephu, which has a population of less than 10,000, into a central point for business, finance, communication and transportation covering 1,000sq km – an area just under the size of Hong Kong.
It will operate as a special administrative region, he said, giving it legal independence and autonomy to formulate laws, policies and incentives to provide a conducive business environment and attract foreign investment. This is not unique to other economic hubs worldwide, admits the king, but he’s confident that the mindfulness approach will be the lynchpin to success.
“We build on strong foundations,” he said. “Bhutan is globally renowned for its GNH and strong spiritual heritage ... admired for safeguarding our culture and traditions.” This has led to a high level of credibility, he explained, without which “we would have never been able to embark on such an endeavour”.
Businesses will be screened to ensure they’re sensitive to Bhutan’s deeply ingrained wellness ethos – most likely favouring eco-friendly enterprises and prohibiting those involved with weapons manufacturing.
Traditional wellness practices John Reed, the wellness development advisor on the project, revealed to Spa Business that while it’s still very early days we can expect the mindfulness city to feature healing centres and world-class spas drawing on Bhutanese wellness practices. These include meditation, hot stone baths incorporating ‘menchu’ (medicinal spring water) and ‘sowa rigpa’, traditional Tibetan medicine based on herbs and minerals and modalities such as acupuncture and moxibustion.
The hospitality consultant, previously COO of China’s Octave wellness community and at Aman for 25 years before that, says: “Incorporating the spirituality of Bhutan is critical as we develop the wellbeing aspects for residents and guests – accommodation built from natural and renewable materials, indoor and outdoor areas for movement and meditation and green spaces for relaxation bathing and wildlife exploration.”
Master plan by Bjarke Ingels To appeal to Bhutan’s younger generations, the king has enlisted star architecture firm Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) to design the master plan alongside Arup and Singaporean planning city consultancy Cistri. BIG, known for its ‘hedonistic sustainability’ approach, has imagined 11 neighbourhoods that each boast a Bhutanese public focal point – from a Vajrayana spiritual centre which will allow glimpses into monks’ daily practices and a healthcare facility which bridges the gap between Eastern and Western medicine to a visitor attraction educating people about local culture. A new international airport, railway connections and a hydroelectric dam are also part of the bigger picture.
BIG’s founder and creative director, Bjarke Ingels, says: “The Gelephu master plan gives form to His Majesty’s vision to create a city that becomes a cradle for growth and innovation while remaining founded on Bhutanese nature and culture.”
Natural and spiritual design Bhutan, the world’s first carbon-neutral country, is nestled between mountains, forests and rivers. With 70 per cent of the country covered in woodland, it’s been labelled as one of the last biodiversity hotspots in the world and BIG’s master plan aims to amplify this.
The mindfulness city design highlights a tapestry of interconnected neighbourhoods and ecosystems naturally shaped by the flow of Gelephu’s 35 rivers and existing infrastructure. This results in ribbon-like neighbourhoods cascading down from the hills to the valley which are tied together by three main ‘inhabitable bridges’.
Ingles says: “We imagine the mindfulness city as a place that could be nowhere else. Where nature is enhanced, agriculture is integrated and tradition is living and breathing, not only preserved but also evolved.”
BIG has developed a language for local building typologies based on the nine GNH domains. These are repeated symmetrically around the central public spaces. Overall, there’s a notable gradual transition in density – from small buildings dispersed in the landscape in the north to larger footprints within an urban environment in the south. This, says BIG, is in keeping with the design principles of a mandala – a geometric pattern used in Buddhism.
Inflexion point The rationale behind the mindfulness city is to kick-start Bhutan’s economy following years of voluntary isolation – the country has staunchly protected its culture for years by closing off its borders, but now recognises that things need to change.
“South Asia is experiencing an unprecedented economic transformation,” said the king, highlighting his vision to create a “vibrant economic corridor” linking Gelephu to north-east India and, beyond that, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore. He said: “This is a period of growth and a period of immense opportunities … We [Bhutan] are in a unique position to reap great benefits if we seize the opportunity, make good plans and work together diligently.”
The goal is to create employment opportunities for locals, thousands of whom are being driven abroad, to places such as Australia, Singapore and Thailand, for work. “Our challenge is that we have barely 700,000 people in our country. Unless we find the right solution, our population may dwindle to the point when we have more shops than customers, more restaurants than diners and more houses than tenants,” said the king, urging Bhutanese people living in other countries to come back home to be a part of the mindfulness city project.
The inflow of foreign investments will see major improvements in public infrastructure such as roads, bridges and railways, as well as the construction of offices, residences, hospitals and businesses such as hotels, shops and restaurants. It’s this growth that will generate more jobs for younger generations as well as demand for local goods and services, especially from farmers, he predicts.
“During my reign as king, and for our generation, this is one of the most significant undertakings,” he concluded. “It’s an inflexion point, a moment in history that’s very important for us.
“Gelephu will become a gateway connecting Bhutan to the world and the future. The road we have chosen is a gateway to the world – to markets, capital, new ideas, knowledge and technology towards our future – to chart our destiny.
“Our responsibility is not just for the immediate future … Let’s build a legacy that will continue to benefit Bhutan 500 years into the future.”
photo: John Reed
“Healing centres and world-class spas will draw on Bhutanese wellness practices such as hot stone baths and sowa rigpa” –
John Reed
Gross National Happiness index
King Jigme Khesar Namgyel’s father, Jigme Singye Wangchuck – the fourth ruler of Bhutan – introduced the Gross National Happiness (GNH) index 50 years ago to measure the wellbeing of its people alongside its economic output.
The GNH index is based on nine domains:
• Psychological wellbeing
• Health
• Education
• Time-use
• Living standards
• Good governance
• Community vitality
• Ecological diversity and resilience
• Cultural diversity and resilience
In 2011, The UN General Assembly passed a resolution which recognised happiness as a “fundamental human goal”. It’s been urging member nations to follow the example of Bhutan in measuring happiness and wellbeing ever since.
photo: Ehrhorn Hummerston
“We imagine the mindfulness city as a place that could be nowhere else ... Where tradition is living and breathing” –
Bjarke Ingles
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
Profile: King of Bhutan
Plans for a 'mindfulness city' nearly as big as Hong Kong have been unveiled by the King of Bhutan. Katie Barnes takes a closer look
Destination focus: London
Major hotel brands from Mandarin Oriental and Raffles to Six Senses are all investing in the UK capital, but how will they differentiate themselves asks Katie Barnes
Sponsored: Beltrami – made in Italy
Beltrami has more than 50 years’ experience creating bespoke textile products for spas around the world, with a focus on quality
Jeremy McCarthy: Details matter
Attention to detail is a superpower and necessity in the luxury spa arena, says our contributing editor
Interview: Esin Güral Argat
The owner of Joali Being tells Neena Dhillon what inspired her to create an island dedicated to transformative wellbeing in the Maldives
Family matters: The Wilhelmis
The father and son duo behind the Buchinger Wilhelmi fasting method share their exciting plans for research and innovation with Megan Whitby
First person: By royal appointment
Lindsay Madden-Nadeau has a hypo-healing experience at Atlantis The Royal, Kerzner's sister property to the iconic Atlantis The Palm
Interview: Lyndell Nelis
The wellness director for Atlantis Resorts explains how its two Dubai properties are 'smashing it' when it comes to spa performance
New opening: Kilolani Spa
Grand Wailea's famous Hawaiian spa has been transformed into a moon-inspired, open-air haven
Event report: Hotting it up
Jane Kitchen reveals the thermal spa issues and trends delegates were talking about at this industry gathering in California
Sponsored: High end
Hoar Cross Hall has a new gym to match its award-winning hotel and spa. We find out more about the transformation
Software: Building relationships
Using personal data to create tailored experiences is paramount for spas, but operators have been fined millions for breaching GDPR. How can software systems help navigate this?
Sponsored: Add life
Increasing life expectancy is one of the great achievements of our
times and Starpool is working to bring real meaning to longevity
The city will be nearly the size of Hong Kong and has been planned by Bjarke Ingels / photo: Bjarke Ingels Group
A number of ‘inhabitable bridges’ include features such as a Vajrayana spiritual centre (pictured) and a healthcare facility / photo: Bjarke Ingels Group
The end goal is to create employment opportunities for locals / photo: Bjarke Ingels Group
Synergy – The Retreat Show, the global trade show for retreats, has launched a global research
initiative that will provide insights into the retreat sector from both consumer and industry
perspectives.
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.
In the fast-paced world of fitness and wellness, where high-intensity workouts push us to
our limits and the sweat pours, the importance of efficient recovery cannot be overstated. [more...]
