Yes! Send me the FREE digital editions of Spa Business and Spa Business insider magazines and the FREE weekly Spa Business and Spa Business insider ezines and breaking news alerts!
Katrin Jakobsdóttir, Prime Minister, Iceland / Truba7113/SHUTTERSTOCK
At a time when wellness is truly at the forefront of people’s minds, Icelandic Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir, has urged for wellbeing to be given greater priority than GDP and economic growth.
Speaking at London’s Chatham House international affairs think tank in early February, just before coronavirus took hold globally, Jakobsdóttir called for “an alternative future, based on wellbeing and inclusive growth”. She urged governments to take up both green and family-friendly targets, instead of just concentrating on economic growth.
Iceland is a member of the Wellbeing Economy Alliance (WEAll), a recently formed body working to change the economic system so it focuses on wellness. It defines a wellbeing economy as one that delivers human and ecological wellbeing.
New Zealand and Scotland are also a part of the WEAll and Jakobsdóttir recently teamed up with Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern and Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to promote a “wellbeing agenda”.
With matters of wellbeing and happiness being recognised as essential to the health of democracy and political stability, this can only be positive news for the spa industry which has been built around this ethos.
Writing for the Evening Standard, Jakobsdóttir confirmed that the Icelandic government is also planning to finance this initiative, saying: “A wellbeing budget is in the works, with a number of priorities already having been identified. These include the improvement of mental health and reduction of carbon emissions.”
When asked whether the creation of a ‘wellbeing budget’ was achievable for both developed and developing countries, Jakobsdóttir responded: “You can always have an emphasis on wellbeing, it’s just about how you prioritise it in the public budget”.
Jakobsdóttir heads up The Icelandic Prime Minister’s Committee on Measurements for Wellbeing in Iceland. “This committee has developed 39 wellbeing indicators that include economic, environmental and social factors, GDP and other economic indicators are among them, but in a new context with social and environmental indicators, to aim for the delicate balance of sustainable development.”
The indicators are linked to the UN Sustainable Development Goals – an initiative which spas are also looking to align with (see SB20/1 p44) – and are used to inform government policy formulation.
According to a survey commissioned by the committee, the general public in Iceland views health to be the most significant factor in the quality of life, followed by relationships, housing and making a living.
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
View contents of Spa Business 2020 issue 2
Editor’s letter: Our greatest challenge
Spa and wellness businesses will reopen while COVID-19 is still circulating in the community, meaning we have to find models which work in this new reality, says Katie Barnes. So how will this change the industry?
On the menu: Pivot to digital
Which forward-thinking spas are taking their offerings online during the coronavirus pandemic?
Interview: Mary Celeste Beall
The celebrated Blackberry Farm has opened a sister property in the mountains of Tennessee. The owner tells Spa Business why wellness through nature underpins the new destination
Everyone’s talking about: COVID-19
Spa operators, wellness companies and organisations from around the world talk to Spa Business about the impact of coronavirus and what to expect down the line
Promotion: Simone Gibertoni: Clinique La Prairie
World-renowned medical spa, Clinique La Prairie, is creating a global network of
locations to support clients with their wellbeing, every day of the year, says its CEO
Research: First responders
ISPA’s COVID-19 survey offers insights into how the industry has responded to the global pandemic. Spa Business magazine examines the findings
Hotel spa: Country life: The Newt
Karen Roos, owner of the world-renowned hotel The Newt, on design, gardens and a spa housed in an old cow barn
Insights: Calls to action
Industry leaders around the world come together in a crisis to share ideas and innovations in a series of GWS Collaboration calls. Spa Business magazine reports on the highlights
Insights: Webinar wisdom
Spa Business shares its industry-relevant takeaways from the masses of webinars that are being streamed worldwide
Research: Measure for measure
Intelligent Spas reveals its latest global spa benchmarks and explores what they mean in today’s ever-changing climate
Focus on: Extreme wellness
Spa Business tries out two boundary-pushing, cold immersion retreats led by ‘The Iceman’ Wim Hof and Dr Marc Cohen
Promotion: Barr and Wray: Creating
a seamless journey
With 60 years of experience, Barr and Wray has long been known for excellence in technical design for wellness. Design director Graeme Banks explains the company also offers interior design services
Interview: Juliu Horvath
The founder of Gyrotonic and Gyrokinesis tells Spa Business why he’ll never stop adapting his famous movement modality
Promotion: ISPA publishes Reopening Toolkit
A much-needed guide by ISPA gives essential advice on business planning, standard operating procedures, marketing and communications to support spas through the coronavirus crisis
Katrin Jakobsdóttir, Prime Minister, Iceland / Truba7113/SHUTTERSTOCK
At a time when wellness is truly at the forefront of people’s minds, Icelandic Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir, has urged for wellbeing to be given greater priority than GDP and economic growth.
Speaking at London’s Chatham House international affairs think tank in early February, just before coronavirus took hold globally, Jakobsdóttir called for “an alternative future, based on wellbeing and inclusive growth”. She urged governments to take up both green and family-friendly targets, instead of just concentrating on economic growth.
Iceland is a member of the Wellbeing Economy Alliance (WEAll), a recently formed body working to change the economic system so it focuses on wellness. It defines a wellbeing economy as one that delivers human and ecological wellbeing.
New Zealand and Scotland are also a part of the WEAll and Jakobsdóttir recently teamed up with Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern and Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to promote a “wellbeing agenda”.
With matters of wellbeing and happiness being recognised as essential to the health of democracy and political stability, this can only be positive news for the spa industry which has been built around this ethos.
Writing for the Evening Standard, Jakobsdóttir confirmed that the Icelandic government is also planning to finance this initiative, saying: “A wellbeing budget is in the works, with a number of priorities already having been identified. These include the improvement of mental health and reduction of carbon emissions.”
When asked whether the creation of a ‘wellbeing budget’ was achievable for both developed and developing countries, Jakobsdóttir responded: “You can always have an emphasis on wellbeing, it’s just about how you prioritise it in the public budget”.
Jakobsdóttir heads up The Icelandic Prime Minister’s Committee on Measurements for Wellbeing in Iceland. “This committee has developed 39 wellbeing indicators that include economic, environmental and social factors, GDP and other economic indicators are among them, but in a new context with social and environmental indicators, to aim for the delicate balance of sustainable development.”
The indicators are linked to the UN Sustainable Development Goals – an initiative which spas are also looking to align with (see SB20/1 p44) – and are used to inform government policy formulation.
According to a survey commissioned by the committee, the general public in Iceland views health to be the most significant factor in the quality of life, followed by relationships, housing and making a living.
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
View contents of Spa Business 2020 issue 2
Editor’s letter: Our greatest challenge
Spa and wellness businesses will reopen while COVID-19 is still circulating in the community, meaning we have to find models which work in this new reality, says Katie Barnes. So how will this change the industry?
On the menu: Pivot to digital
Which forward-thinking spas are taking their offerings online during the coronavirus pandemic?
Interview: Mary Celeste Beall
The celebrated Blackberry Farm has opened a sister property in the mountains of Tennessee. The owner tells Spa Business why wellness through nature underpins the new destination
Everyone’s talking about: COVID-19
Spa operators, wellness companies and organisations from around the world talk to Spa Business about the impact of coronavirus and what to expect down the line
Promotion: Simone Gibertoni: Clinique La Prairie
World-renowned medical spa, Clinique La Prairie, is creating a global network of
locations to support clients with their wellbeing, every day of the year, says its CEO
Research: First responders
ISPA’s COVID-19 survey offers insights into how the industry has responded to the global pandemic. Spa Business magazine examines the findings
Hotel spa: Country life: The Newt
Karen Roos, owner of the world-renowned hotel The Newt, on design, gardens and a spa housed in an old cow barn
Insights: Calls to action
Industry leaders around the world come together in a crisis to share ideas and innovations in a series of GWS Collaboration calls. Spa Business magazine reports on the highlights
Insights: Webinar wisdom
Spa Business shares its industry-relevant takeaways from the masses of webinars that are being streamed worldwide
Research: Measure for measure
Intelligent Spas reveals its latest global spa benchmarks and explores what they mean in today’s ever-changing climate
Focus on: Extreme wellness
Spa Business tries out two boundary-pushing, cold immersion retreats led by ‘The Iceman’ Wim Hof and Dr Marc Cohen
Promotion: Barr and Wray: Creating
a seamless journey
With 60 years of experience, Barr and Wray has long been known for excellence in technical design for wellness. Design director Graeme Banks explains the company also offers interior design services
Interview: Juliu Horvath
The founder of Gyrotonic and Gyrokinesis tells Spa Business why he’ll never stop adapting his famous movement modality
Promotion: ISPA publishes Reopening Toolkit
A much-needed guide by ISPA gives essential advice on business planning, standard operating procedures, marketing and communications to support spas through the coronavirus crisis
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.
