The Global Wellness Summit (GWS) has announced the theme for its 2024 conference being held in St. Andrews, Scotland from November 4-7: “A Watershed Moment for Wellness.”
The theme explores how the wellness industry is at a watershed moment for growth and evolution, gathering global experts to analyze the newest directions within each sector– whether fitness, mental wellness, wellness tourism, healthy food, weight loss, wellness real estate, well-tech, beauty, wellness policy and more.
Related: Global Wellness Summit 2024 to Take Place in St. Andrews, Scotland
Agenda
The agenda will also specifically explore the surge in water wellness experiences, a welcome democratic trend in an age of ever-wealthier wellness. Experts will discuss the powerful renaissance in water-based therapies underway and how emerging hydrothermal approaches and technologies could revolutionize wellness.
It will tackle many topics where water and wellness intersect, from the global surge in urban bathhouses, sauna centers and vast water-wellness parks that are becoming the social hotspots to the wave of new and restored hot springs destinations.
Sustainability experts will show how the industry needs to change to reduce its water waste, from boosting the wellness industry’s role in the initiative to embracing the ethics of water and adopting new technologies and practices that could transform the industry’s water use efficiency.
“This is a watershed moment for wellness. In our 2024 trends report, we note that we’ve seen more industry disruptions in the last year than in the last decade–whether the rapid rise of medical-wellness and longevity concepts or Big Pharma rewriting weight loss,” said Susie Ellis, GWS chair and CEO. “With fast-shifting consumer demands, fast-evolving technology, demographic shifts (including a profoundly aging population), accelerating climate change and demands that businesses take environmental action, this year’s agenda will investigate how our industry will continue to see further radical transformation.”
Host Location & Sponsor
Scotland’s famed water supply makes it an appropriate location to host the summit. It’s one of the world’s most water-rich countries, with more than 30,000 lochs, 10,000 miles of coastline and enough rivers and streams to circle the Earth three times. In 2024, 98% of Scotland’s bathing waters will meet or exceed the country’s strict environmental standards, according to GWS.
The 2024 host sponsor is Kohler Co. With the Summit being held at one of their seven global properties, the iconic Old Course Hotel with a reimagined Kohler Waters Spa, delegates will be immersed in the theme. The company is also a renowned leader in sustainability and protecting the world’s water resources and is working hard toward net zero environmental impact by 2035.
“There is powerful synergy between this year’s Summit theme on how water intersects with wellness and Kohler Co.’s mission, which not only includes pioneering water design, features and experiences for wellbeing but also working hard to fight climate change and protect the world’s water resources,” said Nina Kohler, strategy and design leader for the Hospitality Group at the Kohler Co.
