Global Wellness Digest

In a world increasingly focused on health and quality of life, one organization has stood at the forefront of a global movement. The Global Wellness Institute (GWI) – a nonprofit think-tank and research center – has spent the past decade championing the idea that wellness is not a luxury, but a universal priority. Born from humble beginnings and bold vision, the GWI today unites industries, influences policy-makers and inspires millions in pursuit of healthier, happier and holistic lives.

From Spa Summit to Global Movement: A Brief History

It all began at a time when “wellness” wasn’t yet the buzzword it is today. Back in 2007, fitness, nutrition, and beauty largely existed in separate silos – only coming together in places called spas. Sensing the need for a broader conversation, industry visionary Susie Ellis convened a first-of-its-kind gathering in New York City: the Global Spa Summit. Modeled after the World Economic Forum, that inaugural summit brought disparate wellness sectors under one roof, planting the seed for what would become a worldwide wellness revolution.

The annual summit quickly grew into the most influential meeting of wellness leaders, rebranding as the Global Wellness Summit (GWS) as the concept of wellness expanded. But the GSS founder had a bigger dream: a year-round organization to conduct research and educate the world about preventative health. In 2014 she founded the Global Wellness Institute (GWI) as a nonprofit, launching it publicly in 2015 as the summit’s dedicated research and education arm. GWI’s creation marked a pivotal milestone – transforming a yearly conference into an ongoing global movement. Neither the Summit nor the Institute would exist without the dedication and vision of Susie Ellis, often affectionately dubbed “the Godmother of the Wellness Economy” for her role in elevating wellness to the world stage.

Early GWI initiatives set the tone for its mission. In 2015, the Institute launched WellnessEvidence.com, a free online portal connecting the public with scientific research on mainstream wellness approaches. It was the first website to provide direct access to medical databases for wellness approaches – from acupuncture to yoga – giving consumers and professionals a credible, “spin-free” zone to explore health alternatives. “Wellness Evidence gives consumers access to the same databases doctors use and is a much-needed ‘spin-free’ wellness research zone,” Ellis said at the time. This commitment to evidence-based wellness was groundbreaking in an industry sometimes clouded by fads, and it reflected GWI’s core ethos: empower people with knowledge.

Another defining moment came in 2017, when GWI, alongside Dr. Richard Carmona (17th U.S. Surgeon General), launched The Wellness Moonshot – a global initiative to eradicate preventable chronic diseases. Unveiled at that year’s Global Wellness Summit, the Wellness Moonshot set an audacious goal: a world free of preventable disease. The campaign rallied companies, communities, and individuals worldwide around proactive health education and lifestyle change. A Wellness Moonshot Calendar was created to inspire monthly actions, and by 2020 Ellis announced the initiative was reaching over six million people across the globe. Partnerships were formed in China, India, Israel, and with media like Prevention magazine to spread the message. In Ellis’s words, prevention had to become “mission-critical” for humanity – wellness could nolonger be a mere option. This bold, collaborative campaign embodied GWI’s propensity to think big and unite diverse stakeholders for a healthier world.

From these early milestones – the Summit’s founding, the birth of GWI, the Wellness Evidence portal, the Moonshot initiative – the stage was set for GWI’s evolution. Over the years, the Institute has continually expanded its reach, programs, and research, all while staying true to the original vision: empowering wellness worldwide.

Mission, Vision, and Values

At the heart of the Global Wellness Institute is a clear and powerful mission: “to empower wellness worldwide by educating public and private sectors about preventative health and wellness.” In practice, this means GWI works to facilitate collaboration, provide rigorous global research and insight, spark innovation, and advocate for sustainable growth across the wellness spectrum. The emphasis on prevention – helping people live healthier so they can avoid illness – is a through-line in all of GWI’s efforts. This preventive mindset was relatively novel in 2014; today it feels prescient, aligning with global shifts toward proactive health management.

GWI’s vision is to be recognized as “the global wellness authority and resource for businesses and organizations dedicated to ensuring optimal wellbeing for our planet’s citizens.” In other words, GWI aspires to serve as the go-to hub for trustworthy information and guidance in the wellness domain, influencing everyone from multi-national companies to local community groups. This vision of authority is coupled with a commitment to accessibility: all of GWI’s resources, research reports, and information are made available free of charge to the public. By removing cost barriers, the Institute ensures that knowledge can spread to anyone, anywhere, whether it’s a government minister crafting health policy or an individual seeking tips for a healthier lifestyle.

Five core pillars guide the Institute’s work:

• Research: GWI is widely regarded as the leading global research resource for the wellness industry. The Institute initiates and publishes authoritative studies on the multitrillion-dollar wellness economy and its many sub-sectors, believing that solid data is the foundation for informed decision-making and growth. All research is funded by sponsors and offered freely to the world.
• Initiatives: GWI supports a wide range of industry initiatives led by volunteer Chairs who are renowned experts in their fields. These collaborative projects address specific wellness sectors or issues – from mental wellness to wellness tourism – and have been instrumental in uniting health and wellness industries and powering the growth of the wellness economy.
• Geography of Wellness: This innovative program focuses on country-specific wellness data. GWI provides dedicated country reports and webpages that detail each nation’s wellness economy size, trajectory, and breakdown by sector. By mapping the “Geography of Wellness,” GWI helps nations understand their strengths and opportunities in wellness, fostering a sense of global competition and inspiration to improve.
• Wellness Evidence: As noted, this is the first online portal to aggregate clinical research on wellness modalities. It embodies GWI’s value of legitimacy – grounding wellness practices in science. From acupuncture to yoga to nutrition, Wellness Evidence curates thousands of medical studies, helping consumers and professionals discern what’s proven effective.
• The Wellness Moonshot: A global call-to-action to create “a world free of preventable disease,” the Moonshot is a pillar unto itself. It educates about prevention and inspires action at every level – individual, workplace, community. Through monthly toolkits, events, and the colorful Moonshot calendars, this pillar keeps the focus on lifestyle changes that can save lives and reduce the burden of chronic illness.

Underpinning all of these pillars is an unwavering belief that wellness is for everyone. GWI’s slogan “Empowering Wellness Worldwide” isn’t just a tagline – it’s a promise to inclusively spread health and wellbeing. As the Institute articulated in a recent report, not everyone today has the “resources, motivation, knowledge or enabling environment to actively pursue wellness,” which is why public and private sectors alike must work to make healthy lifestyles fully accessible for all. This ethos of equity and accessibility permeates GWI’s projects and partnerships. From scholarship programs (like the Susie Ellis Scholarship for Equity in Wellness) to advocacy for wellness policy, GWI champions the idea that everyone deserves the opportunity to live well, regardless of background or circumstances.

Crucially, the GWI walks its talk by maintaining independence and credibility. It does not lobby for commercial products or push trends for profit; instead, it serves as a neutral convener and knowledge source. Its nonprofit status and donor-funded research model allow it to be an honest broker of information in an industry sometimes rife with marketing hype. That integrity has earned GWI trust across sectors. Researchers, journalists, and businesses look to the Institute as an unbiased authority, and its definition of wellness – “the active pursuit of activities, choices and lifestyles that lead to a state of holistic health” – has been widely adopted as a standard. In short, GWI’s mission and values center on collaboration, knowledge-sharing, evidence-based action, inclusivity, and the idea that through collective effort, a healthier world is within reach.

The People Behind the Purpose: Organizational Structure and Key Figures

Though the Global Wellness Institute’s mission is broad, its team is relatively small and agile – a testament to how a clear purpose can galvanize a community far beyond an organization’s walls. At the helm is Susie Ellis, GWI’s co-founder, Chair and CEO, whose personal journey has shaped much of the Institute’s character. Ellis brought decades of experience in the spa and fitness industry (she also serves as President of Spafinder Wellness, Inc.) and a deep passion for preventive health to her role. Described as one of the “leading authorities on the multi-sector wellness industry” by publications from The New York Times to the Financial Times, she is the charismatic driver of GWI’s vision. Under her leadership, GWI and the Global Wellness Summit operate in tandem – one as a continuous think-tank, the other as an annual gathering – to propel the wellness movement forward. It’s not uncommon to see Ellis on stage at the Summit, interviewing experts or distilling trends for an audience of CEOs and ministers, then later that day strategizing with researchers about the next big industry study. Her blend of executive acumen and evangelist’s passion has earned her admiration across the wellness world  

GWI’s organizational structure is fairly lean. Headquartered in Miami, Florida, the Institute relies on a network of senior research fellows, advisors, ambassadors, and initiative chairs spread globally. The core research team has been crucial. It led most of GWI’s major research projects, from quantifying the wellness economy to analyzing specific sectors. Their meticulous work (often running to 100+ pages per report) and approachable analysis have helped put hard numbers to what was once a nebulous concept (“wellness”), gaining respect from business leaders and academics alike. In press releases, they are often the voices explaining why wellness is booming. “In a world full of uncertainty and divisiveness, wellness has become a universal value,” observes Johnston. “No matter your politics or beliefs, who doesn’t desire the knowledge, tools, and opportunities to build a healthy life for yourself and your family?” Such insights, grounded in data and a humanistic perspective, exemplify the thoughtful leadership at GWI.

A distinguished Board of Advisors lends further credibility and guidance. This board comprises experts from medicine, hospitality, finance, public policy, and more, reflecting wellness’s interdisciplinary nature. They act as GWI’s brain trust, helping identify emerging wellness issues and forging connections with various industries and governments.

One of GWI’s clever structural innovations is its Initiatives program. Rather than attempt to hire full-time staff for every wellness niche, GWI invites passionate industry leaders to chair volunteer “initiative” groups focusing on specific topics. There are dozens of these initiatives – effectively micro-communities under the GWI umbrella – each tackling a different facet of wellness. For instance, there’s a Mental Wellness Initiative, chaired by mental health experts, exploring how to improve mental well-being globally; a Wellness Tourism Initiative led by tourism professionals looking to maximize travel’s healthy potential; a Wellness for Cancer Initiative connecting oncology and wellness practitioners to support cancer patients; and even niche ones like Sound Wellness (therapeutic sound and music) and Workplace Wellbeing Initiative (corporate health best practices). These initiative groups produce white papers, host webinars, create toolkits, and serve as think-tanks and networking hubs for their domains. They significantly extend GWI’s reach and expertise. Renowned specialists – from doctors to architects to technologists – have a platform to collaborate under GWI’s auspices, which in turn elevates the entire wellness industry’s knowledge base. As GWI describes it, the Institute “serves as an umbrella organization for numerous Initiatives, independently chaired and run,” enabling a bottom-up flow of ideas and innovations while maintaining overall coherence with GWI’s mission. It’s a unique organizational model that has proven effective in uniting what were once fragmented efforts.

Rounding out GWI’s structure are its Ambassadors – volunteers around the world who act as evangelists for wellness and liaisons for GWI in their regions – and a small Miami-based staff handling operations, partnerships, and communications. Notably, the Institute’s communications team has been adept at getting GWI research into headlines. Their press releases often generate media coverage in business journals, wellness magazines, and mainstream news, amplifying GWI’s impact. This savvy approach means that when GWI announces new findings (say, the global wellness economy’s latest valuation), it is picked up by outlets like Yahoo! Finance and industry trades, rapidly reaching audiences far beyond the wellness niche.

In essence, the GWI functions less like a traditional centralized NGO and more like a global collaboration platform. Its leadership provides vision and credibility; its researchers provide data and insight; its advisors and initiative chairs provide specialized brainpower; and its ambassadors and partners spread the message on the ground. This networked model has allowed GWI – despite modest direct resources – to exercise outsized influence on a massive, fast-growing wellness economy.

Global Initiatives and Programs: From Tourism to Real Estate to Mental Wellbeing

One of the ways the Global Wellness Institute has turbocharged the wellness movement is by spearheading major global initiatives and programs in key areas of wellness. These initiatives both respond to trends and actively shape them, often creating entirely new markets or standards in the process. Let’s explore some of the flagship domains where GWI has led or partnered on transformative efforts – including wellness tourism, wellness real estate, mental wellness, workplace wellness, and more.

Wellness Tourism: Traveling for Well-Being

Travel has long been about escape and exploration. GWI helped ensure it can also be about well-being. The Institute was an early champion of wellness tourism, recognizing the “powerful intersection” of the booming tourism industry and the growing consumer desire for healthier lifestyles on the road. In 2013, GWI released the inaugural Global Wellness Tourism Economy report – a landmark study that for the first time defined what wellness tourism is and measured its size. That first report estimated wellness-focused travel was already a $439 billion market in 2012, signaling that a major new segment of tourism had arrived. The findings turned heads in both the travel and health sectors. Since then, wellness tourism has surged into the mainstream. People increasingly expect to maintain or even improve their healthy habits while traveling – whether through spa retreats, yoga getaways, nature immersions, or simply choosing hotels with fitness and healthy dining options.

GWI’s ongoing research and advocacy have been pivotal in this growth. By 2019, wellness tourism was measured at a peak of $720 billion globally, after growing over 6% annually and outpacing overall tourism by 50%. Though the pandemic dealt a blow in 2020 (wellness travel spending fell sharply as global travel halted), the sector is rebounding strongly. GWI’s latest data shows wellness tourism expenditures climbed back to $830 billion in 2023, on track again as one of the fastest-growing segments in tourism. The Institute projects double-digit annual growth in the coming years as travelers prioritize nature, mental wellness, sustainability, and authentic local experiences – trends accelerated by COVID-19.

Beyond numbers, GWI has actively guided destinations and businesses on how to tap into wellness tourism responsibly and sustainably. The GWI Wellness Tourism Initiative serves as a platform for best practices, knowledge-sharing, and inspiration across countries. “This initiative will empower stakeholders to not only tap into the expanding market but to do so responsibly and sustainably, ensuring wellness tourism becomes an enduring driver of both industry growth and global wellbeing,” GWI explains. Practical efforts include case studies, toolkits for tourism boards, and collaboration with organizations like the United Nations World Tourism Organization. The message is that wellness tourism isn’t just about luxury spas – it can deliver broad benefits, from rural development to cultural preservation to public health improvement, if done thoughtfully.

The influence is evident: from India positioning itself as a destination for yoga and Ayurveda, to Scandinavian countries marketing forest bathing and sauna culture, to Costa Rica promoting “pura vida” wellness itineraries – many destinations have crafted strategies explicitly around the concept of wellness tourism, often citing GWI research to make their case. GWI’s work has essentially provided the economic validation and vocabulary for this trend, transforming what was once a niche into a global travel mainstream. Today, every traveler who chooses a vacation for its rejuvenating or healing potential – whether they know it or not – is part of a movement that GWI helped catalyze and shape.

Wellness Real Estate: Building for Health

Imagine homes and communities designed intentionally for human health and happiness – with clean air and natural light, spaces that encourage movement and social connection, buildings that nurture mental well-being as much as physical. Not long ago, this idea of wellness real estate might have sounded far-fetched. But GWI’s research and thought leadership have been a driving force in turning healthy living environments into a major trend in real estate and construction.

The cover of GWI’s 2024 Global Wellness Economy Monitor report highlights the wellness real estate sector’s explosive growth, as the global wellness economy reached $6.3 trillion in 2023.

GWI first delved into wellness real estate with a groundbreaking study in 2018 titled “Build Well to Live Well.” This was the first research to size and analyze the global market for wellness lifestyle real estate and communities. To some surprise, the report revealed that even back in 2017 the nascent wellness real estate sector was already valued at $134 billion, as developers around the world began incorporating wellness elements into designs. The report also articulated the philosophy that real estate could be a vehicle for preventing illness and enhancing quality of life. Everything from air filtration and thermal comfort to communal gardens and walking trails was considered part of this wellness toolkit for the built environment. Remember Winston Churchill who said:” We shape our buildings; thereafter they shape us”

Since that inaugural report, the growth in wellness real estate has been astonishing. It turned out that this sector was not a mere luxury niche for high-end developments, but rather a paradigm shift touching all levels of the market. Even during the pandemic, when many industries struggled, wellness-focused real estate proved resilient and even accelerated. COVID-19 dramatically heightened awareness of how much our homes and buildings influence our health. According to GWI data, wellness real estate was the #1 growth leader in the wellness economy both before and during the pandemic: the market grew from about $148 billion in 2017 to $275 billion in 2020, an extraordinary 22% annual growth rate. By 2023, it surged even further. GWI’s 2024 Wellness Economy Monitor reports that wellness real estate had the fastest growth rate of any wellness sector from 2019-2023 – averaging 18.1% annually. In dollar terms, GWI estimates the sector reached roughly $350 billion+ in 2023, and it projects continued robust expansion as demand rises for healthier homes, offices, schools and more.

What does this look like on the ground? GWI’s research counted just 740 wellness real estate projects worldwide in 2018; by late 2021, there were over 2,300 projects built or in development across dozens of countries. These include master-planned communities like Serenbe in the US (with organic farms and nature trails supporting resident wellness), high-rise apartments in Asia with air-purification and mindfulness zones, and even student housing and senior living facilities designed around well-being principles. In October 2025, GWI released a new compendium, “Build Well to Live Well: Case Studies,” profiling thirteen diverse projects in the US and UK that have elements of wellness at their core. The case studies ranged from a six-story university research building with stringent healthy building certifications, to a mixed-use urban development with public transit links and community spaces, to a small “living lab” home measuring indoor air quality improvements. One clear conclusion emerged: wellness real estate is no longer niche – it’s increasingly the norm and expectation in the property industry.

Importantly, GWI has demonstrated that focusing on wellness in buildings is not just good for people – it’s good for business. All the case studies in the 2025 report, for example, achieved very high occupancy and lease renewal rates, strong buyer demand and rapid sales, and high levels of resident satisfaction. Many projects even command waiting lists for new units. These outcomes debunk the old notion that wellness features are frivolous add-ons; instead, they add tangible value. Prospective homebuyers and tenants are factoring wellness infrastructure into their decisions, and developers are seeing healthy returns on investing in wellness design. As GWI notes, wellness has become a mainstream priority for real estate developers, and those healthy building concepts now span residential, commercial, educational, hospitality and healthcare real estate alike. Singapore and Japan are at the forefront of these developments.

Through research, symposiums, and guidance, GWI has been the north star for wellness real estate, helping an entire industry pivot toward human-centered design. Terms like “WELL Certified” or “healthy building” are now common in architecture and engineering circles. Green building standards (focused on environmental sustainability) are increasingly integrating health metrics as well, overlapping with wellness goals. The influence even reaches city planning: urban planners now discuss access to nature, walkability, and social well-being as key outcomes, aligning with GWI’s emphasis on wellness communities. By quantifying the market and highlighting best practices, GWI gave credibility to what might have otherwise been a fad. Instead, a new standard has been set: the places we live, work, and gather should actively contribute to our health, not detract from it. As this mindset spreads, we’ll likely see more innovative, inclusive and affordable wellness-focused projects – a future GWI actively encourages by sharing knowledge on “how to build it, and how to communicate its health and economic benefits”. Ultimately, wellness real estate embodies GWI’s core idea that wellness must be woven into the fabric of daily life – right into the walls around us.

Mental Wellness: Elevating Mental Health to New Prominence

If the 2010s were about physical wellness trends (from boutique fitness to green juices), the early 2020s have brought an overdue spotlight to mental wellness. Even before the stress and isolation of the pandemic, GWI saw the writing on the wall: mental health challenges were surging globally, and consumers were seeking solutions beyond traditional healthcare. In 2020, the Institute published a pioneering study titled “Defining the Mental Wellness Economy,” which was among the first to size the market for mental wellness products and services. It estimated that this emerging sector – encompassing modalities like meditation, mindfulness, mental health apps, sleep improvement products, stress reduction technologies, and holistic therapies – was already a $121 billion global industry as of 2019. By shining a light on the dollars and innovation flowing into mental well-being, GWI effectively declared that mental wellness is its own industry, intersecting but distinct from the clinical mental health system.

The timing was prescient. When COVID-19 hit, the importance of mental wellness skyrocketed further. GWI’s research noted that even as many wellness sectors (like spas and tourism) contracted in 2020, the mental wellness market grew by 7% from 2019 to 2020, reaching roughly $131 billion. People desperately sought ways to cope with anxiety, loneliness, and burnout – whether through mindfulness apps, outdoor time, counseling services, or relaxation and sleep aids. Segments like meditation & mindfulness apps exploded by 25% that year. GWI has projected strong ongoing growth of around 10% annually in mental wellness, forecasting this market to exceed $200billion by 2025. And indeed, by GWI’s 2023 data, mental wellness was among the fastest-growing wellness sectors, with an 11.6% annual growth rate from 2019-2023 – outpacing even healthy eating and spas.

Beyond quantification, GWI has worked to clarify what “mental wellness” means and why it matters. Traditionally, mental health was viewed in the binary of illness vs. not-ill. GWI’s approach embraces a more proactive concept: mental wellness as the active pursuit of a healthy mental state, even for those without diagnosed conditions. It’s about stress management, resilience, positive relationships, meaning and purpose – the things that help individuals thrive mentally and emotionally. By framing it this way, GWI helped legitimize a whole arena of consumer choices (like meditation retreats or sleep tech devices) as not frivolous, but essential contributors to public well-being. The Institute’s Mental Wellness Initiative convenes experts in psychology, technology, workplace mental health and more to share research and strategies. In 2021, for example, GWI’s researchers identified four major categories within the mental wellness economy: senses, spaces & sleep (think aromatherapy, sound therapy, sleep aids); brain-boosting nutraceuticals & botanicals; self-improvement (coaching, workshops, apps); and meditation & mindfulness. Segmenting the industry this way has given entrepreneurs and investors a clearer map of opportunities to make an impact.

Perhaps most importantly, GWI’s advocacy around mental wellness has helped chip away at stigma and push institutions to take it seriously. Consider the workplace: GWI has repeatedly highlighted that mental distress among employees is at alarming levels, and that employers must move beyond token wellness apps to create cultures that truly support mental well-being. This means reasonable hours, humane workloads, and empathetic management – essentially, treating mental wellness as a strategic priority, not an afterthought. At the national policy level, GWI’s new Wellness Policy Toolkit: Mental Wellness (2024) urges governments to view mental wellness promotion as distinct from mental health treatment, advocating policies that help all citizens build resilience and emotional fitness (e.g. community programs, education, environmental design for mental well-being). By separating “mental wellness policy” from traditional mental health policy, GWI is expanding the toolkit available to policymakers to improve population mental well-being. For example, Singapore’s Ministry of Health has put mental health and wellness on its long-term strategic agenda.

We’re also seeing GWI’s influence in how mental wellness is now woven into other sectors. Tourism boards like Singapore Tourism Board talk about mental wellness travel (e.g. retreats for stress relief). Real estate developers incorporate spaces for meditation or quiet reflection in new projects. Fitness programs now trumpet mental health benefits as much as physical. This holistic integration is something GWI has long championed – that mental wellness is everyone’s business, not just the healthcare sector’s concern. As GWI Senior Researcher Ophelia Yeung said, “Wellness now means far more than a facial or a spin class, with a growing focus on mental wellbeing… These drivers will underpin the recovery of the wellness economy; they will also shift consumer, policy and healthcare spending in new directions”. Indeed, thanks in part to GWI’s efforts, mental wellness has moved from the shadows to center stage in the global wellness conversation. The hope is that by making mental wellness an integral part of how we live, work, and play, individuals and societies will become more resilient and joyful in the face of modern stresses.

Workplace Wellness: From Perks to Purpose

Workplace wellness has been a buzzword for years – think free gym memberships or office yoga sessions – but the Global Wellness Institute has consistently pushed for a deeper reimagining of wellness at work. GWI’s stance: true wellness in the workplace isn’t about superficial perks; it’s about building organizations that genuinely nurture employee well-being, from fair policies to supportive cultures. This perspective was laid out in GWI’s 2016 report “The Future of Wellness at Work,” which delivered a wake-up call: despite the billions being spent on corporate wellness programs, most workers worldwide were still unhealthy, unhappy, and unengaged. The research introduced the concept of “unwellness” – the staggering productivity and economic losses that result when workplaces cause stress and illness instead of alleviating them. The takeaway was stark: many traditional wellness programs (step challenges, health screenings, etc.) were failing to move the needle because they didn’t address core issues like job stress, work-life balance, and meaningful work.

Fast forward to today, and these insights resonate more than ever. By 2022, companies globally were spending an estimated $51 billion per year on workplace wellnessprograms (from wellness apps to coaching to health fairs). Yet paradoxically, employee stress hit an all-time high that same year and global engagement levels remained dismally low. GWI hasn’t shied away from calling out this “wellness paradox.” In a 2024 analysis, GWI economist Thierry Malleret noted that despite all the wellness offerings, “the global workforce seems never to have been so unhappy, unhealthy, and unwell.” He pointed to growing evidence that most off-the-shelf corporate wellness programs show little to no positive impact on health outcomes – and some stress-management trainings even had negative effects, possibly by implying the onus is on employees to fix themselves instead of on employers to not break them in the first place.

So what does GWI recommend as the path forward? In essence, a shift from programs to policies. Research indicates that the best “workplace wellness programs” are actually fair pay, reasonable hours, humane management, and safe working conditions. These fundamentals do more for mental and physical health than any meditation app can, if the work environment itself is toxic. Jim Harter of Gallup (cited by GWI) put it succinctly: “To get wellbeing right, you not only need resources, but managers who help people have good work lives”. GWI amplifies these findings to its audience of business leaders: wellness has to be baked into organizational DNA – it’s about how you treat people, not just what benefits you offer.

To be sure, GWI isn’t against wellness offerings at work; rather, it advocates for holistic, meaningful approaches. The GWI Workplace Wellbeing Initiative, for example, brings together corporate wellness executives and HR experts to share what actually works. Recent trends highlighted by GWI include embedding wellbeing into company culture (e.g. leaders modeling balance, celebrating rest as productivity), leveraging both AI andhuman empathy to personalize employee support, addressing social connections atwork, and aligning wellness with broader ESG (environmental, social, governance) goals of companies. There’s also a push for measurement: moving beyond vanity metrics like participation rates, companies are encouraged to track outcomes like employee health markers, retention, and performance to see if wellness efforts are truly effective.

Since the pandemic upended work life, many firms have adopted policies that GWI and others long recommended – such as flexible work arrangements, mental health days, and expanded employee assistance programs. GWI has applauded these moves while urging caution that the future of work should not simply blur all boundaries (the burnout risk of remote work always “on” is real). In 2022, GWI observed that enlightened companies were shifting from compartmentalized wellness programs to more “human-centered” workplaces, designing jobs and workflows that support well-being by default. This aligns with the broader wellness economy trend: wellness at work is evolving from a perk to a fundamental component of corporate strategy.

The impact of GWI’s thought leadership in this arena can be seen in how business discourse has changed. CEOs now talk about employee well-being in earnings calls; Chief Wellness Officer roles have been created at some companies; and issues like burnout, diversity and inclusion, and psychological safety are front and center. Governments too are recognizing the economic cost of workplace stress and encouraging employers to act (for instance, the WHO’s guidelines on mental health at work dovetail with GWI’s recommendations). While there is still a long way to go – and many companies lag in turning insight into action – the conversation today is far more sophisticated thanks to voices like GWI. By holding up a mirror with data and analysis, the Institute has pushed employers to ask the hard question: Is our workplace truly well? And by providing blueprints for improvement, GWI is helping shift the narrative from simply avoiding illness at work to actively creating environments where employees can flourish. Nordic countries like Sweden and Denmark are at the forefront of this development.

Other Initiatives: Wellness for All, From Policy to Technology

The initiatives above are just a sampling of GWI’s expansive portfolio. The Institute’s influence extends into virtually every arena of wellness, often through partnerships and special projects:

• Wellness Policy and Government Engagement: A recent and significant focus for GWI has been helping governments integrate wellness into public policy. In 2022, GWI released “Defining Wellness Policy,” the first study to articulate why we need wellness policies and how they complement traditional public health and economic policies. It provided a framework for officials to ensure that environments and systems make healthy choices accessible to all citizens. The report highlighted pioneering countries like New Zealand, Iceland, and Scotland that are orienting national agendas toward well-being, and argued that investing in wellness (like preventive programs, healthy urban design, etc.) pays dividends in happiness and health outcomes. Following this, GWI launched a series of Wellness Policy Toolkits in 2023-2024 targeting seven domains (physical activity, mental wellness, healthy eating, wellness in tourism, wellness in the built environment, wellness at work, and traditional/complementary medicine). These toolkits give very specific policy actions for stakeholders – for instance, how city planners can encourage physical activity, or how tourism boards can ensure tourism benefits local community wellness. The overarching goal is to ignite a “wellness policy movement” globally. Already, we see well-being budgets and ministries of happiness cropping up in various countries – a sign that GWI’s advocacy is resonating. By elevating wellness from private choice to public good, GWI is influencing a paradigm shift in governance.
• Wellness & Technology: GWI keeps a close eye on innovation, from AI to biotechnology, and their intersection with wellness. The Institute’s annual Summit often showcases wellness tech startups (wearables, digital therapeutics, etc.), and GWI research has tracked the rise of the “welltech” sector. One of GWI’s initiatives specifically explores AI in Wellness, examining how artificial intelligence can personalize healthcare, fitness, and mental health support. Another looks at Biofeedback and Neurology through the lens of wellness (the Breathe Initiative focuses on breathwork and its physiological effects, while NeuroArts collaborations explore art’s impact on the brain for healing). By fostering dialogues between technologists and wellness experts, GWI helps ensure tech advances are leveraged ethically to improve well-being rather than detract from it. For reference, USA is the hub of well tech in the world.
• Social and Environmental Wellness: True to its holistic mindset, GWI initiatives also address social determinants of wellness. For example, the Inclusive Wellness Initiative works on ideas to make wellness more accessible to marginalized groups. The Wellness for Children Initiative looks at how to imbue healthy habits and environments in early childhood. There’s even a Dying WellInitiative that bravely tackles wellness at the end of life, promoting better palliative care and death positivity. On the environmental side, the Microplastics Initiative raises awareness of how microplastics in our food and water affect human wellness, illustrating GWI’s broad view that planetary health and human health are inseparable. Through such efforts, GWI champions a “wellness for allages and stages” approach – from the womb to old age, and from personal health to planetary sustainability.
• Global Wellness Summit and Collaborations: While technically separate, the Global Wellness Summit (GWS) is GWI’s close sibling and annual capstone event, and its themes often become GWI projects. The Summit’s panels and trend forecasts (like the annual “Future of Wellness” report) feed into GWI’s understanding of industry directions. Moreover, GWI often uses the Summit to launch new research or campaigns – for instance, releasing major reports at the Summit to immediately get them in front of industry leaders and media. GWI also partners with or supports regional wellness conferences, spa associations, medical institutions and more, acting as a connective tissue in the ecosystem of wellness stakeholders.

Across all these initiatives, a unifying thread is storytelling and inspiration. GWI doesn’t just publish data; it also shares success stories. Whether it’s profiling a workplace that revolutionized employee well-being, a city that redesigned itself for active living, or a wellness community that thrived, these narratives serve to motivate others to follow suit. The Institute’s blog and “Global Wellness Brief” newsletter regularly highlight such case studies and innovations. This positive, celebratory storytelling – look what’s possible! – amplifies GWI’s impact beyond those who read formal reports.

Research and Reports: Mapping the Wellness Economy (2018–2025)

If GWI is the brain of the global wellness movement, its research and reports are the neurons firing signals far and wide. In the past five years especially, the Institute’s research output has been prolific and influential, providing the facts and figures that underpin wellness as a serious economic and social force. These reports are often massive undertakings, and they’ve become essential references for business leaders, investors, policymakers, and media. Let’s delve into the major research publications GWI has produced in roughly the last half-decade, and what they reveal about the state of global wellness.

The Global Wellness Economy Reports

GWI’s flagship research series is undoubtedly the Global Wellness Economy Monitor, which periodically measures the size of the global wellness industry and its key sectors. Every few years, GWI releases an updated valuation of the wellness economy – and these numbers have been headline-grabbers.

The 2018 Global Wellness Economy Monitor (released at the Global Wellness Summit in Cesena, Italy that year) calculated the wellness economy at $4.2 trillion in 2017. This was the first time many had seen a comprehensive dollar figure attached to wellness worldwide, and it solidified that wellness wasn’t just a cultural trend but a huge economic powerhouse. By 2019, incorporating new data from areas like physical activity, GWI updated the figure to $4.5 trillion, and this number was widely quoted throughout the industry – from investor presentations to government reports – to convey wellness’s scope.

Then came 2020 and the pandemic, an unprecedented disruption. Rather than wait years to assess the fallout, GWI researchers sprang into action to analyze COVID’s impact on each wellness sector. The result was the 2021 Global Wellness Economy: Looking Beyond COVID report (released in late 2021), GWI’s “most in-depth research on wellness markets ever.” This comprehensive study provided detailed data for all eleven sectors of wellness, pre-pandemic (2017–2019), during pandemic (2020), and projections post-pandemic (through 2025). It painted a nuanced picture: the overall wellness economy shrank in 2020 for the first time – contracting from $4.9 trillion in 2019 to about $4.4 trillion in 2020 (reflecting the severe hits to travel, spas, etc.). But GWI forecasted a strong recovery, projecting the wellness economy would resume 6%+ annual growth and reach $7.0 trillion in 2025. This report also provided rich “wellness market snapshots” for each sector, showing which areas were “pandemic winners” (e.g. wellness real estate, mental wellness, healthy eating all grew in 2020) and which were “pandemic losers” (e.g. wellness tourism, spas, thermal springs saw steep declines, but with expected sharp rebound). Such analysis was invaluable to stakeholders recalibrating their strategies in a changed world.

By late 2023, data indicated that wellness industries had largely bounced back. In November 2024, GWI released the 2024 Global Wellness Economy Monitor, and it bore exciting news: the wellness economy had not only recovered but hit a new record of $6.3 trillion in 2023, which is 26% larger than it was pre-pandemic. Wellness now accounted for more than 6% of global GDP, up from 5.3% in 2017. The report detailed that the market grew from $4.6T in 2020 to $5.8T in 2022 and $6.3T in 2023 – a testament to wellness’s resilience and people’s intensified focus on health. It also compared wellness to other industries, noting that the wellness sector is now roughly four times larger than the global pharmaceutical industry ($1.6T) and over half the size of all health expenditures. In other words, spending on prevention and lifestyle is rapidly catching up to spending on treatment, which is a profound economic shift. GWI projected continued robust growth of ~7% annually, reaching nearly $9 trillion by 2028. These projections are based on drivers like the expanding global middle class, aging populations, chronic disease crises, and the “values reset” post-COVID that has more consumers prioritizing wellness.

What makes these economy reports so powerful is not just the top-line figures, but the deep dives into individual sectors. GWI defines several interesting sectors within the wellness economy: Personal Care & Beauty; Healthy Eating, Nutrition & Weight Loss; Physical Activity; Wellness Tourism; Traditional & Complementary Medicine; Wellness Real Estate; Mental Wellness; Spa Economy; Thermal/Mineral Springs; Workplace Wellness; and Public Health, Prevention & Personalized Medicine. For each, GWI provides market sizes, growth rates, and trends. Looking at reports from past years, some interesting stories emerge:

• Personal Care & Beauty remains the biggest sector (nearly $1 trillion by 2019) – it dipped in 2020 but has rebounded and is projected to grow steadily as self-care routines persist.
• Healthy Eating & Nutrition proved its strength by even growing through the pandemic (as home cooking and immune supplements rose), and is headed toward $1.4T by mid-decade.
• Physical Activity (encompassing fitness, sports, active recreation) took a hit in 2020 with gym closures, but digital fitness boomed. GWI’s 2019 report “Move To Be Well: The Global Economy of Physical Activity” had sized this market at $828B in 2018; despite the setback to gyms, the sector is rebounding with hybrid fitness models and is expected to approach $1.1–1.2T by 2025.
• Traditional & Complementary Medicine (herbal medicine, acupuncture, etc.) is an often-overlooked piece – GWI’s analysis shows it’s a huge $413B market (2020) and growing again as people seek holistic healing.
• Public Health, Prevention & Personalized Medicine as a category got a boost in 2020 thanks to government spending on prevention during COVID, growing to $375B and highlighting that government investment in wellness is a piece of the puzzle. GWI expects continued growth here, especially if more countries adopt wellness policy measures.

Each GWI report not only quantifies but contextualizes these trends with rich commentary. For example, one key finding in 2021 was that the relative rankings of wellness sectors shuffled due to the pandemic: wellness tourism and spas dropped in size while sectors like healthy eating moved up the ranks. GWI’s researchers took care to explain these shifts and forecast their trajectories (indeed, as predicted, travel and spa are now roaring back).

In addition to the main economy reports, GWI has produced region and country-specific data. In 2022, they published the first Global Wellness Economy: Country Rankings, which for the 2017–2020 period ranked countries by wellness market size and wellness spending per capita. The United States, unsurprisingly, topped the list as the #1 wellness economy (over $1 trillion, about a quarter of the world’s wellness spending). But interesting insights emerged: countries like China and India climbed the ranks with their rapid growth, and per capita spending revealed that smaller nations like Australia and Nordic countries spend disproportionately high on wellness. Such granular data has proven valuable for national tourism boards and investors, who use it to benchmark opportunities (for instance, a wellness resort developer might note that Europe’s wellness tourism market is X% of global and growing at Y rate, etc.).

All told, GWI’s wellness economy reports over the past five years have not only tracked the industry’s recovery and growth but arguably fueled it. By providing credible evidence of wellness as a multi-trillion-dollar opportunity, GWI has attracted investment and legitimacy to the space. Entrepreneurs use GWI stats in their pitches, governments cite them in wellness tourism plans, and media outlets from BBC to Forbes regularly reference “according to the Global Wellness Institute…” when discussing wellness trends. The data has entered the global lexicon.

Sector-Specific Deep Dives

Complementing the broad economy overviews, GWI has produced sector-specificstudies that dive much deeper into particular wellness domains. We’ve touched on several already (tourism, real estate, mental wellness, physical activity, workplace wellness). To summarize the major ones in the past five years:

• Physical Activity – “Move to Be Well” (2019): A comprehensive analysis of the global physical activity economy, covering fitness, sports, active recreation, and related technologies. This report found the physical activity market at $828 billion in 2018 and growing, but also noted huge disparities in participation worldwide. It broke down spending on sports and gyms vs. apparel, equipment, etc., and identified trends like the convergence of fitness and technology (e.g., the rise of fitness apps and wearables). The report’s release at the 2019 Summit in Singapore underscored that “with this new data, wellness jumps to a $4.5 trillion global market”, as it added the physical activity piece into the broader wellness economy. Katherine Johnston presented these findings to industry leaders, emphasizing the need to make physical activity more accessible to sedentary populations.
• Wellness Tourism – “Global Wellness Tourism Economy” (2018 & 2021updates): GWI updated its landmark 2013 tourism study with a 2018 report showing the dramatic growth up to $639 billion by 2017. Then in the Looking Beyond COVID 2021 release, GWI gave the detailed pandemic impact: wellness tourism fell to $436B in 2020 from $720B in 2019, a 39% drop, but was projected to recover strongly with 20%+ growth rates in the following years. In 2022, GWI also compiled A Decade of Wellness Tourism data brief, noting that from 2020 to 2022, as travel resumed, wellness trips grew by 30% annually and expenditures by 36% annually – outpacing general tourism recovery. These analyses have helped resorts, tour operators, and tourism ministries plan for the “new traveler” prioritizing well-being.
• Wellness Real Estate – “Build Well to Live Well” (2018 and 2025): The 2018 report we discussed was the first of its kind. In 2025, GWI released “Build Well to Live Well: The Future,” effectively a second edition that revisited the wellness real estate market now that it’s more mature. This 2025 report, over 100 pages, serves as a reference guide for the real estate and building industry, with chapters on why more wellness real estate is needed (making a public health and economic case), how to implement it at any scale or price point (so wellness communities aren’t just for the elite), and communication strategies about its benefits. It also identifies twelve future opportunities for the market, likely touching on topics like affordability, retrofitting existing buildings, and integration of new tech or sustainability in wellness design. The companion Case Studies,Volume 1 (2025) we described earlier gives tangible examples, showing that wellness real estate can be achieved in everything from student dorms to large mixed-use districts. These reports cement GWI’s leadership in guiding a burgeoning sector toward best practices and innovation.
• Mental Wellness – “Defining the Mental Wellness Economy” (2020): This seminal report defined and measured mental wellness as an industry for the first time. It valued the mental wellness economy at $121B (2019) and broke it into its key segments, providing legitimacy and structure to a field that spans traditional healthcare and consumer wellness. Notably, it distinguished mental wellness from mental illness treatment, asserting it as a space focused on maintaining and improving mental well-being for anyone. The report’s timing, just before the pandemic, meant it became a go-to resource when mental health became a top-of-mind issue globally. GWI has continued to publish insights and data updates on this sector, including the finding that mental wellness grew to $131B in 2020 and is on a strong growth trajectory. A follow-up or expanded mental wellness report may be on the horizon as the sector evolves with new players (e.g., the rise of teletherapy, psychedelic wellness retreats, etc., some of which GWI’s Psychadelics & Healing Initiative is likely watching).
• Wellness Policy Series (2022–2024): These are a series of shorter publications making the case for wellness policy and providing toolkits. The first, “Defining Wellness Policy” (2022), was a foundational piece that has been cited by public health advocates for drawing a clear link between wellness spending, happiness, and health outcomes. For instance, it showed quantitatively that countries with higher wellness expenditures per capita often have higher happiness scores and better health metrics – implying that when people and governments invest in wellness (like parks, fitness, healthy food access), populations thrive more. Each toolkit since then (Physical Activity in 2023, Wellness Tourism in 2024, Mental Wellness in 2024, etc.) distills actionable ideas for policymakers. The Wellness Tourism toolkit (2024), for example, identified six key barriers preventing wellness tourism from delivering broad benefits (such as lack of inclusivity or community involvement) and then proposed policy actions to overcome them. The Mental Wellness toolkit (2024) similarly explained why promoting mental wellness (not just treating mental illness) requires dedicated policy attention and suggested concrete steps for schools, workplaces, urban planning, etc. to foster mental well-being for all. These targeted guides are likely to shape local and national initiatives in the coming years, as they offer a menu of ideas ready to be implemented.
• Other Niche Reports: GWI has occasionally released focused studies on topics like Wellness & Beauty (for example, a report on the “Geography of Wellness – Middle East/North Africa” in 2021 looked at regional nuances), or Healthcare and Wellness convergence. Also worth noting are the Global Wellness Trends reports – though officially published by the Global Wellness Summit’s research team, these annual trend forecasts (e.g., “Top 10 Wellness Trends for 2021”) complement GWI’s work by highlighting emerging themes, from wellness music to immune health to urban bathhouses. Often, GWI’s subsequent research provides the data backing for these trends.

Throughout all these publications, GWI’s rigorous approach and high standards are evident. Reports are extensively researched (many are co-authored by Johnston and Yeung, often in collaboration with industry experts), filled with original data, and typically undergo peer review by the GWI research advisory. They also make liberal use of infographics, charts, and rankings, which has made them very media-friendly. For example, the famous “bubble chart” showing the size of each wellness sector in proportion (with Beauty, Healthy Eating, and Physical Activity as the largest bubbles, Hot Springs and Workplace Wellness as the smallest) has been reproduced countless times to illustrate the wellness economy’s composition. GWI generously provides these graphics free for others to use, further spreading awareness.

It’s not an overstatement to say that GWI’s research has fundamentally defined and validated the wellness industry. Ten years ago, “wellness” was often dismissed as a nebulous concept or marketing buzz. Today, thanks in large part to GWI’s data and analysis, wellness is recognized as a tangible economic sector and societal priority. As Susie Ellis reflected, “we were the first to identify and quantify the Global Wellness Economy”, and making all that research free to the public has been core to GWI’s mission. The impact of that decision is clear: students cite GWI in academic papers, entrepreneurs in business plans, cabinet ministers in policy briefs. Knowledge truly is power, and by democratizing wellness knowledge, GWI empowered an entire global community to innovate and invest with confidence.

Global Impact: Changing Business, Policy, and Lives

Over the past decade, the Global Wellness Institute’s influence has rippled outward, shaping public policy, spurring business innovation, and touching individual lives in meaningful ways. What began as a small nonprofit with a big idea has grown into a respected authority that leaders in multiple arenas pay attention to. In many respects, GWI has become the connective tissue linking wellness with the wider world.

Influencing Public Policy

One of the clearest impact of GWI’s work is how it has given governments and policymakers a new lens through which to view health. By providing evidence that wellness spending is not just feel-good fluff but correlates with measurable improvements in happiness and health outcomes, GWI has armed wellness advocates in government with the data needed to argue for change. We see this in the emergence of “well-being economies” – countries prioritizing citizen well-being in national policy. For example, New Zealand’s groundbreaking Wellbeing Budget, first introduced in 2019, aligns with many principles GWI espouses: funding mental health, child wellness, and indigenous well-being as core economic priorities. The fact that GWI’s wellness economy data is often cited by New Zealand officials indicates a knowledge transfer. Similarly, countries like Iceland, Finland, Bhutan, the UAE, and Scotland have all launched national well-being or happiness initiatives. GWI has engaged with some of these through its roundtables and summits. In 2022, the GWI hosted a “Wellness Policy” roundtable that included government representatives, helping seed ideas that later appeared in policy proposals.

GWI’s Wellness Policy toolkits are starting to bear fruit at the local level too. After the Physical Activity toolkit (2023) release, some cities and municipalities have reached out to GWI for guidance on implementing suggestions – such as building more bicycle infrastructure, opening school yards for community exercise on weekends, or incentivizing companies to provide active commute benefits. By collating global best practices, GWI is expediting policy adoption. The Wellness Tourism toolkit (2024), for instance, has been circulated among tourism boards from Japan to Jamaica, places keen to ensure tourism rebuilds in a healthier, more community-friendly way post-COVID. Some have begun adopting GWI’s recommendations like developing wellness tourism standards/certifications and ensuring local communities benefit from wellness travel development. Even the notion of medical systems integrating “social prescribing” (doctors prescribing exercise or nature walks) intersects with GWI’s push for wellness policy – and such programs are now expanding in countries like Canada and the UK.

Perhaps most symbolic of GWI’s policy impact: the concept of “wellness policy” itself. Before GWI defined it, few talked about wellness as a policy category. Now it’s entered the dialogue in global forums. In 2022, the World Health Organization in its Geneva discussions acknowledged the role of “well-being” in health systems, echoing GWI’s advocacy that public health must include prevention and wellness, not solely disease treatment. The United Nations, through its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also emphasizes good health and well-being (Goal 3), and GWI’s contributions have been recognized by UN-affiliated wellness initiatives. The Institute’s presence at events like the UN Global Happiness Summit and World Economic Forum side sessions ensures that wellness metrics and thinking find their way into high-level conversations about societal progress.

Sparking Business Innovation

From start-ups to multinational corporations, businesses have been quick to leverage insights from GWI’s research – and in doing so, they’ve driven innovation throughout the wellness economy. Knowing the size and growth rate of markets gives entrepreneurs confidence to launch new ventures. For instance, the explosion of wellness tech (from meditation apps like Calm and Headspace to fitness platforms like Peloton) can be partly attributed to the knowledge that consumer demand for wellness is vast and rising. GWI’s early spotlight on the “business of mental wellness” likely encouraged investors to back mindfulness and mental health tech – indeed, venture capital funding for mental wellness startups jumped significantly in 2020-2021.

The hospitality and real estate sectors have also been transformed. Hotel chains and real estate developers often cite GWI’s wellness tourism and real estate figures in their market analyses and marketing. We now see major hotel brands launching dedicated wellness resort brands or integrating wellness programming into every property (even mid-scale hotels offering things like on-demand in-room fitness or sleep-enhancing amenities). This is a direct response to the consumer interest that GWI documented – for example, knowing that wellness travelers spend on average 53% more than the average tourist was a stat from GWI that helped convince hospitality executives to pivot toward wellness offerings. Now wellness tourism is considered one of the most lucrative segments in travel, fueling innovations like “workcation” retreats and digital detox resorts.

Real estate developers, armed with GWI’s evidence of higher premiums and fastersales for wellness homes, have gotten creative. We have seen the rise of entire “wellness communities” (e.g., Lake Nona in Florida or NEOM’s plans in Saudi Arabia) that embed medical clinics, sports facilities, organic agriculture, and educational wellness programming for residents. New building certifications like WELL and Fitwel – which didn’t exist a decade ago – are now commonly pursued, guaranteeing certain wellness standards in buildings. According to Spa Business magazine, “wellness is becoming a mainstream priority for real estate developers” and prospective residents factor wellness features into their decisions. All case studies of GWI’s 2025 report saw positive financial returns along with occupant health benefits, proving that doing good and doing well can align. This has sparked a virtuous cycle: success stories prompt more developers to incorporate wellness, which in turn increases scale and affordability of wellness features (bringing healthy homes to broader markets, not just luxury).

Across beauty, food, apparel, and other consumer goods, GWI’s depiction of a wellness-conscious consumer base has driven brands to innovate or reposition. Terms like “clean beauty,” “organic,” “mental wellness design” and “sustainable activewear” are now commonplace. Companies know that consumers are willing to invest in products that promise health benefits – a point underscored by GWI’s finding that personal care & beauty is nearly a trillion-dollar market. Mass-market brands are now reformulating products to be free of harmful chemicals or adding wellness-oriented lines (e.g., stress-relief lotions, mood-enhancing fragrances). In food, many big food & beverage companies have ventured into healthier product lines or acquired wellness-focused startups, recognizing the growth potential GWI highlighted in healthy eating and nutrition (a sector approaching $1 trillion itself)

GWI has also encouraged cross-pollination between sectors, leading to innovative hybrids. For example, the concept of “fitness meets entertainment” – gym classes turned into immersive experiences – or “spa meets healthcare” – medical wellness centers – are partly an outcome of GWI’s efforts to unite health and wellness industries. At GWI’s events, a spa operator might meet a healthcare executive, sparking a partnership for an integrative wellness clinic. A tech developer might meet a meditation guru and co-create a mental wellness app. The Institute’s convening power can’t be understated in facilitating these collisions of ideas that lead to new business models.

Then there’s the investment community. Investors now regularly use GWI data in their market opportunity assessments. There are even stock indexes and ETFs themed around wellness. A notable example: in 2021, an investment firm launched a Global Wellness ETF to invest in companies across wellness sectors, explicitly referencing GWI’s $4.5 trillion market size as rationale. This kind of capital flow into wellness businesses might not have happened so readily without GWI validating the market. Private equity has been pouring into wellness lifestyle brands, from boutique fitness chains to organic food producers, often citing growth stats from GWI reports in their prospectuses.

Touching Individual Well-Being

Perhaps the most inspiring impact of the Global Wellness Institute is the one hardest to measure: the lives improved – or even saved – by the spreading of wellness knowledge and culture. By raising awareness and making wellness resources freely accessible, GWI has empowered countless individuals to take charge of their health in new ways.

Consider an average person who reads a news article stating: “the wellness industry is now worth $6 trillion, with booming interest in mindfulness and self-care”. That article likely drew on GWI research, and it might nudge the reader to reflect on their own wellness routine – perhaps motivating them to try meditation or prioritize sleep. Or a working parent hears on the radio that companies are rethinking workplace wellness to address burnout (again, likely referencing GWI insights) and feels validated in advocating for better work-life balance at their job. These are the subtle but powerful ripples of GWI’s work.

More directly, GWI’s initiatives offer practical tools for individuals. The Wellness Moonshot, for example, delivers monthly content packed with simple preventive health actions that families or employees can implement. From healthy recipe ideas to stress reduction techniques, these bite-sized tips have reached millions through Moonshot calendars and events. As one participant described, “It starts by teaching simple self-care… then we hope this will extend to family, teams and community”. The idea is to create a cascade of wellness literacy. Stories abound of communities using the Moonshot calendar to create wellness challenges, or companies adopting it as a framework for employee wellness months.

The Wellness Evidence portal is another direct boon to individuals. It essentially democratizes access to high-quality health research. Imagine a cancer survivor searching for complementary therapies to aid recovery – on WellnessEvidence.com they can find curated links to studies on meditation’s impact on anxiety or exercise’s role in remission. Or a skeptic wondering if acupuncture actually works for back pain – they can see the clinical evidence summarized. This helps people make informed decisions and sift fact from fiction in the confusing wellness marketplace. In Susie Ellis’s words, it puts in consumers’ hands the very same evidence doctors rely on, creating a “spin-free” zone for wellness information. In a time of rampant health misinformation on social media, such a resource can indeed change lives by guiding people toward safe, effective practices and away from snake oil.

GWI’s influence on individual well-being also comes via cultural change. Ten years ago, someone practicing yoga or mindfulness might have been seen as “alternative.” Now, thanks in part to GWI normalizing these as huge global trends, such practices are mainstream and even encouraged. The Institute’s data has lent credibility to modalities like spa therapies, sauna bathing, or herbal supplements by framing them as part of a booming global wellness economy (one that even the medical establishment has begun to acknowledge). This broader acceptance means more individuals feel comfortable exploring holistic health options without stigma. For example, men traditionally shied away from wellness activities; today, male participation in yoga, spa, and self-care is rising, with GWI’s campaigns often deliberately inclusive of all genders (e.g., a Men’s Health Initiative exists to bring more men into the wellness fold).

On a community level, GWI’s Ambassador program and its country-specific data have motivated local wellness projects. A GWI Ambassador in a developing country might use GWI’s country wellness economy report to lobby their city for a wellness park or community fitness program. Knowing the economic benefit (wellness tourism dollars, etc.) can persuade local officials to invest in public wellness amenities that ultimately serve residents. There are examples of GWI Ambassadors organizing wellness festivals, school wellness education drives, and more – unsung grassroots impacts multiplying under GWI’s global umbrella.

And of course, when wellness ideas influence policy and business as discussed, the end beneficiaries are individuals. If a workplace shortens the workweek to improve wellness (a concept gaining traction), employees and their families benefit directly. If a city adds bike lanes and green spaces due to a wellness initiative, every citizen’s daily life is a bit healthier and happier. These quality-of-life improvements are the ultimate purpose behind GWI’s lofty economic numbers and strategic meetings.

In a sense, GWI’s impact on individuals is the sum total of all its other impacts – the trickle-down of wellness into daily life. One could argue that the true success of the Institute will be measured not just in trillions of dollars or number of reports, but in whether global well-being indicators improve: Are people living longer, healthier, more fulfilled lives? This is a complex equation with many contributors, but GWI is undoubtedly one of them. By advocating for preventative health, by giving people tools to care for themselves, and by pushing systems to value well-being, the Institute has helped set in motion a virtuous cycle. As more people experience the benefits of wellness, they in turn demand more wellness options – reinforcing the growth of the wellness economy and attention from leaders.

A Healthier Future, Thanks to a Decade of GWI

In 2025, the Global Wellness Institute celebrates its 10th anniversary. In just a decade, it has journeyed from a spark of inspiration to a central pillar of a global movement. We have seen how GWI’s historical evolution, under Susie Ellis’s passionate leadership, mirrored the rise of wellness from niche to necessity. We have explored its mission and values – collaboration, research, innovation, accessibility – which have remained steadfast guiding lights. We have met some of the people turning the cogs, from researchers to initiative chairs, all driven by a shared purpose. We have dived into major initiatives in tourism, real estate, mental wellness, workplace well-being and more, seeing how GWI has united diverse fields under one wellness banner. We have pored over its research, the hard facts and figures that have quantified a cultural zeitgeist and given it economic weight. And we have traced its impact on our world – on the policies that shape societies, on the businesses that shape markets, and on the everyday choices of individuals seeking healthier, happier lives.

In the style of TIME Magazine, it’s fitting to frame GWI’s story as part of the broader narrative of our times. The early 21st century has been an era of reckoning with health: we face chronic disease epidemics, mental health crises, and environmental health threats, yet also unprecedented knowledge and tools to address them. The Global Wellness Institute emerged at exactly the right moment to help connect the dots – between ancient wisdom and modern science, between personal responsibility and collective action, between wellness and economics. It has championed the idea that well-being should sit at the center of our culture and policies, not at the periphery.

There is something inherently optimistic and humanistic in GWI’s approach. It believes that through cooperation and insight, we can solve the seemingly intractable problems of lifestyle disease, stress, and inequity. Rather than pointing fingers, it invites everyone to the table – public sector, private sector, non-profit, individual – because wellness, by its very definition, touches every aspect of life. And crucially, GWI has backed optimism with substance. Its impact can be quantified: in dollars invested differently, in programs launched, in lives improved.

As GWI looks to its next decade, the challenges and opportunities loom large. The wellness economy is projected to near $9 trillion by 2028 but ensuring that growth benefits all and doesn’t devolve into empty commercialism will require stewardship – something GWI is well-positioned to provide through standards, research and advocacy. Issues like climate change will increasingly intersect with wellness (e.g., climate anxiety, environmental health impacts), and GWI’s voice linking planetary and human wellness will be critical. The rapid advancement of AI and biotechnology could revolutionize wellness or endanger privacy and equality – GWI’s convenings on ethics and innovation will help navigate that tightrope. And perhaps most importantly, bridging the wellness gap so that not just wealthy elites but people of all socioeconomic backgrounds can enjoy longer, healthier lives will be the moral imperative guiding GWI’s future work. Its 2022 focus on making wellness policy inclusive is a strong start in that direction.

In a recent interview, Susie Ellis reflected on what drives her after so many years. She pointed to vision, passion, and a sense of personal calling – and how those, combined with collaborative partners, have grown “something that is making a difference in the world”. Indeed, the Global Wellness Institute’s greatest achievement may not be any single report or initiative, but the global movement it helped coalesce – one that is still unfolding. A movement where business leaders routinely ask: “How does this improve well-being?”, where cities and countries measure success in wellness not just wealth, and where individuals feel empowered to pursue health and happiness as a fundamental right.

The story of GWI is a hopeful one. It shows that even in a time of global stress and division, there can be unifying values – after all, as GWI loves to remind us, wellness is a universal aspiration. No matter our politics, religion, or background, we share the desire to lead healthy, meaningful lives and to see our loved ones do the same. The Global Wellness Institute has helped elevate that simple truth to the forefront of global consciousness. In doing so, it has earned its place among the transformative agents of the 21st century.

As we applaud the Institute’s first decade, it is, in effect, a celebration of wellness itself – of how far this concept has come and where it’s headed. The road laid by GWI has not been always smooth, but with each milestone that GWI passes, the skeptics grow fewer and the momentum greater. A world where prevention is paramount, wellness is woven into all we do, and well-being is viewed as a measure of progress – this is no longer a utopian dream. It is a vision actively being built, brick by brick, research by research, initiative by initiative. And the Global Wellness Institute, with its inspiring narrative and empirical backbone, is leading the way.

In the final analysis, what GWI offers is hope with a plan. Hope that we can turn the tide on lifestyle diseases, burnout, and social disconnection – and a pragmatic plan rooted in data and collaboration to get us there. The Institute has lit a path forward, and countless others are now walking it: companies redefining success beyond profit, cities redesigning themselves for health, and individuals rediscovering the power of self-care and community-care. That is the real “wellness moonshot” – not an overnight cure, but a steady journey toward a better world.

Empowering wellness worldwide is more than GWI’s mission; it is its gift to all of us. And as this celebratory look at the Global Wellness Institute concludes, one cannot help but feel a sense of gratitude – and excitement for what the next ten years of wellness empowerment will bring. The message is clear: wellness is here to stay, and thanks to organizations like GWI, it’s changing our world for the better, one inspired idea at a time – Global Wellness Digest