Before attending the 18th Global Wellness Summit in St. Andrews, Scotland, my husband, Billy, and I ventured to Norway to embrace its natural beauty and challenges, including climbing the iconic Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock). Standing on the edge of this awe-inspiring cliff, I reflected on how wellness—much like this climb—is about taking small, steady steps to overcome challenges. While the path may seem daunting at first, it’s within reach for anyone willing to begin the journey.
At its heart, the Summit echoed this sentiment, focusing on making wellness accessible and impactful for all, no matter where you start. My mission has always been to simplify the path to well-being, ensuring it’s manageable, rewarding, and transformative for everyone.
🌍 Reflections on the 18th Global Wellness Summit: Leading the Future of Global Wellness
The Global Wellness Summit (GWS) is the premier event for shaping the future of health and well-being, bringing together visionaries, innovators, and change makers from across the globe. Held in a different country each year, the Summit offers a unique lens into wellness trends worldwide. This year, the 18th Annual Summit unfolded in the stunning seaside town of St. Andrews, Scotland, a destination rich in history, beauty, and inspiration.As a six-time Delegate to this invitation-only gathering, I am honored to join a global leadership model of individuals driving progress in the $6.3 trillion wellness economy. Every year, the Summit leaves me in awe of the incredible people I meet—leaders redefining wellness for all. This year’s theme, “A Watershed Moment for Wellness,” couldn’t have been more timely. It explored the pivotal role wellness now plays in addressing global challenges, from climate change and workplace stress to mental health and longevity.
Below, I’ve summarized a few of the most compelling insights from this transformative experience, blending trends, breakthroughs, and actionable ideas from the Summit.
💡 Key Insights from the Summit
🌊 1. Water as the Heart of Wellness
Water emerged as both a practical resource and a powerful metaphor for connection and sustainability.Louie Schwartzberg, founder of Moving Art and well known for his film, “Fantastic Fungi,” opened the Summit with breathtaking videography that celebrated water’s vital role in life, health, and unity and showcased water as a powerful force of connection – both within us and between us. https://www.movingart.com/Carl Ganter, leader of the global water research and resource nonprofit Circle of Blue, warned that water scarcity threatens progress on all of the United Nation’s global sustainability development goals, with many cities already approaching “Day Zero,” when water supplies are depleted!!Sarah Brightwood, President of Rancho La Puerta, presented their regenerative “water healing plant,” reclaiming over half a million gallons of wastewater daily to secure water sovereignty sustainably.
📊 2. Record-Breaking Insights into the Global Wellness Economy
Ophelia Yeung and Katherine Johnston, senior researchers at the Global Wellness Institute, unveiled groundbreaking economic data showing the wellness economy reached a record $6.3 trillion in 2023 and is projected to grow to $9 trillion by 2028. The wellness industry is now four times larger than the pharmaceutical industry ($1.6 trillion) and nearly 60% of total consumer health expenditures ($10.6 trillion), underscoring its increasing role in shaping global health.💡 Learn more about the Global Wellness Economy
🌍 3. $6.3 Trillion Wellness Economy: A Global Powerhouse
The updated bubble chart unveiled the scale and growth of the wellness economy, projected to reach $9 trillion by 2028.Key sectors driving growth:Personal Care & Beauty: $1.2 trillionHealthy Eating, Nutrition, & Weight Loss: $1.1 trillionPhysical Activity: $1 trillionWellness Tourism: $830 billionMental Wellness: $233 billion
Cathy Feliciano-Chon, Managing Partner at Finn Partners, and Jeremy Jauncey, CEO of Beautiful Destinations, highlighted key trends shaping the global wellness economy. For example, generational boundaries are blurring: 60-year-olds are adopting active lifestyles once associated with younger generations (30-year olds), while millennials are prioritizing longevity like never before. Additionally, retirement is no longer seen as a singular milestone, but as a series of life choices that enable people to seek new experiences as they ago.💡 Learn more about the wellness economy
💬 4. Workplace Wellness: Prioritizing People
Workplace wellness is now essential for retaining talent and driving innovation. Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, Professor of Economics at the University of Oxford Wellbeing Research Center, presented the results of research from the largest data set of its kind(over 15 Million surveys) discussing workplace wellbeing insights showing that the most successful organizations are profiting by prioritizing people!Programs fostering purpose, mindfulness, and mental health are becoming critical, with leaders like Renee Moorefield, PhD, highlighting that “wellness isn’t just a perk—it’s a necessity.”💡 Explore workplace wellness insights
🔬 5. Longevity Science: Redefining Healthy Aging
Longevity science is transforming how we age, combining cutting-edge technology with time-tested habits.Advances like DNA-based therapies and personalized health tracking are reshaping longevity care. David Stewart, CEO of Ageist, presented data showing optimists, who maintain a sense of possibility for the future, are more apt to adopt behaviors like fitness tracking and engage in strong social connections, which support longer, healthier lives. He shared that his research underscores that how we behave today is deeply influenced by how we perceive our future lives! I had the honor of sitting at David’s table for lunch and was able to get his take on healthy aging! Very exciting and supports my motto of “Be Cool to Your Future Self!”As someone passionate about healthy aging, I am constantly learning and sharing insights. Check out my past articles for practical strategies to extend your healthspan. Scroll to the bottom of my home page for links to my articles.
💡 Learn more about longevity science
🤖 6. Reimagining AI as a Tool for Compassion
Victor Koo, co-founder of Tianren Culture, shared a visionary perspective on how artificial intelligence (AI) can evolve from efficiency-driven tools to partner in fostering compassion and connection. He described how AI could transition from generative to regenerative, from artificial to natural, and from intelligence to wisdom, helping humanity navigate life’s complexities with greater empathy and care.
💡 Explore insights on AI and compassion
✨ The Bigger Picture: Why This Matters
The 2024 Global Wellness Summit reinforced that wellness is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity for individuals, businesses, and communities worldwide. From water-focused sustainability initiatives and longevity science to fostering social connection and workplace well-being, this year’s Summit proved that wellness is a global solution to some of today’s most pressing challenges. By embracing these insights, we can create a healthier, more sustainable, and connected future for everyone. For more insights, please feel free to reach out to me. There is a lot more!
📘 My Call to Action
Wellness begins with intentional choices. Whether it’s prioritizing water sustainability, adopting healthy aging practices, or fostering social wellness, you have the power to lead the change.
Be cool to your future self—and share the gift of wellness this holiday season. My book, Wellness 101: Simple Steps to Good Health, is a great place to start for anyone ready to embrace a wellness lifestyle. Please see the special holiday promotion below.
Thank you so much for your support—it means the world to me. Together, we can spread wellness and empower more people to live healthier, happier lives!
Wishing You Wellness! 🌺
Gloria
Gloria Treister, HHP
Board Certified Holistic Health Practitioner
Advanced Physical Fitness Specialist
EMCC Certified Executive & Business Coach
AUTHOR: “Wellness 101: Simple Steps to Good Health“
Gloria@WellnessEvolution.com
PS. 📘 Special Holiday Book Promotion: Help Spread Wellness and Get a Personal Thank-You Gift!
I am thrilled to announce that I am participating in a special holiday book cross-promotion to make wellness accessible to more people! As part of this exciting event, the price of my eBook*, Wellness 101: Simple Steps to Good Health, has been reduced to only $1.99 on Amazon for a limited time. 🎉
Here’s how you can support me while giving the gift of wellness to others:
- Buy my eBook on Amazon for just $1.99.
- Leave a 5-star positive written review on Amazon by November 27th.
- Email me once your review is published at gloria@WellnessEvolution.com.
As a heartfelt thank-you for your support, I will gift you a free one-on-one longevity consultation to help you kickstart your personalized wellness journey. This is my way of saying thank you for helping spread the word about Wellness 101 and joining me in making wellness accessible to everyone!
💡 Click here to buy the eBook on Amazon now and be part of this incredible promotion.
Thank you! 🙏🏻 🥰 🙏🏻