Wellness Tourism Initiative
The Global Wellness Tourism Initiative aims to elevate the understanding, reach, and impact of one of the fastest-growing sectors within the global tourism industry—wellness tourism. This initiative will empower stakeholders to not only tap into the expanding market but also to do so responsibly and sustainably, ensuring that wellness tourism becomes an enduring driver of both industry growth and global wellbeing.
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Objectives
- Knowledge Sharing and Best Practices: We provide a platform for global collaboration to share industry-leading practices in wellness tourism destination development, policy creation, and marketing strategies. Through case studies, webinars, and thought leadership, stakeholders will gain insights into the most effective approaches that ensure the long-term success and sustainability of wellness tourism destinations.
- Understanding the Wellness Traveler: As wellness travel continues to evolve, the needs and preferences of the global wellness traveler are constantly shifting. Our initiative focuses on conducting in-depth research, offering data-driven insights, and fostering cross-industry dialogue to better understand the behaviors, demands, and motivations of wellness travelers—enabling stakeholders to align offerings with these growing expectations.
- Advocating for Wellness Tourism’s Value: Wellness tourism is not just a trend—it is a transformative, multi-billion-dollar segment that fosters economic growth while benefiting the communities it touches. Our mission is to communicate the value and untapped potential of wellness tourism to a wide array of stakeholders. This includes demonstrating its role in promoting sustainable travel, enhancing public health, and creating long-term economic opportunities in both developed and emerging markets.
Our Target Audience
This initiative is designed to engage key players within the global tourism ecosystem. We recognize that wellness tourism spans across various sectors, and as such, our intended audience includes a broad range of stakeholders:
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- Tourism Suppliers & Distributors: From tour operators to travel agencies, we aim to support those who are directly involved in bringing wellness tourism offerings to market.
- Transportation & Hospitality Brands: Airlines, rail operators, and hotels are key partners in ensuring that wellness tourism experiences are seamless, accessible, and enjoyable for travelers.
- Destination Management Companies (DMCs) & Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs): We work with these entities to craft compelling wellness tourism strategies and marketing campaigns that attract the global wellness traveler.
- Government & Tourism Boards: Collaborating with policy-makers and tourism boards to build infrastructure that supports sustainable wellness tourism development, while promoting it as a key element of national tourism strategies.
Initiative Leadership
Initiative Chair
Katherine Droga, Founder, Well Traveller + Well Traveller TV, Wellness Tourism Summit, Droga & co., Australia
Katherine Droga is passionate about the transformational effect travel can have for people and the planet. She is the founder of several successful global wellness media platforms including the Well Traveller and Well Traveller TV. She is also the founder of the industry leadership conference – Wellness Tourism Summit and Wellness Wander consumer festival. Her consultancy firm, Droga & Co., specializes in wellness and sustainable visitor strategies and capacity building for destinations, tourism experiences, and events worldwide. Katherine has worked for over 25 years, successfully leading teams and brands in the tourism and media sector. She was previously part of the executive leadership team for Tourism Australia and led the organizations international operations, distribution platforms, and partnerships for over a decade. Katherine is proud to be the Australian Ambassador for Global Wellness Day, and a champion for kid’s wellbeing.
Vice-Chair
Lindsay Madden-Nadeau, Senior Director Wellness Strategy- Development, Meraki Bespoke Wellness Strategies, Global Head of Wellbeing- Accor Luxury Brands, France
Lindsay is a globally recognized wellness strategist with over 24 years of transformative impact at the intersection of hospitality and well-being. Leading the Wellness Strategy at Red Sea Global, she leads the vision for two of Saudi Arabia’s flagship giga-projects—set to become the world’s most integrated and sustainable wellness destinations under Vision 2030. Renowned as an industry disruptor, Lindsay has overseen the opening of over 200 spas worldwide and previously shaped global wellness strategy as Accor’s Global Director of Well-being, driving innovation for brands like Raffles and Fairmont. She is also a founding partner of Meraki Bespoke Wellness Strategies, championing socially and environmentally conscious wellness solutions. A thought leader and change-maker, Lindsay continues to redefine the future of wellness, setting new standards across continents with every project she leads.
Initiative Members
Meet the renowned thought leaders in this field who are collaborating to educate and evolve wellness in this area of global importance.
Resources
View the research, trends, whitepapers, infographics and more from this Initiative, as well as a curated list of third party resources.
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