Must-Reads from the Wellness World (Week of February 11, 2019)

Schools in England Introduce a New Subject: Mindfulness – The New York Times, February 4, 2019 The British government has announced that 370 English schools will start to practice mindfulness (relaxation and breathing techniques and other methods to help regulate emotions) in a new initiative and study aimed at addressing the mental health crisis affecting young generations. The study, which runs through 2021, is one…

The Business of Wellness: Wellness Concepts Shaking Up Global Fashion Industry

February is “fashion month,” with Fashion Weeks happening in NYC, London and Milan. And one of the biggest fashion industry shake-ups, according to the Global Wellness Summit’s new 8 Wellness Trends for 2019 report, is how a huge wave of sustainable, ethical, intelligent, healing, more inclusive and meaningful fashion is ahead. We’ll see everything from radical innovation in sustainable textiles to a new generation of…

New Zealand Launches World’s First “Wellbeing Budget”

More and more, wellbeing public policies are being advocated to mitigate the serious risks we collectively face, from social inequalities to climate change. In Davos this year, Jacinda Ardern, New Zealand’s Prime Minister, made this point very vividly when she announced that her government would present in May the world’s very first “wellbeing budget”—a concept originated by the OECD and the IMF that urges countries…

Why Do Unhealthy Behaviors Remain So Prevalent?

MONTHLY BAROMETER – WELLNESS EDITION During the year, the debate has been raging between those who see the world’s glass as half full versus those who see it as half empty. The optimists, trying to promote a fact-based worldview, are right: Almost all the indicators confirm that the world is “better” than it’s ever been and certainly not nearly as dangerous as we think/feel. If…

The North American Wellness Tourism Economy

The GWI released data and analysis on the North American wellness tourism market, the world’s very largest in terms of expenditures ($242 billion)–expected to grow another roughly 30% (to $311 billion) by 2022. The US alone now drives over one-third of all global revenues. This report explores the factors driving this powerhouse market. Access report

GWI’s Consulting Initiative Releases Infographic Defining the Scope of this Sector

The Consulting Initiative has released the first-ever spa/wellness/fitness consultancy survey results data in the form of an infographic. More than 60 spa and wellness industry consultants were interviewed for the survey, working on behalf of real estate developers, hotel and resort owners/operators, and spa owner/operators. The resulting data findings help to define the scope of the sector. Some key findings include: More than half of project…