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Global Wellness Institute Launches New Report Highlighting Saudi Arabia’s Booming Wellness Economy
New GWI report reveals significant growth in the country’s wellness economy, attributed, in large part, to the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 strategy
Miami, FL – October 30, 2024 – The non-profit Global Wellness Institute (GWI), the leading research organization for the global wellness industry, today released new data on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s $19.8 billion wellness economy. The report examines the numbers that make Saudi Arabia’s wellness economy one of the fastest-growing wellness markets in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, with wellness tourism alone boasting an average annual growth rate of 66% (2020-2022).
“Saudi Arabia’s wellness market has demonstrated remarkable resilience and growth, driven by strategic investments outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, which emphasizes enhancing Saudi citizens’ health and wellbeing while fostering wellness tourism opportunities,” said Susie Ellis, GWI’s chair and CEO. “In recent years, Saudi Arabia has not only rebounded from the downturn caused by the pandemic, but has also exceeded its pre-pandemic levels of 2019.”
The new report is available on GWI’s Geography of Wellness platform thanks to a partnership with Red Sea Global (RSG), a vertically integrated real estate developer with a diverse portfolio that includes luxury regenerative tourism destinations in Saudi Arabia, like The Red Sea and AMAALA.
The report is part of a yearlong partnership that has seen Red Sea Global attend international GWI events to showcase the growth of the wellness sector in the Kingdom and the supporting role played by key projects in its portfolio.
“Saudi Arabia is undergoing one of the most substantial and exciting transformations at any time in history. Vision 2030 is seeing the Kingdom establish a thriving nation and a vibrant society by creating new sectors to diversify its economy. One example is tourism, and within this, wellness tourism,” said Lindsay Madden Nadeau, wellness director at Red Sea Global.
“Through a yearlong collaboration, culminating in this market report and a presence at the Global Wellness Summit in November, we have a baseline of actionable data that helps us understand the country’s current position and future direction,” she added. “In 2025, we hope to continue working with GWI to improve the availability of such data, driving engagement with other key Saudi stakeholders, and promote awareness of this promising sector for local and international partners.”
AMAALA has partnered with world-leading brands and will be home to resorts operated by the likes of Clinique La Prairie, Equinox Hotels, Jayasom, Six Senses, Rosewood Hotels, Four Seasons, and Ritz-Carlton, giving guests the opportunity to experience something new each time they visit or return to an experience they love.
Vision 2030 and Wellness Tourism
Tourism, including wellness tourism, is one of the pillars of Vision 2030 for creating a diverse, sustainable economy that offers a greater opportunity for Saudi people and the environment. UN Tourism singled out Saudi Arabia earlier this year for its historic milestone of welcoming over 100 million tourists to the country in 2023—hitting its target seven years early. It applauded the Kingdom’s strategic vision as it seeks to become a global tourism powerhouse. According to the government, tourism’s share of GDP in Saudi Arabia has already shot from a modest 3% to an impressive 7% since the launch of the Vision and is on track to reach its target of 10% by 2030. Red Sea Global estimates that AMAALA alone will contribute as much as $3 billion to the nation’s GDP upon completion, creating tens of thousands of new jobs in the region.
GWI’s data reflects this growth. In addition to the country’s wellness tourism sector experiencing a significant average annual growth rate of 66% (2020-2022), sectors adjacent to tourism, including thermal/mineral springs and spas, also had impressive growth rates of 41.5% and 35.6%, respectively. Additionally, the wellness real estate sector has also seen impressive growth of 23.4% annually since 2020.
Wellness in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia offers visitors a rich wellness heritage and diverse landscapes. The pristine waters of the Gulf and Red Sea, its stunning coastline featuring a thousand kilometers of sandy beaches, the coastal mangroves, the vast desert areas and dark skies across the Kingdom, the lush mountains in the southwest, and the valleys and oases to the east all provide unique backdrops for wellness experiences, as well as many outdoor recreational and sports activities.
One can also enjoy the healing modalities of traditional Islamic and Arabic medicine in an authentic, natural, and cultural setting, thanks to the Arabian people who have preserved indigenous wellness traditions, utilizing local plants, fruits, and herbs for health and healing. Many of today’s recognized superfoods have been staples in their medicine protocols for centuries.
Saudi Arabia Wellness Economy by Sector*
Below are Saudi Arabia’s wellness sector snapshots in order of market size. The list is in order of a sector’s total valuation, largest to smallest. The first number listed after the sector represents Saudi Arabia’s global ranking in comparison to 218 countries, the percentage indicates the annual growth rate from 2020 to 2022, and the final number is the sector’s valuation. More data can be found here, including a detailed, downloadable country report entitled The Global Wellness Economy: Saudi Arabia.
Healthy Eating, Nutrition & Weight Loss: #27, +5.5%, $5.8B
Physical Activity: #25, +16.6%, $4.7B
Personal Care & Beauty: #41, +9.6%, $4.4B
Public Health, Prevention & Personalized Medicine: #25, +6.5%, $2.5B
Mental Wellness: #19, +10.9%, $1.1B
Spas: #31, +35.6%, $0.6B
Wellness Tourism: #67, +66%, $0.5B
Workplace Wellness: #15, +2.8%, $0.5B
Traditional & Complementary Medicine: #61, +5.3%, $0.2B
Wellness Real Estate: #39, +23.4%, $0.2B
Thermal/Mineral Springs: #111, +41.5%, $0.0B
Total Wellness Economy: #34, +10.6%, $19.8B
About the Global Wellness Institute
The Global Wellness Institute (GWI), a nonprofit 501(c)(3), is considered the leading global research and educational resource for the global wellness industry and is known for introducing major industry initiatives and regional events that bring together leaders to chart the future. GWI positively impacts global health and wellness by educating public institutions, businesses and individuals on how they can work to prevent disease, reduce stress and enhance overall quality of life. Its mission is to empower wellness worldwide.
About Red Sea Global
Red Sea Global (RSG) is a closed joint-stock company wholly owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia. It is a vertically integrated real estate developer with a diverse portfolio across tourism, residential, experiences, infrastructure, transport, healthcare, and services. This includes the luxury regenerative tourism destinations The Red Sea, which began welcoming guests in 2023, and AMAALA, which remains on track to welcome first guests in 2025. A third destination, Thuwal Private Retreat, will open this year, and RSG has also been entrusted with refurbishment works at Al Wajh Airport, focused on upgrading the existing terminal and infrastructure, and building a new international terminal. RSG is a cornerstone of Saudi Arabia’s ambition to diversify its economy. Across its growing portfolio of destinations, subsidiaries and businesses, RSG seeks to lead the world towards a more sustainable future, showing how responsible development can uplift communities, drive economies, and enhance the environment.
