Top 5 wellness industries: Global number 1 trend for next 5 years
Global wellness economy, now exceeding US$6.8 trillion, is projected to grow 7.6% annually, driven by high demand across five expanding sectors.
- Wellness Real Estate is identified as the world's number one wellness trend for the next five years, with a projected growth rate of up to 15%.
- The other four fastest-growing wellness industries are Traditional and Complementary Medicine, Mental Wellness, Hot Springs/Mineral Water, and Wellness Tourism.
- Mental Wellness and Wellness Tourism are both projected to grow by 10% or more, driven by factors like high global stress levels.
- The primary factor driving the overall wellness trend is the rising number of elderly people worldwide.
Dr Tanupol Virunhagarun, Chief Executive Officer of BDMS Wellness Clinic and BDMS Wellness Resort (Bangkok Dusit Medical Services Public Company Limited), delivered a keynote address on "The Power of Wellness Economy" at the Thailand Marketing Day 2025 event, themed “Promt the Future: The power of Marketing,” on November 28, 2025, at Samyan Mitrtown Hall.
Dr Tanupol defined "Wellness" as a state of good health across three components:
- Physical Health
- Mental Health
- Spiritual Health
He emphasised that Wellness differs significantly from hospital services, which primarily focus on treating physical illnesses after they occur.
The wellness concept, in contrast, complements this by promoting holistic health.
Global Wellness Economy Figures Soar
Dr Tanupol shared the latest figures on the Global Wellness Economy, which were recently unveiled at the Global Wellness Summit in Dubai last week:
- The global wellness business was valued at US$6.8 trillion in 2024.
- It is projected to reach US$9.8 trillion by 2029.
- The global wellness business is expected to grow at an average annual rate of 7.6%, which is higher than the previous estimate of 7.2%.
This news is particularly positive for Thailand, as the country has been selected to host the next Global Wellness Summit, scheduled to take place in Phuket around November or December of next year.
Top 5 Fastest-Growing Wellness Industries
For those interested in the wellness sector, Dr Tanupol highlighted five industries that are projected to show outstanding growth and are expected to be key trends over the next five years:
- Wellness Real Estate: This is the world's number one trend, with an anticipated growth rate of up to 15%. This involves creating residential properties that focus on maintaining physical, mental, and spiritual health, without prioritising luxury.
- Traditional and Complementary Medicine (TCM): This is expected to grow significantly globally. As the world reaches peak development, people are increasingly returning to nature, seeking to limit the consumption of excessive chemicals and pharmaceuticals in favour of herbal remedies. Thailand and India are noted as countries rich in valuable herbal resources.
- Mental Wellness: Projected to grow by more than 10% due to the high levels of stress experienced globally.
- Hot Springs/Mineral Water: Thailand has the potential in this sector, but may need to adapt to the country's hot climate, such as by focusing more on mineral water applications.
- Wellness Tourism: This sector is also projected to continue its growth at a rate of 10%.
Drivers of the Trend and Thailand's Potential
Tanupol stated that the fundamental factor driving wellness as a major trend is the rising number of elderly people.
Thailand is set to become an "Aged Society" by 2033, when nearly 30% of the population will be over 60.
This places Thailand third globally, behind only Japan and South Korea, and ahead of China, impacting the economy significantly.
Crucially, Thailand has demonstrated its potential to be a global leader in the wellness business.
The value of Thailand's wellness business showed an astonishing growth rate of 28.4%, ranking number 1 in the world for growth.
Goal: Becoming a Top 5 Global Wellness Hub
To achieve the national goal of becoming a Top 5 Global Wellness Hub, Tanupol emphasised the necessity of elevating traditional services by integrating them with scientific and medical evidence—a concept he calls "Scientific Wellness."
- Currently, the value of Thailand's wellness business is approximately US$40 billion ( about THB1.3–1.4 trillion).
- It ranks 24th globally and 9th in the Asia-Pacific region.
- A point of pride is that Thai wellness businesses grew by 28.4% from 2022 to 2023, the highest growth rate in the world.
- Specifically, Wellness Tourism saw growth of 119.5%, ranking 2nd globally (second only to China before the COVID-19 pandemic).
- Before COVID-19 (2019), Thailand was ranked 7th globally, placing it among the "G7" of nations in this field.
The central objective set by the National Wellness Policy is to successfully place Thailand among the Top 5 global Wellness Hubs.
