Phuket evolves into a global wellness tourism leader
Wellness tourism is in great shape. One of the fastest growing areas of the wellness tourism industry, the sector has grown from a niche market for committed health seekers to become a 219 trillion baht (US$6.3 trillion) global powerhouse.
At the heart of this revolution is Asia Pacific, which accounts for 30% of the worldwide market and where pioneering destinations such as Phuket have successfully changed the face of wellness tourism.
In the latest in a series of C9 Sessions, C9 Hotelworks, the award-winning Phuket-based tourism, hospitality & real estate consultancy, presented Phuket’s New Wellness Trends for Hotels, Tourism & Real Estate, an immersive event that revealed the latest insights and intelligence on the ever-evolving and expanding wellness tourism industry in Thailand and Phuket.
C9 Hotelworks revealed key data from the report, including an analysis of the figures driving the wellness economy, which is valued at 1,200 billion baht in Thailand, with an annual growth rate of 5.58% (2020 to 2022). This includes 296 billion baht in wellness tourism trip expenditure alone.
CEO & Chief Science Officer, Doctor Polakit Teekakirikul, M.D., and Doctor Suthee Siriwechdaruk, M.D., Chief Administrative Officer, of VitalLife Phuket, discuss Phuket’s Longevity Market with session moderator Jules Kay, managing director of PropertyGuru International (Thailand).
With its rich tradition of healing, Phuket has long attracted travellers who want to soothe their body, mind and soul in paradise. In the post-pandemic era, the mindset shift towards healthy lifestyles has inspired a new era of wellness tourism that goes far beyond the spa.
As visionary companies launch a new collection of state-of-the-art cosmetic and medical services, Phuket is ensuring its longevity as a global wellness leader.
Staged at Amora Beach Resort Phuket, in collaboration with VitalLife Scientific Wellness Center Phuket, powered by Bumrungrad International Hospital, the Phuket Hotels Association, and Delivering Asia, the 90-minute session explained how Phuket emerged as a top wellness tourism destination in the 1990s when traditional Thai massage and spa therapies were elevated to new levels of luxury by the arrival of brands like Banyan Tree.
This was followed by an expansion into medical tourism in the 2000s, driven by the arrival of private hospitals, which then shifted to focus on aesthetic treatments in the 2010s.
Now, in the lifestyle-conscious 2020s, the concept of longevity tourism has taken centre stage – a holistic approach to wellbeing that promotes extended living.
Phuket is leading this trend with cutting-edge facilities arriving in Phuket such as the VitalLife Scientific Wellness Center Phuket, a hub of health and longevity which opened its doors fully this month, the Health Resort by Clinique La Prairie at TriVananda, a sustainable luxury wellness resort which is on track to open in 2026, and the new Bumrungrad Hospital Phuket, which also debuts in 2026.
Dr Polakit commented on the current landscape of the wellness tourism industry, highlighting Phuket as the centre stage.
“This is a tremendously exciting time for the wellness tourism industry. The launch of our VitalLife Scientific Wellness Center will introduce some of the industry’s latest longevity solutions, such as DNA profiling and the use of AI, to create tailored health blueprints and programmes for every guest.
“This reflects our confidence in Phuket’s status as a global wellness hub, now and for many years to come.”
TriVananda will also soon be home to Clinique La Prairie’s first Health Resort in Southeast Asia, mentioned Kittisak Pattamasaevi, CEO of Montara Hospitality Group, who oversees TRISARA and TriVananda.
“Clinique La Prairie’s longstanding expertise in longevity and their innovative approach make them the ideal partner to achieve and realize our vision of establishing TriVananda as the gold standard for wellness hospitality in Asia,
“We recognise that there is a global stress epidemic at hand, and the negative effects it has on our individual health and wellbeing, and as a global community. TriVananda will be a place for people of all ages to heal, grow and learn.”
The series of moderated discussions covered topics including Phuket’s Longevity Market, with Dr Polakit and Dr Suthee of VitalLife Scientific Wellness Center Phuket; and Developing a New Lifestyle Wellness/Longevity Community by Kittisak “Kitt” Pattamasaevi.
Longevity vs Wellness – What’s the Difference? Debated by David Boucher, CEO, of Bumrungrad International Hospital Phuket, and Doctor Nadzri Mokhtar, chief medical wellness director, Penang Medical Wellness & Longevity Hub, the topic of Food for Life – A Dive Into Eating Better discussed by Doctor Brian Kunakom, Naturopathic Consultant, Bumrungrad International Hospital, and Michele Wisla, plant-based health coach at Our Conscious Kitchen, and a session on Mindfulness for Hotels which included input from Suksit Suvunditkul, President, Thailand Hotels Association Southern Chapter and CEO, Deevana Hotels & Resorts.
