Noosa to host Australia's inaugural Wellness Tourism Industry Summit

Noosa on the Sunshine Coast will be the backdrop for Australia’s first Wellness Tourism Summit next month.

Supported by Tourism Noosa, Tourism Australia and Sofitel Noosa Pacific Resort, the two-day Summit - being held on 19th and 20th March - has been convened by Katherine Droga, Chair of the Global Wellness Institute’s Wellness Tourism Initiative.

Showcasing the rapid growth in the wellness sector and the opportunities for tourism businesses in Australia, the two-day program will reveal the latest research, consumer trends and best practice in wellness travel and tourism, with more than 20 leading wellness travel experts invited to share their insights into the growing wellness tourism sector.

Research carried out by GWI values the wellness tourism sector at an impressive $639 billion a year in global visitor spend, with Australia receiving 10 million wellness trips a year from local and international visitors. 

The program will reveal the latest research, consumer trends and best practice in wellness travel and tourism, with more than 20 leading wellness travel experts invited to speak on the main stage to share their insights into the growing wellness tourism sector.

Droga - who is also founder of sustainable tourism consultancy Droga & Co and a former senior executive at Tourism Australia – sees that the Summit will offer delegates the chance to better understand the value of the wellness economy and the diversity within the sector.

She explains “(in) the top 20 highest spending destinations, the USA attracts the highest average international wellness expenditure per person of any nation with Australia ranking second.

“There are huge benefits to businesses engaging in wellness tourism. Wellness travellers often tread lightly, respect the environment, value local community connections, and help mitigate over-tourism issues that many destinations now face.

“Wellness travellers also assist a destination with seasonality flows, stay longer than regular tourists and often spend more.”

Confirmed speakers to date include: Emlyn Brown, Accor’s Paris-based Vice-President Wellbeing, Luxury and Premium Brands; Joanne Barber, sustainability transformer and wellness thought leader at Singapore-based We Affirm Co.; Sharon Kolka, general manager and wellness director at Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat; Georgia Rickard, Editor-at-Large at Virgin Australia; Janice Williams, publisher of Wellbeing Magazine; and Charles Davidson, founder and chairman of Peninsula Hot Springs.

Click here for more information on the Wellness Tourism Summit in the Australasian Leisure Management industry Calendar.

Images courtesy of the Wellness Tourism Summit.