Global Wellness Summit partnerships aim to solidify Abu Dhabi as prominent global wellness hub

March 13, 2025

The Global Wellness Summit (GWS), a gathering of international leaders in the $6.3 trillion global wellness economy, has announced that its 19th annual conference will take place in Abu Dhabi from 18th to 21st November 2025, at the Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental.

This milestone event is being held through a strategic partnership with Abu Dhabi Investment Gate (ADIG) and Shura Global Consultancy (SGC) and with support from the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention.

Bringing together government leaders and industry visionaries, the 2025 Global Wellness Summit aims to solidify Abu Dhabi’s position as a prominent global wellness hub, reflecting the UAE’s commitment to innovation, sustainability, and economic growth.

This year’s Summit will introduce new platforms for collaboration and investment, and transformative ideas that will shape the future of the wellness economy worldwide.

The Middle East’s wellness economy has been one of the recent global growth leaders, with the UAE playing a pivotal role as the largest market in the region. According to the Global Wellness Institute, the UAE’s wellness economy reached $34 billion in 2023, contributing approximately 5.5% to the national GDP and affirming its leading and collaborative role in the global wellness industry.

Susie Ellis, Chair and Chief Executive of GWS enthused “we’re thrilled to partner with Abu Dhabi Investment Gate and Shura Global Consultancy to bring this prestigious event to the UAE. Abu Dhabi is a natural choice to host our most ambitious Summit to date, and we look forward to giving delegates the opportunity to experience the rich landscape of the UAE, a country that has so much to offer in terms of natural beauty, pioneering preventative health and wellness solutions, and new luxury destinations.”

The region’s momentum in wellness is so significant that the GWS named ‘The Middle East’s Wellness Ambitions’ as one of its top 10 wellness trends for 2025, detailing how the region is blending cultural heritage with powerful investment in preventative healthcare, sports, and wellness infrastructure and tourism - creating the newest world hub for wellbeing.

Abu Dhabi’s strategic vision to become a centre of excellence for wellness, sustainability, and innovation is reflected in major developments such as:

The highly anticipated SHA Emirates, set to open in 2026 as the world’s first ‘healthy living island’ integrating AI-driven wellness solutions.
The continued expansion of world-class wellness and longevity innovation hubs, including Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi and Kintsugi Space, the region’s first women-only holistic wellness club.
The development of innovative wellness real estate communities such as Saadiyat Grove, which will bring a new standard of integrated wellbeing to the region.

Saeed Al Meqbali, Chairman of ADIG, emphasised the strategic importance of hosting the event sharing “Bringing the Summit to Abu Dhabi is an unparalleled opportunity to showcase our nation’s leadership in innovation-driven wellness initiatives, and the Summit will serve as a catalyst for economic growth, sharing experiences and establishing cross-sector partnerships.”

Dr Mohamed Yousef Almadfaei, founder and Chairman of Shura Global Consultancy, added “the wellness economy is a fundamental pillar of the UAE’s economic and social development. The partnership between GWS, SGC and ADIG will work towards achieving our leadership vision and objective of positioning Abu Dhabi as a global hub for the future of wellness technologies and products.”

The 2025 Global Wellness Summit will feature global thought leaders, in-depth discussions on emerging health and wellness trends, and groundbreaking solutions that will define the future of wellness. The expanded Innovation Lab will offer an exclusive look into the most promising advancements in the field, featuring cutting-edge startups and industry disruptors.

In October 2023, just weeks before its 2023 Global Wellness Summit was scheduled to be held in Qatar, the GWS was moved to Miami, Florida, USA because of concerns over "instability in the Middle East region".

Click here for more information on the 2025 Global Wellness Summit in the Australasian Leisure Management industry Calendar.

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