The Thai Spa Association wants to go from ninth place to within the top five wellness economies in the region
The assocation will host its first awards ceremony in October
The nation will also host the Global Wellness Summit in NovemberThe Thai Spa Association has outlined plans to boost its wellness economy ranking within the Asia Pacific region from ninth place to within the top five by 2030 According to the Global Wellness Institute (GWI), Thailand’s wellness economy reached US$42.7 billion (€36.5 billion, £33.3 billion) in 2024 Wellness tourism spending within the nation reached US$14 billion (€12 billion, £10.9 billion) – representing 36.4 per cent annual growth from 2023-2024 Sunai Wachirawarakarn, president, Thai Spa Association, said: “Thailand’s ambition is not only to grow the size of its wellness economy. It is to create a country where wellness becomes more meaningful – where visitors feel genuinely cared for, where the people who provide that care are also valued, and where communities share in the opportunities created.” The plan to boost Thailand’s wellness economy and reputation for Jai – providing meaningful, authentic and intelligent care – will see the Thai Spa Association collaborate with a variety of institutions around the country. Approximately 92,813 businesses are part of the country’s health, beauty, Thai traditional medicine and wellness tourism supply chain, according to a 2025 study by Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports. These businesses are said to contribute THB676.6 billion (US$20.9 billion, €17.9 billion, £16.3 billion) to the economy. The Thai Spa Association acknowledges that the country is rich in wellness assets and that the key to scaling the country’s wellness markets lies in having a shared national collaboration model that links tourism, health, education, professional training, private enterprise, communities, finance, technology and international networks. The association will act as a national convenor between these parts of the vision’s ecosystem The association’s plan directly aligns with the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s global communication strategy titled ‘Healing is the new luxury’, which presents Thailand as a place where restoration takes place through experiencing the nation’s way of life. Five-year plan The five-year collaborative plan will involve boosting spa and wellness standards and professional development for practitioners and operators, evidence, recognition, accessible verification and guidance 2026 – Connection The Thai Spa Association is building its partner ecosystem, strengthening its relationship with the Tourism Authority of Thailand, the GWS and national stakeholders. 2027 – Develop A Spa Continuing Education Passport will be created, more professional pathways will be established and management programmes will be established 2028 – Collaborate Cooperation with the 11-nation intergovernmental forum, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), will be enhancedg local wellness cultures 2029 – Scale Repeatable management models and export-ready Thai wellness concepts will be developed. Newly established and emerging business pathways will be strengthened 2030 – Create greater value The enhanced quality of high-value experiences will be communicated domestically and abroad – helping Thailand reach the top five national wellness economies in the Asia Pacific region Thailand Spa and Wellbeing Awards 2026 On 29 October of this year, the Thai Spa Association will host its first awards ceremony, the Thailand Spa and Wellbeing Awards 2026 Wachirawarakarn sees this event as one of the first major platforms to propel the five-year vision forward because it will act as a live pilot for how evidence can be organised, independently verified, interpreted through jury judgment and translated into guidance. There will be 17 categories across places, services, products, people, knowledge, innovation and experience. Applications opened this month and nominations close on 31 August. Applications and evidence close 15 September Wachirawarakarn said: “We are not only recognising the excellence people see, we also recognise the human quality behind that excellence – how organisations contribute, include, connect and care. A beautiful treatment room can be seen. The dignity of the person working inside it may not be. But guests often feel both.” FOOTNOTE The Global Wellness Summit (GWS), will be hosted in Thailand at Angsana Laguna Phuket between 10-13 November this year – with the theme ‘The Science, Art and Soul of Wellness’ Sign up here to get your choice of the Spa Business and Spa Business insider weekly ezines, breaking news alerts and every issue of Spa Business and Spa Business insider magazines FREE on digital. | 
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