In the latest in a series of C9 Sessions, Phuket-based tourism, hospitality, and real estate consultancy C9 Hotelworks held a talk regarding Phuket’s New Wellness Trends for Hotels, Tourism & Real Estate.

The immersive event revealed the latest insights and intelligence on the ever-evolving and expanding wellness tourism industry in Thailand and Phuket.

C9 Hotelworks managing director Bill Barnett showed key data from the report, including analysis of the figures driving the wellness economy, which is valued at THB 1,200 billion (USD 34.6 billion) in Thailand, with an annual growth rate of 5.58 percent (2020-2022). 

This total includes THB 296 billion (USD 7.8 billion) in wellness tourism trip expenditure alone.

Barnett said: “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.”

A destination in profile 

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.