Fresh data from the Global Wellness Institute (GWI) reveals two rapidly growing wellness economies – the Maldives and Saudi Arabia – which both owe much of their success to wellness tourism.

The countries are the latest focus of the GWI’s Geography of Wellness series that provide a segmented, deep dive into the US$830 billion (€796.2 billion, £659.7 billion) global wellness economy.

The Maldives
The GWI’s latest report dissecting the Maldives’ US$1.6 billion (€1.57 billion, £1.3 billion) wellness economy sees the island nation rank 113th out of the 218 countries it assesses. An impressive position, considering it’s one of the smallest countries in the world.

In 2023 the Maldives’ wellness market was dominated by two major segments. The first, wellness tourism, is valued at US$1 billion (€959 million, £795 million) after a significant annual growth rate of 35.4 per cent from 2022 to 2023.

Second is the spa sector, valued at US$448 million (€429.8 million, £356.1 million), with a striking 63.7 per cent growth rate over the same period.

The country’s wellness culture is marked by a focus on nature-centred wellness experiences and Dhivehi beys, the Maldivian ancient plant-based healing tradition.

Saudi Arabia
In another new report, the GWI places Saudi Arabia’s wellness economy at US$19.8 billion (€18.99 billion, £15.74 billion), ranking it as the world’s 34th largest wellness market. From 2019 to 2022, its wellness market grew by 15.79 per cent.

“Saudi Arabia has not only rebounded from the pandemic downturn but has surpassed its pre-pandemic levels,” says Susie Ellis, GWI chair and CEO. She explains that this is mostly due to Vision 2030, the kingdom’s plan to diversify its economy and boost the health of its citizens, which is prioritising investments in wellness tourism.

While wellness tourism is ranked fifth out of Saudi Arabia’s 11 wellness markets, valued at US$500 million (€479.7 million, £397.4 million), it grew by 66 per cent from 2020 to 2022. In comparison, its spa market increased by 35.6 per cent.

Indeed, in 2024, the kingdom surpassed its 100 million tourist milestone, seven years ahead of schedule. And the appetite for high-end wellness in the region remains strong as developers forge ahead with luxury giga-projects including The Red Sea, NEOM and Amaala, all of which incorporate wellness as a key pillar (see www.spabusiness.com/saudi).

Compare and contrast
Although the Maldives and Saudi Arabia approach wellness tourism differently – one relying on its natural assets and healing traditions, the other embedding wellness into gigantic infrastructure projects – they highlight a growing trend: travellers are prioritising wellbeing.

Both markets reflect the global shift towards health-conscious travel.