The 19th annual Global Wellness Summit (GWS) will be held from 18-21 November 2025 at Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental, a five-star beachfront resort in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

The announcement comes from the GWS team, who revealed that the 2025 summit will spotlight both regional innovations and global advancements. Key features will include an expansive Innovation Lab and a dedicated Wellness Tourism Congress.

Co-hosted by Shura Global Consultancy and Abu Dhabi Investment Gate (ADIG), the 2025 summit will highlight the UAE's growing role in the wellness sector and see global leaders from business, hospitality, government, academia and science come together to shape the interconnected world of wellness.

Speaking at the recent 2024 GWS in Scotland, Dr Mohamed Yousef Almadfael of Shura Global emphasised the UAE’s position as a rising leader in the global wellness economy.

"The UAE's wellness economy is thriving – representing 4.5 per cent of GDP,” he said. "Our ambitions to expand wellness and wellness tourism are limitless and we aim to become a leader and a key driver.

"Our partnership with the GWS is essential in achieving our goals of not only advancing the wellness economy but also influencing the global wellness narrative."

For a summary of key moments from the summit in St Andrews, check out Spa Business’ official review.

The Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental

Spanning 100 hectares, Emirates Palace is a luxury 390-key resort known for its opulence. The property features 86,114sq ft of 22-carat gold leaf, 1 million sq ft of marble and over 1,000 Swarovski crystal chandeliers.

Opened in 2005 after an estimated US$3.5 billion (€3.4 billion, £2.8 billion) investment, the resort has been operated by Mandarin Oriental since 2020 and includes more than 7,000sq m of event space.

Wellness is central to the guest experience, with amenities including a Technogym fitness suite and a nine-treatment-room Mandarin Oriental Spa, offering Moroccan- and Turkish-inspired hammam rituals. In addition, guests can opt for treatments supplied by OTO CBD, Tata Harper and 111Skin. Additional services include treatments for children alongside holistic wellness programmes focused on Nourishment, Movement, Wellbeing, Connections and Stillness.