5th ANNUAL WORLD WELLNESS WEEKEND

From September 17-19, 2021, thousands of hybrid celebrations around the globe and 52 hours of online wellness sessions offered ‘Wellness for All’ in the times of COVID.

Celebrations for World Wellness Weekend started in Dubai and Sharjah on September 17, and then went full swing on September 18 at sunrise in Fiji, until sunset in Hawaii on September 19.

An hybrid event

This fifth annual celebration was hybrid with in-person and online activities. While so many events cancelled, postponed or went online, World Wellness Weekend stayed the course to show that wellness is not a luxury, but a necessity to boost vitality, serenity, immunity, resiliency and solidarity.

Thousands of safe, in-person, indoor or outdoor activities and workshops were organised by each of the 2,310 participating venues. Participants discovered the premises, felt engaged by the expertise and passion of professionals. They were reassured by the safety measures in place, so that they feel confident to come back to include more wellness into their lives.

Those less fortunate staying at home, in countries and cities where restrictions are still enforced, were able to travel the world from their sofa with 52 hours of curated online yoga sessions, fitness classes, guided relaxations, wellness tips and immersive 360° videos like in the French cultural city of Angoulême. These programmes in English, Vietnamese, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, and French will soon be available on the World Wellness WebTV so that people can access them anytime, anywhere, on any device to enjoy moments of wellness at home, at work or on the go.

Wellness reach

Two countries participated in 2017, 88 in 2018, 98 in 2019, 109 in 2020, and 133 in 2021 from Albania to Zimbabwe.

Although Latin America was hit severely by COVID-19, it has set an example of resiliency and creativity as the most active continent with the most fun and free wellness activities organised this year. Let us salute the outstanding achievements of ambassadors and coordinators to showcase the PURA VIDA in wellness destinations across Brasil, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Peru, Argentina, Venezuela, Chile, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, and Paraguay.

Western Europe is second with France, Italy, Portugal, the UK, Greece, Ireland, Croatia, Spain, and Belgium.

North America is third especially with the mobilisation of properties managed by WTS International and in Quebec, where ministers recognised massage therapists as essential workers and major professional associations supported the World Wellness Weekend, as ATQN, AQS, RITMA, MASSO CIE, ABA Canada; and major publications as BIEN, Massopreneurs and Les Nouvelles Esthétiques.

Asia-Pacific was still under severe restrictions and mainly participated with online sessions especially in Vietnam, Australia and Indonesia.

Africa was mainly represented by Morocco and South Africa and will be a major focus in 2022 to showcase the rich healing traditions and breathtaking wellness hotels, resorts and retreats.

The 10 most active countries with number of listed venues on wellmap. org included Brasil (597 venues), France (341), Italy (207), the US (192), Mexico (144), Canada (132), Dominican Republic (121), Ecuador (114), India (99), and Vietnam (83).

“Wellness is not just a decision you take to improve your mental and physical health: It is also an act of influence to inspire those around you to become the best version of themselves,” says Jean-Guy de Gabriac, Founder, World Wellness Weekend, and international wellness advisor since 2001.

The top five categories of venues

• Wellness centres, holistic clinics and integrative wellness clinics represent 19 per cent of the participating venues of the 5 th World Wellness Weekend

• Spas and beauty salons 13.4 per cent

• Hotels and resorts 12.2 per cent

• Fitness clubs 8 per cent

• Non-for-profit organisation 7 per cent

The 6th World Wellness Weekend has been scheduled for September 16-18, 2022.