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Launched as a global initiative in 2017, this year’s World Wellness Weekend was celebrated at 2,356 venues in 98 countries on 21 and 22 September.
Says World Wellness Weekend founder, Jean-Guy de Gabriac: “The idea behind this initiative is to elevate wellness worldwide. Each year World Wellness Weekend grows in terms of participating properties – in 2017 there were 150, with 650 last year.
“The 2019 event was mentioned in 416 publications (web, print, radio, TV) with an estimated audience of 224 million people. By comparison, in 2018, 250 publications reached 130 million people. We are so grateful to see the positive impact of this global wellness event offering over 5,000 fun and free wellness activities to enjoy with family and #wellnessbuddies, from sunrise in Fiji, to sunset in Maui.”
Activities during World Wellness Weekend included: Six Senses clearing a beach in Ko Kut (Thailand); mindfulness in the 550 year-old Maison Sévigné (Bourbon Lancy, France); over 1,000 people joining the 5km family-walk of Don Torcuato (Argentina); multiple styles of yoga (in the water, on the water, on a rooftop, in a bathrobe); fitness classes in a hundred clubs; Polynesian dance (Deep Nature Chamonix, France); Jacuzzi in a car (Effervescences in Royat, France); golf in a bathrobe (La Largue Golf Resort, France); Water Drinkers Race (Vic sur Cère, France); Art of Napping (Vichy, France); Zumba at Club Med Mandara Spa (Malaysia); and Ju Jitsu (Tulum, Mexico).
According to De Gabriac, the most active country over World Wellness Weekend 2019 was the US, with 1,471 participating venues, especially due to the massive support of all 1,160 Massage Envy clinics in 49 States.
Next was Brazil, which saw 176 properties participate in the event, most notably in Nanuque, Belo Horizonte and Rio de Janeiro.
The third most active country was France, with 154 participating properties, particularly in Marseille (the second largest city in the country) and Massif Central, which has 17 thermal towns.
Mexico was next, with 54 properties that participated (especially in San Miguel de Allende and Tulum), followed by Italy with 39, mostly in Milano & Sardinia.
Sixty organisations supported World Wellness Weekend, including the United Nations Global Sustainability Index Institute (UNGSII); the European Commission (#BeActive); and IHRSA (International Health, Racquet and Sports Club Association), gathering over 8,000 fitness clubs in the world).
Elected officials issued Proclamations supporting World Wellness Weekend as an event of ‘public interest’ to boost Wellness Tourism and enhance the quality of life: These included the Deputy Minister for Tourism of the Republic of Cyprus; the Minister of Tourism of Maharashtra (India); Tourism Board of Malaysia; six US Governors (i.e. Arizona, Connecticut, Iowa, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas); and 15 Mayors, including Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador and France.
The 4th World Wellness Weekend has been scheduled for 19 and 20 September 2020.
www.world-wellness-weekend.org (six languages)