The Global Wellness Institute (GWI) defines wellness as the active pursuit of activities, choices,and lifestyles that lead to a state of holistic health. There are two important aspects to this definition. First, wellness is not a passive or static state, but rather an “active pursuit” that is associated with intentions, choices, and actions. Second, wellness is linked to holistic health – that is, it extends beyond physical health and incorporates many different dimensions, including physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, social, and environmental dimensions.

The wellness economy encompasses industries that enable consumers to incorporate wellness activities and lifestyles into their daily lives. GWI last measured the size of the wellness economy

in the 2018 Global Wellness Economy Monitor. In the last few years, major shifts and disruptions have taken place globally, with a period of strong growth (2017-2019), followed by the massive economic shock of the 2020 pandemic. An update for the global wellness economy is especially compelling and important now, because 2020 has become a watershed year that will forever divide history into “before” and “after” COVID-19.

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