Global Wellness Economy Reaches 6.8 Trillion Dollars as All Sectors Surpass Pre-Pandemic Levels
Krissy Vann | Host, All Things Fitness and Wellness
The global wellness market has moved far past recovery and into a period of rapid expansion. New data from the Global Wellness Institute’s Global Wellness Economy Monitor 2025 shows an industry that is not only larger than it has ever been, but one that is accelerating. Wellness reached 6.8 trillion dollars in 2024, a 7.9 percent increase from the previous year, placing it ahead of major global industries such as tourism, information technology, and the green economy. All eleven wellness sectors now exceed pre pandemic values, and growth patterns indicate that the industry is entering a new phase driven by prevention, longevity, and rising global health needs.
The market has doubled since 2013. GWI projects average annual growth of 7.6 percent through 2029, which would bring the wellness economy to 9.8 trillion dollars. Much of the sector’s momentum comes from two areas that have expanded rapidly since 2019. Wellness real estate grew 19.5 percent annually as consumers prioritized living environments that support mental and physical health. Mental wellness grew 12.4 percent annually, reflecting rising stress levels and a generational shift toward prioritizing emotional wellbeing. Sub segments with the strongest growth include cannabis products at 26 percent, meditation and mindfulness at 18.9 percent, and sleep at 12.6 percent. Workplace wellness was the only category that contracted, declining 1.5 percent from 2023 to 2024.
Regional performance also reflects broad global demand. North America grew 7.9 percent annually, followed by the Middle East and North Africa at 7.2 percent and Europe at 6.3 percent. Per capita spending remains significantly higher in North America at 6,029 dollars, while Europe averages 1,876 dollars.
At its current size, wellness surpasses sports at 2.7 trillion dollars, tourism at 5 trillion dollars, the green economy at 5.1 trillion dollars, and information technology at 5.3 trillion dollars. The industry is nearly four times larger than pharmaceuticals at 1.8 trillion dollars. Wellness accounted for 6.1 percent of global GDP in 2024 and is predicted to reach 7.1 percent by 2029.
Katherine Johnston, senior research fellow at the Global Wellness Institute, said, “Now that the wellness economy has fully recovered from the pandemic, we can see how unstoppable it is as a consumer trend, and also how much the future growth has been accelerated by our pandemic experiences. There has been a sea change in consumer mindsets, with prevention, mental health, social connection, the impacts of our living environments, and nature becoming dramatically more important all over the world.”
Across the 2019 to 2024 period, personal care and beauty, healthy eating and weight management, physical activity, and traditional and complementary medicine each grew at roughly 5 percent annually. Wellness tourism increased 6.4 percent annually, spas grew 6.2 percent, and public health, prevention and personalized medicine grew 8.6 percent. The fitness technology market more than doubled to 86 billion dollars, while the weight loss services market contracted 1.1 percent in 2024 due to rising demand for GLP 1 medications.
Projections through 2029 place wellness real estate as the strongest future performer with expected annual growth of 15.2 percent. Traditional and complementary medicine is projected to grow 10.8 percent annually, supported by expanding interest in Ayurveda, TCM, herbal products, and longevity related services. Mental wellness is expected to grow 10.1 percent annually. Wellness tourism is projected to grow 9.1 percent annually, while thermal and mineral springs are expected to grow 10 percent each year as social bathing and hydrothermal destinations gain global traction.
Within the public health, prevention and personalized medicine category, personalized medicine is projected to grow 9.3 percent annually. By 2029, six wellness sectors are expected to exceed one trillion dollars in market size. These include personal care and beauty, healthy eating and weight management, physical activity, wellness tourism, wellness real estate, and traditional and complementary medicine.
The Global Wellness Economy Monitor provides detailed sub sector data, regional analysis, and growth forecasts across all eleven wellness sectors. It also outlines the macro forces shaping the next five years as the market continues to expand.
