Catherine B Turvill: Well-meaning intentions

What is WeTAP and what does it do?
Encouraged by the Department of Tourism (DoT), stakeholders from across the wellness industry came together to form WeTAP in August 2024.

We aim to promote wellness tourism domestically, and position the Philippines as a leading international wellness destination, given that this sector has evolved over the decades.

As the health and wellness sector in the Philippines blossomed into a multi-million dollar industry, attracting significant investments in modern and holistic wellness centres and sanctuaries within hotels and resorts nationwide, the Spa Association of the Philippines, initially established in 2009, evolved into the more comprehensive WeTAP.

What exactly is wellness tourism?
The Global Wellness Institute defines it as travel associated with the pursuit of maintaining or enhancing one’s well-being, offering activities and programmes that encourage relaxation to help improve one’s physical, mental and emotional health. It can include holistic health and wellness centres, yoga and meditation retreats, spa treatment, healthy eating, outdoor adventures and fitness programmes.

What is the demand like these days?
The stress from work and urban lifestyle, and health concerns have brought about the need for wellness. Filipinos have also become more health-conscious after the pandemic. Business events and corporates are also incorporating health and wellness into their events as it becomes a need more than a luxury.

Recognising this trend, we have observed a growing number of foreign tourists incorporating health and wellness into their Philippine itineraries, with an increasing segment now visiting solely for these purposes.

A DoT official explained that effectively marketing health and wellness to the luxury market abroad is challenging without a well-established and recognised domestic base. What do you think?
We are getting there. We have aggressive marketing and PR programmes to increase the visibility of our members and wellness destinations.

We identify stakeholders who are ready to be promoted to the global market, and have a series of training programmes to develop the capacity of members to provide professional services.

We work closely with the DoT by joining local and international trade fairs; there are 16 international travel fairs in DoT’s 2025 pipeline.

The International Health and Wellness Tourism Congress, brought to the Philippines by the DoT in October 2024, successfully placed the country on the global wellness tourism map. This achievement, evidenced by the participation of delegates from 38 nations, has resulted in an invitation for the Philippines to host the Congress again this year.

In May 2024, the DoT also launched the Filipino Brand of Wellness (FBW). The government is strategically promoting wellness tourism as a key offering while simultaneously developing new quality standards for wellness establishments across the country.

This government’s focus on wellness tourism and the development of national standards strongly supports our recommendations for a dedicated national wellness tourism campaign. Furthermore, we are eager to implement initiatives like a medical concierge service at Manila Airport and advocate for improved air connectivity.

You mentioned the Filipino brand of wellness, FBW. Could you elaborate?
FBW embodies our inherent healing touch and hospitality, rooted in genuine care and compassion – qualities exemplified by Filipinos working globally as doctors, nurses, caregivers, and physical therapists.

Beyond the well-known hilot healing massage, FBW also emphasises ethical and sustainable practices, rich wellness traditions, our vibrant culture through locally-sourced medicinal herbs and nutritious food, and a holistic wellness experience that deeply reflects the Filipino spirit.

Do you think the Philippines can become a key player in wellness tourism?

The future looks promising for the Philippines in the wellness sector. According to the 2023 Global Wellness Institute, the global wellness economy reached a substantial US$5.6 trillion in 2022. Notably, the Philippines ranks impressively at 22nd globally out of 218 countries and eighth in the Asia-Pacific region, showcasing its strength across personal care, healthy eating, traditional medicine, and particularly, wellness tourism.

This sector in the Philippines experienced remarkable growth of 79.9 per cent between 2020 and 2022, leading all other wellness sectors. With a valuation of US$2.4 billion in 2022 and global wellness tourism projected to reach US$651 billion by 2027, the Philippines is strategically positioned as a significant player in this expanding global market.

What else is needed to make these opportunities into reality?To further develop wellness tourism, we are actively addressing the need for enhanced world-class infrastructure. Ensuring accessibility for our members across the Philippines necessitates improved major air connectivity, including the development of more airports. As such, we are also working closely with the DoT, and the DoT is engaging with other government bodies through public-private sector partnerships.