Launched in 2017, World Wellness Weekend is a worldwide celebration that allows millions of people to experience fun, free, and inclusive wellness activities across the five pillars of wellness: Rest, Nutrition, Vitality, Serenity, and Solidarity.
Promoting the culture of good living is the goal of W3, now in its 7th edition. The 2023 edition was a success: 148 participating countries and 6,300 facilities (+26% compared to 2022), ever-increasing media coverage aimed at a total audience of 430 million people, including enthusiasts and professionals.
What is World Wellness Weekend (W3)?
The World Wellness Weekend (W3) is a global event dedicated to total wellness, involving more and more realities. The concept is simple: every third weekend in September, just before the equinox, thousands of facilities open their doors to present exclusive programmes and experiences with fun, free and inclusive activities to try out with friends, colleagues, or family. Its creator, Jean-Guy de Gabriac, launched the initiative in 2017, starting in France and Belgium, and since then it has been a crescendo of acclaim. It is undoubtedly an innovative event that puts the individual at the centre of their own well-being, promoting a culture of well-being understood as the result of lifestyle choices.
The goals of the World Wellness Weekend
Health and wellness for all. One of the goal is to remind people that for a healthy individual, wellness is a responsible relationship between body/mind and ourselves. Hence the importance of a holistic approach that treats the human body as a whole. A global interest initiative that encourages millions of people around the world and in tourist destinations to recharge their batteries with outdoor recreation, sport, wellness and culture.
A weekend in which Spas, wellness and thermal centres, gyms and beauty salons offer the opportunity to participate in fun, original and free activities by making their facilities and staff available.
World Wellness Weekend in Italy
We asked Régis Boudon-Doris, ambassador for Italy of the World Wellness Weekend and founder and CEO of the bbspa_Group.
“In addition to the constantly growing numbers, I would like to highlight a very important milestone that we have reached: W3 in Italy has a national coverage, clearly visible on the Wellness Map, with no less than 772 participating companies/businesses, guaranteeing a presence in all regions and in the vast majority of provinces! This rewards our commitment as organisers and has enabled every Italian or tourist in Italy to find the nearest W3 activity and enjoy wellness!
World Wellness Weekend around the world
With 6,300 participating venues in 148 countries, the World Wellness Weekend 2023 involved so many hospitality, fitness and beauty professionals who shared the UNITED NATIONS Sustainable Goal 3: “Good Health and Wellness for All” in partnership with 60 professional associations and federations and received the endorsement of 6 ministers of health and tourism and 30 mayors.
- 6,300 venues (+26% compared to 2022) hosting lots of fun and free group activities, indoors and out.
- 125 hours (+150% compared to 2022) of online sessions with ZOOM webinars, Facebook LIVE, Insta LIVE by Les Mills+, YogAway by BijaB, Immunocologie, Valérie Orsoni, John W. Brick Foundation, International Massage Association and about a hundred experts sharing insights and tutorials in English, Spanish, Japanese and French.
- 1,000 mentions (TV, radio, press, online newspapers) and 8,000 posts on social networks reached a total audience of 430 million people with an estimated 17 million views (sources: Coverage Book, Brand24, TVeyes).
The most popular events
TOP 5 PLACES Category
28% Fitness clubs, sports clubs, yoga, pilates, outdoor activities
14% Holistic Wellness Centres, Integrative Clinics
13% Spas, beauty institutes, salons
11% Hotels, resorts, spas, thalassotherapy, holiday villages
9% Wellness Practitioners, Physiotherapists, Acupuncturists, Chiropractors, Kinesiologists
TOP 5 ACTIVITY Category
22.8% Fitness Coaching, Functional Training, Dance, Stretching, Pilates, Water Activities
16,8% 16.8% Beauty SPA, Manual Therapies, Beauty Bar, Anti-Age, Sauna-Banya-Hammam 15.1% Yoga, Hatha, Pranayama, Accro, Sup, Aerial, Laughter 14.8% Outdoor activities, trekking, running, forest bathing 11.6% Meditation, counselling, screening…
15,1% 15.1% Yoga, Hatha, Pranayama, Accro, Sup, Aerial, Laughter
14,8% 14.8% Outdoor activities, trekking, running, forest bathing
11,6% 11.6% Meditation, counselling, screening…
THE 10 MOST ACTIVE COUNTRIES
Here are the countries that stood out in terms of the number of organisations involved and, in brackets, the number of fun and free activities offered.
1. SPAIN 986 (2.731)
2. BRASIL 731 (2.751)
3. ITALY 651 (772)
4. JAPAN 421 (446)
5. ARGENTINA 219 (271)
6. DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 156 (334)
7. UNITED KINGDOM 138 (173)
8. VIETNAM 125 (196)
9. CANADA 108 (183)
10. INDIA 103 (216)
For more information
Anyone can easily find professionals and activities participating in the World Wellness Weekend at www.wellmap.org (18 languages).
Other references: www.wellmap.it
info@weekend-wellness.com