The Global Wellness Summit will take place at KitzKongress, Kitzbühel in Tyrol, Austria, on October 17-19, 2016.

Nestled in the Austrian Alps, Kitzbühel is an authentic, medieval city and a year-round sports resort – home of World Cup ski races in the winter, ATP Tennis in the summer and, increasingly, a year-round destination as emphasized by its popular Kitzbühel 365 campaign.

Tyrol puts wellness at the centre of its economy, and holds a unique place in wellness history as a pioneering destination, bringing people and businesses together to promote a region’s distinct health-focused offerings.

Fifteen years ago, Tyrol introduced the idea of forming a wellness cluster, bringing together public and private partners to use their synergies to increase competitiveness and inspire innovation. This model has since been emulated in other parts of the world and “Cluster Wellness Tirol” now boasts a member network of more than 120 wellness businesses.

“Tyrol, Austria is an amazing example of a destination that has centred its tourism initiatives around wellness, transforming the region from a single season, ski-only destination to a year-round wellness destination,” said Susie Ellis, GWS chair and CEO.

“The region has what wellness seekers want: natural surroundings full of remarkable beauty; fresh air, clean water; great, authentic, local cuisine; and plenty of outdoor space to stay active and in touch with nature.”

“This inspirational environment will no doubt help fuel transformative thought leadership about the future of wellness during the Summit,” continued Ellis. “I can’t think of a better venue for our tenth anniversary Summit – a kind of Wellness Davos.”

According to research from the Global Wellness Institute, Austria ranks first in Europe in wellness tourism expenditures per capita (€14.1bn annually) and is the 5th largest wellness tourism market in the world with a modest population of 8 million. And Tyrol alone had a record-breaking 11 million guest arrivals in 2015, a remarkable achievement for a region with fewer than a million full-time residents.

“Bringing the premiere wellness conference to Tyrol is extremely gratifying for our region and will help us put a global spotlight on something we started decades ago: wellness tourism,” said Günther Platter, governor of Tyrol.

“We look forward to welcoming the international community and exploring the exciting opportunities for the future of our remarkable region that offers so much of what people are looking for these days: the ability to slow down, get away and immerse in nature and joys of life.”

This year’s event is co-chaired by two members of the GWS board of directors: Susan Harmsworth MBE, founder of skincare brand ESPA, and Dr. Franz Linser, founder and managing director of international consulting firm Linser Hospitality. Linser, an Austrian native, was fundamental in establishing Cluster Wellness Tirol.