The Global Wellness Institute (GWI), an international think tank that develops research and resources to positively impact the global wellness industry, announced plans to deliver its Global Wellness Tourism Congress (GWTC) in

multiple cities during 2015.

International wellness expert Anni Hood will highlight the opportunity the US$494bn wellness tourism industry offers individual countries and regions during these one-day congresses in four new countries – in addition to the annual GWTC event held in conjunction with the Global Wellness Summit in Mexico in November 2015. The GWI has changed the name of the Global Wellness Summit, which was previously the Global Spa & Wellness Summit.

Sponsoring countries will gain valuable insight into research and data on wellness tourism in their region. The congresses will focus on education and infrastructure to support the ongoing establishment of wellness tourism and will initiate collaboration between public and private sectors to develop cohesive wellness tourism goals.

“Anni Hood brings more than 15 years of global wellness experience to GWTC and has been leading the GWI’s wellness tourism initiatives since the first GWTC took place during the Global Wellness Summit in New Delhi, India,” said Susie Ellis, chair and CEO of the GWI. Ellis added that Hood’s involvement in these new GWTCs will bring the wellness tourism message to a broader audience.

The GWI is focused on actively raising the awareness of wellness tourism within governments and their relevant ministries. Ellis recentlyco-authored an article with Renee Moorefield, CEO of Wisdom Works, encouraging governments all over the world to create ministries of wellness to advance the wellbeing of the global population.

In addition to her work for the GWI, Hood is founder and CEO of Anni Hood Wellness Business Consultancy, which provides wellness integration services to both public and private sector businesses. She also launched a consumer-facing company called K.I.S Lifestyle in 2011, which provides customers with a collective approach to optimising health, by integrating a range of services such as classic spa treatments, medical expertise, life coaching and nutritional guidance.