SAMUI ISLAND, 21 August 2025: Thailand’s booming wellness tourism sector is gaining renewed global focus, with Samui Island set to host the upcoming C9 Hotelworks Session titled “Koh Samui Wellness Tourism – Beyond the Spa” at W Koh Samui on Monday, 29 September 2025.
The event arrives as Thailand’s wellness economy reaches unprecedented heights. In 2023, the sector was valued at THB1.4 trillion, with wellness tourism spend soaring from THB194 billion in 2022 to THB419 billion. While local travel remains strong, it’s the rise in international wellness seekers that is fuelling growth. Samui, with its upscale retreats, yoga sanctuaries, and spa resorts, is emerging as a global wellness hub, drawing visitors in search of more meaningful, long-stay experiences.
Organised by hospitality consultants C9 Hotelworks in collaboration with Delivering Asia Communications, Skål International Koh Samui, and W Hotels, the 90-minute industry forum aims to redefine how destinations approach wellness travel.
Attendance is free based on advance registration. The event opens at 1500, with the panel convening from 1600 to 1730.
The discussion will move beyond traditional spa models and into areas such as biohacking, genomic medicine, sports tourism, immersive healing retreats, and AI-powered fitness innovation. Executives from top resorts, including Kamalaya, Lamai Samui Resort, and Vikasa Yoga, will share their perspectives on how Samui can lead the shift toward lifestyle-driven wellness.
Key contributions will come from Bangkok Hospital Network’s Genolife Services, which is pioneering genomic medicine programmes for travellers, and Technogym Southern Thailand, which will highlight AI’s role in personalising fitness. The design side of wellness will also feature, with Interior Architecture 103 explaining how architectural details can enhance recovery and wellbeing.
Samui’s tourism recovery underlines the event’s importance. In early 2025, 1.13 million arrivals were recorded at Samui International Airport, a 9% increase over the same period last year. In 2024, the island welcomed 2.78 million visitors, surpassing pre-pandemic numbers. Hotel performance is up, with double-digit gains in occupancy and rates, and new hotel openings, including Nivata by Hilton and SO/ by Sofitel, reflecting investor confidence.
The C9 Session is more than just a discussion. It’s a timely strategy summit aimed at integrating wellness into mainstream tourism through innovation, investment, and cross-sector collaboration. By anchoring itself in genuine health transformation rather than trend-chasing, Koh Samui is poised to become a case study in next-generation tourism success.
About the author
Andrew J Wood is a respected travel writer, hotelier, and tourism lecturer with over four decades of experience in Southeast Asia’s hospitality and tourism sectors. He is a former general manager of several leading hotels in Thailand. Andrew is also a former Director of Skål International, past President of Skål International Asia, Thailand’s National President, and a two-time past president of Skål International Bangkok. He contributes regularly to leading regional and global travel publications.
