Morocco is a splendid setting for the 2014 Summit. It has a rich history as a wellbeing destination with an age-old tradition of beauty, relaxation and body care.
New York, NY (PRWEB) January 09, 2014
The Global Spa & Wellness Summit (GSWS) today announced that its eighth annual Summit will be held Wednesday, September 10, through Friday, September 12, at the Four Seasons Resort Marrakech in Morocco. The event, which is considered the world’s most prestigious gathering of business, government and academic leaders in the wellness, travel and spa industries, is expected to attract a record number of attendees. The host-country sponsor and co-organizer is the Moroccan Agency for Tourism Development (SMIT).
The second annual Global Wellness Tourism Congress (GWTC) will be held September 10. The GWTC brings together ministers of tourism and thought-leaders to analyze current market conditions and develop new strategies to further develop wellness tourism. According to a recently released GSWS study, wellness tourism is a US$439 billion market, representing one in seven tourism dollars.
Imad Barrakad, CEO, SMIT, said, “Business, health and wellness are among the six structuring programs of the Moroccan Strategic Vision for Tourism Development 2020. By developing the wellness and spa niche, we are targeting Morocco as an international destination for wellness via the promotion of new wellness and relaxation concepts that are based on an ecological approach that takes advantage of Moroccan’s local riches. Holding the 2014 GSWS in Marrakech is an opportunity for Morocco to introduce the richness and potential of the country for spa and wellness.”
SRI International recently forecast (in the GSWS report "The Global Wellness Tourism Economy") that Morocco would rank among the top 10 nations worldwide for wellness tourism growth through 2017 and is expected to clock an average annual growth rate of 14.7 percent, 60-plus percent faster than the global average.
GSWS Chairman and CEO Susie Ellis noted, “Morocco is a splendid setting for the 2014 Summit. It has a rich history as a wellbeing destination with an age-old tradition of beauty, relaxation and body care. The Moroccan hammam, argan oil and the amazing new anti-aging Barbary fig seed oil are just some of the contributions the country has made to spa and wellness worldwide. Equally impressive is the country's commitment to, and investment in, wellness tourism.”
To register to become a delegate to the GSWS, click here. For more information, visit http://www.gsws.org or email Alexandra Plessier at Alexandra(at)gsws(dot)org. For sponsorship information, contact Executive Vice President Sallie Fraenkel at sallie(at)gsws(dot)org.
About the Summit:
The Global Spa & Wellness Summit (GSWS) is an international organization representing senior executives and leaders from over 40 countries, joined by a common interest to drive economic development and understanding of the spa and wellness industries. Delegates from diverse sectors, including hospitality, tourism, health and wellness, beauty, finance, medical, real estate, manufacturing and technology, attend the organization’s annual Summit, which is held in a different host country each year. After just seven years, the GSWS is now considered the leading global research and educational resource for the $1.9 trillion spa and wellness industry. It is known for introducing major industry initiatives such as SpaEvidence.com, the world’s first online portal to the medical evidence behind common spa and wellness therapies. For more information, visit http://www.gsws.org.
About SMIT:
A key player in planning and tourism development in Morocco, the SMIT is committed to develop and implement innovative concepts to produce the best results and to meet the expectations of all its partners. In addition to its contribution to the conception of the Strategic Vision 2020, the SMIT is a major player in setting of the execution of tourism development projects.
Since its creation, the SMIT has actively worked to carry out different missions, including:
- The conception and the development of the tourism product as defined by the national strategy
- The identification of potential sites for targeted developers and operators
- The engineering studies and the investment advisory
- The promotion of investment opportunities
- The enhancement of private initiative and public-private partnership
Then SMIT philosophy is based on the capitalization of its key success factors in each business area explored and each project developed. Aiming to make Morocco the 20th most important tourist destinations in the world by 2020, the SMIT is the initiator of innovative projects and is a key player in the field of engineering and tourism development through its public and private partnerships.