The global wellness economy is booming, with estimates putting it at around $7 trillion. Jean-Guy de Gabriac, however, is thinking less about the size of the market and more about who is left out of it.
Jean-Guy de Gabriac is a spa advisor and educator whose masterclasses on guest experience have been used by properties including Rosewood, Four Seasons and Waldorf Astoria. He is a judge of the World Spa & Wellness Awards, a member of the International Association’s Hall of Fame, and was named Wellness Personality of the Year in 2024 by the Hotel & Spa Forum. Jean-Guy de Gabriac explained how the World Wellness Weekend grew from 160 venues in France and Belgium into a global movement.
A weekend for pausing
All over the world on the third weekend of September, just before the equinox, professionals in hospitality, fitness, spa, tourism and sport open their doors and offer at least one free hour of activity. It might be yoga on a beach, a mindfulness workshop, a talk from a nutritionist, or a community clean-up.
The timing of the World Wellness Weekend is not a coincidence. It drew on Jean-Guy de Gabriac’s training in Shiatsu and Tuina, the balance of yin and yang. The September equinox is a twice-yearly event when the Sun is directly above the Earth’s equator, making day and night approximately equal in length.
“It’s a time to pause, ponder, reflect, connect with friends, connect with ourselves, connect with nature and recharge.”
The 2026 edition of the World Wellness Weekend ran from the 18th to the 20th of September. According to Jean-Guy de Gabriac, it spans around 185 countries and 1,626 cities, with roughly 12,00 venues taking part. It began with a sunrise activity led by the Māori people in New Zealand and follows the sun around the globe, finishing at sunset in Hawaii.
Jean-Guy de Gabriac Wants to Bridge The Gap
Free sessions are only one element of the programme. The participating venues were encouraged to offer options such as brunch followed by a yoga class, or a half-day package that included a cabana.
The initiative is aimed at people who may be uncertain whether or not wellness activities are for them. For many, Jean-Guy de Gabriac observes, the barrier is not only financial but also a question of value; whether the experience is worthwhile, and which type of yoga or fitness class is most suitable for them. The weekend offered a low-risk introduction, as well as an incentive to plan a local staycation or a short trip to a nearby city.
Addressing inequality in access
Jean-Guy de Gabriac wants to address the significant inequality seen in the industry. Research indicates that a person’s life expectancy can be predicated with surprising accuracy based on the area in which they were born. The gap between lifespan and health span has widened. Many people are now living longer but with more years of poor health. His ambition is to extend not only lifespan and health but also what he refers to as “joy span”.
The Five Pillars of World Wellness Weekend
Jean-Guy de Gabriac frames the weekend around five pillars:
- Vitality and Movement. Focusing on not just muscle but one’s flexibility and mobility. He points to older people who enjoy tango or salsa. They keep their balance, memory, and social connection.
- Serenity and Mindfulness. Jean-Guy de Gabriac’s advice is to focus on what you can change. It is vital to protect your mind in an age of information overload, where AI-generated “experts” can look and sound convincing.
- Nutrition and immunity. We should be making the right choices for our bodies, rather than the easy ones. Looking at the label of a product before consuming it, to check whether it’s right for you, is a step in the right direction.
- Sleep and creativity. Jean-Guy de Gabriac calls sleep an investment, not a waste of time. The brain needs those hours to flush out metabolic waste.
- Purpose and solidarity. Wellness starts within your community.
Jean-Guy de Gabriac’s Wellness Pledge
Available on the project’s website in 18 languages, is a three step commitment.
- Choose one thing to improve on from the five pillars.
- Bring a “wellness buddy”. A friend waiting for you at the yoga studio makes you far more likely to show up.
- Give back. Make a small donation of non-perishable food, home-baked gifts, or money to a local association.
“Passing it forward is the true meaning of wellness for all”
Building Local Initiatives Around The World.
The list of participants involved in the World Wellness Weekend has grown well beyond spas. Hotels such as Six Senses, Rosewood, Marriott, Taj, and Hard Rock have joined the movement. The movement has become more local with schools, mayors, and ministers joining. Here is a list of places that have participated in World Wellness Weekend in their own way:
- Uruguay: the tourism minister recognized the weekend as an event of national interest.
- Italy: a partnership with a national fitness federation brings activities to 116 cities on the third Saturday of September.
- Pombal (Portugal) and Córdoba (Argentina): each city has rebranded the event as its own local wellness weekend.
- Buenos Aires: eight freelancers ran hourly classes from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and collected 285 kilos of food for three associations.
- Jakarta: a spa combines breathwork and stretching with a blood-donation drive.
- Santo Domingo: the city opened 90 parks for guided activities. It was so successful that the mayor now schedules activities every weekend.
Where is Africa?
Jean-Guy de Gabriac acknowledges that Africa is a gap in their map of locations. He has approached spa and wellness associations in South Africa for years, but has been met with limited follow-through. Yoga Experiences Africa is one group taking part in the World Wellness Weekend. He is looking for ambassadors, unpaid volunteers who bring,
He’s now seeking ambassadors: volunteers who are motivated by a sense of purpose for their city or country rather than personal recognition. Ambassadors receive access to a global network of peers, with regular discussions and shared research.
His recommended approach is practical. Where no activity took place in a given city this year, he suggests securing the participation of at least one fitness club, one yoga studio and one pool for the following year. Once five venues are on board, he notes, momentum tends to build quickly.
Jean-Guy de Gabriac’s Personal Practices
Asked how he measures the success of the initiative, he emphasises depth of engagement over scale and points to the growing involvement of mayors, ministers and local communities who continue to develop the idea beyond the weekend itself.
His personal routine is equally modest. When travelling, and too tired or jet-lagged to complete his usual 50-minute yoga practice, he commits to just five minutes. This typically extends to ten or fifteen and concludes with a period of rest in Shavasana.
Find activities near you at https://map.world-wellness-weekend.org/
Watch the interview in full:
View this post on Instagram
![women [longevity live]](https://longevitylive.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/photo-of-women-walking-down-the-street-1116984-100x100.jpg)
