The Health & Wellness CONFEX 2024, scheduled for January 26-28, 2024, at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City, is set to feature an exhibition highlighting current health and wellness tourism products and services. This includes offerings in beauty and anti-aging from leading dermatology clinics and boutiques.
Co-presented by the Department of Tourism (DOT) in collaboration with the Department of Health (DOH), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), and the Philippine Gaming and Amusement Corporation, the three-day event offers visitors the chance to experience various health and wellness services from exhibitors at no cost. Notably, the DOT booth will feature trained hilot practitioners applying this traditional Filipino healing technique on a first-come, first-served basis.
The DOH, with a five-section pavilion on the exhibition floor, will provide diverse consultation services. Sections will focus on dermatology, geriatrics, nutrition, weight counseling, HIV testing, counseling, flu vaccination, general consultations, and vital signs monitoring. Free medications may be offered to some visitors in need.
This global initiative aims to position the Philippines as a health and wellness tourism destination, uniting stakeholders from the multi-trillion-dollar health and wellness industry. This includes wellness resorts, globally accredited hospitals offering medical tourism packages, organic farms, and specialty shops with innovative, sustainable, and eco-friendly health and wellness products and services.
With the theme “Go & Get Better,” the event includes a conference, business matching session, and experiential activities. It is a focal point of a global multimedia campaign promoting the country’s health and wellness destinations. The event will launch the television travel show-vlog “OTW” (On Travel & Wellness), showcasing the Philippines’ natural wonders and diverse wellness practices.
While primarily focused on promoting the Philippines as a world-class health and wellness tourism destination, Health & Wellness CONFEX 2024 addresses the growing health-conscious audience in the wake of the pandemic, providing ways to live healthily and safely. A new segment, the Masigabo Wellness Festival, is dedicated to Filipino migrant workers, offering programs and activities to acknowledge their industry and sacrifices and to promote better well-being.
Supported by the Department of Agriculture, Department of Migrant Workers, Tourism Promotions Board, and Duty Free Philippines, Health & Wellness CONFEX 2024 seeks to encourage Filipino migrants to become active tourism ambassadors, inviting friends overseas to come to the Philippines and “Go & Get Better.”
The Health & Wellness CONFEX 2024 is also made possible by the following:
Major Sponsors: Philippine Retirement Authority, Enjoy Health, Lifecore Bio Integrative Inc., Dean & Deluca Philippines, The Zen Institute, Conrad Manila, The Farm at San Benito, Nurture Wellness Village, Organique, CWC Interiors, Networld Hotel, Lanson Place, Pots for Plants, and Center for Healthy Aging and Regenerative Medicine (CHARM), Lanson Place, Networld Hotel, Lime Hotels & Resorts,
Minor Sponsors: Food Club, Sonia’s Garden, Annapoorna, Happy Garden Café, Holistic Integrative Care Center Philippines (HICC), Aba Pardes, Annapoorma, King Fu Express, Piggy Papa, The Belle Salon, Speir Modern Residences
Event Partners: IQ Capture Printing Corporation, Ark of Dreams, Market Social, SMX Convention Center, DigitalCircles Marketing Services, and Phildiz Studios;
Media Partners: GMA Network, ABS-CBN Corporation, GMA 7 GTV, Aliw Channel 23, Asian Journal, Balikbayan Magazine, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Business Mirror, Daily Tribune, Digital Out Of Home Media (DOOH), Manila Standard, Rising Tigers, DZRH, Entrepinas TV, and Quezon City Performing Arts Development Foundation Inc.
Telco Partner: Globe
Organizers and Event Managers: Mblessed Travel & Marketing, Inc. and Concept One Management Services.
From the creative concept of Mblessed Travel and Marketing, Inc., the Health & Wellness CONFEX is spearheaded by a team of seasoned event organizers, wellness advocates, travel and tours agencies, and marketing and communication professionals, and with the country’s wellness guru, Cory Quirino, as its Executive Director.
For any inquiries or to participate at Health & Wellness CONFEX 2024, you can reach its Secretariat by email at secretariat@wellnessconfex.com or by phone at 09277227670 (attention: Sarah Timonera).
The Health & Wellness CONFEX is the centerpiece of a global campaign with the ultimate aim of promoting the Philippines as a world-class health & wellness destination!
January 26-28, 2024 SMX Convention Center Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City, Philippines
The Health & Wellness CONFEX stands as the singular international B2B2C trade fair, sourcing platform, business matching venue, knowledge exchange hub, and brand showcase exclusively dedicated to sustainable wellness and lifestyle products and services. With the overarching objective of promoting the Philippines as a top-tier destination for health and wellness, this initiative was launched in collaboration with the Philippines’ Department of Tourism and the Tourism Promotions Board at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) in Dubai, UAE, in April 2018. The launch coincided with the Arabian Travel Market, the largest travel show in the Middle East, and included a celebration for Filipinos known as “Kabayan Fiestahan.”
In 2019, the event took place at the SMX Convention Center, bringing together key players in the wellness and medical tourism sectors, along with various stakeholders from related industries. Regarded as the pioneer and the sole trade fair of its kind in the Philippines, it has played a pivotal role in promoting the country’s health and wellness offerings.
During the pandemic, a series of webinars addressing the virus and health and wellness, coupled with the television program “Graceful Living” aired on ANC Channel and hosted by Cory Quirino, offered insights into the hows and whys of healthy living, replacing the conventional wellness tourism campaign.
The 2024 event will even be a greater version with the following segments:
- Conference and Exposition (ConfEx) on January 26-28, 2024 at SMX Manila
- On Travel & Wellness (OTW), a TV-Vlog Travel Show on GMA 7’s GTV
- Philippine Wellness Festival dubbed Masigabo in honor of Filipino Migrants
2024 Theme: “Go & Get Better: Regenerative Tourism Recharges All”
Under the theme “Go & Get Better: Regenerative Tourism Recharges All,” this event aims to highlight the importance of traveling with a mission to actively contribute to regenerative tourism. It advocates for a conscientious approach, encouraging individuals to embark on their journeys with purposeful intentions. Embracing a contributive mindset towards supporting regenerative tourism allows us to play a role in the recovery and advancement of communities and tourist sites, fostering progress as we explore and engage with them.
“Go & Get Better Metaverse App” Powered by Ark of Dreams (AOD)
The Health & Wellness CONFEX 2024 receives support from Ark of Dreams (AOD), a technology company enhancing brand user experiences through its interactive rewards platform. This platform enables customers to engage in quests, redeeming rewards from partnered brands. Attendees can participate by downloading the “Go & Get Better Metaverse App” during the Media Launch and the ConFex event. They will be encouraged to explore attractions or exhibitions, take part in specified quests, and earn points, entitling them to rewards from participating exhibitors.
“Go & Get Better”: The Deca-Wellness Tenets
Embracing the responsibility for personal well-being, as well as that of a community and the environment, can be a challenging and even daunting task. Recognizing this, the Health & Wellness CONFEX, with its “Go & Get Better” campaign, introduces a straightforward lifestyle guide to wellness. Named The Deca-Wellness Tenets, these 10 key steps outline a path towards a better self and a better world, providing an easy-to-understand and practical framework for individuals to follow.
Why Support This Noble Initiative
As per the Global Wellness Institute, the global wellness economy was valued at US$4.9 trillion in 2019 but experienced a slowdown to US$4.4 trillion in 2020, primarily due to the widespread impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, the industry rebounded, reaching US$5.6 trillion, and is anticipated to exhibit consistent growth, averaging 9.9% per year. Projections indicate that it will surpass nearly US$7.0 trillion in 2025.
In 2020, the Philippines secured the 21st position in the Global Wellness Economy Country Rankings. While trailing behind our ASEAN neighbor Indonesia (#19), it outperformed Thailand (#24), Malaysia (#26), Vietnam (#33), Singapore (#44), Myanmar (#71), Cambodia (#85), and Laos (#113). This indicates the country’s potential to ascend among the Top 10 Wellness Economy Markets, with strong governmental support and collaborative efforts from private stakeholders.
“On Travel & Wellness” (OTW)
OTW stands as an inventive television travel show-vlog designed to immerse viewers in a lively, informative virtual journey to the Philippines’ stunning tourist destinations. While showcasing the country’s renowned sun-kissed beaches, magnificent dive sites, towering mountains, and lush woodlands, the show goes beyond mere scenic beauty. It provides a comprehensive exploration of the Philippines’ diverse wellness practices, including traditional healing arts, through compelling anecdotes and expert discussions.
In essence, OTW demonstrates how travel can serve as a means to rejuvenate, revive, and restore balance and harmony to one’s life. Airing on GMA 7’s GTV, this 30-minute, 13-episode show invites viewers to discover the joy of travel while emphasizing the significance of well-being, health maintenance, and safety in leading an active lifestyle.
“Masigabo Wellness Festival”
The Philippine Wellness Festival, aptly named “Masigabo,” serves as a joyous celebration of life, love, unity, and family. Designed as a campaign to inspire Filipinos to embrace a healthy lifestyle, it provides educational programs on fundamental aspects such as proper nutrition, sufficient sleep, and simple exercises. The ultimate aim of this initiative is to foster a “wellness of community,” where love prevails, and individuals thrive collectively. As an integral part of the Health & Wellness CONFEX, “Masigabo” pays homage to Filipino migrants, acknowledging their sacrifices and significant contributions to both the economy and the well-being of their families in the Philippines.
The term “Masigabo” translates to loud and hearty, often used in expressions like “masigabong palakpakan,” meaning a loud and cheerful round of applause. This resonates with the deserving recognition for Filipino migrant workers, commonly known as Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs). Acknowledged as the modern heroes of the Philippines, OFWs have steadfastly remitted funds to their families, contributing significantly to the national economy, with remittances reaching US$36.14 billion in 2022 alone.
The vision behind “Masigabo” extends beyond borders, aiming to reach Filipino migrants worldwide through a wellness tourism roadshow. This global campaign seeks to position the Philippines as a premier health and wellness destination. With a considerable number of Filipinos living abroad, “Masigabo” aspires to motivate Filipino migrants to actively become tourism ambassadors, expediting the realization of this collective goal.
