Speaking at the 17th Annual Global Wellness Summit in Miami, USA on 9 November 2023, Krip Rojanastien, Chairman and CEO of Chiva-Som International Health Resorts, shared his vision for the brand with the international wellness community, travel and hospitality professionals.
Rooted in the belief that wellness must go hand in hand with sustainability, Krip talked about the urgent need for change to address the twin challenges of the modern world – those facing the climate and human health - and how they are symbiotically linked.
Krip shared: ‘Manmade climate change is leading to issues from water scarcity and all its attendant health threats to acidification of the oceans; pollution, including through insidious microplastics, is threatening marine life, biodiversity, and human health. World Health Organisation data shows that almost all the global population - 99% - breathe air that exceeds WHO guideline limits and contains high levels of pollutants. A broken food system privileges industrial crop farming and intensive animal husbandry, disconnecting consumers from the food chain; at the same time, obesity, and the life-threatening illnesses it creates are at record levels in countries all over the globe. The World Obesity Atlas 2023 suggests that over 4 billion people may be affected by obesity by 2035, compared with over 2.6 billion in 2020. The people of our planet are living longer, and the United Nations’ World Population Prospects 2019 predicts that by 2050 there will be 2 billion people on Earth over the age of 60. To protect human health, we must protect and clean up our environment and return to living in tune with nature.’
The pressing need to tackle the challenges facing humanity drives Chiva-Som’s belief in building wellness and sustainability into the fabric of society for the long-term. The Family Wellness offering at Zulal Wellness Resort by Chiva-Som was created with the aim of cultivating close family connections, to instill this culture at an individual level within families through the shared experience of a holistic wellness lifestyle. Its aim is to inspire and teach future generations about the power of preventive medicine and living in tune with nature.
The Global Wellness Summit offered a platform on which to reflect on the wider role the wellness industry can play in shaping a better world for future generations, whilst reconfirming Chiva-Som’s commitment to pioneering transformative wellness.
Krip added: ‘It is crucial that wellness knowledge and understanding be built into early education so that it lasts a lifetime. I believe that our industry, alongside parents and educators, can make a valuable contribution to building multi-generational wellness into our lexicon. As knowledgeable and experienced professionals, we are well-placed to provide assistance and guidance on physical and mental health at all ages and to support local governments to make policies and financial commitments to school grounds and resources that support these values. We have a part to play in solving the chronic problems facing our societies, and it is time to share the knowledge far and wide. It is time for action. It is time to share our commitment with the world.’
Krip’s own immersion in the wellness lifestyle started in childhood; he grew up with Chiva-Som, the family business that he took over from his father, the founder Boonchu Rojanastien. He has been running the pioneering transformative wellness destination since 2007. In that time, he has built on the world-class reputation of the flagship resort in Hua Hin, Thailand, to create a global brand focused on sustainable wellness.
In 2022, Chiva-Som spearheaded the launch of Zulal Wellness Resort by Chiva-Som in Qatar to introduce the idea of sustainable wellness to a whole new community. Located on a beautiful stretch of Qatar’s northern coast in Khasooma, it is the first integrated wellness resort to offer Traditional Arabic and Islamic Medicine (TAIM) as well as family wellness.
The foremost in-person gathering of leaders in the multitrillion-dollar wellness economy, the Global Wellness Summit (GWS) convenes top-level international delegates to shape the future of an industry in transformation. From global experts on travel and hospitality to elite athletes highlighting the intersections of sports and wellness, to researchers addressing the future of longevity medicine, the speakers – who all attended the 17th annual Global Wellness Summit in person – illustrated the breadth of the wellness economy and the brilliant minds that will gather to discuss the future of wellness.