International Wellness Tourism Conference 2024

The 4th annual International Wellness Tourism Conference will be totally devoted to Wellness Tourism, Wellness Travel, and other topics of interest to DMOs, suppliers, travel agents, wellness retreat leaders, wellness practitioners, media, and others interested in the growing wellness sector of the tourism industry.

Whether you are already working in the space, or are a newcomer simply interested in learning more, this two-day conference will provide an excellent opportunity for education along with networking with fellow stakeholders and others in the wellness space.

Below are the guest speakers and presenters booked to date. We will continue to confirm other speakers and work on the full program. If you have not registered as yet, here is the link to do so.

And if you are looking to raise your profile in the wellness tourism space, here is a link to our sponsorship packages.

Guest Speakers & Presenters

SESSION: MEDICAL WELLNESS (and related trends)

Pioneer in health and wellness, as well as an international

business leader, Alfredo Bataller CEO of SHA Wellness Clinic

holds a Law Degree from the Universidad de Alicante (UA)

and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration and

Management from the Instituto de Empresa (IE). He has

complemented his degrees with courses from Harvard

Business School and IESE Business School on strategy

and leadership, and he has charted a remarkable career path

that has taken him to the very top of the wellness industry.

In 2007, he joined his family-run SHA Wellness Clinic and in

2008 he took on the role of CEO and launched an

extraordinary journey with his family to make SHA a world-

leading company in health and wellness, earning

numerous international awards. The most recent addition to the

SHA brand is SHA Mexico.

Apart from his crucial role in SHA, Alfredo is an active member

of the YPO Association (Young Presidents Organization) and is

a prominent speaker at leading forums on Health and

Wellness Tourism. His commitment to the sector is reflected

in his constant participation in major international events.

SESSION: THE FUTURE OF MEDICAL WELLNESS

Santa Barbara-based physician, author and anti-aging research clinician, Dr. Ron Kapp sees aging as a treatable disease, not an unavoidable fate. Classically trained in allopathic medicine (MD – UT Houston. Ph.D. – UT Austin. Post Graduate – St. Louis University. Sports Medicine Fellowship – Albert Ludwigs University, Germany), Ron is passionate about functional medicine as a modality to prevent the chronic diseases of aging and prolong life. His mission is differentiating fact from fiction, hype from hope, and presenting that in upcoming worldwide seminars that integrate science with well-proven cultural therapies that have withstood the test of time.

Dr. Kapp’s presentation will include the following:

– How the medical industry is failing us

– What science is telling us

– How wellness tourism will benefit from the paradigm shift.

SESSION: NAVIGATING THE LEGAL COMPLEXITIES OF TRAVEL

Attorney Kyle Zelazny of the Ment Law Group, PC, practices

in the areas of travel law, corporate and business matters,

law enforcement representation, and all aspects of commercial

real estate transactions, including development, leasing

(including office, retail and industrial leasing), financing, title

and environmental matters. In travel law matters,

Kyle represents and advises travel agents, agency owners,

tour operators and travel technology companies. He received

is B.A. from Boston College and his Juris Doctor (JD)

from the University of Connecticut School of Law.

Kyle is civic-minded and enjoys volunteering at the

Simon Foundation, and is actively engaged in local community

groups and boards. He lives in West Hartford, Connecticut.

Kyle’s presentation will include the following:

– The best way to paper the deal: the keys points in contracts

– The law and you: what impacts travel companies (DOT rules, California’s new laws impacting travel, FTC’s policies on IC’s and non-compete provisions) contracts with Independent Contractors/Host Agencies, and the all-important Terms and Conditions

– Handling a crisis (or avoiding one from happening)

SESSION: ELEVATING HOSPITALITY – INTEGRATING WELLNESS PROGRAMS

Dr. Kerissa Kuis, MBA is a hospitality consultant and entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience in leadership, hospitality, and wellness. She founded BRAVE Leadership School, an EdTech organization, and the University of Wellness, specializing in cutting-edge wellness education.

She is a faculty member at West Virginia University, Penn State University and The University of Arizona where she teaches Organizational Leadership courses. Dr. Kerissa consults with hotels, resorts, and organizations to implement cutting edge wellness programs and services.

Dr. Kerissa’s presentation will include the following:

– Practical strategies for seamlessly integrating wellness programs into hotels

– How to craft personalized strategies and explore innovative ways to enhance guest experience

– Travel agents, wellness practitioners, hotel leaders and other industry enthusiasts will discover how to create a holistic wellness sanctuary for guests

SPONSORED DINNER PRESENTATION

Certified in Mental Health First Aid by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing and a recipient of the 2024 Global Recognition Award, Danae Goldsmith has worked in the corporate wellness and mental well-being sectors of the industry for the last 16 years. Through her leadership, she has spearheaded impactful wellness initiatives designed to empower individuals to achieve personal growth and mental resilience. Danae’s personal journey fuels her passion for creating accessible, personalized wellness experiences. Based on her 16 years of working closely with marketing teams, she is dedicated to helping travel advisors, wellness practitioners, and hospitality professionals capitalize on the booming wellness tourism industry.

Sponsored presentation will include the following:

– The industry’s first mobile app for booking personalized wellness retreats, and how it uses AI to deliver tailored wellness experiences based on individual preferences.

– the ZenBuilder tool, empowering wellness hosts to easily create and manage their own retreats and experiences.

– The importance of integrating sustainability and eco-conscious practices into wellness tourism to meet the growing demand for environmentally responsible travel.

Other speakers and presenters to be announced soon.

Hope you will consider joining us.

Here’s how to register