From vegan food to meditation: how wellness tourism is getting a luxury makeover in the Philippines
One of the country’s most famous luxury holistic wellness spas, The Farm at San Benito in Lipa, offers programmes supervised by licensed medical professionals, nutritionists, spa therapists, yoga teachers and fitness coaches
As more of the global population joins the middle class, wellness tourism is taking off as never before by combining beautiful destinations with activities that are good for the body and soul.
In Asia, the Philippines saw its rapidly developing wellness and medical tourism sector expand by 31 per cent a year between 2015 and 2017.
Compared with Thailand, India and Malaysia, the Philippines entered the medical tourism services industry relatively recently, in 2004.
At the time, the Philippines government endorsed an initiative to stimulate medical tourism called the Philippines Medical Tourism Programme, which included health and wellness in its scope.
The Farm at San Benito, in the Philippines, offers life transformative retreats and holistic medical wellness experiences that are evidence-based, science-based and results driven to heal and rejuvenate
The initiative has been embraced by the Philippines private sector, the Global Wellness Institute said in a report, The Global Wellness Tourism Economy.
The move allows hospitals to upgrade their facilities and take advantage of government incentives such as tax holidays and exemption of import duties for medical equipment.
One of the country’s most famous luxury holistic wellness spas, The Farm at San Benito in Lipa, is a prime example of the melding of existing tourism infrastructure with the medical tourism initiative.
The Farm’s programmes are carefully planned and conducted by internationally trained medical doctors and experts.
The resort has received 60 accolades over the years, ranging from the Asia Spa Awards for categories such as Medi-Spa of the Year in 2005 and 2006, Holistic Treatment of the Year in 2011, as well as Best Medical Wellness Resort in 2012 and 2013, handed out by the Senses Awards in Germany.
