BANGKOK — Thailand’s health tourism sector has experienced remarkable growth of 120%, generating a total revenue of $12.34 billion (431 billion baht), according to a recent announcement by the Thai Spa Association.
This significant growth was revealed during the launch of the first Food & Hospitality Thailand 2025 event, which coincided with the opening of the ASEAN Wellness Tourism Congress 2025 and the 8th Thailand Spa & Well-being Awards 2025.
Sunai Wachiravarakarn, President of the Thai Spa Association, emphasized that wellness tourism is gaining interest worldwide, creating positive momentum for Thailand’s spa and health service businesses. “Health tourism encompasses a broad spectrum of services from prevention and promotion to care and treatment, including relaxation experiences for tourists and service users,” he explained.
According to the latest report from the Global Wellness Institute (GWI), Thailand ranks 24th globally out of 218 countries and 9th in the Asia-Pacific region for health promotion goods and services, with a total value of 40.5 billion US dollars (approximately 1.42 trillion baht).
Medical tourism leads the sector, valued at 12.34 billion US dollars (approximately 431.41 billion baht), positioning Thailand as one of the world’s top 15 destinations for international tourists seeking health activities and services. The average spending per trip in Thailand is approximately 1,735 US dollars (about 60,650 baht).
The spa business specifically has grown by 9.4%, reaching a total value of 1.598 billion US dollars (approximately 55.93 billion baht), with medical spas showing exceptional growth of 22%.
“Operators must upgrade their services and develop new, more comprehensive offerings to capitalize on this growth opportunity,” Wachiravarakarn advised. “Health services with promising prospects include medical spas that combine medical treatments with health care provided by medical personnel, mental wellness services, sleep therapy, nutritional health care, health real estate, and hot spring services.”
The report indicates that tourists aged 25-34 spend the most on health tourism. This demographic not only prioritizes health but also values environmental sustainability, suggesting that businesses should adapt their operations to meet these concerns.
In a strategic move to support industry development, the Thai Spa Association has partnered with Informa Markets to organize the Food & Hospitality Thailand (FHT) 2025 event, scheduled for August 20-23, 2025.
The collaboration aims to provide maximum benefits to entrepreneurs and visitors through exhibition spaces featuring the Association’s operations and displays from leading entrepreneurs in the health and spa service business.
The ASEAN Wellness Tourism Congress 2025 will serve as a forum for knowledge exchange, featuring experts from various ASEAN countries who will discuss trends in service and health tourism, technology integration for competitive advantage, and sustainable business development.
The event will culminate with the presentation of the 8th Thailand Spa & Well-being Awards 2025, which will recognize excellence across 16 categories. These awards, judged by industry experts and international wellness industry media representatives, aim to encourage successful entrepreneurs and elevate industry standards, ultimately enhancing the capabilities of Thai businesses to become global leaders in health tourism.
Domestic tourism has also contributed significantly to the sector’s growth, with average spending increasing by 23%, further underlining the expanding opportunities in Thailand’s wellness tourism market.
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