An exhibit showcasing the health & wellness tourism products and services that are available in the market today – including beauty and anti-aging offerings from the country’s leading dermatology clinics and boutiques – is one of the main attractions of the Health & Wellness CONFEX 2024 that will be held on January 26-28, 2024 at the SMX Convention Center at the Mall of Asia Complex in Pasay City.
Co-presented by the Department of Tourism (DOT), in partnership 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 will allow visitors to experience a number of health and wellness services of the exhibitors for free. For instance, the DOT booth will have trained hilot who can apply this age-old Filipino healing technique on visitors on a first-come, first-served basis.
Meanwhile, the DOH, which will have a five-section pavilion on the exhibition floor, will offer various consultation services. Section 1 will focus on dermatology and geriatrics, while Section 2 will provide nutrition and weight counseling. Healthcare professionals will man Section 3 which will offer HIV testing and counseling. Vaccination against flu will be available at Section 4, but this service will be limited to the first 115 visitors only per day. Section 5 will be for general consultations and for the monitoring of vital signs. Free medications may also be given to some visitors who need them.
This global initiative that aims to promote the Philippines as a health and wellness tourism destination will gather under one roof the stakeholders of the multi-trillion dollar health & wellness industry. These include award-winning wellness resorts to globally accredited hospitals that provide medical tourism packages, all the way to organic farms and specialty shops that offer a wide range of innovative, sustainable and eco-friendly health and wellness products and services.
With the theme “Go & Get Better,” this regenerative tourism-focused event will also feature a conference, business matching session, and various experiential activities. It is, in fact, the centerpiece of a global multimedia campaign that is designed to promote the country’s many health & wellness destinations, as well as its extensive array of health and wellness offerings.
As such, it will serve as the platform for launching an innovative television travel show-vlog that will allow viewers to explore the fascinating world of health & wellness amid the breathtaking natural wonders of the Philippines. Called OTW, the acronym for “On Travel & Wellness,” it will take viewers on a virtual trip to the country’s many tourist spots, while highlighting, at the same time, the importance of wellbeing, of keeping healthy and safe while leading an active lifestyle. Made up of 13 30-minute episodes, this show will feature stunning views of the picturesque beaches, magnificent dive sites, towering mountains and verdant woodlands that the Philippines is famous for. In addition, it will provide an in-depth look at the country’s diverse wellness practices – including traditional healing arts – through compelling anecdotes and discussions with regional experts. OTW will be aired on GMA 7’s GTV.
While Health & Wellness CONFEX 2024 is primarily designed to promote the Philippines as a world-class health & wellness tourism destination, it will also put a special focus on catering to visitors who have become more health-conscious because of the pandemic, and who are looking for ways to live healthy and safely, yet still actively, in an environment where COVID-19 has become as common as the flu.
Another new segment forming part of the event, a wellness festival called Masigabo, is especially dedicated to Filipino migrant workers to be held on the third day of the expo. The Masigabo Wellness Festival consists of programs and activities that pay tribute to the industry and sacrifices of Filipino migrants, both Filipino immigrants and overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). More importantly, these activities are designed to make them feel better, relaxed and valued. Experts will also be around to provide them with tips on how to remain healthy and improve their well-being amid issues confronting them.
And in line with this year’s theme, and with so many Filipinos living, residing, or working abroad, Masigabo seeks to encourage our Filipino migrants to become our country’s active tourism ambassadors to tell their friends overseas to come to the Philippines where they can “Go & Get Better!”.
The event is likewise supported by the Department of Agriculture, Department of Migrant Workers, Tourism Promotions Board, and Duty Free Philippines.
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).
