Health Update: Italy has the fourth-largest wellness economy in Europe – What Experts Say

Italy’s wellness economy is ranked as the fourth-largest in Europe and the 10th largest globally, with a value of US$140.6 billion (€129.5 billion, £100.1 billion) according to the Global Wellness Institute (GWI). 

The GWI’s country ranking report, Global Wellness Economy: Italy, reveals the country sits behind Germany, the UK and France in the 55 wellness markets measured in Europe.

Top 10 European wellness markets 

• Germany – US$281.4 billion (€259 billion, £222.3 billion)
• United Kingdom – US$261 billion (€240.4 billion, £206.4 billion)
• France – US$210.9 (€194.1 billion, £166.6 billion)
• Italy – US$140.6 billion (€129.4 billion, £111.2 billion)
• Russia – US$110.3 billion (€101.5 billion, £87.1 billion)
• Spain – US$106.12 billion (€97.7 billion, £83.9 billion)
• Turkey – US$72.7 billion (€66.9 billion, £57.4 billion)
• Netherlands – US$62.2 billion (€57.3 billion, £49.2 billion)
• Switzerland – US$57.6 billion (€53.0 billion, £45.5 billion)
• Poland – US$52 billion (€47.9 billion, £41.1 billion)

Of the eleven wellness sectors analysed by the GWI, Italy ranks among the top ten global markets in ten of these categories, including physical activity; healthy eating, nutrition and weight loss; mental wellness; workplace wellness; traditional and complementary medicine; public health, prevention and personalised medicine; personal care and beauty; wellness tourism; spas; and thermal mineral springs.

Italy’s top five largest wellness sectors:

• Personal care and beauty – US$38.43 billion (€35.4 billion, £30.4 billion)
• Healthy eating, nutrition and weight loss – US$25.93 billion (€23.9 billion, £20.5 billion)
• Physical activity – US$21.25 billion (€19.6 billion, £16.8 billion)
• Wellness tourism – US$19.99 billion (€18.4 billion, £15.8 billion)
• Public health, prevention and personalised medicine – US$12.4 billion (€11.4 billion, £9.8 billion)

The country’s two fastest-growing sectors between 2019-2024 were: 

• Wellness real estate (with a growth rate of 22.9 per cent to reach US$3.61 billion in 2024)
• Mental wellness (representing a growth rate of 11 per cent to reach US$5.65 billion in 2024)

Susie Ellis, chair and CEO of the GWI said: “Italy represents one of the most mature and integrated wellness markets in the world. Its deep heritage in thermalism and preventive medicine, combined with strong public–private collaboration and world-class natural and medical assets, positions Italy not just as a wellness destination, but as a global model for health and longevity.”

The researchers highlight that, together, Italy’s wellness tourism, spa and thermal/mineral springs sectors were worth a combined US$27 billion (€24.8 billion, £21.3 billion) in 2024. The study was sponsored by Italcares, a digital platform advertising spa services, created by Federterme (Italy’s association for the thermal spa industry).

The report is available via the GWI’s Geography of Wellness platform.