The 13th annual Global Wellness Summit – the world’s most prominent wellness industry conference – has announced that it will be relocating from its Hong Kong destination – just two months out from the event, writes Mala McAlpin.

Dates will remain the same, from October 15–17, with the new conference destination announced as the Grand Hyatt, Singapore.

“In an effort to ensure travel is as seamless as possible in and out of the Global Wellness Summit, our GWS leadership, advisory board and partners felt this shift in location was important for the collective wellbeing of everyone involved with the Summit,” said Susie Ellis, chairman and CEO of GWS. “We are working closely with event organisers and the host sponsor to ensure the event remains first-class and there is little interruption for all attendees and presenters.”

The relocation comes as no surprise to many, as Hong Kong’s civil unrest continues to escalate and clashes between the Chinese government and pro-democracy protesters have now left the international airport in a state of turmoil, with thousands of flights delayed, suspended and cancelled.

Traditionally a sold-out event, the GWS is an invitation-only conference that allows top-level wellness industry decision makers from around the world to gather in order to shape the future of the global wellness landscape. Previous summits have taken place in destinations around the world including the US, Switzerland, India, Morocco, Turkey, Italy and Austria.

“While we are saddened by the current situation in Hong Kong, we are excited to present the 13th annual summit in Singapore in October,” said Ellis.