IHIF Asia, September 2025
by Ingo Schweder
Last week as we participated in the 2nd Asia edition of the International Hospitality Investment Forum (IHIF) in Hong Kong, we reflect on three intense days of insightful discussions, throught-provoking presentations, invaluable networking opportunities that underscored both the challenges and the exciting opportunities shaping our industry today.
Drawing on the on-ground observations combined with the rich conversations and insights exchanged with various global industry experts, hospitality investors and developers gathered at the forum, we have identified several key takeaways that not only reflect current market dynamics but also signal where the future of hospitality and wellness is heading.
GOCO Hospitality Founder & CEO, Ingo Schweder at IHIF Asia 2025
Wellness Economy and Real Estate Market trends
- The global wellness economy is now valued at $6.8 trillion (GWI, 2024), growing at nearly twice the rate of global GDP. Within that, wellness real estate alone accounts for $584 billion and is projected to exceed $1.1 trillion by 2029.
- Today’s consumer, be it a hotel guest, resident, or member, seeks environments that optimise healthspan beyond lifespan. They are looking for environments that extend vitality, prevent decline and diseases, and nurture community.
- Developments and properties with integrated wellness amenities report premiums of 10–25% on residential sales prices and significantly higher RevPAR for hospitality assets.
The evolution of Wellness Hospitality & Real Estate
- Hotels are no longer just for short-term stays, but launchpads for long-term lifestyle engagement through memberships, branded residences, and wellness-driven experiences.
- Residential developments are weaving in wellness infrastructure, thermal bathing circuits, diagnostic and longevity centres, social wellness clubs, all as core to placemaking, not as afterthoughts.
- Members’ clubs, experiential programming, longevity labs, and curated community events ensure these ecosystems feel alive, sticky, and resilient.
The key opportunities according to GOCO Hospitality
- Longevity is the next frontier a guests and residents are seeking diagnostics, biohacking, and personalised medicine integrated with hospitality service levels.
- Social wellness experiences such as contrast bathing, sound immersions, or communal dining, are redefining community engagement in real estate and hotels.
- Membership models with hybrid hotel-residential clubs extend brand reach, generate recurring revenue, and build long-term loyalty.
- Technology & tradition offerings will become winning models by fusing ancestral wisdom with cutting-edge science to provide a complete, trusted wellness ecosystem.
“Longevity is the next frontier a guests and residents are seeking diagnostics, biohacking,
and personalised medicine integrated with hospitality service levels.”
“We now stand at a fascinating moment in hospitality and real estate where wellness goes way beyond a mere amenity, or a siloed offering, and instead, has become a core driver of consumer demand, brand positioning, and asset value. What we are now observing is the evolution from wellness as an experience, to wellness as a way of living. At GOCO, we have come to realise that how we conceive, design, and deliver hospitality and real estate is a revolution. Our approach to conceptualising wellness is about creating destinations that people do not merely visit, but aspire to belong to. For us, it should represent not just a lifestyle trend, but a long-term value proposition that ensures the combination of the destination, product and offering all together remain relevant, future-proof, and deeply aligned with human aspiration.” says Ingo Schweder.
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