New York, NY. The Global Spa & Wellness Summit (GSWS) announced that its 2013 summit will now be held in New Delhi, India, Oct. 5-7, 2013. Originally slated to take place in Jaipur, India, the summit venue was changed in order to accommodate the schedules of several high-profile speakers.The GSWS also confirmed the summit will take place at The Oberoi, Gurgaon, which is 15 minutes from the Delhi National Airport and has been voted the world’s leading luxury hotel by the World Travel Awards for the second consecutive year. A visit to Jaipur will be available to delegates as a post-summit option.

Described by the New York Times as one of the top 10 “places to go in 2013,” New Delhi is experiencing an economic boom and boasts a new metro transportation system, arts district, and top-rated restaurants and hotels—set in the midst of ancient bazaars and historic architecture. The Oberoi is located in the heart of the prime shopping and business district of Gurgaon, in the New Delhi National Capital Region.

“We are happy that an Indian city has been selected as the location for the 2013 Global Spa & Wellness Summit and look forward to sharing India’s rich and diverse wellness offerings with delegates and media persons from all corners of the world,” said Dr. K.Chiranjeevi, minister of state for tourism. “The GSWS is a major force behind innovative and healthy growth in the spa/wellness industry, and we think that India, with its ancient history of wellness, is the perfect location for global leaders to gather.”

The annual summit attracts top industry executives and media from around the world and is recognized as the preeminent gathering dedicated to bringing together industry leaders in a collaborative setting. The theme of this year’s summit is “A Defining Moment.”

One of the topics that will be addressed at this year’s summit is the growing importance of wellness and wellness tourism worldwide. According to Susie Ellis, chairman and CEO of the GSWS, “The government of India has taken a leadership role by identifying wellness and wellness tourism as important contributors to a nation’s economy. As the birthplace of yoga, meditation and Ayurveda, India is an ideal location to explore the historic roots of spa and wellness, as well as examine new global markets and revenue opportunities.”

Pre- and post-summit attractions

Before the summit, delegates are invited to tour the Himalayan region, and they will be among the first to experience the new Vana, poised to become one of the world’s foremost destinations for wellness and Ayurveda. Post-summit options include a tour of the Kerala region, the cradle of Ayurveda.

Co-chairs of the 2013 Summit are Emanuel Berger, founder, Berger Hospitality Management GmbH, Switzerland; Susie Ellis, president, SpaFinder® Wellness, U.S.; and Andrew Gibson, group director of spas, Mandarin Hotel Group, Hong Kong.

For detailed information on the 2013 summit and registration, visit www.globalspaandwellnesssummit.org.

About the Summit

The Global Spa & Wellness Summit (GSWS) is an annual event that attracts executives and leaders from around the world with an interest in the spa and wellness industries. Delegates from diverse sectors, including the hospitality, tourism, finance, medicine, real estate, manufacturing, technology, consulting and product industries, attend this intimate, invitation-only gathering. The summit has been responsible for some of the most important spa industry research and launched a breakthrough research tool, SpaEvidence.com, the world’s first online portal to the medical evidence for common spa and wellness therapies. The GSWS was honored as “Spa Event of the Year” for 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 by AsiaSpa magazine’s awards program.