INTHEBLACK June 2025 - Magazine - Page 46
FEATURE
“The traditional break–fix model in a health system deeply
grounded in treating the unwell is not sustainable.”
SABINE BENNETT, DELOITTE
challenges are rising chronic disease and
costs, infrastructure deficits, equity
and accessibility.
Bennett notes that while innovations such
as virtual care and digital heath solutions play
a crucial role in improving the health system
and population health, “the most impactful
approach is to avoid illness altogether”.
As complex as that is, “shifting focus toward
proactive health measures is essential,”
she says.
“A new generation of consumers is
increasingly invested in their own health
and wellbeing, actively searching for new
wellness solutions,” reports Bennett, noting
she sees private health insurers leading
the way. The public sector is also waking
up to the idea. The Government of
Singapore, for example, has a mobile app
encouraging citizens towards healthy habits
through curated health quests.
TECH IS KEY
Some aspects of wellness are grounded
in ancient practices, but new technologies
are key enablers. Big brands such as Apple,
Samsung, Google and Garmin are heavily
invested, putting wellness at the fingertips
of consumers with smartphones, watches
and rings that allow wellness seekers
to collect their data.
Bennett believes that technology
benefits all areas of wellness, from access
to information and sharing to simplifying
the process of finding and booking relevant
providers. “Gamification and ‘nudging
techniques’ are also being used to help
people stay motivated to achieve their goals,”
she notes.
The rise of generative artificial intelligence
(AI) is not only providing easier access
to information, but also what could appear
as “personal advice”, Bennett says.
She challenges all users to assess whether
46 INTHEBLACK June 2025
the source is reputable or whether to consult
a medical professional.
ACTIVATION SPACES
Wellness real estate is the fastest growing
wellness sector, with a predicted growth rate
of 15.8 per cent annually from 2023 to 2028,
reports the GWI.
Su-Fern Tan, head of ESG for the Pacific
region at CBRE — one of the world’s
largest commercial real estate services
and investment firms — says commercial
property landlords are luring premium
tenants with wellness features. Additionally,
the rise in focus on the social element
of ESG is playing to investor appetites
and fuelling tenant demand, she says.
“What constitutes a good investment
is a building that takes care of its own
people and the community that surrounds it.
Vacancies are much lower when real estate
comes with fantastic wellness facilities — and
the rental yields can be higher.” Plus, there
is research stating that increased workplace
wellness correlates to better productivity.
Wellness real estate today, however, is less
about meditation rooms and exercise spaces
and more about amenities and how buildings
make people feel, Tan says. “Especially since
we spend 90 per cent of our time indoors.”
While there is an obligatory aspect
to occupants’ comfort — demanding
temperature control, good lighting, acoustics
and air quality — these days, wellness
is in the “activation” within the building
and its environs, Tan says. Fully funded
fitness classes, farmers markets and healthy
cafes are likely inclusions, and Sydney’s
Barangaroo precinct development offers
an outstanding example.
TOURISM’S NEW VITALITY
In the dynamic global tourism sector,
COVID-19 significantly moved the dial
