From smoothies to strategy: How well-being at events is changing in 2025

From smoothies to strategy: How well-being at events is changing in 2025

The winter months in the Northern Hemisphere can feel like an endurance test. Dark mornings, long days, and a collective push to power through.

But what if, instead of merely surviving, we used this time to rethink how well-being fits into the way we work, travel, and plan our events?

In 2025, well-being at events isn’t just about nice-to-have perks. It’s about designing experiences that energize, restore, and create real, potentially lasting, impact.

The IMEX team is on a mission to experiment with its well-being offerings at IMEX Frankfurt (and America) and to understand what the future holds for innovative event planners who know that good health matters.

Is slow the new go?

An increasingly intense and crazy pace of life is inviting event planners to rethink the role of well-being. 7 a.m. yoga and mid-morning smoothies alone no longer cut it. Attendees want more than surface-level wellness—many are looking for meaningful, contextual, and personalized support.

Can event planners deliver?

And if they do, will it give them an edge over the competition, or push their satisfaction scores to new highs?

According to the Global Wellness Institute’s 2025 Trends Report, we’re seeing a major shift toward analog experiences:

✅ Tech-free retreats and experiences

✅ Sauna rituals & slow travel

✅ Wellness cruises & luxury train journeys

At the same time, high-performance health habits—once reserved for elite athletes—are becoming mainstream. Think sleep tracking, biohacking, and personalized supplementation.

What well-being means in 2025

Well-being isn’t just about avoiding burnout. That’s bare minimum thinking. We believe events should contribute to better health, deeper learning, and, in some cases, lasting transformation. And the evidence is hard to ignore.

🚀 Holistic is now high-performance. Mind-body awareness is no longer "flaky"—it’s science-backed and person-centered.

💡 Attention has become well-being. In Stolen Focus, Johan Hari argues that true well-being comes from putting down our phones and deeply connecting—with ourselves, others, and our surroundings. When designed with care and intention, events offer moments of presence and focus, not just jam-packed schedules. Clearly, this is a huge paradigm shift.

🌱 Social health matters. Harvard-trained social scientist Kasley Killam calls social health "the missing dimension of health." Events offer a rare opportunity for face-to-face connection—a precious antidote to digital overload, social isolation and loneliness. Could social connection become a new, ‘higher order’ value for face to face events in 2025?

Trends shaping well-being at events

According to Conde Nast Traveller, recreational sports and travel now converge more than ever – Will event design follow?

A recent Mintel report suggests work-life balance is now work-life rhythm – Self-care rituals have become a necessity, not an indulgence.

Sophisticated wellness products have gone mainstream, according to The Independent (UK) – Think specialized drinks supplemented with sleep aids, CBD or collagen, gut health boosters, and health-positive cocktails.

The cost of burnout is substantial, adding momentum to well-being as a workforce strategy, says Forbes. It also states that menopause and inclusive work practices can boost productivity by 6%.

What’s the opportunity?

✅ Small wins matter. Try one reduced-programming day or a 9.45 a.m. start time to allow for well-being-focused activities or a relaxed, healthy breakfast.

✅ Make space for reflection. Build in time for pauses, processing, and genuine connection.

✅ Well-being is diverse. Address the unique needs of different attendees—from plant-based food options to stress-reducing environments such as low or no-noise/low-light spaces.

Meet the experts who are part of the change

At IMEX Frankfurt in May, our Be Well Lounge will act as a sanctuary for rest, yoga and meditation sessions away from the show floor.

And we’ve curated a line-up of practitioners and experts tackling these topics head-on throughout our Well-being education track. Be sure to favorite these sessions when our education program goes live online in April.

👥 Jo Fuller - Founder of The Merry Menopause – Merry menopause & cyclical leadership

🥗 Vanessa Sturman – Plant-based nutrition

🖤 Mariska Kesteloo & Karen Bolinger – Leading yourself or others through grief

🥦 Helene Hall – Functional Nutrition

Event professionals & suppliers—how will you rethink well-being in 2025?

This isn’t just about avoiding burnout. It’s about designing events that leave people better than they arrived. Our industry desperately needs to shrug off its burnout legacy.

Is 2025 the year we start to take more care of those in our care? Or is this a pipedream?

👉 How will you measure the impact of well-being at your next event? Drop your thoughts in the comments. Are you trying something new we can all learn from?