Belgin Aksoy celebrates Global Wellness Day with Virgin founder Sir Richard Branson

With the slogan ‘One day can change your whole life’, the Global Wellness Day is celebrated on the second Saturday of June every year. Founded by Turkish entrepreneur Belgin Aksoy, the event is now in its fourth year and is based on the idea of establishing an international day to living healthier lives.

“Living well is the simple necessity for every human being on the planet,” Aksoy says. “To overcome the global problems such as depression and lead a healthier and happier life, we needed an inspiring beginning. That beginning is Global Wellness Day, a day that is now celebrated in more than 100 countries.”

Welcoming wellness
A member of the industrialist Aksoy family, Belgin started her career in the hotel business in the 1990s. She sits on the board of the Aksoy Group – whose interests range from hospitality to e-business – and was instrumental in setting up the Richmond Nua Wellness-Spa at Lake Sapanca in northern Turkey, described as Turkey’s first destination spa. She is also the creative director of hotel management company Richmond International in Turkey.

When she speaks about Global Wellness Day, however, it is clear that it the initiative has become her passion. “The main objective of Global Wellness Day is to show that wellness is the right of each individual,” she says. “To make us aware of the value of our lives.”

Aksoy adds that the purpose of the day is to highlight that wellness isn’t a luxury item only on offer to those who can afford it. “Today, the general challenge that we are facing in all world countries is to make the societies aware of the ‘wellness’ concept. Many people think that wellness is a luxury that can’t be reached without the financial power.”

Sporting chances
Events during Global Wellness Day will see a number of hospitality groups organise a wide range of activities designed to improve lives – including sport. One of these is luxury hotel operator Mandarin Oriental, whose hotels around the world are offering a variety of complimentary wellness activities for guests. These include a guided jog around the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, a Pilates class in the Spa Garden in Marrakech and a complimentary “sky-high fitness” training circuit with harbour views in Hong Kong.

Elsewhere, another luxury operator, Anantara, is putting on kick-boxing (Muay Thai) classes at sunset, while the Rosewood CordeValle hotel in California, US, will host a 5km run through the property and surrounding area – as well as guided three-mile hikes in the morning and evening.  One of the most impressive Global Wellness Day activities will take place in France, where a 42km relay marathon involving 420 people – each running 100m – will create a large human chain.

“Hotels and Spas that choose to celebrate the day are developing new services to present their guests,” Aksoy says. “Providing these complementary activities during the day helps them to enrich their services and improve satisfaction as they give importance to the well-being of their guests.”