Asia’s super-aging societies are sparking a boom in high-end longevity clinics—even if ‘public enthusiasm’ is outpacing the science

A nondescript wooden door in Singapore’s central business district leads to an amiable concierge and a cup of warm tea. Customers at the Rekoop clinic swap their office clothes for scrubs and a pair of bedroom slippers, then are whisked through a series of wellness treatments: red light therapy, lymphatic massages, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and others. 

Clinics like this are part of a new wave of longevity offerings taking Asia’s luxury hospitality sector by storm. 

By 2030, one in four Asians will be over 60. Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore have already crossed the threshold into “super-aged” status. Thailand and Malaysia are fast behind. Now, a $4.6 trillion industry is stepping in to meet aging Asians’ desire to remain healthy and independent into their old age.

For now, it’s the wellness and hospitality industry that’s capturing most of the market. Last October, METT Singapore inked a partnership with the Longevity Suite, a European anti-aging clinic, to open its first Asian branch within the hotel. Luxury hotel chain Capella also announced its first venture into “wellness-integrated branded residences” which boast a wellness concierge and vitality checkpoints for residents to monitor their biometrics; the first project is a 262-unit development in Bangkok, Thailand.

A new kind of business—one that blends hospitality, technology, and traditional healing practices—is promising to extend not just lifespan, but also ‘healthspan,’ the number of years lived in good health. “People increasingly want to remain healthy, productive and independent, rather than simply living longer,” Andrea Maier, a gerontology professor at the National University of Singapore (NUS), tells Fortune.

Rising incomes across Asia are helping to drive demand for healthcare. As incomes rise, the newly-rich can devote more money to non-essential health, wellness, and preventive services, as well as advanced medical technologies and better insurance options. 

The COVID-19 pandemic also catalyzed a shift in consumer values. “Many people started treating luxury as something to do with health and well-being,” says Lau Kong Cheen, a marketing expert from the Singapore........

© Fortune