Being one of the most recognisable names in the entertainment industry in the United States, Gary Foster fell in love with Bali almost a decade ago. Following his passion to lead people to find their optimum potential in life, he decided to open one of the most comprehensive wellness resorts on the island of Bali. We sat down with the humble leader and discovered why wellness is a booming industry around the world.
Q: How did the concept of Gdas Bali Health and Wellness Resort come about?
A: The vision came from my business partner, Russell Simmons, who is a vegan and has always wanted to contribute to the health and wellbeing of human beings. Being here in Bali, he decided that he wanted to make a final contribution to the society. With that, along with Ida Bagus Oka Genijaya, they sat together and designed the concept of what health and wellness represent in the 21st century.
Q: As the general manager of one of the up-and-coming wellness resorts in the area, what does wellness mean to you?
A: For me personally, wellness represents a way of life. There’s the physical aspect and also the social aspect, and of course, there’s the moral aspect of what constitutes wellness. Wellness embodies a lifestyle; it is basically making the best decision that is in the interest of your being, meaning your existence, and how you transform yourself to continue on your journey in life until that time comes.
Q: Gdas Bali Health and Wellness Resort is a brand-new property, in your own words, what differentiates this property from the others?
A: Well, what makes this property special and exclusive, but also a bit refreshing, is that we’re located in an environment that fosters nature and growth and is environmentally friendly, but it is the people that I believe are one of the most significant assets that we have at our resort and makes us different from the rest. At Gdas Bali Health and Wellness Resort, we are focusing on three prongs: people, service, and reward. It is our philosophy that if we invest more in the people and make sure that all of our staff are Balinese, they can live up to their true potential. For us, it’s really the people that make this place unique and special.
Q: What types of spa and wellness experiences do you offer, and which are most in demand by your guests?
A: If you’ve never been to Gdas Bali Health and Wellness Resort, then you are in for a treat. First, you will feel completely different after your visit. As we always said, “Come as you are, and when you leave, you will leave with a completely different fulfilment.” We always ensure that when each of our guests arrives, from the time they check-in to the time they dine at our restaurant, visit our spa or our cryotherapy programme, we have a complete health and wellness programme that facilitates empowerment fulfilment, but as I said before, the energy that we have at this resort cannot be found anywhere else on the island of Bali. We are very grateful for the work we have put in and the family we have created, those are the greatest experiences, as most of our guests always say, because they feel how we treat them, how we welcome them, and how we make them feel while being at the resort, and it is more important than anything else that they have received from other places.
Q: Why do you think wellness has become such a big part of luxury today and how are you going to capitalise more on that going forward?
A: Well, as you all know, we have just experienced a global pandemic, and it has opened the eyes of many people. Wellness has now become not just a way of life but also a major brand for many people in this industry. For us, being a wellness-luxury brand is just another way of saying, let’s take it to another level. You can experience a great lifestyle, but we are going to help you be optimised so that you can live a greater lifestyle. The demand is definitely growing, as we have seen in the industry. We are also seeing many places in the hospitality world shift their services to accommodate the growing needs of the public. It’s a space that is definitely growing, even though not as rapidly as we would wish because it does require self-discipline and personal commitments, and of course, it’s a growth process that takes time. Gdas Bali Health and Wellness Resort is willing to help pave the way, so we are creating something unique that we believe people will buy into and be excited about it.
Q: What are your future plans for the resort that guests can look forward to?
A: Currently, we are building the fully equipped Bali Eden facility, which is a special space to help you foster growth and development. It helps you optimise your full potential with different varieties in one umbrella or space, and at the end of the day, you can be what you need to be. The goal is to make all of us better, and in doing so, we are only sharing something that we believe can help you reach your full potential. We are very excited about Bali Eden because this is a model that can be replicated, and we want to make sure that it is authentic and has true sincerity. If it’s healing, a gym, or a spa, we want to ensure it’s the best for you.
Asia Dreams Volume 47
Gdas Bali Health & Wellness Resort
Jalan Cempaka, Banjar Kumbuh, Ubud
Bali 80571, Indonesia
T: (+62) 3619083131
W: gdasbali.com
