Pulse Legacy Archive January / February 2011 | Seite 31

P: Online travel agencies, social media and direct Web
site bookings have become strong tools used to increase
occupancy rate. How is the industry keeping up to speed
with today’s evolving technology?

P: With spas becoming an integral part of hotels today

M: I remember the first time I heard about online booking in

M: Spas have become an integral part of hotels. Travelers,

the 90s. We were in San Diego trying to arrange my travel reservations when someone mentioned I can book my
accommodations online. My first thoughts then, “You’ve got to
be kidding me!” The young people in my work team have certainly brought me to the 20th century.
Social media is indeed the new way to communicate, and
today’s young travelers who use these tools are also the consumers now becoming more in-charge in buying a travel
experience. We are seeing a shift in the version of media or
business tools used, and the instant delivery of information has
helped boost the hotel industry’s occupancy rate.

whether on business or leisure, have come to expect a spa in
every hotel. If a hotel doesn’t have one, it fails to be competitive in the marketplace.
I believe the spa industry is becoming more professional with
dedicated schools offering spa management courses, among
others. Spas should continue to relate to the hotel industry’s
needs to continue this partnership, such as operating longer
hours to cater to business travelers who may have no other
time to enjoy a massage other than late in the evenings.

and adding value to the overall guest experience, what
business measures should the hotel and spa industries
take to strengthen this partnership?

P: What would you attempt to do if you knew you could
not fail?

“We are seeing growth in
smaller boutique properties
designed specifically for
the young traveler who are
technologically savvy.”

M: I could say I’d make today’s world a better place to live
through eliminating world hunger. But the truth is, there are
many reasons that I could fail, so I remain realistic and try to
learn the lessons that failure brings.

P: How do you live the spa lifestyle?
M: It’s a little bit harder to find time to go to a spa now, but
when I lived in Bangkok, Thailand years back, I used to treat
myself to at least three foot massages a week. It was convenient to do then, especially since spas were in every street corner
in Bangkok. ■

January/February 2011

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