Creating
Ido
“ wellness within the spa for staff and guests will continue to expand and gain traction with nutrition, fitness and wellness coaching playing ever-greater roles. The contribution of evidencebased research in support of spa modalities through spaevidence. com, Network Fitness( integrated solution to movement analysis), HeartMath( nonprofit organization that provides heart-health education) and Wellness Inventory( whole person wellness assessment program) are all concrete examples of ways in which spas can embrace wellness.”
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To
— Kathryn Stolle President • Total Spa Concepts • Victoria, British Columbia • Canada
me the next big thing is further connecting with our communities. Spa is a lifestyle that should be attainable for all income brackets and all levels of social status. It is a big [ idea ] because it is going to take a lot of work to change the mindset of what people believe a spa is and the reality of how much spa can help assist with their wellness.”
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As
— Kristi Konieczny Founder • The Spa Buzz • Denver, Colorado
the technology era develops at an increasing pace, spas will continue to be an oasis of calm and balance. To achieve this, a stronger emphasis will be on educating guests on how to become and maintain a holistic approach to living. Education will be a key element in the spa menu and guests look forward to learn and apply the knowledge at home. Either through treatment recipes, classes, counseling sessions, online or phone counseling / guidance sessions, the spa will extend into our guests’ homes.”
— Maria Micu Spa Director • JW Marriott The Rosseau Muskoka Resort & Spa • Minett, Ontario • Canada
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What we are starting to see already is a bigger demand for longer massages. It’ s a contrast with what we have been seeing in the last two years, everyone was going for shorter, less expensive treatments. But, for us, we see more and more [ requests for ] 90- minute and two-hour massages.”
— Nathalie Roy Vice President for Development • Spa Eastman • Magog, Quebec • Canada
“ not necessarily think that there is a‘ next big idea.’ There will be a focus in day spas on [ the benefits of ] traditional spa treatments and in modernizing ancient rituals to place them into a spa setting. This has been seen to some extent, but with the implementation of these treatments in hospitals and physician offices, I believe that innovative day spa owners will focus their attention on results-based treatments over relaxation. They will use ancient philosophies and incorporate them into their settings as we have seen in the resort spa industry.
As for specific trends, I believe that more and more spas will begin offering membership-based packages to improve client retention and maximize space. Spas that offer a more luxurious atmosphere will offer memberships which will allow them to charge a premium [ over their membership-based competitors ].”
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We
— Scott Vazinski Executive Director • The Spa at Yellow Creek • Akron, Ohio
are already seeing this trend but areas that create an experience for several guests at a time without requiring an individual provider [ will be big ]. These features are differentiators and enable a spa to satisfy many more guests at once.
Also, as the industry gets better at it, designing indoor spaces that provide the benefits of an outdoor space like the‘ Dead Sea Salt Caves’ [ will continue to be a trend in spas ].”
— Thor Holm Director of Spa Recreation and Fitness • Hammock Beach Resort • Palm Coast, Florida
June 2012 n PULSE 35