NEWH - April 2005 - (Page 31)

spa and wellness trends by Joanie Neumayer Photographer: Stuart Woods. Courtesy of Leo A. Daly Hotel groups have capitalized on the growth potential in the spa industry and created corporate spa directors, placed spa brands within their hotels and developed private label products. Seven years ago while living in Hong Kong and being active in the Asia Pacific chapter of ISPA, I saw the hotel brands embrace the potential impact this area could have on the hotel operations and overall guest experience. At that time, Raffles Group of Singapore was a leader in Asia with a corporate spa director position, an Amita branded spa and a private label product line developed for their spas. It launched Amita Spa in Singapore with a 50,000-sf facility and opened its doors to guests as well as the local market. White Pond Resort and Training Center Baiyangdian, Hebei Province, China. Renew. Relax. Expand? Not the word one usually thinks of in relation to the spa industry. But, boosted by extraordinary consumer demand and a variety of offerings, the spa industry continues to expand. A recent nationwide survey commissioned by the International SPA Association (ISPA), the worldwide voice of the spa industry, reported that 136 million visits were made to U.S. spas alone in 2003, equating to more than $11.2 billion in revenues. And despite a slower rate of growth over the past two years, the spa industry has maintained its ranking against other key U.S. leisure industries. Of these revenues, resort and hotel spas account for 41 percent of the industry revenue, despite accounting for only 14 percent of an estimated 87.7 million square feet of indoor spa space in the U.S. The spa industry has proven that spa-going is more than just a fad. “This kind of revenue clearly makes spas a major player in the hospitality and leisure industry,” explained ISPA President Lynne Walker McNees. “The spa industry is seeing continued growth in the number of resorts with spas as well as growth in the size of the spas found in the resorts.” Today, many hotels have joined the trend, developing branded spas within their hotels to capture the added revenue from retail and spa services. U.S. spas generate an average of $143 per spa visit. Examples of hotel-branded concepts include Fairmont’s Willow Stream, Marriott Hotels’ Revive Spa and Chi Spa within Shangri La Hotels. Others have purchased a recognized spa brand and have incorporated it into their hotel spas. These include Bliss Spas within Starwood and Golden Door within Wyndham Hotels. When the hotel groups bring in the corporate spa position they have realized they need someone to understand these unique operations within the hotels and developed standards for management, design, reporting and addressing the unique human resource side for the employees of the spas. Raffles – Amita Spa Relaxation Room – Singapore 31

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NEWH - April 2005

NEWH - April 2005
Letter From the President
Upfront
Contents
Hospitality News
Lessons From Retail
Conrad’s First Ground-Up Hotel
2005 Leadership Conference
Remember Me? Using Video to Have Your Message Remembered
Woman of the Year
Design Showcase … Under the Tuscan Sun
Spa and Wellness Trends
Brand Perception
NEWH Icon Awards – Anna Perryman
First Canadian NEWH Chapter Chartered
Coming Events
HD at a Glance
HD Plantinum Circle Inductees
Contributors

NEWH - April 2005