Spa Trends 2008 – Report Card

Susie Ellis, SpaFinder Insider

Before we take a closer look at spa trends we are predicting for 2009, I thought it might be fun to go back and look at the ones we predicted for 2008 and see how well we did. I think we were “right on” with quite a few of the trends, dead wrong on one (thanks to the developing negative economic climate), and compromised on another because the trend toward eco-friendly practices trumped it. (More details below.) If I was giving out grades, I think we earned a B+. Let me know what you think!

The "Feng Shui’d" Gym
We got this one right. Gyms are getting a lot more respect these days. Even Interior Design Magazine’s international “best of the best” featured a gorgeous yoga space in Shanghai with an elevated ebonized South African walnut floor enclosed by a curtain of shaped ropes to represent abstracted trees. The futuristic-themed gym at the brand new Dolder Grand in Switzerland even gave cutting-edge shape to its towel holders. Unfortunately, it’s mostly the new gyms that are wowing us – we aren’t seeing a lot of feng shui’d gym redesigns.

A Star (Therapist) Is Born
Great progress has been made in terms of recognizing the importance of the personnel at spas. Skill and attitude of the therapist is counting more than marble and gold. More is being written about top aestheticians, therapists, and practitioners and this year’s highlight at our Readers’ Choice Awards gala was the emotional reaction from the top spa managers and top therapists when they were handed their awards.

Wellness, Wellness, Wellness
As we predicted, this term is becoming more and more popular all over the world. We are even seeing an increased reference to the $1 trillion dollar figure that Paul Zane Pilzeran used to quantify the size of the wellness phenomenon which he outlined in his book, The Wellness Revolution. Wellness is becoming an umbrella term under which fitness, medical, spa, anti-aging, nutrition and a host of other categories are beginning to fit nicely.

Luxury Detox and Luxury Boot camps
The terms detox and boot camp are buzzwords that continue to attract clients. While the term ‘luxury’ started waning in popularity toward the end of the year with the deepening financial crisis, the desire for comfortable environments coupled with feel-good spa treatments while adhering to regimes which promise to produce results, continues. This combination of grace and truth remains resilient.

Spa Real Estate Mania
Here is where we were way-off. Instead of mania, we had meltdown. What looked promising at the beginning of the year – living at a place with a major spa focus among like-minded people – ended up falling flat with the economic climate. Although Canyon Ranch Living in Miami did finally open at the end of 2008 and consumers are still attracted to the idea of living in a spa lifestyle community, any real estate purchase – whether primary or secondary residence – has pretty much been placed on-hold for now. It’s going to be aromatherapy candles, bath salts, and dry brushing at home for a while.

Taking Sleep Seriously… Especially if you Want to Lose Weight
2008 saw an emergence of many more sleep health programs at hotels, resorts and destination spas all over the world. I checked in with sleep guru Robert de Stefano who lectures on sleep health at spas around the world. He reports that his business has been great all year and that next year looks strong as well. Just this morning I received a press release from Crowne Plaza hotels, which already has what they call their Sleep Advantage Program, about a new option they are trying called the “switch off call” where guests are reminded that it is time to wind down for better sleep. While taking sleep seriously has definitely happened, connecting it to weight loss lags behind.

Fertility Tranquility
We have seen an increase in the amount of fertility-oriented programs in spas and more discussions about the topic in general. This “niche trend” continues as fertility yoga, acupuncture, and many of the mind-body awareness activities at spas address this need. In August a new infertility program for couples called Fertile Intentions was announced. Their all day retreats are done at day spas.

Hydro and Thermal Super-Experiences
Dedicated space in spas featuring various water and heat experiences has increased. Popular in Europe, these are now increasingly seen in other parts of the world. Circuits often include various combinations of saunas, steams, laconiums, tepidariums, caldariums, whirlpools, experience showers, and snow rooms, etc. Canyon Ranch SpaClub in Las Vegas opened their impressive new thermal and hydro circuit toward the end of the year and other large projects such as the Fontainebleau are in the pipeline. One limiting factor has been the eco-green-sustainability trend which reminds us that water is in short supply in many parts of the planet and using large amounts for bathing or in Vichy Showers is beginning to be viewed as indulgent.

Urban Spa Explorer
This trend ended up being even more popular than we thought. We fielded lots of media calls about the concepts of consumers trying out various ethnically oriented spas with authentic Korean, Russian, Thai – as well as others – ways to de-stress and rejuvenate.

Plug-in or Unplug: It’s up to You

It seems that this has not only happened but become a standard this year. Almost every spa I have visited recently provides places where one can use personal phones and electronic devices and places where one must unplug. As we had predicted, it has become the consumer’s choice.

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Spa Aside – It is Christmas

Susie Ellis, SpaFinder Insider

Email holiday greetings - like you, I receive more and more of them each year. I don't know yet how I feel about them. On the one hand, it is nice to hear from people. On the other hand, knowing that I am part of a database of hundreds receiving the same e-card makes it feel a bit impersonal. It is more "green" than sending cards in the mail, so that's a plus and some of the animated ones are kind of fun. I get impatient with the ones that are lengthy however and frustrated with the ones that don't open right. As a company we have sent holiday e-cards for the past few years. We endeavor to find the right balance between something enjoyable and a communication that expresses our gratitude. Not sure we totally succeed, however we continue to try. The most memorable e-greeting I received this year was from my sister. It contained a story that someone shared with her. While I don’t usually forward these kind of things, I thought this one was worth sharing. Hope you enjoy it. Merry Christmas.

Susie

I remember my first Christmas adventure with Grandma. I was just a kid. I remember tearing across town on my bike to visit her on the day my big sister dropped the bomb: "There is no Santa Claus," she jeered. "Even dummies know that!"

My Grandma was not the gushy kind, never had been. I fled to her that day because I knew she would be straight with me. I knew Grandma always told the truth, and I knew that the truth always went down a whole lot easier when swallowed with one of her "world-famous" cinnamon buns. I knew they were world-famous, because Grandma said so. It had to be true.

Grandma was home, and the buns were still warm. Between bites, I told her everything. She was ready for me. "No Santa Claus?" she snorted.... "Ridiculous! Don't believe it. That rumor has been going around for years, and it makes me mad, plain mad!! Now, put on your coat, and let's go." "Go? Go where, Grandma?" I asked. I hadn't even finished my Second World-famous cinnamon bun.

"Where" turned out to be Kerby's General Store, the one store in town that had a little bit of just about everything. As we walked through its doors, Grandma handed me ten dollars. That was a bundle in those days. "Take this money," she said, "and buy something for someone who needs it. I'll wait for you in the car." Then she turned and walked out of Kerby's.

I was only eight years old. I'd often gone shopping with my mother, but never had I shopped for anything all by myself. The store seemed big and crowded, full of people scrambling to finish their Christmas shopping. For a few moments I just stood there, confused, clutching that ten-dollar bill, wondering what to buy, and who on earth to buy it for. I thought of everybody I knew: my family, my friends, my neighbors, the kids at school, the people who went to my church. I was just about thought out, when I suddenly thought of Bobby Decker. He was a kid with bad breath and messy hair, and he sat right behind me in Mrs. Pollock's grade-two class. Bobby Decker didn't have a coat. I knew that because he never went out to recess during the winter. His mother always wrote a note, telling the teacher that he had a cough, but we kids knew that Bobby Decker didn't have a cough; he didn't have a good coat.

I fingered the ten-dollar bill with growing excitement. I would buy Bobby Decker a coat! I settled on a red corduroy one that had a hood to it. It looked real warm, and he would like that."Is this a Christmas present for someone?" the lady behind the counter asked kindly, as I laid my ten dollars down. "Yes, ma'am," I replied shyly. "It's for Bobby." The nice lady smiled at me, as I told her about how Bobby really needed a good winter coat. I didn't get any change, but she put the coat in a bag, smiled again, and wished me a Merry Christmas.

That evening, Grandma helped me wrap the coat (a little tag fell out of the coat, and Grandma tucked it in her Bible) in Christmas paper and ribbons and wrote, "To Bobby, From Santa Claus" on it. Grandma said that Santa always insisted on secrecy. Then she drove me over to Bobby Decker's house, explaining as we went that I was now and forever officially, one of Santa's helpers. Grandma parked down the street from Bobby's house, and she and I crept noiselessly and hid in the bushes by his front walk. Then Grandma gave me a nudge. "All right, Santa Claus," she whispered, "get going." I took a deep breath, dashed for his front door, threw the present down on his step, pounded his door and flew back to the safety of the bushes and Grandma. Together we waited breathlessly in the darkness for the front door to open. Finally it did, and there stood Bobby.

Fifty years haven't dimmed the thrill of those moments spent shivering, beside my Grandma, in Bobby Decker's bushes. That night, I realized that those awful rumors about Santa Claus were just what Grandma said they were, ridiculous. Santa was alive and well, and we were on his team. I still have the Bible, with the coat tag tucked inside: $19.95.

May you always have LOVE to share, HEALTH to spare, and FRIENDS that care. And may you always believe in the magic of Santa Claus!

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2009 Spa Trends Continued...

Susie Ellis, SpaFinder Insider

My last post was the list of SpaFinder’s Top Ten Spa Trends for 2009.

Most people (except Peter who has to put up with my endless musings and Betsy and Beth at RBI who help me edit the report) don’t realize how long it takes me to write these spa trend reports. Actually, an entire year. Not that I am writing the whole time – but I am definitely thinking about spa trends all year long.

As I travel, read, and interact with people, I am continually evaluating whether what I am observing is something old, something new, a fad, a trend, important, not important, etc. I study the spa research we do at SpaFinder, dig into our internal reports which show where consumers are clicking on our website, and read through as many spa press releases and spa magazines from around the world as I can. (Even the photography in the magazines written in a foreign language that I can't read tell me a lot.) And this past year, thanks to my involvement with the Global Spa Summit and the work we did on the Global Spa Economy Report, I had the chance to read through almost every bit of spa research that is out there.

So – I decided that I wasn’t finished blogging about trends just because I already shared the list with you. I thought it might be fun to tell you about some of the 'insider stuff' which led up to the spa trends report. I would also like to get your input on the spa trends that made the list and ask you to share examples as you come across them. Some blog topics...

a) which spa trends almost made the list but didn’t?
b) which one of the spa trends has already garnered the most media interest?

c) which two or three spa trends I am most excited about
d) which spa trend has been on my 'watch list' for five years and finally made it?
e) which trend makes me flat-out giddy!

Here is the list again. Care to take a guess on e?

Energy Medicine
Medical and Spa Tourism Shuffle
Eco-Embedded Spas
Trains, Boats & Planes
Brain Health
The Buzz Word? Stress
Casino & Spas
Mindful Spending
Gen X & Y Spa-ing Their Way
Brands, Brands, Brands
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Top Spa Trends for 2009
by Susie Ellis, SpaFinder Insider

Each year SpaFinder announces the top spa trends that will likely make headlines and have people talking in the upcoming year. The information that follows is a result of a great deal of study and research. Simply click on each trend introduced below to learn more and get examples of spas that are already "on trend."

Enjoy this glimpse into the spa future!

SpaFinder's Top Ten 2009 Spa Trends:
Energy Medicine: Everyone’s "talking about energy," and for 2009 the spa industry will follow suit, with a lot of high-voltage buzz around "energy medicine" and therapies like...

Casinos and Spas: Placing a high-end spa in a casino hotel was a long-shot idea when Elaine and Steve Wynn (both Golden Door regulars) opened the first spa at the Golden Nugget Casino Hotel in the 1980s. But today...

The Medical and Spa Tourism Shuffle: Two years ago SpaFinder named medical tourism, the phenomenon of people traveling to medical spas in another country or region for aesthetic or traditional procedures, a top trend. Two years later...

Eco-Embedded Spas: A Deeper Shade of Green: Back in 2005, SpaFinder identified the eco-spa boom, crystallizing the first industry definition, still widely used today. In our 2007 forecast...

Trains, Boats, & Planes: In-Transit Spa-Going: With overbooked flights, tight security, and longer delays, there’s no doubt that the stress of modern travel has increased. Thankfully...

Brain Health and "Mind" Gyms: With a vast, aging Baby Boomer population, well-publicized medical reports revealing that with brains you’ve got to "use them" or "lose them," and an Alzheimer’s pandemic, brain health is increasingly on the spa-goer's mind. So don’t be surprised...

Learning Labs for Stress Reduction: The number-one reason people hit the spa is to relax and de-stress, and in nerve-wracking times, the impulse is significantly magnified, especially if the price and overall value are right. Stress is a huge spa buzzword, and at Spafinder.com...

Mindful Spending: In a challenging economic year, spa-goers will obviously be looking closely for value and tangible results. Spas will be experimenting...

Move Over Baby Boomers: Gen X and Y Are Spa-Ing Their Way: The shift from a core spa clientele comprising of Baby Boomers to one made up of Gen X and Y represents more than a simple demographic switch. As Gen X (born 1965 to 1980) and Gen Y (born 1981 to 1995) hit spas in record numbers, they’re shaping the experience to meet their unique wants and desires. The trick for spas...

Brands, Brands, Brands: With almost 72,000 spas around the world, consumers may ultimately need some help distinguishing them. Can the casual spa-goer tell the difference between a Mandarin Oriental Spa and a Shangri-La spa? Spas that establish...

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Spas = Stress Reduction
Susie Ellis, SpaFinder Insider

How I wish that more people would see the connection between spas and stress reduction. Hopefully, as an industry, we can help more people make this connection. Clearly, this is “our moment.”

Stress is at an all-time high. Spas reduce stress. Most people who have been to a spa (25 percent of the U.S. population) would agree with those statements. What our industry needs to do now is help those who haven’t ever been to a spa (approximately 75 percent of the U.S. population), understand how spas teach stress reduction, and then we need to remind the 25 percent who are spa-goers of the tangible benefits.

In addition to communicating this effort as a marketing message (however unsexy it is), one thing that I think would help is if more people who work in our spa and wellness industry truly understood which (and why) various treatments and programs we offer at spas reduce stress: Exercise, breathing, warm baths, massage, mindfulness, meditation, a social community, etc. Knowing just a bit about the body’s physiological changes that occur when someone is stressed, and how to mitigate those, would not only help us teach our guests, but we would also benefit personally. This knowledge includes an understanding of the “fight or flight” hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, their negative effects on our body, and how to elicit the relaxation response.

For a short, “to the point” refresher, check out this great article which was in the LA Times Health section Monday (photo credit: LA Times):

Stress Reduction: Why you Need to get a Grip and How

Stress Explained

Ways to Relieve Stress

(By the way, the LA Times has a section in their paper every Monday called Health. It is actually one of the things I miss about living on the West Coast where I read the LA Times daily rather than the NY Times which I read now. To have the Health newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday, register for an LA Times account and customize your e-mail newsletters. It’s one way to know what is “top of mind” on the West Coast – where trends often begin.)

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Spa Industry Resiliency...let's continue the conversation

Susie Ellis, SpaFinder Insider

Since my previous post, How Resilient is the Spa Industry?, I have heard from various people in the spa arena. Some agree, and some disagree, with my somewhat optimistic analysis. Since our economic climate continues to be volatile - with some areas being affected more than others - I think we can benefit by keeping the conversation going. That way we can hear various sides of the issue and from various parts of the country (and world). As the economic climate continues to change, monitoring ongoing effects is important.

For example, you will see a recent comment posted to my previous blog from someone who is seeing quite a few day spas close. She also felt that the attendance at ISPA was down much more than what I had reported. Please let us know what you are seeing. We can all benefit from facing reality...whatever it might be.

In that spirit, I encourage you to take a look at this recent newsletter sent out by the Singapore research company, Intelligent Spas, which specializes in the Asia Pacific spa industry. Julie Garrow, the managing director, has been doing research for almost 8 years. She has good data and good insight as to what the data means. I think her observations in this newsletter are especially valuable. Here is an introduction to her remarks. Make sure to read the rest in her newsletter and by all means take advantage of the very reasonably priced data that she offers.

"Spa Business Strategies for Economic Downturn"

by Julie Garrow, Managing Director of Intelligent Spas

Preliminary findings of Intelligent Spas' current round of Spa Benchmark Surveys have identified the majority of spa owners and managers are forecasting positive growth in both revenue and spa visits for calendar years 2008 and 2009. This optimism indicates many spa managers believe the spa industry may be protected to some extent from the negative effects of the current economic climate, as spa consumers continue to demand relaxing spa and wellness services despite potential falls in their discretionary spending, coupled with evidence that rationalisation has already occurred in some spa markets."

Julie (pictured on the right) goes on to share some great ideas on how to take advantage of market changes during an economic downturn. She discusses them in these categories:

• Development Plans
• Staff Retrenchment
• Management
• Marketing
• Operations

It is definitely worth a read.

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How Resilient is the Spa Industry?
Susie Ellis, SpaFinder Insider

It’s been a few weeks since I attended the ISPA (International Spa Association) conference in Las Vegas. I have had some time to reflect on the days I spent there, visiting the expo exhibits, attending sessions, and catching up with many industry colleagues (which is the best part). I always learn things at ISPA and this year was no exception. But as I reflect on the various insights garnered, the most important conclusion is that our industry is really quite resilient.

There is no doubt that economic turbulence was on everyone’s mind. ISPA did a good job in trying to address some of these concerns through their keynote speakers and general sessions. What impressed me the most, however, was how robust the conference was in terms of the number of exhibitors and attendees. It is true that they didn’t report any all-time records, however, they got pretty darn close – and that to me is the real story.

When so many other industries are declining by 20 percent, 30 percent, and even 40 percent, workers are being laid off around the country, and we hear of large businesses shutting down altogether, it is pretty encouraging to see how buoyant the spa industry has been. The recent surveys that we have done at SpaFinder support the same conclusion – there have been shifts, however many spas are still doing good business.

I remember back to 9/11 when the country was “stunned” and travel and spa-ing were affected along with everything else. A few months later we published an issue of Luxury SpaFinder magazine with the cover line, “Spas for Challenging Times.” It was one of our best selling issues ever! Although 9/11 did affect revenues for many businesses, looking back, spas recovered quite quickly.

As I reflect on why our industry has such resiliency, I can’t help but think about one fundamental change that has taken place. Spas have as much to do with "wellness" as they do with “pampering.” Since we know that the number one reason people go to spas is “to relax and de-stress” (stress is at the root of almost 70 percent of doctor visits), it should come as no surprise that in these stressful times we are truly the very thing people need - and seek.

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SpaFinder Lifestyle Online Magazine Debuts

By Susie Ellis, SpaFinder Insider

A few weeks ago, on November 6th, our new SpaFinder Lifestyle online magazine launched. Several days later I attended the ISPA conference in Las Vegas. I can't tell you how many people remarked to me that they had seen it, read it, and liked it! That was music to my ears as creating this very new online magazine with a cutting-edge format was a trailblazing endeavor. Most of the credit goes to Sarah Day, our VP of Global Publishing who shepherded the process from beginning to end, Michael Ackerman, VP Digital Media who made sure it had plenty of sponsors, and Melisse Gelula, editor-in-chief of SpaFinder Lifestyle whose vision and passion define the content and to a great degree, the format.

What people said about SpaFinder Lifestyle included that:

a. The writing was good

b. The photographs were enticing

c. There was a noticeable difference in tone and use of photography (no bodies with stones on them for example.)

Melisse is a generation X (age bracket 27 - 43) - not a baby boomer (age bracket 44 - 62). Her reference point reflects the generation after the large baby boom wave which gives this online magazine, in my opinion, a refreshingly new edge. For example, take a look at this photo (credit: Erica Beckman) from the Massage Matrix’s Lomi Lomi massage section. This massage therapist doesn’t fit the mold of a typical massage therapist. This woman is tattooed, dressed differently, and seems to be in excellent shape herself. She represents a new breed of massage practitioner and looks to me like someone who knows what she is doing! I checked with Melisse to learn more and sure enough – this woman is a real massage therapist – not a model! Turns out, this massage therapist, Robin Pickering, is also a Jivamukti yoga instructor in Brooklyn, New York.

My favorite part of the first SpaFinder Lifestyle issue is the Massage Matrix where you can plot the kind of massage you want in terms of amount of pressure and amount of relaxation. Then the matrix shows you specifically what type of massage would be ideal for you.

The bottom line is that the various sections, Escapes, Beauty, Spa Living, Well-Being and Melisse's blog keep me in the loop on how the younger generation is living the spa lifestyle. It is a bit like Daily Candy for spa enthusiasts, only a tad longer and more spa savvy.
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Spa Talk: Please Don’t Call Me a Masseuse or Masseur

Susie Ellis, SpaFinder Insider

The term “masseuse” and “masseur” are like fingernails on a chalkboard to me. Every time I hear someone use them, I cringe. That’s because I know that practitioners of massage much prefer the terms “massage therapist” or “licensed massage therapist.” I think it would benefit us all to begin using these more professional titles.

It isn't just outside of the industry where I hear masseuse and masseur used. I was in the Philippines a few weeks ago and heard it used by many IN the spa industry which prompted me to include this plea for a vocabulary change in the speech I gave. According to the dictionary, a masseur is a person who performs massage professionally and a masseuse is a female person who does so. The Merriam-Webster dictionary says that the term massage itself comes from the French masser to massage, and from the Arabic massa to stroke. It means “manipulation of tissues (as by rubbing, kneading, or tapping) with the hand or an instrument for therapeutic purposes.”

Although it is not technically incorrect to use the terms masseuse and masseur, in some places the terms have adopted an unsavory association. This stems from the fact that it is illegal to advertise prostitution in the U.S. and some establishments began advertising under the heading “massage parlor” to get around the law. At the time, massage therapy wasn’t yet the respectable profession of alternative and complementary medicine that it is today and the terms masseuse and masseur, which were widely used at that time, became associated with the sex industry.

The association between massage and prostitution has been a disservice to the spa industry all over the world. There are many people who discourage their children to pursue a career in massage therapy for exactly that reason. With a shortage of skilled therapists in the spa industry, this is not a good thing.

What do you think about all of us in the spa industry starting an industry-wide movement which would help educate the public, the media and even others in our arena to eradicate the terms masseuse and masseur from our industry’s vocabulary? The talented and hard working massage therapists who give so much of themselves both physically and emotionally to help heal us would probably appreciate it.

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A note.....I originally wrote this blog about a week ago but decided to edit it today, November 22nd, after receiving a slew of emails from people who were offended by something I wrote in the original post. While I don't want to offend anyone else, I also want to be transparent about what I said. Therefore you will see the heated comments below which came in referencing several of the terms I used to describe those who say masseuse or masseur rather than massage therapist. Ouch...I got the message and realize I should have come from a point of education rather than criticism. My apologies.

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Transformational Spas and Transformational Moments
by Susie Ellis, SpaFinder Insider

Here is a question I am asked now and then. “What is the difference between a good spa experience and a great spa experience?” I always answer the same way saying that, to me, a great spa experience is one that is transformational.

Transformational spa experiences are ones that evoke a fundamental shift change, and I end up in a better place physically, mentally and/or spiritually than where I was before. It isn’t all that easy to explain but I know it when I have experienced it.

Last night I watched the election results. At around 11:00 p.m. Barack Obama was announced the winner and will now become our first African-American president. I couldn’t help but notice how many TV commentators used the term transformational when describing this historic moment. When Obama addressed the crowd of 200,000 in Illinois - the state in which I was born - I saw the joy of transformation on the faces of so many. And while the loud cheering and car horns honking around Union Square (right across the street from my apartment here in Manhattan) kept me awake for quite a few more hours, it was a joy to hear so many celebrate that same feeling.

This morning I decided to look up the word "transformation" in the dictionary. Among the various definitions were these words that stood out to me, “a marked change, as in appearance, character, nature or function – usually for the better.”

I feel blessed to work in an industry that can be transformational and to live in a country where we are currently experiencing a transformational moment. It is my hope and prayer that it will always be for the better.

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