Visiting a Hospital-of-the-Future (Spa in Next Phase)

by Susie Ellis, SpaFinder Insider

During my recent trip to San Antonio as part of the Medical Tourism Research conference, we had the opportunity to tour the brand new Methodist Stone Oak Hospital that had opened Spring 2009. It has been dubbed by many (and by the hospital itself) as the “hospital of the future.”

While it is tempting sometimes to skip conference outings, I am very aware that it was my previous hospital tours in the Philippines and in Bangkok that opened my eyes to new ways to think about spa, medicine and tourism.

So onto the bus I went.

As we drove up to the front of the hospital I couldn’t help but notice that it looked pretty much like any regular hospital (albeit slightly sexier and with newer construction). However things changed quickly from there. We were dropped off in a circular drive and had there been a valet to open the door and ask about luggage, I might have thought I was entering a hotel. The lobby did feel more hotel-like than hospital. There were huge ceilings with windows top to bottom. It was light, with attractive lounge areas that were tastefully and expensively appointed and straight ahead of me two concierge areas. Also, some nice art.

Our group was greeted by friendly staff members who gave us an overview and answered some of our questions. Then they divided us into smaller groups for a tour of the hospital.

Here are some of the things that I found particularly unique or interesting. At the end of this post I will tell you the one thing that in my opinion was the main reason this was a hospital of the future – their USP (unique selling point). You may be surprised.

• The hospital was just 9 months old and currently already at 100% capacity. This place is popular!
• It didn't seem busy at all.
• Their CEO, who greeted us explained that, “their goal was to not make health care a hassle.”
• They are as much as possible a green facility.
• Their goal is to provide a true healing environment.
• 4 expansions are planned. Next phase will have woman’s services including aesthetic and spa.
• Security is taken seriously. They attract VIP’s.
• Almost no wait for check in.
• Patients don’t wander down halls aimlessly. They are always accompanied.
• A point of pride - very short waiting periods in their emergency room. In fact the wait time is noted on their website and on a roadside bulletin board. (see photo)
• You can check in bedside.
• Rooms are spacious, home-like, bathrooms larger, beds have thick and expensive mattresses.
• Wifi throughout hospital.
• Computers in each room for doctors and nursing staff to access patient records and to input information.
• They have the latest technical equipment including electronic record keeping, video monitoring for all surgery, a planned daVinci Robotic Surgical System where a surgeon can operate sitting at a console away from the patient away.
• Each new mother upon leaving receives a video of her special birthing day all put to music.
• Nurses carry cell phones so that their patients can reach them at any time.
• Cabinets of supplies are accessed by fingerprint ID’s and when a staff member takes something off the shelf or out of the supply cabinet, it is automatically recorded and charged to the appropriate patient. (Sort of like the mini bar system in hotel rooms.)
• Hiring policies include an elaborate interview and selection process for all staff. It includes psychological testing and peer interviews. The key trait? Flexibility. As a hospital of the future, things change quickly and so they want all staff to be able to be cool with that. No dogmatic or argumentative types.
• They used a hospitality training company to train their staff (instead of having training from the medical side.)
• Attracting wealthy medical tourists from Mexico to San Antonio has everything to do with shopping - and in particular cowboy boots! Fashion shows are a successful recruitment tool. Who knew?
• Companions and friends are put in a hotel – the location of which is all about proximity to the good shopping malls.
• The head of international patients mentioned to me that in addition to shopping options, they are going to be making a list of great spas in the area.

Final Thoughts

The hospital was impressive for many reasons but it wasn’t the physical aspects that impressed me the most. Rather, it was the kindness, caring and even lighthearted atmosphere that was created by the people who worked there. In my opinion their greatest move was to carefully select staff with exactly the qualities they wanted – flexibility, likability, caring and nurturing. This hospital had the luxury to be selective because so many people want to work there.

What's the future for this hospital-of-the-future? Apparently spa, aesthetic services and complimentary and alternative medicine are on the drawing board for the next phase. I hope they continue the same hiring and training criteria. In addition I hope they engage a seasoned spa consultant who will assist them in creating the kind of atmosphere that will make their healing environment even more so.

It is about hardware and software - and in particular the software is what sets this hospital apart. If I lived in San Antonio, I would have them put me on the waiting list.

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Playing at the Glamorous New Eau Spa by Cornelia in Palm Beach
by Susie Ellis, SpaFinder Insider

There were six people in white robes sipping champagne and nibbling healthy hors d'oeuvres chatting away and laughing together when I entered the room. It was a real 'social spa-ing' scene. All had just finished their spa treatments and I was the last one to join the group.


We were in one of the garden villas (see photo) at the glamorous and playful Eau Spa by Cornelia at the Ritz Carlton in Palm Beach, Florida. I, too, was in a white robe having just received a Cornelia facial from JoAnn - an aesthetician from Poland - who had given me one of the best facials I have ever experienced. My husband (who was also one of the white-robed ones) immediately noticed that my skin was glowing - and everyone else chimed in that I looked radiant. That's when you know a facial (and the Cornelia products used) has done its magic!

We were a mix of New Beauty Magazine folks and key executives from SpaFinder (more in a future blog about what we were celebrating!) who greeted me. All of us had just experienced the hip new Eau Spa that recently changed management companies. They brought in the experts (previously from the posh Cornelia Day Resort in Manhattan) to give the spa the same attention to detail for which Cornelia was always known.


Here is my report card on the Eau Spa by Cornelia at the Ritz Carlton, Palm Beach: highs and lows:
Highs:

1. - Making a wish and placing it in the wishing well


2. - Mini chocolate cupcakes in the relaxation lounge


3. - Large blanket/towels to cozy up with on the outdoor sofas (see photo)

- Heated loungers in the Jacuzzi area

- A Jacuzzi that had strong jets!

- Lockers that were large and spacious

- Sparkly pillows

- Outdoor hanging basket chairs to relax (see photo)

- The spa villas with two massage beds, their own private outdoor relaxation area with tub, shower, and waterfall

- Puzzles and assorted games strewn around

- Playful 'make your own scrub and polish' bar

- Staff's smart looking flowing uniforms

- Decor in general: glamorous and playful

- Yellow rubber duckies in the Jacuzzi that made me smile

Lows:

Some of the staff needed a tad more training (the wishing well ritual was a bit awkward)

I could do without the strangely dressed folks pictured in their brochure and at the beginning of their website. (see photo) I say lose the people and keep the bubbles - and the duckies!
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Learned Some New Ways to Look at Medical Tourism
by Susie Ellis, SpaFinder Insider

Just returned from the Medical Tourism Conference in San Antonio, Texas. Organized by the University of the Incarnate Word, it was well-run, insightful, and I learned a great deal. Dr. David Viquist and his dean are the visionaries behind positioning their university at the forefront of medical tourism research.

Before coming to the conference the name - University of the Incarnate Word - was a puzzle to me, and frankly a bit of a turn-off. I was picturing a new age building on a corner somewhere with a few students and faculty. Clearly I was very wrong. The University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) was founded in the late 1800's by a group of Catholic sisters who made child care and health care a major focus. Today there are more than 6,000 students and an impressive array of undergraduate majors, masters, and PhD programs. Their nursing program is particularly well-known and with its location in San Antonio so close to Mexico, it now makes good sense to me why they would champion medical tourism research.

Here is my round-up of some of the more interesting things I learned:

Historically medical tourism was a one-way highway into the US. People came to famous hospitals such as: Mayo Clinic, Johns Hopkins, Cleveland Clinic, etc. That all changed after 9/11 when Middle Easterners quit coming and as costs skyrocketed making it attractive for Americans to go abroad.

Key reasons people go abroad for medical treatment:
1. Treatment isn’t available at home - Ex. stem cells, liver/kidney transplants, fertility, abortions
2. Price is lower
3. More advanced technology available abroad

Many countries are recruiting their neighbors as medical tourists – it’s not all about everyone wanting to attract Americans. Many aren’t trying to attract Americans at all because they consider Americans high-maintenance and have a tendency to sue.

• Thailand attracts Japanese
• Singapore services Asia
• Bangladesh serves East Africa and India
• Bolivia serves Chile
• Tunisia serves Libya
• Mexico endeavors to attract Americans and Canadians.

One way to look at medical tourism is to consider it:

• Light medical tourism: Wellness, exams, pharmaceuticals, spa, light dental
• Medium medical tourism: Lasik, implants, heavy dental
• Heavy medical tourism: Transplants, surgery, hip/knee replacement, major cosmetic surgery

Another way to categorize is to think of Medical Travel as one category and there are two subcategories:
Medical Tourism (where patients find their doctors across borders)
Traditional (where doctors advise their patients where to go abroad as in for example going to Mayo Clinic, etc.)

Careful on the language issue. Sometimes a great surgeon doesn't speak English and sometimes an English speaking doctor isn't a good surgeon.

India has done a good job in branding themselves. “India is the Wal-Mart of medical tourism.”

Some buzz words to know: Clusters, telemedicine, DaVinci Surgical Systems, domestic medical tourism, and retirement tourism.

There are lots of exciting things happening in this new arena of medical tourism and even newer arena of spas and medical tourism.
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Spa Trend #2: Year of the Hammam
By Susie Ellis, SpaFinder Insider

Continuing down the list of the top 10 spa trends for 2010 we published a few weeks ago, the second one is what we are calling "the year of the hammam." This one turned out to be a surprise for many however the reaction has been enthusiastically positive! Here is the description and then some post-publishing notes:

YEAR OF THE HAMMAM TREND
With spa-goers increasingly seeking authenticity, tradition, and that magical spa experience that also offers true results, the Eastern European/Middle Eastern/North African hammam (hamam in Turkey) represents one of the hottest trends for 2010, albeit with a distinctly modern expression. This is the year in which people who’ve never heard the term hammam will learn its meaning, and those already familiar with it will discover new places to experience it.

Anyone who has sampled this age-old ritual of cleansing and purification will not be surprised by its rising popularity. The combination of a vigorous full-body scrub and bubbly soaping, now often capped by a full-body massage, makes for an extraordinary experience, with results that last weeks. A traditional hammam, from an Arabic word meaning “heat,” consists of a hot room (the sıcaklık, or hararet), a warm, intermediate room, and the cool room (or soğukluk). And these are not ordinary rooms but typically architectural marvels.

Spa-goers love hammams because one can extend this Eastern European/Middle Eastern/North African multicircuit bathing experience for hours. Spa owners love them because of their photogenic “wow” design and the opportunity to make money, since the treatment requires a therapist and allows for top dollar/Euro pricing. And although traditionally they’ve been a same-sex experience, new modern twists have broadened the experience to couples.

Travel to venerable hammams like the 16th-century Çemberlita in Istanbul will increase, while brand-new spas will unveil distinctly modern incarnations. Introduced to the modern spa scene by lavish Middle Eastern resort spas (such as Dubai’s One and Only Royal Mirage or Morocco’s La Mamounia), next-generation versions are already gaining popularity in Europe, where top spa builders and product manufacturers report a serious increase in requests for a hammam component in new spa design. The trend is hitting North America: Ten Spa in Winnipeg, Canada opened a few years ago with a hamam and offers a variety of experiences including their "Hamam Fully Loaded" treatment. This year both the Drift Spa at Palms Place (pictured) and Mandarin Oriental in Las Vegas recently rolled out hammams, as did the new InterContinental Montelucia in Arizona. Trump Soho in Manhattan (slated for early 2010) will boast separate luxury hammams for men and women. And look for Turkish hammams to show up in the Miami area as there are some on the drawing boards. You can also expect more floating versions on cruise ships soon.

And delegates attending the 2010 Global Spa Summit (fittingly taking place in Istanbul next May) will sample both ancient and modern local interpretations. In the future, look for sauna or steam rooms around the world inappropriately labeled "hammams" to be taken to task as the industry commits to higher standards of authenticity.

POST-PUBLISHING NOTES
I heard from quite a few people after our trend list was published. Some shared their own hammam experiences, others told me of a hammam they are building (there is one that will be opening in New York this year!) and I heard from Frank Flynn who actually has a company called Hammam Consultants!

Frank was particularly helpful as he has studied hammams for many years and has traveled extensively and is totally committed to authenticity for the spa experience. He went on to answer some of my questions:

The difference between the Moroccan hammam experience is in sequence and in what is used (black soap then exfoliate then mud then rinse) versus the Turkish hamam experience (exfoliate, then soap massage, then rinse). He also explained that the Rasul (pictured here from the Mandarin Oriental in Hong Kong) is somewhat similar to a hammam but was an adaptation to a smaller space. Therefore instead of people lying on a belly-stone and having an attendant, they are sitting and doing more of a self administered soap, exfoliation and mud treatment.

What can I say....hammams are hot and getting hotter! (But note, that doesn't refer to the temperature because authentic hammams are much less hot and humid than steam rooms.)
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Spa Trend #1: The New “P” Word
By Susie Ellis, SpaFinder Insider

While our SpaFinder 2010 Top Ten Spa Trends List has been published and can be accessed in our newsroom, I haven't yet had a chance to share some of the "behind-the-scenes" information and photos. So here we go.

Trend #1 The New "P" Word

Goodbye, pampering. Hello, prevention. Well, not so fast. It’s more like, move over, pampering; hello, prevention. Against the backdrop of a global health care crisis, prevention is poised to be the new “it” word of the spa industry in 2010 and beyond. But rather than replacing established industry concepts like pampering and wellness, it’s a sharp (and smart) refocusing of the conversation. Pampering, after all, speaks to the goal of most spa-goers of stress reduction and relaxation, and that in itself is preventive.

Prevention has moved front and center on the world health stage, and the spa industry’s role in prevention-focused health regimes will be greatly emphasized and more forcefully promoted in 2010. For years, of course, spas have been “doing” prevention; i.e., focusing on exercise, nutrition, stress reduction and Eastern stay-well medical paradigms like Traditional Chinese Medicine or Ayurveda, years before new, cutting-edge hospitals unleashed “integrative health centers,” interweaving traditional medicine with many of these established spa approaches.

A global spotlight exposing how expensive, inefficient, and unsustainable the “wait-to-get-sick” health care model really is—new evidence that stress contributes directly to 80 percent of all disease—along with mounting evidence that the cornerstones of the modern spa industry are medically proven to forestall illness and promote longevity, are driving this trend. (And within the spa industry, the old, oft-maligned “P” word, pampering, will actually play a key role in the prevention focus, as basic relaxation and de-stressing are now known to have such a powerful impact on people’s health.)

Watch for the words prevent and prevention to be used more frequently. Examples already include Germany’s Brenner’s Park-Hotel Medical Spa’s PREVENT program, combining comprehensive examinations with personalized therapies, nutrition, and fitness, and the Pritikin Longevity Center and Spa (recently relocated to Miami, Florida), which for the first time will be covered by Medicare in 2010.

The analogous trend on the beauty front is the ever more intense focus on anti-aging treatments: a continued explosion of treatments, diets, and products (of course, sunscreen) that get aggressive early to prevent problems and avoid costly, invasive actions after the fact.

POST TREND LIST PUBLISHING NOTES

Had an interesting conversation a few days ago with Dr. Daniel Friedland a champion and author of a book on Evidence Based Medicine. He told me that recent research has shown that the first step people need to take before they can expect to have any success with lifestyle changes often promoted by their doctors is....stress reduction. Spas? The number one reason people go to spas is to relax and de-stress. So we really, truly are step #1!

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When my assistant, Dulcy, and I went to Istanbul several months ago to check out places we might want to include for delegates who will be attending the Global Spa Summit, we decided to try out one of their famous and authentic hamams (hammams in Arabic). Dulcy wrote a great blog about it that was posted on our SpaFinder Club Spa blog. I decided to post it here also because she gave such a great detailed description that it made me feel as if I was actually back there on that slab getting scrubbed and soaped. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Susie

My First Authentic Hammam
By Dulcy Gregory, SpaFinder

07 January 2010
My trip to Istanbul last September was whirlwind. Two and a half days, myriad hotel tours, and one trip to the hammam. What exactly is a hammam you ask? Think part serenity… part surprise… and brand new skin!

2010 is the year of the Hammam – according to SpaFinder President, Susie Ellis. I learned just exactly what a hammam is on a recent trip to Istanbul in September 2009 with Susie, to research hotels for the upcoming Global Spa Summit (which is to take place in Istanbul this May). After breakfast one morning it was decided that a trip to a local, authentic hammam was in order.

It was warm in Istanbul that week, and the afternoon sun had warmed the city. We chose Cemberlitas (pronounced chem-behr-LEE-tahsh), a hammam built in the 1500’s in the old city section of Istanbul. A careening taxi ride through the busiest streets prefaced our arrival at the hammam, which was neatly tucked away into the busy street façade.

After a brief introduction to the manager, we were escorted into the women’s area of the hammam. I was handed a soft pink pestemal, or fringed towel, and led to the changing area. I felt as if I had transgressed back to my first spa experience – I was a bit confused, wasn’t sure exactly how much clothing to keep on, or what would happen once the treatment started. Deciding to treat it as any other massage, I removed my clothes and donned the pestemal before heading to the waiting area.

Before we entered the hammam, we had been given several domino shaped tokens, each labeled for a certain part of the treatment (hammam, massage, facial, etc.) and a small cloth bag. A woman approached me and without saying much, took my tokens and led me into the main chamber, known as the sıcaklık (or caldarium).

A large domed ceiling punctured with holes allowed soft streams of natural light to seep through the warm, humid air. A few women were resting on their pestemal on a large round marble surface, while others bathed at faucet alcoves along the perimeter of the wall. One woman, covered in bubbles, was receiving a soapy massage by one of the other attendants. My attendant took my pestemal, rather quickly, and laid it down on the outer edge of the marble stone and motioned for me to lie down. I quickly settled onto the marble, partly due to my unease of now have nothing on and surprise of how quickly it all happened.

My anxieties quickly dissipated as the warmth of the marble eased my muscles; I had almost begun to doze when my attendant suddenly reappeared and, using the cloth I had been given now as a mitt, began scrubbing my entire body with moderate pressure to remove dead skin. And there was enough of it. After the exfoliation I received a wash of warm water from a tas, or copper bowl. She then began a gentler, soapy massage using a larger cloth which she fashioned into an airpocket from which to squeeze bubbles. To finish the bath, I was led into an alcove to a faucet where she washed my hair and all remaining soap away.

The traditional hammam treatment in the sıcaklık was followed by a massage, facial, and foot reflexology, but certainly the most memorable aspect of the entire afternoon was the time spent in the large round marble room. I left feeling completely revitalized and jet-lag-free. It’s so clear – not only how the practice has become such a tradition for citizens of Istanbul, and Turkey, but how it has also developed into a luxury for spa-goers worldwide.
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Aesthetic Medical Predictions for 2010

Susie Ellis, SpaFinder Insider

Francis X. Acunzo from Acara offered up his aesthetic medical predictions for 2010 . I think they are interesting - especially for aesthetic medical spas or medi spas. Here are the predictions in black - my comments in red.

1. Dysport will become a strong competitor to Botox.

In time it might, however doctors doing aesthetics who are currently using Botox (that would be all of them) are not all that excited about changing to a new product. I think we need to see a more significant difference in price between Dysport and Botox before it becomes a strong competitor.
2. Non-invasive body contouring will continue to grow in popularity lead by Erchonia's Zerona.

Erchonia's Zerona is new to me - interesting demo on Rachael Ray.
3. Face lifts will continue to drop in demand while liquid face-lifts grow in popularity, especially with the younger market (40 -54 year olds)

I like the term "liquid face-lift."
4. Fat transfer, specifically for natural breast enhancement, will become sought after by women who were previously uncomfortable with implants.

I was surprised to learn that fat transfer or fat grafting can be done in-office under local anesthesia.

5. Laser Lipolysis will continue to be one of the most in-demand medical aesthetic procedures due to its minimal downtime and great results.

This seems to be what others call Smart Lipo. It's less invasive than traditional liposuction, however it is still surgery.

6. The younger audience (24 – 40 year olds) will continue to discover aesthetic medical services for preventive aging.
Unfortunately this seems to be true. I have family members and friends in that age group and while a few seem to be thinking prevention, most seem to be using aesthetic medical services to improve what they think needs improving.
7. There will be an increase in the number of men having aesthetic medical procedures starting with facial fillers and injectibles (i.e. Botox, Restylane, Radiesse, etc.)

I definitely agree and it isn't just vanity...they want to stay competitive in the marketplace.
8. The tipping point of when men and women want to have their tattoos removed will arrive and the demand will grow exponentially.

Interesting....I do think a tipping point is coming. Not sure why it would happen in 2010 (especially when money is tight) however it makes sense that tattoo removal will become more and more popular.
9. Facial Rejuvenation will come of age as medical practitioners perfect their skill combining aesthetic medical facial procedures.

The key here is "perfect their skill" as people begin realizing that this isn't just about skill - it is about art.
10. What was an Extreme Makeover in 2003 when the then popular TV show hit the airwaves will now become the Everyday Makeover.

Well...that might be a bit of an exaggeration since most on that show went through major plastic surgery - not just the medical aesthetics listed above. However, I do agree that makeovers are very "in."

Thanks Francis for keeping us on the cutting edge. (oops, sorry about that pun!)

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Look for homes to become simpler, greener and more spa-like!

By Susie Ellis, SpaFinder Insider

In keeping with our New Year's conversations about trends, I thought it would be fun to look at some trends in other industries – as this often helps us see our spa trends in a different light. So today I am sharing “Home Trends,” and my next post will be “Plastic Surgery Trends.”

Many of these home trends are predictable, however I found the idea of more media rooms, more computers in the kitchen (for homework), and elevators pretty cutting edge. Also the trend regarding linoleum, well, that's a tad depressing.

From a great article by Sherrie Negrea in the Stargazette “Home Trends for 2010”

IN GENERAL

• Home trends are dominated by a) green and b) the downturn in the economy
• Not so fussy, emphasize on comfortable style, simplification
• Sustainable products and energy efficient homes
• Soothing neutral colors, more natural

KITCHEN
Entertaining in the kitchen
Quartz counter tops
Espresso-colored cabinets
Secondary refrigerators as beverage centers
Homework/computers in the kitchen

BATHROOM
Transformed into spas
Whirlpools
Multiple body sprays in showers
Glass tiles as accents (blues/greens)
Lighter colors in general

COLORS
Softer, neutral colors that signal comfort
Grays, oatmeal, stone
Citron, orange and purples as accents
(Bolder colors are for times when people have more money... "If I don’t like it, I can change it...”)

FABRICS
Chenilles, tapestries and woven fabrics
Comfort
Microfiber and leather

HOUSE STYLE
Complex roof lines
Clapboard with stone or brick
Open floor plans
Two master bedroom suites
Multiple fireplaces
Media room for movies (people not traveling as much)
Three-car garages
Elevators (people are aging)

REMODELING (more popular than buying)
Remove walls for a more open floor plan
Adding windows
Expanding rooms
Adding media rooms

GARDEN
Planting fruit trees and vegetable gardens

GREEN DESIGN
More energy efficient
Solar panels
Sustainably forested furniture
Carpets made from recycled bottles
Linoleum making a comeback because it is natural - also mamoleum

Stay tuned for plastic surgery trends next....and learn with me about Gummy Bear implants!
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Top 10 Spa Trends for the Past DECADE

Susie Ellis, SpaFinder Insider

2000 - 2010

While SpaFinder has been predicting spa trends yearly for most of the last decade, this is the first time I’ve had the opportunity to sum up the top 10 spa trends that developed over the past 10 years.

And what a decade it was! From organic to indigenous, social spa-ing to the online spa scene, ‘spa’ was transformed as the industry met global challenges with innovations that will positively impact us all for years to come.

Our list of the decade’s ‘Top 10’ includes trends that we forecast over the years that proved to be the most enduring. However, I also challenged our team to take a look at some trends we may not have selected for our yearly top 10 list – those that weren’t evident, yet in retrospect were a real game-changer. Indeed, we found one ‘biggee.’

Here then is what we judge as the top 10 spa trends of the past decade:

1. Indigenous Treatments
While one would see the use of local ingredients and local customs on occasion at spas decades ago, during the past decade this became an almost unspoken rule. Not only do local ingredients and customs provide a healthy native flavor, they are a special experience that could not be easily replicated. From a lomi lomi massage in Hawaii to the Royal Javanese Lular wedding ritual from Indonesia, indigenous treatments gave spas a sense of place that made each spa-going experience around the world truly unique.

2. Medicine and Spa
In the early 90’s there was very little overlap between medicine and spas. That has changed dramatically over the last 10 years. With more doctors ‘discovering’ that spas add to health and reduce stress through their own experience (perhaps a massage after a round of golf at a medical retreat) the spa world and the medical world began talking. Then when Botox arrived in 2002, a new type of aesthetic/medical spa was born and the spa and medicine connection was solidified. Spas also got their act together, becoming more transparent and down-playing the ‘woo woo’ factor.

3. Organic
This was the big story in spa products for the decade. The popularity of organic and ‘green’ helped several obscure organic lines make it big, and nearly all spa product companies launched their own branded organic lines. The organic trend also helped open the door for a new eco-friendly, environmentally conscious zeitgeist in the spa arena that while it's not yet garnering universal praise, at least has gotten things going in the right direction.

4. Men
While the decade saw a range of new demographics enter the spa arena, from teens to pre-teens to babies and seniors, it was the steady stream of men who began making spa-going part of their lives that has had the greatest impact. While it took some doing to get men to try a spa for the first time, almost universally their first time resulted in a second and third, etc. Men found that there was more to this spa-going thing than just idle pampering – it was, in fact, the quickest way for them to reduce stress (something that there was plenty of in this decade) , help improve their sports performance and a healthy way to move from feeling poorly to feeling great.

5. Wellness
The word wellness was hardly used in the 90’s and did not really appear on the scene until after the millennium. Starting in Europe as a term that combined fitness and well being, it gained momentum because for Europeans the word ‘spa’ had a different connotation (water treatments for sick older people) and the newer spas (ushered in by the swanky Brenner’s Park Hotel and Spa in Baden Baden) were associated with expense and pretension. Thus the word wellness was a good word to describe places that offered fitness, massage, medical testing, and healthy nutrition – the very things that spas are known for.

6. Yin of Luxury, Yang of Discount
While the decade may have ended with more emphasis on the yang of discount, the decade definitely spent quite a bit of time in the yin of luxury. The reality is that with more than 80,000 spas in the world now, there is plenty of yin and plenty of yang to go around. One can find bargain-priced massages and other spa treatments in most countries alongside sky-high-priced options with bejeweled massage oils and exotic over-the-top settings to suit any taste and budget.

7. Spa Comes Home
The influence of spa on the home started at the beginning of the decade as a simple purchase of a candle to use in the bath and perhaps the addition of a loofah sponge. It has blossomed into an entire industry of spa-type products, services, and furniture experienced at home. Taking the trend even further was the birth of ‘spa real estate’ –luxury high-rises and communities with spectacular spas where one could purchase a residence and truly live the spa lifestyle. Spa-ing burst out of the confines of the walls of an establishment labeled 'spa', and the new term ‘spa lifestyle’ described a way of living for those looking for a healthy life.

8. Online Spa
I remember lamenting to my husband at the turn of the millennium that I wished there were more spas that had a website. His answer? Just wait, they will all have one soon. Well of course he was right. Today every spa – and even therapists and practitioners – has its own website and consumers can book spa appointments online, buy spa products, review spas and fully engage in spa-related social networking. And with technology solutions for wellness coaching and medical diagnosis, the entire spa experience is becoming available through the Internet. Only the therapists’ hands haven’t been brought online – yet.

9. Social Spa-ing
While spas put emphasis on the pillars of exercise, nutrition, body and beauty treatments, the social aspect of spa going was not often discussed until recently. Now we know that social spa-ing – just like spa programs for sleep health and brain health – is a recognized contributor to health. From the isolation of a massage therapy room and a whisper-friendly relaxation lounge, has come the idea that mingling and socializing is a healthy thing to do.

10. Gift Certificates, Vouchers, Cards
And finally we come to a trend that was so gradual that we hardly noticed its importance and never even mentioned it in a top trend list. And yet it has probably had more to do with the explosion of spas and the number of spa-goers around the world than almost any of the other trends – or even all of them combined! That is the emergence and popularity of the spa gift certificate, card and voucher that introduced so many new people to the spa experience. (In fact, research has shown that approximately one third of all spa visits are a result of certificates and vouchers.) The spa gift whose reach was galvanized collectively by every spa which sells them as well as third party universal programs, not only gave people permission to pamper themselves, it also ushered in an attitude that gifting 'spa' was an expression of true thoughtfulness and care. To put it in perspective: while SpaFinder is the largest retailer of spa gift certificates, cards and vouchers in the world, we didn’t make our first certificate sale until 1999. Today over 5,000 spas worldwide are part of our gifting programs and our cards/vouchers are available in virtually every major drug and grocery chain.

It's been quite a decade.
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Fitness Trends for 2010 Predicted by Fitness Answer Man
Susie Ellis, SpaFinder Insider

Chad Smith who owns a fitness club in Maryland Home Team Fitness, writes a popular column called the Fitness Answer Man. Recently he shared his Top Four fitness trend predictions for 2010. Here they are along with my opinion which boils down to: Agree, agree, disagree, and agree.

Fitness Trend #1: “Unemployed will refocus on health.”
I agree. With more time, people often do increase their amount of exercise. Exercise also helps with depression – a common problem during tough economic challenges. And those in the job market (or wanting to retain their jobs) try to keep up their appearance.

This increase in exercise is not translating in the same way to an increase in spa usage however. While people consider exercise a “need,” spa services are still often considered a "want." Thankfully, this is changing as people see the health and well-being advantage of both. One of our SpaFinder top spa trends for 2010, the “Hybrid Spa” shows how fitness and spa services are coming together which will help correct this misperception.

Fitness Trend #2: "Irresistible offers from local gyms"
I agree. Very low prices for fitness clubs and memberships have been the norm for many years however now we are seeing unprecedented slashing of prices. The fitness model makes selling masses of memberships - beyond what a club can accommodate - possible because so many people will not use the facilities after a while. The typical advertising push for fitness in January is happening already. Even I am surprised however at how low the prices have gotten – in some cases $10.00 a month with no down payment!

Spas are discounting also - one of our top spa trends for 2010 is The Price is (still) Right. A difference however is that because labor costs are usually over 50% of a spa’s overhead, there is much less room to cut prices. So while some categories such as fitness club memberships and hotel room rates can be cut prices dramatically, spa service discounts have their limits.

Speaking of spectacular discounts, my sister-in-law, Pam, just booked a three-night stay (upgraded to a suite if available) at Wynn in Las Vegas for $199 total (yes, I mean a three nights together!) That also included two free tickets to a Cirque du Soleil Le Reve performance which costs more than $100 per ticket online. Wow!

Fitness Trend #3 - "The weight-loss industry will quiet down."
I disagree. Chad says, “With the U.S. Federal Trade Commission crackdown on product claims, endorsements and testimonials, watch for way fewer sensational ads for weight-loss products and supplements. The bogus tactics that the multi-billion dollar, weight-loss industry use to separate you from your money will no longer be tolerated by the feds, and good riddance.”

I think this is wishful thinking. In my entire career (35 years) in the weight-loss and spa industry, I have never seen it “quiet down.” Yes there were times when certain products had to be taken off the market, when more restrictions were added, more labeling required, etc. But with more people overweight and obese now than ever, weight loss solutions will continue their extreme popularity. The demand is simply too huge for the supply to dwindle. Yes, there might be some adjustments made, however I feel that those hawking weight loss solutions are clever enough to tip-toe around whatever new regulations come their way.

Fitness Trend #4 - "Exer-gaming will explode."
I agree (after I found out what exer-gaming meant). It even has its own Wikipedia definition: “Exer-gaming or exergaming is a term used for video games that are also a form of exercise.”

Examples include Power Pad, Foot Craz, Dance Dance Revolution, Gamercize, Cyber Trager and now the well known Wii Fit. EA Sports Active and this year’s Brookstone Gaming Exercise bike are newcomers. Since video games are so successful in engaging participation and physical activity is notoriously not, the combination is promising. As I write this my husband is playing online poker. Hmmm, could “Peddle-Poker” be far behind?

If we want to push a tad further…how about we combine exer-gaming with an eco approach like the Human Dynamo where your exercise bike generates electricity? Perhaps a fitness trend for 2011.....

Thanks Chad for giving us a glimpse into how you see the future of fitness!
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If you wish to be put on a list that automatically sends my blog posts to your email, just let dulcy.gregory@spafinder.com know and she will add you to that list. Thanks so much!