Category Archives: Spa Fitness and Wellness

Lessons for Spa Industry from Clinton’s “Health Matters” Conference

billclinton 300x235 Lessons for Spa Industry from Clintons “Health Matters” Conference

I got lucky. Then I got super-lucky.  I heard about the Clinton “Health Matters” Conference scheduled just prior to the Bob Hope  Classic Golf Tournament (now called the Humana Challenge Golf Tournament) that was going to be taking place in Indian Wells, CA just a week before it was actually going to happen. Then I found out they were only giving out 200 tickets – yikes. Through a flurry of emails and phone calls, I was lucky enough to be able to attain one.  Actually, it was two; I ended up attending with Deborah Szekely, founder of Rancho La Puerta and the Golden Door – my mentor and, in recent years, a very close friend.  So we went together.

Oh yes, I should mention right up front, we did have a chance to chat with Clinton at the end of the day.  Deborah gave him one of her Rancho La Puerta cookbooks which he loved, and I told him something that he could add to his story: that Bob Hope walked an hour a day and lived to be a 100.  (Bob Hope also had  a massage every day!)

There we were – Deborah almost 90 and the “godmother of the modern spa industry” – and me, feeling fortunate to have been part of the industry she ushered in for the past three decades.  Both of us noticed that it wasn’t super well organized (they served a nice healthy buffet breakfast with fruit, eggs and such but provided exactly three tables with four chairs each to sit down).  Very odd.  However, we gave them a pass because it was their first health conference – a somewhat last minute idea I believe.  Kudos for hosting the event however.  They pulled in a slew of VIP’s:

  • President Bill Clinton – personal health crisis, now vegan, has lost 20 lbs
  • Chelsea Clinton – focus is childhood obesity and type 2 diabetes
  • Dr. Nancy Snyderman – Today Show’s medical expert
  • Jillian Michaels – former Biggest Loser drill sergeant
  • David Satcher – former U.S. Surgeon General
  • Billy Jean King – tennis legend
  • Goldie Hawn – actress and advocate for Brain Health
  • Notah Begay III – first Native American golfer to win a PGA title
  • Dick Gephardt – Former House Democratic leader
  • Reed Alexander – teenager and star of Nickelodeon’s iCarly
  • Susan Dell – wellness advocate and “super-mom”

Lessons for Spa Industry from Clintons “Health Matters” Conference

    The audience that Deborah and I were a part of, which included Donna Karan and singer Barbara Streisand, was a very mixed bag: national school lunch program administrators, advocates for physical education in schools, non-profit organizations, medical folks from nearby hospital facilities, and sponsors such as Humana  - a very large insurance company.  What we all had in common was an understanding that there is a health crisis in the U.S. and that it is going to take involvement from a broad spectrum of people to affect the changes needed.  The time to help people make lasting healthy lifestyle changes and spread the message of prevention (the one thing everyone seems to agree on as a solution) is NOW.

    If you want to get an idea (well, actually more than an idea) of what took place at the conference, have a quick read through my twitter notes below.  I tried to include the key points (keeping it short) from various speakers but throw in an occasional personal comment to keep people (and myself) awake. At the end I share five things I think the spa industry might consider as a result of what I learned at this one day conference.

    • Am in Indian Wells at one day #Health Matters Conference by the Clinton Foundation. About 300 people in audience, Clinton to speak soon.
    • Clinton speaking. Mentions this is a first – that they are focusing on encouraging each person to be involved in their health + #wellness.
    • This conference is with Clinton Foundation and Humana and replaces Chrysler as sponsor of Bob Hope Classic (financial problems for auto industry)
    Opening
    • Greetings by commissioner of the PTA TOUR – explains this tournament raised money for charity in the past, now it is raising awareness.
    • Clinton spoke about how Bob Hope walked every day which is why he lived to 100.  (Bob Hope also had a massage every day – something I have known for years.  And that’s what I told Clinton at the end of the day when Deborah and I had a chance to speak with him.  He responded that Hillary finds that regular massages help her with her brutal travel schedule. And asking him if he had regular massage therapy, he replied just now and then.)
    • Am here with Deborah Szekely (founder of Golden Door + Rancho La Puerta).  She told me last evening that she agreed with me knowing that Bob Hope had a massage daily – and added that it was always at 4:00!
    Panel 1
    • Clinton explains that he spoke w Bob Hope who told him that he walked one hour every day – no matter what – even in Russia in cold and snow.
    • Clinton played golf with Bob Hope when he was 95 – and Bob Hope hit par on the first hole. So he decided that an hour walk daily might be a good thing!
    • Clinton explains big issue is type 2 diabetes. This morning on NBC Paula Dean (known for cooking w lots of butter) says she has diabetes 2.
    • (Clinton didn’t mention Paula Dean – that was my commentary.) Seems an interesting coincidence however – and it was mentioned later in the day by Dr. Nancy Snyderman. )
    • Clinton mentions – unfortunate that the Occupy Wall Street movement never identified that the reason there are fewer raises for middle income people is because of high healthcare costs.
    • #Healthmatters Clinton emphasizes this is a BIG deal for our country, ageing baby boomers, children.
    • Clinton introduces panel: Dick Gephardt, Billie Jean King, Dr. Mark Hyman, Jillian Michaels, Dr. David Satcher.
    • #healthmatters byline is “Activating Wellness in Every Generation.” (I notice people don’t realize how important the term WELLNESS is in bringing us together.  In fact they throw it around like it has been in our vocabulary forever.  Not really true…..the Global Spa and Wellness Summit Research actually did an entire study on tracking the term wellness and it is a mere few decades old and has only really been used widely in the past 5 to 10 years.)
    • Panel discussion now is how unfair it is that poorer people are at a huge disadvantage in this battle against health challenges.
    • Jillian Michaels makes point to quit belabored the problems + start doing something. Suggests everyone do SOMETHING. We need to be creative.
    • Dick Gephardt starts by saying that he is nostalgic for when there was a President that could work in a nonpartisan way. Clinton downplays.
    • Clinton reminds everyone that he also had a contentious third year and things got better and he thinks that will happen with Obama.
    • Dr. Hyman says Chelsea Clinton suggested a book about how we can learn from developing countries – and it is about being community based.
    • Dr. Hyman spoke about the program he started with Dr. Rick Warren (Pastor of Saddleback Church) where they lost collectively 250,000 lbs – and the pastor lost 60 lbs!
    • Dr. Hyman is all about community support as the research shows people do better with support than alone – something the spa industry knows well.
    • Gephardt talks re company that paid smoking employees to go through program + quit + there was huge improvement. Weight loss more difficult.
    • Dr. Satcher emphasizes that schools have to be part of the solution. He says that there should be PE in K through 12.
    • Clinton says we have become spectators instead of participants. Jillian interrupts President (not a good idea by the way) + talks re passion needed.
    • Satcher brings focus back on poor people. Clinton is passionate here as well – it is a struggle for those with few resources.
    • Dr. Hyman makes point that getting healthy is a team sport – that poor countries have success w community programs more than with the medical field.
    • Gephardt makes pt that this problem will bankrupt our country, seriously. We need to focus on prevention; the results of prevention are fast. (that is clearly where our spa and wellness industry plays)
    • Clinton says that when he mentions prevention people clap like he has discovered gold. He says that is ridiculous. I agree. Yet, here we are.
    • Billie Jean King talks about her parents being active and she and her brother grew up in the public parks.
    • Clinton tells about Herschel Walker who never lifted weights and only ate once a day – he grew up poor. The point is you don’t need money.
    • Move more, eat less. Clinton says it is a simple answer here; you don’t need an expensive technological solution. Like the environmental problem – use less energy.
    • Clinton points out that there is a serious problem all over the world – UK, India, etc. It is a global problem. You need to crack the culture.
    • (Ok…a personal thought, nothing I have heard that is new here. Good to see so many more people involved in this effort though and perhaps stressing that a variety of solutions are the key.)
    • Closing remarks…Satcher talks about prevention. Clinton emphasizes that the medical field is important also. A lot of applause.
    Panel 2
    • Chelsea Clinton speaking now and will introduce her panel. Deborah whispers to me that Chelsea looks so much like her mom today – really seemed rue today.
    • Title of panel “Raise the Bar for Healthy Schools.” Dr. Dwayne Proctor, head of foundation on childhood obesity. Reports some progress.
    • Dr. Wechsler from Centers for Disease Control + Prevention. Says that there is too much focus on test scores than growing healthy students.
    • Anita Rao is a 15 year old student from Texas, she emphasizes healthy sleep.  Started Student Wellness Council at her school.  Impressive
    • Pete Shankle from Alliance Healthy Schools Champion talks about promoting wellness in Durham, NC.
    • Reed Alexander (actor) speaking. Young guy from iCarly who had weight problem. Now he has a website called Kewlbites.com, shares good tips.
    • All talking about an alliance for a healthier nation that is trying to improve the numbers. Chelsea asks about innovative things that work
    • Innovative ideas – use a bike that powers a blender for your smoothie in the morning. Opening schools in the morning for fitness.
    • Chelsea mentions re snacking – now kids snack 3 times a day, it used to be 3 times a week. One school gives out red apples vs. gold stars.
    • Anita, the teenager, says it is harder to talk to other teens than this audience. Need to appeal to interests…helps w grades, w athletics, look good.
    • Many using the term “food deserts.” New to me – apparently about areas where people can’t get good food…not necessarily a lack of food
    • Anita makes point that a lot of people don’t know there is a childhood obesity problem.
    Lunch Break then Panel 3
    • Lunch break over – nice tasty healthy (mostly) food. Now new panel on employee wellness. Moderator Editor in Chief Golf Digest.
    • Travis Bogard CMO Jawbone, they can monitor heart rate, steps taken, sleep…James Curleigh, CEO KEEN Footwear…notes that they don’t work with consumers, they work with their fans.
    • Michael McCallister, CEO, Humana, 40,000 employees. Those w over 30 BMR use up most of the health care dollars. He is into behavioral economics.
    • They did a Biggest Loser contest in company, it works but when you stop, you lose what you gained. (Exactly what we discovered w SpaFinder.)
    • Humana brought 1000 bikes to Republic and Democratic conventions and got a lot of people active. He pushes for innovation!
    • Bob Lanier (NBA) now Global Ambassador helping kids in lots of various ways. There is a lot of talk about recess here. NBAfit. Make it fun.
    • Casey Wasserman, CEO Media Group represents athletes and is now encouraging all of them to help get kids moving.
    • Editor of Golf Digest said that a round of golf burns 2,000 calories – if you walk. (I would challenge that – you burn 100 calories per mile.)
    • McCallister (Humana) went to Davos last year, came back w job to head up employee wellness saying in general companies don’t ‘get it’ yet. (I agree…but this is the year of the wake-up call.)
    • Question from audience – psychotherapist says people need direction. James suggests getting chalk + drawing hopscotch outside your office.
    • More talk about recess and talk about where it came from – in middle 1800′s Louise May Alcott’s father. (Hmm, need to check Wikipedia on that odd fact.)
    • Audience question about what is a good message to spark involvement. Like don’t drink and drive. But what is a clever slogan?
    • Next panel. Susan Dell speaking talks about learning exercise helped her get straight A’s. Her motto, fuel for performance, train for life.
    • Susan Dell promoting Be Well book giving out millions for free. Give the gift of wellness for your kids. (She looks very fit btw.)
    • Lakeysha Sowunmi founded Perfectkidz – tried working w churches and found a lot of resistance at first. Then into schools + more resistance.
    • Her point is that there is a lot of resistance and so rather than trying to get people to do things – go in and do it yourselves.
    • Notah Begay Native American – first Native American to win a PGA tournament. He got a scholarship to Stanford. Injured – then helped kids.
    • Annika Sorenstam (Sweden) professional golfer for 16 yrs. She also wanted to help young kids to pursue their dreams. Started foundation.
    • Annika talks about preventive care. Kids sitting too much and too much diabetes. She is working with SPARKS.
    • Goldie Hawn after 9-11 she started knitting + decided instead to do something. She thought the kids are going to suffer. Obese, suicide, ADD, etc.
    • Goldie Hawn learned that our children are least happy (other than UK) kids compared with other kids.
    • Goldie Hawn created program for kids. Teach kids about their brain. About stress, mindfulness. About acts of kindness. Look at happiness.
    • Her curriculum teaches optimism and she has loved this more than acting. Has been doing this for the past 10 years.
    • Q + A from audience, most all for Goldie Hawn, people are really into the emotional, mental part, stress issue is something people ‘get.’
    • Dr. Deepak Chopra speaking (on video). Hmm, he doesn’t live that far from here. Talking about well-being. Self-awareness is key he says. (Later I learn he was in India – his son was at the event.)
    • Dr. Nancy Snyderman introduces Clinton, Susan Dell, Surgeon General Satcher, etc. She asks Clinton about responsibility for our own health.
    • Clinton is oldest male in his family to live this long. All others died before 65. He has genetic predisposition to high cholesterol.
    • Dr. Snyderman mentioned Paula Dean on NBC this morning, her unwillingness to admit food choices has a lot to do w her diagnosis of diabetes.
    • James Curleigh from KEEN. Talks about connection. Balancing simplicity and sophistication.
    • Susan Dell talks about how exercise helped her get straight A’s (ok, we did hear that earlier…hmm, seems she has a “stump speech”).
    • Question re subsidies for farmland. Clinton discusses government needs to do more. Also mentions studies that show we should all live to 120.
    • Question re subsidies for farmland. Clinton discusses government needs to do more. Also mentions studies that show we should all live to 120.
    • Safeway did a lot to help their employees. Clinton mentioned preferential rates for those who don’t smoke. Carrot and stick are important.
    • Satcher says that Johnson and Johnson has lowered health care costs and increased productivity due to an employee wellness program.
    • Question re personal responsibility and also social responsibility. Poor people can’t afford good food and have no parks to play in.
    • Clinton recommends that medical loans can be paid down by helping the underserved. Snyderman gives an example of how this could work.
    • Person in audience mentions how someone in LA paid to have parks open at night and they found that the crime rate went down and it paid off.
    • Clinton talks about midnight basketball.  You can’t just tell kids to say no to everything – you have to give them something to say yes to.
    • A lot of agreement that keeping schools open late is a very good thing and it would help with more activity and community involvement.
    • Point that support of friends + family networks is key. Community watch program for those who want to jog in unsafe neighborhoods. (Interesting that most of these people understand the importance of community…I rarely hear that point made outside of the spa industry where we have of course also learned it.)
    • Point that we have a social disease and need a social solution. Saddleback Church was a model. Disruptive healthcare.

    Conclusions for our spa and wellness industry

    • The good news is that we are no longer the lone rangers preaching prevention.  There is going to be a lot more help now.
    • The bad news is that, as others help trumpet the “prevention banner,” they do not seem to consider the spa industry as a partner in these solutions.  No one on the stage mentioned the word spa the entire day.  (It’s only appearance was as a description for the afternoon “spa break.”)
    • We either need to put time, energy and/or resources into helping spread the word about our work and how it can contribute positively or come up with a more creative strategy.
    • One creative strategy that comes to mind is focusing on “stress reduction” as our unique selling point.  Gyms do fitness, school programs and nutrition are already a partner cause, however no one really “owns” reducing stress.
    • A possible innovative strategy might be for our entire global spa industry to embrace teaching kids how to reduce stress.  I think that would get attention – while at the same time doing a world of good.

    Spa Trend Analysis 2011: Buzzwords – What’s Hot? What’s Getting Hotter?

    hottrends1 Spa Trend Analysis 2011: Buzzwords Whats Hot? Whats Getting Hotter?

    Before we leave our 2011 SpaFinder Spa Trend Forecast behind, let’s review  the ”Hot/Getting Hotter” list.   We always have a lot of fun creating these as they become a short, handy way for people to get a sense of what’s in our trend report.  It also gives us a chance to throw in a few things that maybe didn’t make our top 10 list but caught our attention nevertheless.  And I have also found that our hot/hotter list often contains some seeds of trends for the following year.  Hint….there is one on this list that became a 2012 trend.  And speaking of 2012 spa trend predictions – those have just come out and will all be listed in my next blog post!


    Hot Stone Massage Bamboo Massage
    Oxygen Facials Stem Cell Facials
    Waxing Threading
    Saunas Infrared Saunas
    Aging Silver Spa-ing
    De-stress Mobility
    Fitness Coaching Wellness Coaching
    Relaxing Massage Pain Relief Massage
    Groupon SpaRahRah
    Kick Boxing Zumba
    Pilates Barre Method
    Celebrity Chefs Celebrity Stylists/Therapists/Aestheticians
    Farm-to-table Farm-to-massage-table
    Spa Cuisine Gluten-Free Spa Cuisine
    Hammam Salt Caves
    U.S. Asia
    One-of-a-Kind-Spa Branded Spas
    Indigenous Hyper-Local
    Extreme Fitness Extreme Beauty
    Express Services Super-Express Services
    Essential Oils Moroccan Oil
    Online Marketing Scent Marketing
    Predictable Surprising
    Body,Mind, Spirit Purpose, Meaning, Priorities

    Thanks to those who walked through the review of the entire list of 2011 Spa Trend Predictions with me.  I have heard from some of you and really appreciate that you took the journey with me.   Next we will look to 2012…and I have a feeling you will really like some of those trends  And, there is at least one that I think will totally surprise you.

    Spa Trend Analysis 2011: Surprising Special Events

    events 258x300 Spa Trend Analysis 2011: Surprising Special EventsThis was our 10th spa trend prediction for 2011 and while we are definitely seeing new and creative special events added to spa programs, I think we are also learning that if you get too narrow on a theme or topic, you might have a hard time attracting enough participants.  For example, while gluten free programs seem to be super popular and filling up quickly in many spas, the “Sisterhood of Survivors” retreat at Miraval offered for those who have been touched by suicide, had to be cancelled due to low enrollment.  (Kudos to them for giving it a try, however!)  On the other hand, Six Senses brought Richard Branson to Soneva Fushi a few months ago for a pow wow on SLOW LIFE.  That was impressive – and definitely a surprise to me!    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jziWaqtNJGI  I think that this trend prediction deserves a B.  Good…but not excellent – it has a ways to go.

    Downright surprising special events and activities will continue to pop up at both destination and resort spas. The “spa surprises’” will span everything from dramatically more unique, super-targeted “specialty weeks” — fun, even quirky, new activities for spa-goers — and unusual programs aimed at groups, far more imaginative than the old “golf and spa” package.

    Destination spas have, of course, been doing yoga and healthy cooking “weeks” for years, but retreats are moving in bold new directions. Consider Solace Spa at Boyne Mountain’s (Michigan, U.S.) “Trapeze Experience,” where trapeze artists teach spa-goers to soar through the air like circus performers, and artsy, creativity-focused weeks like Canyon Ranch’s “Don’t Worry, Bead Happy” jewelry-making retreats, or “Raw Food Week” at Canada’s Spa Eastman, and “Gluten-Free Cooking Week” at Baja California’s Rancho La Puerta. And celebrity authors, artists, actors (even politicians) now headline these specialty weeks. For instance, Soneva Fushi Six Senses’ (Maldives) recent “Dine and Dive Week” was headed up by Fabien Cousteau (Jacques’ son), and featured an island bicycle race where the slowest bicyclist wins. The trend also embraces the serious: i.e., Miraval Arizona’s (Arizona, U.S.) “Sisterhood of Survivors” retreat, for those who have survived a loved one’s suicide.

    Hotel/resort spas (also getting into “specialty weeks”) will continue to surprise traditional and business groups with unpredictable programming. Consider Sanderling Resort & Spa’s (North Carolina, U.S.) monthly “artisanal butchering classes” or Stoweflake Mountain Resort & Spa’s (Vermont, U.S.) “Naked Table Project,” where guests make a “simple family table from scratch,” and then join tables together for a locally grown feast. The Montage Resort & Spa (California, U.S.) offers falconry and “Plein Air Painting” programs, while Joie de Vivre Hospitality’s (U.S.) boutique spa hotels’ “Joy of Meetings” program includes bubble-blowing and kite-flying to relieve stress in business meetings.

    If therapeutic carpentry and tight-rope walking are any indication, the sky’s the limit with the spa programming surprises ahead.

    This wraps up our 2011 spa trend analysis – hope you enjoyed it.  I would be happy to hear from anyone regarding your agreement/disagreement about the analysis.  Did we grade ourselves too high?  Too low?  Next I will do a quick commentary on our 2011 Hot & Getting Hotter List and the 2011 Counter Trends – then we get to move to the exciting new trend forecast for 2012!  If you are curious and want a sneak peek of what’s on our radar for 2012, check out this link.  http://www.spafinder.com/about/press_release.jsp?relId=239

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    Spa Trend Analysis 2011: Extreme Beauty: Spa Edition

    botox.istockphoto 201x300 Spa Trend Analysis 2011: Extreme Beauty: Spa Edition

    This, the 8th trend we identified in our list of the Top 10 SpaFinder trends for 2011, was all about the lengths people will go to (especially women) for beauty.  Rereading what we wrote a year ago, I was struck by our prediction that the use of the term ”stem cell” would become huge.  How right we were.  In fact here is verbiage from a press release that landed on my desk just today!  Cellure, the first skin care line introduced to the U.S. that uses adult human stem cell technology, is truly changing the face of skin care…The revolutionary beauty brand of the leading stem cell research facility in Korea has… Have a look at what we wrote about Extreme Beauty last year:

    The common element in spa beauty these days is that beauty-seekers are pushing all known boundaries and taking it to the max.

    Extremes are, of course, easy to spot when surveying the new technologies and scientific innovations appearing on the market with increasing regularity. Lash stimulators and extensions are not new, but are definitely gathering steam. We are now “beyond Botox,” the botulinum toxin (itself extreme) that fueled the medi-spa industry when the FDA approved it in 2002. There are now all sorts of fillers and other injectables with ever-increasing potency, each longer lasting than the one that preceded it. “Stem cell” is the latest lightening rod term being used (mostly by marketing departments at the moment), and applied to everything from “stem cell facials” to stem cells in skincare products to “stem cell facelifts.” Plasma therapy for cosmetic uses is also a new buzz concept…yes, that’s where a person’s blood is drawn, their platelet-rich plasma is extracted, and then re-injected into their wrinkles, etc. And how about the extremely un-invasive new (FDA-approved) Ultherapy (no anesthesia, no surgery), which uses ultrasound to regenerate collagen deep under the skin, shifting the skin into a youthful position.

    Plus, let’s talk about extreme pain, which is something people seem to be tolerating more and more, as long as it delivers the goods. Facial injectables have always been somewhat painful — derma-rolling hurts, chemical peels can be uncomfortable and the zapping of lasers is no picnic. Facial massage, for example (long a popular component of all spa facials), is, in some cases, now being administered to the point of agony. One example is the Buccal Technique, an intense facial massage performed from inside the mouth…reported to be acutely painful, but still popular among the likes of Keira Knightley and Angelina Jolie.

    Spa and wellness approaches where pain meets pleasure seem to be rising in popularity over their “kinder and gentler” brethren. Witness the upsurge in military-style boot camps, Rolfing, Bikram yoga, Thai massage and vigorous scrubs in Turkish hammams or Korean bathhouses. People are embracing things like alternating the searing heat of a Russian sauna with a dip in an icy pool because they find the results worth it. Check out the new Sparkling Hills Resort and Spa in Canada, where one of the newest European-imported modalities, Chryotherapy (cold therapy), can be experienced. Labeled the “cold sauna,” it involves three minutes in a room that is -110 degrees Celsius!

    Facials aren’t just for faces anymore; they’re now being extended to every “extremity”…and we do mean the whole body. Back, foot and hand facials have been around for a couple of years, but what about “booty” and “vagina” facials? The Smooth Synergy Day Spa in New York will pamper your “booty” — exfoliate it, use microcurrent therapy to help reduce the appearance of cellulite, and then even apply spray tan! Phit, another New York spa, focuses on pelvic health, and “encourages good muscle tone,” and “restores labial and vulvar contour to a plump firmness” with a process involving lasers.

    Even organics and natural products are being taken to extremes, as evidenced by the extraordinary lengths many brands will go to assert their hardcore purity. “Internal beauty” is emphasized with increasing vigor. Raw cuisine is becoming popular during intense detox retreats: Fresh Start in Canada has a 14-day detox (no pain, no gain!) with a 100% raw food menu for the 50% of days guests are actually allowed to eat solid food. Dr. Howard Murad’s new book, The Water Secret, makes the radical, but convincing, claim that one doesn’t need to drink eight glasses of water a day. Instead, one should “eat one’s water” through fresh fruits and vegetables, providing our cells with a much more nutritious, effective water source. Phyto 5 products (out of Switzerland) have a unique approach, suggesting that “true beauty is health made visible,” with products that are really energy medicine. And now there’s the possibility of re-attaining “virgin hair,” according to innovative new hair color products like INOA that eliminate damaging chemical developers.

    And finally, what might be considered the most interesting extreme: More people’s comfort levels with simultaneously embracing both the “yin” of the natural and the “yang” of invasive, medical beauty procedures. It isn’t either/or anymore. (A tangible example: The popular NewBeauty magazine now features a dedicated SpaFinder section in each issue.) In the end, people are increasingly demanding extreme results, and they’re happy to pay the price for it. At a staggering $679 billion annually, the beauty and anti-aging sector represents by far the largest share of the estimated $1.9 trillion wellness market.* Expect even more extremely profitable, extreme beauty innovations hitting your local spa next year.

    * 2010 SRI International Report, Spas & the Global Wellness Market: Synergies & Opportunities

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    Latest Spa News from Germany and Austria

    DSC00456 300x225 Latest Spa News from Germany and AustriaImpressed with…Surprised by…Suggestions for…

    I thought it might be fun to review my whirlwind trip to Austria & Germany in the next few blogs with the above headlines in mind.  Here are the stops I made:

    The famous Lanserhof Health and Medical Centre in Austria 

    The New Schloss Elmau Luxury Resort and Cultural Hideaway in the German Alps

    Klafs in Austria, the proud manufacturer of sauna, wellness and spa products   

    Toskanaworld, Bad Orb in Germany, a new spa with warm thermal salt water

    The AHGZ German Wellness Conference I attended and at which I spoke   

    First stop Lanserhof located in a little community called Lans near Innsbruck.

    I WAS IMPRESSED WITH… the famous Lanserhof program and especially its founder and visionary, Andreas Wieser.    This successful property (that I would label a destination spa with medical components) has been around for 27 years.  They require a minimum two week stay, and have had an impressive occupancy rate of over 95% for decades. The food I experienced at lunch was magnificent – and their new cookbook, Energy Cuisine, just came out. 

    Their mantra is “medicine of the future” and they describe themselves as Europe’s leading health center for regeneration and preventative medicine.  I noticed some predictable offerings such as detox, movement therapies, executive health, sleep medicine, aesthetics, nutrition and such and then some novel terms such as Body Memory, Burn Out Program, Vital Aging, and Alzheimer Prevention.    

    I was impressed with how much time Andreas spent with me as he had just returned from a three week vacation hiking through the Alps by himself.  While I would have probably been a crazy person getting back into work mode, here was someone clearly in a state of mindfulness.  Andreas had remarkable vision when he started the Lanserhof program almost three decades ago, but he seems to have maintained his ability to think ahead – maybe even way ahead.  His discussions regarding Body Memory, Fluid Dancing and Energy in general reminded me that he may be one of the most important visionaries in our industry – yet he is “understated” in his approach and manner so it isn’t as obvious.  It was very helpful for me to spend some time getting to know him on this visit and at the subsequent Wellness Conference we both attended the next day.   It gave me a better sense of his pulse on the future.     

    I WAS SURPRISED BY… Lanserhof’s stunning setting with picture-postcard-views of the Alps from almost every room!  Did I miss this when I went to their website?  I don’t remember seeing this in any of their brochures – in fact checking their main brochure I realized that most of their photos were taken on a cloudy day.  A pity.  

    There are some spas where I get a clear picture in my mind of their setting because they have successfully used one fantastic image (sometimes with what looks like a bit of “color enhancement”) over and over again – in some cases for decades!  Examples include:  Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort & Spa with that turquoise pool in front of some very red rock  (we even used it for the cover of one of our SpaFinder Directories), Six Senses Soneva Gili with a waiter appearing to walk on water between a pool and the brilliant color of the ocean water in the Maldives, or the natural rock cave of Grotta Giusti in Italy. 

    I really had no idea what to expect at Lanserhof so when I found a drop dead gorgeous view of the Alps as a major centerpiece, it was definitely a surprise. 

    I was also surprised (and thrilled actually) to learn that Andreas is going to be opening two more Lanserhof properties with a similar program in the next couple of years – one near Tegelsee that will be another destination spa and another near Hamburg that will be their first day spa.  Interesting that this brand extension comes now…after 27  years.  It reminds me that our 2011 SpaFinder Spa Trend forecast that included “The Spa Brandwagon” was really right on. 

    I was also surprised at how similar much of their program seemed to be to the many destination spas I am familiar with in the U.S.  And then came an even greater surprise (although it explained the former one) – before Andreas opened Lanserhof all those years ago, he visited North America and stayed at the Golden Door, Canyon Ranch, Rancho La Puerta, The Oaks, the Cooper Clinic and the Greenhouse!  It was heartening to know that he speaks of this fondly and with great gratitude for the hospitality and openness shown him while he was doing his research.   

    I HAVE SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR… the future based on my experience seeing the lifecycle of destination spas in the U.S.  I remember the years when the destination spas Andreas visited also had very high occupancy rates.  At that time they did almost no advertising.  They lived off of PR which was plentiful back then.  However the landscape began to change in the 80’s and 90’s as competition heated up with many new spas coming to market and people’s busy schedules shortening the time they would spend away at a spa.  As a result, all the destination properties that had such high occupancy rates in the early years began to invest in advertising.  The Greenhouse in Dallas even had to close.     

    With two new Lanserhof spas on the drawing board, it is likely that there will be some cannibalism of current guests from the established location at the same time the competitive landscape could increase.  It is also more challenging to run three operations than it is to run one – and the day spa is an animal of a different kind from the destination spa.  Planning to invest in a strategy for marketing and advertising now might be a good idea for the long term.

    Another suggestion I have is a result of a funny moment that happened during my visit.  I was getting ready to present Andreas with the award I had brought along that announced Lanserhof as this year’s SpaFinder Readers’ Choice Award for Favorite Spa in Austria.  I asked him where would be the most picturesque spot for our photograph of me handing him the award’s plague.  To my surprise, he didn’t know!    It dawned on me that when you don’t do a lot of promotion or advertising, and have lived in these surroundings for so long, perhaps you aren’t even aware of the best photo opportunities at your property.  So I looked out at the magnificent view and suggested, well how about we do a photo with the Alps in the background.  Duh!