Tag Archives: fashion

Hugh Jackman at Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat & Spa – Australia

Gwinganna 762562 Hugh Jackman at Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat & Spa AustraliaAt the conference here in the Philippines I kept coming across Tony de Leede and his infectious enthusiasm for the new Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat, which he opened a mere six months ago. I met him in New York shortly before the opening of the retreat when he stopped in to meet our team at the Spa Finder office.

Tony is a salesman, and he made sure in a scant 20 minutes that I was aware of the Gwinganna concept. Other than having trouble pronouncing the name, I did “get” the concept and was anxious to see how it would develop. It sounded a bit like the California Golden Door or Cal-a-Vie destination spas (right down to the small number of rooms – 40) in the Australian bush with an organic and eco-friendly focus. Since I have some experience with this, I volunteered that he would probably have to be patient in terms of building occupancy.

Well, catching up with him here at this spa conference I find out that they are going gangbusters. Not only have they already had some sold-out weeks – but Hugh Jackman has apparently become a raving fan. He has already been there several times and wants to buy property in the area so he can visit more regularly.

Hmmm…I am a Hugh Jackman fan. My new suspicion? As soon as Hugh starts talking Gwinganna (hopefully he can pronounce it), that organic lifestyle retreat might be really hard to get into.

Revenue Management Is Coming to the Spa Industry

patates uk 788217 Revenue Management Is Coming to the Spa IndustryEarlier this week Peter and I were in the “audience” during a presentation given by two Cornell University students who are getting their Masters of Management in Hospitality (MMH). They had chosen the topic of revenue management in the spa industry and used the two of us as resources. The students’ primary and secondary research showed that:

1) Very few spas are using revenue management as a tool
2) Doing so would likely increase their bottom line

We were impressed with their insights. Revenue management seems perfect for the spa industry.

But what exactly is it? I checked some definitions and liked this one from PROS:

“Revenue management is the application of science to maximize revenues and profits. Aspects can include forecasting demand, optimizing the allocation of inventory, providing dynamic packaging, and offering dynamic pricing.”

One of the most familiar examples is airlines raising ticket prices during the holidays, lowering them during the week, offering cheaper rates for advance bookings than for last-minute bookings, etc.

In the spa industry, revenue management will likely translate into lower prices for treatments during slower times (mornings and early in the week) and higher rates at peak periods (Saturdays). And that will just be the beginning, as product, hotel room, special service prices, etc. could also be adjusted to rise and fall according to demand. Value-add, packaging, and dynamic pricing will also be part of the mix.

Am I happy about this? Well, yes, if I like my massages on Monday morning.

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