Tag Archives: Leading Spas of Canada

Top Tier Spas Still Viable

Top Tier Spas Still Viable
By Susie Ellis, SpaFinder Insider

As I mentioned in my last blog, I visited the new Sense, a Rosewood Spa at the Carlyle for a spa treatment (90-minutes, $280) last Friday. While I was there to learn more about the brand and this spa in particular, I couldn’t help but notice that the spa appeared to be quite busy.

Later I spent some time with a management staff person (who had invited me for the treatment) and learned that what I was seeing wasn’t unusual. They have been open for only three months and the spa is doing very well. Although the hotel’s occupancy has definitely been affected by the economy, the spa itself has been doing better than expected.

Coincidentally on Monday I was contacted by a writer from Travel + Leisure to contribute some thoughts to the article she was writing on why luxury spas still seem to be viable in these economic times. Here is a link to the article “Seven Great New Spas.” And here is the additional information I gave her as background for the story.

Stress-reducing and beauty-enhancing spa treatments are trumping many other luxury purchases.
Several points:
1. There still is a top tier group of luxury consumers who are spending money. It may be a much smaller group than before, they may be spending less than before, but there are still many affluent people.

2. Spas have moved up in importance on people’s value list. Spas are no longer as much about “pampering” as they are about “wellness.” Spa services have moved from “luxury” to “necessity.” Like most people, the affluent may be making some sacrifices – but it is more likely that they are cutting out that second $2,000 purse than skipping spa services.

3. Spas help people de-stress and the stress level has ratcheted up for everyone. Accomplished people regard spa services as truly helping them cope with today’s realities. Remember (as our SpaFinder research studies have shown) the number one reason people go to spas is to de-stress.

4. It comes down to the issue of supply and demand. When you look at an urban city like New York for example, you have a handful of super luguerlain spas 200902 ss 784256 Top Tier Spas Still Viablexury (and expensive) spas. Most of these luxury spas are in luxury hotels. Some of these hotels, like the Waldorf, are quite large. Spas like the Guerlain Spa on the right attract not only their hotel’s guests but also clientele from outside the hotel.

Well-managed top tier luxury spas usually have extraordinary facilities, ambiance, outstanding staff, and service. There is still enough demand for the small supply of spas which get all those aspects right.
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Spa Industry Dirty Laundry or Opportunity?

pic laundry basket 729176 Spa Industry Dirty Laundry or Opportunity?This press release about the Global Spa Summit (GSS) went out yesterday and since it isn’t posted anywhere yet, thought I would cut and paste it here.

We have already received one response from someone questioning whether or not it is a good idea to “air the spa industry dirty laundry” by citing the challenges facing us – in particular the labor shortage and the lack of industry wide standards.

That’s a good question actually and shows how different this Summit was from other spa gatherings. The GSS was not just about congratulating ourselves on being in this fantastic industry and citing all the rosy statistics (although there was plenty of encouragement from Peter Yesawich from YPB&R;, Smith Travel Research and Intelligent Spas out of Asia who all presented research.) This gathering of industry executives was about identifying and solving problems. The GSS tag line is, “joining together, shaping the future” and I, for one, am very excited about tackling our industry’s challenges together.

One example (and this isn’t exactly public knowledge yet), is Emanuel Berger’s response to the conference. Mr. Berger is CEO of the Victoria-Jungfrau Collection in Switzerland and is an advisor to the esteemed Hospitality School, Ecole Hoteliere de Lausanne. He made a point to let me know that he will be reporting back to the school’s leaders the importance of incorporating a spa management program in their curriculum so that future hospitality leaders will be schooled in the business of spa.

And that’s just the beginning.

We have also heard from another delegate, Gary Matkin, Dean of Continuing Education at the University of California, Irvine, and understand they are going to be expanding their spa management program in response to the need. A representative from the Philippines pointed out that they are one country with an over abundance of spa personnel and have training programs in place now whereby they will be able to export some of their labor. The delegates from CIDESCO also voiced some ideas.

When you share problems with others, you can get a lot of smart people contributing solutions.

The labor shortage challenge also points out an exciting aspect of our industry – it’s explosive growth resulting in terrific career opportunities.

Here is the press release on the Global Spa Summit:

For Immediate Release:
Contact: Scott Piro (scott@mkpr.com)
Patrick Kowalczyk (patrick@mkpr.com)
MKPR, 212-627-8098

PHOTOS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST

WITH SPA INDUSTRY BOOMING, DELEGATES AT FIRST-EVER GLOBAL SPA SUMMIT

CITE LABOR SHORTAGE AS TOP INDUSTRY CHALLENGE

More than 160 Leading Spa Executives From Around the World
Attended First-Ever Global Spa Summit in New York

http://www.globalspasummit.org/

New York, NY – May 30, 2007 – A shortage of high-quality, trained labor – including spa managers and directors, aestheticians, and therapists – is the major challenge facing the global spa industry today, according to a survey of more than 160 world spa and wellness industry leaders who attended the first-ever Global Spa Summit earlier this week in New York.

The three day, invitation-only gathering, held at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, brought together leaders from the global spa, real estate, investment, travel, spa education, beauty, and wellness sectors to chart the future of the booming $40 billion plus spa industry, which has seen double digit growth for the past 20 years.

According to the survey, 29 percent of delegates cited labor shortages as the top issue facing the industry, while 22 percent said the main challenge was the lack of industry-wide standards for defining spa categories and best practices. Environmental sustainability was cited by 12 percent of the delegates as another top concern.

In terms of opportunities for the industry, delegates placed the greatest emphasis on enhancing clients’ health (29 percent), educating consumers that spas are about wellness (26 percent), and promoting preventative medicine (20 percent).

The summit featured keynote addresses by three of the leading visionaries in the spa and wellness industry: Steve Case, whose Revolution LLC is leading innovation in the health care, wellness, and resort industries; Kevin Kelly, president of Canyon Ranch, an international wellness lifestyle company; and Susan Harmsworth, founder and CEO of British-based ESPA International, which designs and operates spas in over 50 countries throughout the world.

“We are at a tipping point, as consumers are seeking more than an environment to be pampered in, but also a place to achieve balance,” said Case in his keynote address. “We have an opportunity now to take the idea of balanced living and bring it into the mainstream.”

Individual presentations showcased the latest spa industry data and statistics from around the world, while a series of presentations, panels, and break-out sessions also addressed industry investment opportunities, sustainability, and ownership and management arrangements for hotel spas.

Another major concern raised by delegates was “protecting the authenticity of the spa industry” – how its emphasis on the genuine transformation of mind, body, and spirit might be threatened by outside investors whose first priority is the bottom line. Maintaining the integrity of a fast-growing industry, while at the same time attracting investors and reaching more consumers, was cited as a key challenge that would require a world-wide strategy.

Kevin Kelly, president of Canyon Ranch, drove home this point in his keynote address. “Because demographic trends are so economically compelling, Wall Street has increased its interest in our industry,” Kelly said. “The danger to avoid is shifting the focus to efficiency at the cost of losing our soulfulness. I believe we can grow a profitable business and retain our authenticity. We need to hold fast to the vision.”

Delegates attended from 24 different countries, including Australia, Austria, Bermuda, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Philippines, Russia, Saint Lucia, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Turks and Caicos, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and United States.

Notable participants and presenters included:
Leonard Fluxman (U.S.), President & CEO, Steiner Leisure Ltd.
Peter Yesawich (U.S.), Chairman & CEO, YPB&R;
Emanuel Berger (Switzerland), CE
O, The Victoria-Jungfrau Collection
Steven Conquy (Thailand), CEO, MSpa International Ltd.
Philip Wolf (U.S.), CEO, PhoCusWright, Inc.
Leandro Gualtieri (Italy), Owner & President, STB Group
Stephen Purdew (U.K.), Director & Co-Owner, Champneys Health Resorts
Deborah Szekely (U.S.), founder, Rancho La Puerta and Golden Door
Marc Cohen (Australia), Medical doctor and Professor, RMIT University
Mary Tabacchi (U.S.), Professor, Cornell University – School of Hotel Administration

Other executives represented such leading spa brands as Mandarin Oriental, Ritz Carlton Hotel Company, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, One&Only; Resorts, Starwood Spa Collection, Shangri-la International, Fairmont Raffles Hotels International, Inc., Six Senses Resorts & Spa, Hilton, Jumeriah, Spa Chakra, and Pritikin Longevity Center & Spa. For an overview of presenters, delegates, and sessions, please visit the Summit agenda at http://globalspasummit.org/agenda.php.

According to Spa Finder CEO Pete Ellis, delegates overwhelmingly agreed that the Summit should become an annual event and take place in different cities around the world to reflect the industry’s global stature.

A white paper will be developed based on the three-day series of presentations, panels, and speeches. An executive summary will be available to the media in mid-Summer.

About Global Spa Summit
Global Spa Summit is an international organization dedicated to bringing together leaders and visionaries to shape the future of the global spa and wellness industry. Founded in 2005, the organization hosted the first-ever Global Spa Summit in New York City in May 2007, where top industry executives gathered to exchange ideas and advance industry goals, such as establishing a common language and understanding across regions and continents and creating uniform performance benchmarks for spas worldwide. Global Spa Summit is underwritten by Spa Finder, Inc., the world’s leading spa marketing and media company, in collaboration with a team of international advisors. For more information, visit http://www.globalspasummit.org/.

NYSPA Panel Discussions – Revolving Around the Theme of Entrepreneurship.

Lightbulb 787610 NYSPA Panel Discussions – Revolving Around the Theme of Entrepreneurship.When Mary Tabacchi asked me to join the panel of “Successful Entrepreneurs,” I knew immediately that I would not be talking about myself as an entrepreneur, but rather my husband, Peter. Although I may have some entrepreneurial traits which surface now and then with various projects (like the Global Spa Summit which has required some entrepreneurial talent) the true entrepreneurs who I have known and worked for are people like Deborah Szekely, Donald Trump, and Peter.

My personal definition of an entrepreneur is someone who sees things way ahead of the pack, rolls the dice, and can’t work for anyone else.

But I thought I better check for a more formal definition. Here is what the dictionary says, “a person who organizes and manages a business, usually with considerable initiative and risk.” Okay, I can go with that.

Peter has been my entrepreneur role model. In fact, some people have called him a “serial entrepreneur.” And two of the key things I have learned are 1) Get out of the way and let them dream, create, move…and 2) Don’t get too far out of the way because they need to have people around them who are honest, tell them the truth (not just what they want to hear) and fight as hard for reality as they do for their dream.

Hook your wagon to theirs but don’t just be a passenger. They need good people around them to get to where they are going.

It can be a fun ride.

NYSPA – An Alliance of Spa Professionals in New York State

Early this week I attended the New York Spa Promotion Alliance Inc. (NYSPA) meeting held at the Mohonk Mountain Resort. Professor Mary Tabacchi, from Cornell, organizes the yearly gathering for NYSPA and puts a lot of energy and enthusiasm into getting spa industry professionals from all over the state of New York together.

I thought this year’s meeting was exceptional – a great group of people and some interesting panel discussions. Also, I think the setting and the perfect weather made for a nice experience.

mohonk mountain house 4 729114 NYSPA An Alliance of Spa Professionals in New York State

Mohonk is one of my favorite spas from the “affordable” category. The rooms, the views, the hiking, the spa – wow – and the casual atmosphere are really rejuvenating. But it is the friendly people which is the frosting on the cake. I am continually amazed at how you can judge a property by the attitude of the valet parking attendants. Here they were so friendly and helpful and “down home”….and that ended up being the case throughout the resort. The front desk staff, the dining staff, the spa therapists, management, etc. Genuine, kind, caring folks.

Anticipating the upcoming Global Spa Gathering

Am back from China and preparing for the May 20th Global Spa Summit which is shaping up to be quite an event. Just spoke with Susan Harmsworth (ESPA) on the phone as we are now adding her to the speaker line up in addition to Steve Case (Revolution LLC and Miraval) and Kevin Kelly (Canyon Ranch). I knew Susan’s company was global but I had no idea they were now operating in over 50 countries around the world. As I look over the stellar list of delegates I am getting excited about so many icons in the spa industry coming together in one room. Christina Ong (COMO Shambhala), Deborah Szekely (Rancho La Puerta and Golden Door), Stephen Purdew (Champney’s Health Resorts) and the list goes on. And having just returned from my trip to China where the spa industry is just beginning to bud, I can’t help but feel that the timing of this gathering seems almost perfect.