Miraval The Red Sea has opened on Shura Island in Saudi Arabia as part of The Red Sea Project. The development is the first Miraval-branded property outside the US.
This site is the fourth Miraval resort in the world – following US-based properties in Arizona, Texas and Massachusetts.
Miraval The Red Sea is part of the Red Sea Project, which is being developed by Red Sea Global.
The 180-key adults-only allinclusive wellness resort has the largest spa on Shura Island – the 3,000sq m Life in Balance Spa, with 39 treatment rooms.
Thermal facilities include salt rooms, hydrotherapy pools, a vitality pool and sensory shower.
There are also relaxation lounges, a reflection pond and a courtyard.
The spa houses a Majlis Private Suite that honours the Saudi tradition of storytelling and shared experiences. Majlis means the heart of the home. Groups of up to eight people can seek rejuvenation together.
Bringing Miraval to the Middle East has been a journey of thoughtful interpretation
Hanna Kulyba
Helen Andrews attended the plant-focused event
Sabine Christelli helps guests self-soothe
■ The Miraval property is one of 50 resorts planned for The Red Sea Project
spa business people
Family-run Buchinger Wilhelmi announces the passing of Dr Françoise Wilhelmi de Toledo
The scientific director of the integrative medicine resort company Buchinger Wilhelmi, Dr Françoise Wilhelmi de Toledo, has died. She was 73.
Known for her work in championing fasting as a safe and effective practice, she spent decades demonstrating the benefits of the Buchinger Wilhelmi method for weight loss, cardiovascular health, detoxification, liver health, blood pressure, mood, blood sugar levels, cholesterol, arthritis and Type 2 diabetes. She was also involved in ongoing research to see how fasting combines with weight-loss drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy and its impact on Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and multiple sclerosis.
This webinar is being held in light of Afrolongevity as a key African wellness trend for 2026
Michelle Saudan
She leaves behind a great legacy
Buchinger Wilhelmi
She contributed to many scientific studies and published books, including The Art of Fasting
The family-run operation shared the following on social media: “This is a deeply sad occasion for us as a family, the clinics, and the whole fasting community. She was not only a leading figure in therapeutic fasting but also our dear mother and wife – and at the same time the scientific director of our clinic.
The company has well-established clinics at Lake Constance in Germany (opened 1953) and in Marbella, Spain (since 1973). A new flagship Buchinger Health Resort will open in 2029 in Roquefort-lesPins on the Côte d’Azur in France.
MORE >>> http://lei.sr/H8X9v_B
Michelle Saudan to host Africa Wellness Initiative longevity webinar
The Africa Wellness Initiative (AWI) is to host a webinar exploring Africa’s role in the growth of the sector.
AWI is an initiative within by the Global Wellness Institute (GWI). GWI Initiatives are headed by leaders in their distinct sectors of the wellness economy.
The session will be moderated by the co-chair of AWI and founder of Amanzi Wellbeing, Michelle Saudan.
Saudan told Spa Business, “This webinar is being held in light of Afrolongevity as a key African wellness
trend for 2026. It’s a movement that is quietly gaining momentum.”
Held in honour of Africa Day, on 25 May, the webinar will be about how indigenous knowledge, genetic research and lifestyles focused on community can continue to inform global narratives relating to healthspan and longevity. It will take place online between 7.00am and 8.00am ET.
Speakers will range from scientific experts to cultural preservationists and practitioners.
MORE >>> http://lei.sr/8M6q2_B
■ Dr Françoise Wilhelmi de Toledo (seated on the right)
■ Julie Garrow and Lulu Widjaja
The APSWC recognised their enduring impact on the spa and wellness industry
Andrew Jacka, chair, APSWC
Julie Garrow and Lulu Widjaja win APSWC awards
Not-for-profit trade association The Asia Pacific Spa and Wellness Coalition (APSWC) bestowed lifetime achievement awards on Julie Garrow and Lulu Widjaja during its latest annual awards ceremony. This is the first time the organisers have given more than one lifetime achievement accolade.
The association’s awards ceremony took place after the APSWC’s round table discussion event, at Tui Blue Ankor Grace Resort in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
Julie Garrow is the managing director of industry research firm Intelligent Spas and Lulu Widjaja is a business development and spa consultant based in Indonesia.
Garrow is known for producing spa industry research across the greater Asia Pacific region and Widjaja has been recognised for her efforts to strengthen the professional foundations of Bali’s spa and wellness industry.
Wellness real estate
The GWI provides a snapshot of the global wellness real estate figures and analyses Middle Eastern projects
Aqua Sana Forest Spa
Center Parcs' Aqua Sana opens an area dedicated to touchless wellness
SPA BUSINESS INSIGHTS
Holistic sleep science
Scientist Sabine Christelli describes sleep opportunities for spas
Relaxing Rēsonance
French retreat Zannier Île De Bendor opens with a new concept inspired by bioresonance
Botanical ceremony
Therme Bucharest hosted saunamasters from around the world at its Herbarium Festival
Elevate Spa
Helen Andrews attended Spa Peeps' Elevate Spa event
Supplier news
The latest in products and innovation from Gharieni Group, Cobotics Innovations, Knesko, Wrap Up by VP, Borghese and Wildsmith Skin
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spa business news
EvianSpa launches spa therapy soundscapes inspired by its water
EvianSpa has revealed fifteen original compositions to be played during treatments, to elevate the quality and emotional resonance of treatments.
The evianSpa Musical Universe has been developed by French composer and sound designer Romain Benitez of Opus All to complement the evianSpa concept.
Patrick Saussay, founder and CEO of Global Project and Spa Advisory, worked on the project, which took eight months to complete. Saussay is a consultant and development manager for the evianSpa brand.
The spa concept is built around the famous water cycle as it travels
MORE >>> http://lei.sr/j3H2q_B PROGRAMMING
through the French Alps and the new compositions are being rolled out across the portfolio of evianSpas.
The fifteen new compositions range from 45 to 180 minutes.
Saussay said: “I've always considered that music is not just background sound but a core element of the experience, capable of enhancing both the perception and impact of a treatment.
“Very often the music is random, lounge, classic, ‘Asianish’ – and not always or really connected with the specificity of each treatment,” he added.
RESEARCH
Global wellness real estate market is worth US$876 bn
These projects show how wellness real estate can be created at scale
Katherine Johnson and Ophelia Yeung, GWI
The wellness real estate market remains the fastest-growing wellness sector, according to new research by the Global Wellness Institute (GWI), revealed on 12 May at the Global Wellness Summit’s Wellness Real Estate and Communities Symposium in New York City.
The global wellness real estate market has expanded from US$151 billion (€139 billion, £118 billion) in 2017 to US$876 billion (€805 billion, £683 billion) in 2025. It is expected to reach US$1.8 trillion (€1.7 trillion, £1.4 trillion) by 2030.
inspired the
I've always considered that music is not just background sound but a core element of the experience
Patrick Saussay
The GWI also published a report about eight wellness real estate projects in Saudi Arabia and the UAE called Build Well to Live Well: Case Studies, Volume 2. This research gives in-depth insights into market growth rates.
MORE >>> http://lei.sr/5r9W5_B
■ Evian water has
compositions
■ The Amaala development was analysed by the GWI
LONGEVITY
Maybourne adopts Surrenne food menu
Restaurant guests at Maybourne’s hotel portfolio will be able to enjoy healthy food designed to align with the company’s longevity and wellbeing concept, Surrenne.
Maybourne’s culinary team collaborated on the Surrenne Menu with nutritionist and functional medicine practitioner Rose Ferguson, who is Surrenne’s nutrition lead and a member of the Surrenne advisory board of experts.
The menu uses ingredients with anti-inflammatory properties, whole foods in a wide range of colours.
OPERATIONS
Aqua Sana Forest Spa adds touchless therapy space
Center Parcs’ Aqua Sana Forest Spa, Woburn Forest, UK, has transformed an unused space into a touchless wellness area called the Forest Serenity Suite.
The space has been developed in response to the growing demand for emotional and physical wellbeing experiences and for guests who prefer not to undergo hands-on treatments. Sparcstudio worked on the interiors for the project.
Within the suite, there is a waiting area, a separate consultation space and six individual pods with privacy screens. Each pod features a Welnamis vibro-acoustic
The Surrenne Menu takes the thought out of making healthy choices
Hattie David-Wilkinson
Hattie David-Wilkinson, global head of wellness and longevity for Maybourne, said: “Born of a demand for healthy options, the Surrenne Menu takes the thought out of making healthy choices.”
Creating spaces where guests can switch off has never been more important
Laura Freeman, Aqua Sana Forest Spa
lounger manufactured by the Gharieni Group. These loungers use binaural beats in conjunction with synchronised vibrations designed to calm the nervous system.
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ZENFUSION
INTRODUCING A NEW DIMENSION OF ZEN — A BEAUTIFULLY ENGINEERED TREATMENT BED UNITING JAPANESE HEAD SPA AND FOOT SPA IN ONE DEEPLY RESTORATIVE, FULL-BODY RITUAL.
The most effective sleep experiences don't rely on amenities alone, but on helping the nervous system shift state
Dr Sabine Christelli, holistic sleep scientist
Sleep and stimulation
Sabine
Christelli explains why sleep-focused amenities are missing the point
Luxury hospitality has embraced sleep as a pillar of wellbeing – and rightly so. Guests arrive exhausted, overstimulated and often jetlagged, hoping a beautiful room, a comfortable mattress and blackout curtains will restore them overnight. But neuroscience suggests something important: most people who struggle with sleep are not lacking sleep amenities. They're experiencing nervous system dysregulation. In other words, the problem isn’t always the bed.
■ Guests often arrive at hotels overstimulated and jet-lagged
In my work with executives, athletes and resort guests, a consistent pattern appears. People arrive carrying a nervous system that has been running in a low-grade stress response all month or year. Cortisol, cognitive load, constant stimulation and irregular circadian cues leave the brain in a vigilant state that simply doesn’t switch o when someone lies down.
Opportunities
Hospitality has a far greater opportunity here than many realise and rather than focusing primarily on sleep “products”, the real opportunity is to design experiences that actively transition the nervous system from sympathetic activation (alert mode) into parasympathetic dominance – the physiological state required for deep, restorative sleep. One technique that works remarkably well is guided vagal-tone activation before bed. The vagus nerve acts as the master regulator of the parasympathetic nervous system. Simple practices such as slow nasal breathing, extended
SABINE CHRISTELLI
■ Hotels could o er short, guided in-room vagal-tone activations
exhalations, gentle humming, visualisation and specific facial and neck relaxation techniques can measurably reduce heart rate, quiet cognitive activity and signal safety to the brain.
These practices take less than ten minutes to complete and require no equipment. Yet when delivered intentionally within a spa or resort environment – for example, as a twilight 'sleep preparation ritual', a short guided session before bedtime, or a bedside audio practice – they can transform how quickly guests drop into restorative sleep.
Nervous system regulation
After my time working with guests at the five-star Reef House in Palm Cove, Australia, I began designing a neuroscience-informed sleep experience based on this principle: combining spa treatments with guided nervous system regulation techniques drawn from breathwork, meditation and somatic practices.
The idea was a simple but powerful one – help guests physiologically
Simple practices can measurably reduce heart rate, quiet cognitive activity and signal safety to the brain
transition into sleep readiness in the time before they even reach their bed.
The process revealed something important for the industry: the most effective sleep experiences don't rely on amenities alone, but on helping the nervous system to shift state.
Forward-thinking hospitality leaders are beginning to explore things such as circadian lighting, sensory wind-down rituals and parasympathetic activation as part of their spa offering. These approaches are simple, scalable and grounded in neuroscience.
A guest may appreciate a premium pillow, but they'll always remember the place where they slept deeply for the first time in months. ●
Sabine Christelli is a holistic sleep scientist and wellness strategist www.sabinechristelli.com
Relaxing Rēsonance
Island retreat Zannier Île De Bendor opens with wellness concept inspired by bioresonance
Zannier Île De Bendor, a new island retreat, has been unveiled off the south coast of Bandol in Provence, France, with a wellness concept called Rēsonance.
The 93-key destination has reopened after a five-year transformation, set across three areas. Luxury hospitality operator Zannier Hotels has collaborated with the family-owned holding and operating company Société
Paul Ricard to modernise and restore the property.
The destination was bought by French entrepreneur Paul Ricard in 1950, where he created a social and cultural hub. Société Paul Ricard is now managed by the Ricard family and its MD, Marc de Jouffroy, Paul Ricard’s great-grandson.
The design
The three distinct restored areas on the island have been
designed by Hardel Le Bihan Architectes and the interiors are by Zannier Design Studio.
The three different accommodations include the 39-key Delos, which has been designed to evoke the spirit of the 1960s French Riviera. There is also the 49-key Soukana, which is a site that is focused on wellbeing and reconnection.
Five two-storey houses that used to be home to the island’s
■ Zannier Design Studio worked on the interiors and Hardel Le Bihan Architectes designed the resort
fishermen make up the Madrague accommodation proposition.
The concept
The property’s new wellness concept, Rēsonance, draws inspiration from bioresonance – the wellbeing assessment technology that is said to map the body’s energetic and physiological state.
The spa features six single and two double treatment rooms. It has a multi-purpose therapy room
It's with great emotion that we finalise the rebirth of Bendor and with pride that we entrust ‘Paul Ricard’s miniature world’ to Zannier Hotels
Marc de Jouffroy, MD, Société Paul Ricard
■ There are thermal facilities and spa treatments are delivered in partnership with Augustinus Bader, Medatif and Apoticari
for cryotherapy, acupuncture, osteopathy and dry needling. Other areas include a hammam, cold bath, mud bath, Iyashi dome, tea room, relaxation area and area for balneotherapy.
Skincare partners for treatments include Augustinus Bader, Medatif and Apoticari.
There is also a yoga deck and studio for reformer Pilates. In terms of other fitness, there’s a gym, tennis court and three pickleball courts. ●
Herbarium Festival
■ 92 aufguss saunamasters and therapists led rituals throughout the event
Botanical ceremony
Helen Andrews shares highlights from Therme Bucharest's Herbarium Festival dedicated to plant-based therapies
Therme Group’s Romanian bathing resort Therme Bucharest hosted its Herbarium Festival between 4-17 May, o ering guests a chance to explore sauna and steamroom experiences performed by 92 aufguss saunamasters and therapists from 26 countries.
From rituals using fresh botanical infusions, smoke smudging to rare rituals for wellbeing, Therme Bucharest says the festival o ered 800 experiences. These include Aufguss ceremonies, face scrubs and mask application, postural alignment therapies, sound therapy, crystal therapy and workshops.
Access to the festival activations included access to the complex’s Elysium area (for relaxation) and cost
162 lei (US$36, €32, £27) for 4.5 hours between Monday and Thursday or 177 lei (US$39, €35, £30) at weekends.
First person
I visited Therme Bucharest to understand how the concept and operation might translate to the UK market in advance of the opening of Therme Manchester, Therme Group’s first UK facility that is set to open at the end of 2028.
The Herbarium Festival was in full swing, with queues for scheduled sauna experiences in facilities that looked brand new, which is significant, considering the site celebrated its 10th anniversary in January.
The first experience I attended saw saunamaster Joe drench bundles of
oak leaves in water and smack them onto the two coal beds to create plumes of steam. He waved the branches around to spread the aroma of the oak, and as the tempo of the Eastern European music picked up, each seated occupant bowed their head as he beat us on our shoulders and backs with the leaves, to stimulate our circulation.
The experience was upbeat, energetic and definitely took my mind o the rising heat level as I watched the leaves fly about the sauna and people submit to Joe for their ritualistic flagellation.
After a cool-down via the cold plunge, lunch and a tasty drink from the automated drink station, it was time for the next experience.
Florian, the aufguss master, led us in a Latvian Pirts Ritual, which saw
smoking herbs fanned throughout the sauna in a gentle routine in time to folk music. She placed a ball of ice infused with essential oils on the coals and began to twirl her towel to heat the space as the chorus played, creating citrus-scented waves of warmth. The towel choreography, immersive scents and dimmed light in this sauna had a very relaxing and uplifting e ect.
Later on, in the facility’s Hollywood sauna that has steeply inclined seating like an auditorium, Gabriel from Romania used the screen on the wall to display a sparse desert scene as he told a story in a ritual called One More Step.
He gradually brought the temperature up and poured ice on the coals while he described the story of a man who struggled in the wilderness but showed
■ The festival included musical performances, an expo of artisanal local products, botanical art and cosmetic workshops as well as a range of practitioner-led thermal rituals
The audience definitely walked away with more to think about than just the temperature
resilience by taking one more step. As the journey became more desperate, Gabriel’s choreography became more athletic and the audience had to demonstrate its own resilience as the heat built very quickly. The man in the story reached safety and Gabriel imparted that nothing matters other than one’s health and wellbeing. This was the hottest experience
yet, but the audience definitely walked away with more to think about than just the temperature.
At night, the classical Romanian group, known as Muse Quartet played in a cooled-down sauna. The space warmed up as the women performed a 15-minute set of Romanian folk music of varying moods, which was very moving.
The huge variety of options on o er during the festival warrants a full day’s ticket, especially at the weekends when the Herbarium Expo of artisan products and Herbarium Lab for workshops took place. This ticket costed 217 lei (US$48, €43, £37).
With so many thermal experiences on o er, it makes sense to spend longer at the facility to recover from the heat stress before trying new rituals. ●
HELEN ANDREWS
Wellness hospitality
EquipHotel, one of the hospitality industry’s most renowned exhibitions, is taking its wellness o ering to the next level with a new exhibitor pavillion and enhanced conference programme
Wellness in hospitality has become central to success in critical areas such as guest expectations, financial performance and long-term business strategy.
Recognising this rapid evolution, leading industry event EquipHotel is placing wellness firmly at its heart, positioning itself as a platform for the global spa and wellness community.
Under the theme “Hospitality in Motion,” the 2026 event – which takes place in Paris from 2-5 November – will bring together suppliers and operators to examine how wellbeing is shaping every aspect of the guest journey and experience, from design and sleep, to food, fitness and technology.
Beatrice Gravier, hospitality portfolio director at EquipHotel says the shift is clear: “Wellness is no longer something to be added
Guests are looking for wellbeing to be part of the whole experience
Beatrice Gravier
on at the end of a project,” she explains. “It’s become a fundamental expectation from guests and a real strategic consideration for operators. It influences how hotels are designed, how they operate and ultimately how they perform as a business.”
What differentiates EquipHotel from many other international hospitality events is its integrated approach. Rather than treating wellness as a standalone category, the event places it within the wider hospitality ecosystem alongside design, F&B, technology, operations and guest services, reflecting the reality facing operators today.
“Guests are looking for wellbeing to be part of the whole experience,” says Gravier. “This includes how and where they sleep, what they eat and the services they choose.”
At the centre of EquipHotel’s 2026 will be a dedicated Wellness Pavilion – a major investment that’s been designed to help hospitality professionals attending the event to navigate the fastevolving wellness sector.
The Pavilion will bring together suppliers and experts across spa equipment, skincare, fitness, sleep
■ EquipHotel has dedicated wellness education forums
solutions, wellness technologies, amenities, design and nutrition.
It will also host conferences, panel discussions and a ‘Focus Spa’ programme, creating a space for learning, collaboration and practical industry exchange.
“The vision for us is simple,” says Gravier. “Wellness should be seen as a fully integrated pillar of hospitality.”
The emergence of transformation
A defining theme will be the growing convergence between experience and transformation. Experiential wellness focuses on sensory experiences and curated moments that create immediate emotional impact, while transformational wellness aims for measurable long-term outcomes, such as improved sleep, reduced stress and enhanced vitality.
“What’s interesting is how these two approaches together
■ Buyers meet suppliers to better understand the options
are reshaping guest journeys,” Gravier explains. “Design, programming, technology and human interaction are becoming seamlessly integrated into continuous wellbeing experiences.”
The programme has been designed around key industry priorities, including profitability, recruitment, treatment room optimisation and sustainability, and EquipHotel has partnered with French spa associations to welcome a delegation of senior spa managers to the Focus Spa educational event.
“Inspiration is important, but it has to be grounded in reality,” says Gravier. “We want ideas and innovation to always connect back to real operational outcomes.”
For spa operators, wellness directors and hotel groups, EquipHotel 2026 will deliver tangible business value. Attendees can expect insight into evolving guest
■ Wellness zones: Spa and health therapy, fitness and sport, hotel supplies, bedding
■ Sample exhibitors: Gharieni, Nordique France; Technogym, Life Fitness, Panatta; L’Occitane, La Bottega; RKF, Garnier Thiebaut
■ Wellness highlights: Wellness Awards. French Professional Massage Championship
behaviours, operational strategies to improve profitability and efficiency and opportunities to connect with suppliers and decision-makers.
The event will also celebrate excellence through its Wellness Awards and the French Professional Massage Championship.
As wellness continues to redefine hospitality globally, EquipHotel is positioning itself not simply as a trade show, but also as a platform helping shape the future of hospitality wellbeing. ● www.equiphotel.com
Scale with yoga
Elevate your offering with a high-impact wellness solution.
Right now, yoga is one of the most in-demand offerings in the wellness space. Yet for many gyms, delivering it at scale remains a challenge. Complex education pathways, inconsistent delivery, and limited Instructor availability can make it hard to meet member demand.
LES MILLS YOGA™ changes that. Created by world-leading experts and grounded in traditional practice, it’s designed to make yoga classes faster to launch, more accessible for members, and easier to teach. It’s welcoming and inclusive - this is yoga for everybody.
It’s a four-part series designed to elevate the mind and body. Each 45-minute class explores a distinct state of being, Yin (Restoration), Hatha (Alignment), Vinyasa (Strength), and Breath (Clarity) - all through guided movement and mindful breathing. The program offers an accessible experience for both beginners and seasoned participants, helping them reconnect, find clarity, and leave feeling calm, centered, and renewed.
Clubs benefit from a consistent, highquality yoga offering that’s easy to integrate into existing timetables — without lengthy upskilling processes. For Instructors, the simplified teaching model ensures success from day one – reflected in member feedback: 94% of participants said they were satisfied with the quality of Instructor.
With the wellness economy booming, this is a powerful opportunity to expand your mind body offerings and welcome more members looking for balance and recovery.
Ready to bring yoga to your members, simply and seamlessly?
Get in touch today to explore how easily you can bring this new mind-body program to your members, and make it a seamless part of your offering.
■ Networking took place at Galgorm Resort's Thermal Village
Spa village meet-up
Helen Andrews reflects on Elevate Spa's networking event at Galgorm Resort in Northern Ireland
Agroup of more than 70 buyers and suppliers gathered at Galgorm Resort in Ballymena, Northern Ireland, between 27 and 30 April for Elevate Spa's latest Spa Peeps event.
The industry event for leaders in the spa and wellness industry featured educational talks, oneto-one meetings, a think tank for innovation and problem-solving and various opportunities to network.
Guests were also able to experience the resort's extensive Thermal Spa Village. They were also treated to the property's aufguss-style ritual, the Celtic Sauna Infusion, that generates around £10,000 (US$12,700, €11,700) per month for the resort.
The programme
The keynote speakers for the event included beauty educator and consultant Arif Isikgun, who spoke about how human connection will drive the next era of spa growth. Anna Bjurstam, senior strategic advisor for Six Senses and co-founder of Raison d'Etre, gave a presentation on how operators can shift their models to o er longevity services with integrity.
Praise for the format
Hattie David-Wilkinson, global head of wellness and longevity for Maybourne Group, said: “What sets Elevate Spa’s international wellness event apart is the intimacy. The carefully curated format weaves together one-to-one conversations, meaningful think tanks
and genuine moments of connection in a way that feels both purposeful and natural. Lisa and her team have created something special: a space where the right people come together to slow down and foster true relationships.”
Louise Moore, director of spa development and operations for Hilton in Europe, told Spa Business: “This was my second Elevate Spa: an event that curates like-minded people – Spa Peeps! Absolutely, business was done, but in a very special way and with the industry’s best.”
Thorsten Lipfert, MD of Living Earth Crafts' EMEA division, said: “Spa Peeps is not only an exceptional community of top-tier industry professionals coming together in the most beautiful locations, but also a platform that
■ More than 70 buyers and suppliers attended the event for meetings and education sessions
Lisa and her team have created a space where the right people come together to foster true relationships
Hattie David-Wilkinson, Maybourne Group
connects the right people to create meaningful business opportunities.”
Carlos Calvo Rodríguez, VP of Global Spa and Wellness for Epicutis, said: “Elevate Spa is far more than an event – it’s a true wellness community where meaningful relationships, thoughtful collaboration, and inspiring conversations come together in some of the world’s most beautiful wellness destinations.”
Stavros Mavridis, director of health and wellness for Eminence Hospitality, described the gathering as having, “a family style format, known for bringing health and wellness professionals from all over the world together to discuss how to get guests visiting hotels to engage in wellness behaviours. Spa Peeps at Galgorm was an authentic wellness space in nature, which elevated our mindsets.” ●
Elevate Spa has evolved into a trade events company called Elevate Events, with gatherings for spa, lifestyle and medical aesthetics. The next events are as follows:
■ Elevate Aesthetics between 19-22 July at The Global Ambassador in Phoenix, Arizona, US. Professionals in medical aesthetics, dermatology and advanced skincare will be in attendance.
■ Elevate Lifestyle, for fitness, wellness and luxury living stakeholders will also meet at The Global Ambassador between 22-25 July.
■ The next Elevate Spa event will take place at the Riviera Maya Edition hotel at Kanai in Mexico between 23-26 August.
SUPPLIER NEWS
Suppliers tell Spa Business insider about their latest product, design and technology launches
■ Cobotics Innovations' first product is a robotic treatment system that provides full-body percussive massage
Gharieni launches Cobotics Innovations company and robotic massage technology
Gharieni Group has launched a new company, Cobotics Innovations, to create automated wellness experiences. The first solution is a robotic treatment system that is part of the company’s Wellness Cobot Generation of technologies.
The new technology takes the form of a treatment station, including a treatment bed, that combines software with precision robotics to deliver a full-body percussive massage.
The launch is in direct response to demand for scalable, high-
performance wellness solutions from a variety of markets, including spas, fitness clubs and other wellness environments.
Cobotics Innovations’ CEO, Jens Schramm, said: “With Cobotics Innovations, we are creating a new layer within the wellness ecosystem. Our goal is not to replace therapists, but to empower them – giving them tools that enhance precision, reduce physical strain and open the door to entirely new treatment concepts.”
The system has been developed to provide clients with operational flexibility and ways to enhance
■ Jens Schramm, CEO, Cobotics Innovations
wellness experiences alongside therapist-led treatments. The company sees this technology as a way to help maximise treatment room use, scale therapies and create robust commercial potential. MORE ON spa-kit.net http://lei.sr/9H8v8
Knesko Skin has revealed its Gold Repair Skincare collection, which is made up of eight different products that are designed to be used together.
The brand’s G-P8X Technology, described as a Gold-Peptide Energy Exchange System, can be found in each product.
This solution combines gold, pro-collagen actives, bioactive peptides and plant stem cells. The products deliver skin hydration, resilience and luminosity.
Each product is said to be Reikicharged and designed to support energetic alignment and chakra balance. The unisex collection includes a cleanser, exfoliator, face oil, face creams and SPF.
Speaking to Spa Business, Knesko founder Lejla Cas said this collection is her life’s work: “This range is the result of 26 years as an aesthetician and formulator and fourteen years as a brand owner. This range has been tested in 11 clinical studies. It really provides the essentials and then
Borghese formulates purifying mud mask
Italian skincare brand Borghese has launched its Fango Purificante Mud Mask for Face and Body, for use in a five-minute treatment designed to purify and balance oily, blemish-prone skin.
The formula combines kaolin and bentonite clays with sea salt and lactic acid. This combination of ingredients is said to deliver visible clarity while respecting the skin barrier.
■ Dawn Hilarczyk
The product joins the Borghese Fango mud mask collection, which includes the Advanced Fango Active Mud for Face and Body and the Advanced Fango Delicato Mud for Delicate, Dry Skin.
Dawn Hilarczyk, chief operating officer at Borghese, said: “We identified a clear gap between overly
■ The eight-product unisex collection includes a facial oil
our treatments can be used on top – including the serums and masks.” The formulas do not include ingredients that are associated with hormonal or endocrine side effects.
MORE ON spa-kit.net
http://lei.sr/V3x5w
■ The new mud mask is to be used in a five-minute ritual
aggressive treatments and formulas that simply do not deliver. This launch is our answer: a high-performance, barrier-conscious mud mask that works quickly, respects the skin and reinforces our authority in mud.”
MORE ON spa-kit.net
http://lei.sr/4g8d9
■ Lejla Cas
SUPPLIER NEWS
Wildsmith creates development role
Wildsmith Skin has created a new 'wellbeing ideator' role, to meet an increasing demand for touchless wellness programming from partner spa operators during pre-opening and beyond.
Esmée Halliday, a former professional dancer and graduate of the Trinity Laban Conservatoire, yoga and meditation practitioner, has become Wildsmith’s wellbeing ideator.
Halliday has worked at The Bothy at Heckfield Place, where Wildsmith’s plant-based therapies originate, to create signature movement experiences for the retreat.
She has also trained in Aufguss sauna ceremony delivery, specifically the traditional Latvian Pirts ritual.
Now onboard with Wildsmith, Halliday will research and design touchless wellbeing experiences in alignment with the brand’s values, including a commitment to science-backed and nature-inspired
wellbeing. She will work with client properties to shape spa concepts that are operationally and commercially viable. Halliday will come up with a variety of rituals that incorporate movement, nervous system regulation and thermal traditions.
MORE ON spa-kit.net
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Wrap Up by VP reveals Spring 2026 Collection of resort wear
Wrap Up by VP, the US-based resort wear brand, has released its Spring 2026 Collection in a variety of new fabrics and prints that celebrate the romance of global travel. One example is the Caribbean print, which displays a vintage-
■ Valerie Perez
inspired tropical map, with turquoise elements representing the ocean, parchment tones for islands, coral hibiscus flowers and compasses for stars.
The various prints and patterns are available in multiple styles, including kaftans, dresses and pyjamas of various lengths, made of poly silk. Wrap Up also produces microfibre towel robes.
Valerie Perez, founder of Wrap Up by VP, said: “For us, luxury is not just about how something looks –it’s about how it makes you feel.”
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