EDITOR’S LETTER

Shifting Boundaries Today’s increasingly anxious, distracted consumers are looking to wellness for answers. That means the role of the spa industry must change with the times – or risk getting left behind

W

e are living in a time where

Regionally, the spa industry is seeing changes

wellness is fast becoming a

as well; the US market is finally embracing large,

part of more and more people’s

co-ed hydrothermal facilities (see page 108),

everyday lives – and our role

the Asia-Pacific spa industry is poised for rapid

in the spa industry is shifting and changing

growth (see page 90), and in the Middle East,

with the times. Today’s increasingly distracted,

areas like Saudi Arabia and Oman are giving

anxious, technologically addled public is looking

Dubai a run for the money (see page 122).

to wellness to help them feel better, and that means spas must look beyond the typical massage and facial menu they’ve relied on for

And as climate change looms ever-present on the horizon (see page 12), spas that put the environment first will find themselves at

so many years and get creative with their offerings for a new

the forefront of the industry, and will be popular with a

generation of consumers who want wellness everywhere.

new generation of environmentally enlightened spa-goers

From the influence of the ‘experience generation’ on

as they age into adulthood (see page 86). Meanwhile,

spa design (see page 74) to the explosion of wellness

we all seem to be longing for a bit of nature these

rooms across some of the biggest hotel brands in the

days – outdoor spa gardens are popping up everywhere

industry (see page 98), wellness is infiltrating areas that

(see page 16), and forest bathing has taken on a life

were once the domain of other segments of hospitality.

of its own (see page 20), as more and more of us seek

Spas are also shifting in scope and nature – mental

the simplest, truest sense of wellness – a connection

wellness is becoming increasingly important to spas (see

with the earth, with nature, and with ourselves.

page 96), which are tackling things like loneliness and anxiety through breathwork classes, artistic workshops, and initiatives that foster social connections (see page 78).

Jane Kitchen, editor, Spa Business Handbook janekitchen@spabusiness.com ■ @SpaBusinessJK

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