INTERVIEW
Elaine Okeke Martin, founder of the Spa and Wellness Association of Africa
AFRICA RISING Africa has been flying under the radar in the spa industry, but that may be
about to change. Jane Kitchen talks to Elaine Okeke Martin, Spa and Wellness Association of Africa’s founder and president, to find out more What’s special about the African spa industry? I think one of the reasons people fall in love with Africa is the decency of the people. There’s also an energy you feel in Africa – from the light, the earth, the air, the rain. African spa guests can also enjoy treatments while looking out at grazing elephants, for example. And you really feel alive when you’re among lions. Which countries are most established in spa terms, and which are the ones to watch? South Africa, Egypt, Mauritius, Kenya, Morocco and Tanzania all have well-established spa industries. Kenya is also one to watch, as it’s increasingly focused on health tourism and has a government goal for 2030 that includes a budget dedicated to health and wellness tourism. The Kenya Tourism Board recently launched a joint venture with Kenya Airways to promote the country, and Kenya’s largest infrastructure project since independence in 1963 – a US$3.8bn Chinese-built high-speed railway, the Madaraka Express – has just opened, connecting the port city of Mombasa with the capital of Nairobi. The train travels 88 spabusiness.com issue 3 2017
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Africa is transforming tourism and I’m happy to be part of it through two national parks and will be a tourism booster. Furthermore, the number of international visitors to Kenya grew 13.5 per cent last year, to 1.34 million. Africa is transforming tourism and I’m happy to be part of it. I’m happy to see the development of the African Charter on Sustainable and Responsible Tourism – signed last year by 20 African countries – and its goals for 2030, which are an obligation to seriously reflect on the connections that exist between tourism and sustainable development. Can you tell us a bit about yourself, and what the Spa and Wellness Association of Africa does? I graduated from CIDESCO International in Denmark in 1999 and I’ve been in the
industry for the past 18 years. I founded the Spa and Wellness Association of Africa (SWAA) in 2010 as a professional platform to support standards and education in the industry, as well as African countries within the sector. SWAA is a nonprofit organisation and our members and decision-makers are busy spa and wellness professionals who volunteer their time and expertise. We have members in the main spa hub countries like Mauritius, Kenya, Nigeria, Ethiopia and Morocco, and we’re promoting SWAA to other countries now. We unite member national spa and wellness associations from across the continent, along with businesses, educators and individual members. We aim to develop and maintain internationally recognised standards while giving members a platform to channel their voices. We also seek to improve the knowledge, technical skills and professionalism of all spa and wellness professionals. Our membership prices range from US$49 (€42, £37) for student memberships to US$350 (€298, £267) for a corporate membership and US$2,000 (€1,704, £1,525) for country memberships. SWAA is becoming a coalition for African countries and works to promote