Les Nouvelles Esthetiques Spa Magazine #84

l a u n c h e d I s s u e

E i g h t y

F o u r

2 0 2 1

o f

t h e

i n

S o u t h

t h i s

P a r i s A f r i c a n

i n

19 5 2

E d i t i o n

i s s u e

Spa Execellence

Spa

Lifestyle Relaxation & Health Therapies

s k i n v i t a l i t y b o d y b a l a n c e

A Professional take on SPA Business, Health Therapies, Products & Simple Relaxation 2021*ISSUE*84

C O N T E N T S *84

Esthetiques, France

Les Nouvelles

cover

ANDREY KISELEV

s k i n v i t a l i t y b o d y b a l a n c e

The Global Wellness Economy Stands at $4.4 Trillion Amidst the Disruptions of COVID-19; Is Forecast to Reach $7 Trillion by 2025 2 Festive Marketing Ideas and LNE Advent Calendar 4 Five questions with Omar Romero, Chief Development Officer at Six Senses Hotels Resorts 8 What If Aging Is a Mistake? 10 The Inner Game: Hotels and the Wellness Opportunity 14 The Number of Wellness-Certified Buildings Explodes 16 A Five-Step Guide to Reinventing Your Business 18 Les Nouvelles Esthetiques SPA AWARDS 2021 20 Patrick Huey (Chairman ISPA) and Lynne McNees share Top Highlights from ISPA Summit 38 Can COP15 Inspire Greater Biodiversity in the Spa Industry? 40 THIS TIME IT’S Personal Improve Your Client Journey Through Customization 42 Shinrin-Yoku & Other Lifestyle Changes for Shifting Cortisol Levels 44 Death of the Static Spa Menu 46 Four places where spas lose revenue 48 Attracting Talent to Take Advantage of Spa Demand 50 7 Ways to Increase Employee Productivity in your Spa 52 Getting Resourceful - The Evolution of the Spa-Resource Partner Relationship 54 How to Train Your Mind for Emotional Resiliency 56 Hotel Health & Wellness: Walk the Talk 60 Marketing in Bloom 62 Spa Identity & Culture 64 Six Trends in Wellness Real Estate & Communities from GWI’s Initiative 66 Hospitality Business Trends that are Shaping the Future 70

E d i t o r s

W e l c o m e

The focus of this issue of Les Nouvelles Esthetiques Spa Magazine is the annual Les Nouvelles Esthetiques Spa Awards, hosted by Les Nouvelles Esthetiques South Africa and France. Les Nouvelles Esthetiques would like to congratulate all the finalists and winners as they continue to excel in providing the keys to relaxation and wellness. The Spa Awards programme is more than pure recognition of achievement, it sets a benchmark for spas in South Africa. I therefore encourage each spa to place the magazine in the reception or relaxation area, allowing spa-goers to marvel at South African Spa Excellence.

Additionally, as stated by Patrick L Huey (Chairman of iSpa), we focus on reality of the spa industry has changed, but the core of what we do is firmly intact and more important than ever. Marketing, hiring, scheduling, revenue management and so much more has been altered, but so has the way the world views mental and physical wellbeing. Spas bring relief and healing through human touch and a focus on holistic wellness, which, going forward uniquely positions us to bring the mission of spa to more people than ever before.

Enjoy the read !

Dr. Nadine de Freitas Les Nouvelles Esthetiques International Publisher I 7, avenue Stephane Mallarme 75017 PARIS Tel: 01 43 80 06 47 Fax: 01 43 80 83 63 www.nouvelles-esthetiques.com I Fondateur : H. Pierantoni I Directeur de la Publications: Jeannine Cannac-Pierantoni I Redactrice en chef: Michéle de Lattre-Pierantoni I International Editions • Argentina • Baltic • Benelux • Brazil • Bulgaria • Canada • China • France • Greece • Hong Kong • Hungary • Israel • Italy • Japan • Mexico • Poland • Portugal • Romania • Singapore • South Africa • Spain • Taiwan • Turkey • Ukraine • USA • Yugoslavia Les Nouvelles Esthétiques South African Edition I Max Cafe P. O. Box 81204, Parkhurst Johannesburg, South Africa 2120 I Tel: +27 83 267 2773 e-mail: info@lesnouvelles.co.za www.lesnouvelles.co.za I Publisher/Creative Director : Anthony de Freitas e-mail: tony@maxcafe.co.za I Managing Editor : Dr. Nadine de Freitas e-mail: nadine@maxcafe .co.za I Editor ial Assistant: Sarene Kloren editor ial @lesnouvelles.co.za I Adver tising Enquir ies: Dr Nadine de Freitas e-mail: info@lesnouvelles.co.za I Subscription Enquiries: Tel: +27 83 267 2773 e-mail: info@lesnouvelles.co.za or visit: www.lesnouvelles.co.za

spa therapies New Global Wellness Institute research–the most in-depth in its history–reveals that the wellness market grew to a record $4.9 trillion in 2019 and then fell to $4.4 trillion in the pandemic year of 2020. But with a consumer “values shift” underway, the future of the wellness market is incredibly bright, predicted to grow 10% annually through 2025 The nonprofit Global Wellness Institute (GWI) unveiled its much-anticipated research report, “The Global Wellness Economy: Looking Beyond Covid”, which provides new global market data on the overall wellness economy and for each of its eleven sectors. The report answers the big questions: How did the shock of COVID-19 impact the wellness industry? Which wellness markets fared best and worst? What is the future of the wellness economy–and why?

The GWI last measured the wellness industry at $4.3 trillion in 2017, and the new research reveals that it grew to historic levels in the two years before the pandemic, reaching $4.9 trillion in 2019. With the massive economic shocks from COVID-19, the global wellness economy fell 11%, to $4.4 trillion, in 2020. But with the pandemic ushering in a major shift in values for consumers, governments, and the medical world–where prevention and wellness take on far greater importance–the GWI predicts that the wellness market will return to pre-pandemic levels in 2021 ($5 trillion), and will grow at an impressive 10% annual pace through 2025, when it will reach $7 trillion.

The report, provides detailed numbers and analysis for all eleven wellness sectors: pre-pandemic, pandemic, and future growth rates; rich regional and national data; and the major trends that will impact each sector post-COVID. “This research update is crucial, because 2020 is the watershed year that will forever divide history–and the trajectory of the wellness economy–into ‘before’ and ‘after’ COVID-19,” said Ophelia Yeung, GWI senior research fellow. “When we analyze how different wellness markets performed in the last year, it’s natural to want to compare them and label winners and losers. But there is no question that wellness–as a concept, as a lifestyle priority, and consumer value–is a big winner from the pandemic.”

Key Findings:

The Global Wellness Economy Stands at $4.4 Trillion Amidst the Disruptions of COVID-19; Is Forecast to Reach $7 Trillion by 2025

By Global Wellness Institute 2

The momentum for wellness is evident in the strong pre-pandemic growth rates for every sector between 2017 and 2109.In those years, the wellness economy grew 6.6% annually, a significantly higher rate than global economic growth (4%). In the pandemic year of 2020, the wellness economy contracted by 11%. Unsurprisingly, sectors requiring a physical presence and/or full immersion for the actual experience, including physical activity, wellness tourism, spas, and thermal/mineral springs, saw the biggest pandemic declines–while healthy eating/nutrition/weight loss, wellness real estate, mental wellness, and the public health/ prevention/personalized medicine category all showed strong pandemic growth.

For the first time, the research breaks down the total wellness economy for each global region. AsiaPacific was one of the fastest-growing wellness

markets from 2017 to 2019 (8.1% growth), and it also shrank the least during the pandemic (-6.4%).

Conversely, North America was the fastest-growing wellness region from 2017 to 2019 (8.4%), but among the hardest hit by the pandemic (-13.4%).

The wellness economy will grow an extremely robust 60% from 2020-2025, with most segments projected to exceed GDP growth across those years. Markets with the highest growth projections (wellness tourism, thermal/mineral springs, spas) are those that took the greatest hits in 2020. Sectors that showed positive pandemic growth, including wellness real estate and mental wellness, are forecast to see powerful, ongoing market expansion.

Wellness Market Snapshots: Wellness Tourism: Grew 8% annually from 2017 to 2019 (reaching $720 billion) and then took a major hit in 2020. The market shrunk -39.5% to $436 billion, while wellness trips dropped from 936 million to 601 million. The impressive 21% annual growth rate projected for wellness tourism through 2025 reflects new traveler values (a quest for nature, sustainability, mental wellness) as well as a period of rapid recovery from pent-up demand in 2021 and 2022.

Thermal/Mineral Springs: One of the fastestgrowing wellness markets from 2017 to 2019, with revenues rising to $64 billion (6.8% annual growth).

Hit hard by the pandemic, revenues fell -39% in 2020, shrinking the market to $39 billion. There are now 35,099 hot springs establishments across 130 countries, with very strong 18% annual growth is expected through 2025, with 140-plus new projects in the pipeline.

Spas: From 2017 to 2019, the spa industry was growing at a fast 8.7% annual rate and reached $111 billion in revenues across 165,714 spas–with a big jump in hotel/resort spas (from 48,248 to 60,873). The high-touch industry got hit hard in 2020: Revenues fell by -39% (to $69 billion) and spa establishments dropped to 160,100 (with a loss of over 4,000 day spas). But the industry is expected to recover fast, with the market growing 17% annually through 2025, and doubling revenues (to $150.5 billion).

Wellness Real Estate: COVID-19 dramatically accelerating the understanding of the role that the built environment and our homes play in our physical and mental health, the wellness real estate market was the #1 growth-leader both before and during the pandemic: The market grew from $148.5 billion in 2017 to $225 billion in 2019 to $275 billion in 2020 (22% annual growth). Wellness residential projects skyrocketed from 740 in 2018 to over 2,300 today. Wellness real estate will continue its growth surge: The market will double to $580 billion from 2020 to 2025.

Physical Activity: This six-sector market grew 5% from 2018-2019 (to reach $874 billion), but revenues fell 15.5% in 2020. The fitness subsector (gyms, studios, classes) suffered a severe -37% revenue decline in 2020. Fitness technology was, of course, the bright spot, exploding 29% in 2020 to become a $49.5 billion market–with digital apps, streaming and on-demand workout platforms surging 40%.

Mental Wellness: Posted strong 7% growth from 2019-2020 (from a $122 billion to a $131 billion market), as consumers desperately sought solutions to help them cope with pandemic stresses. The largest segment, “senses, spaces and sleep,” grew 12.4%, while the smallest segment, meditation and mindfulness, grew the fastest (25%). The forecast: strong 10% growth annually through 2025, to reach $210 billion.

Personal Care & Beauty: Consumer spending expanded from $1 trillion in 2017 to $1.1 trillion in 2019, and then declined by 13% in 2020. In 2020, Spending will bounce back post-pandemic, with 8.2% annual growth through 2025.

Traditional & Complementary Medicine This market spans different holistic, indigenous, ancient therapies and products. It grew from $376 billion in 2017 to $432 billion 2019, but contracted to $413 billion in 2020. It will see healthy 7% annual growth from 2020-2025, reaching $583 billion.

Healthy Eating, Nutrition & Weight Loss : One of the few wellness sectors that maintained positive growth (3.6%) during the pandemic, which launched a wave of interest in home cooking, healthy food, and immunity-focused foods and supplements. The sector grew from $858 billion in 2017 to $912 billion in 2019 to $945.5 billion in 2020–and is forecast to grow 5% annually through 2025, to reach $1.2 trillion.

Public Health, Prevention & Personalized Medicine: Another sector that saw positive pandemic growth (4.5%), largely because many governments and healthcare systems ramped up their public health during the COVID-19 crisis. The sector grew from $328 billion in 2017 to $359 billion in 2019 to $375 billion in 2020. With painful lessons from the pandemic about the terrible costs of underinvesting in public health, the segment is forecast to grow 5% annually through 2025.

Workplace Wellness: This segment grew 4.6% annually from 2017 to 2019–reaching a market high of $52.2 billion–but then shrank 7% in 2020, to $48.5 billion. Companies are recognizing that a compartmentalized, programmatic approach to employee wellbeing is not effective in tackling the challenges of stress, work-life balance, and mental health, so many are shifting to more meaningful, holistic approaches encompassing everything from changing company culture to focusing on the built environment. These expenditures cannot be measured as “workplace wellness,” so expenditures may decline even as the focus on employee wellbeing actually expands.

“The wellness economy will grow to $7 trillion in 2025, because the forces that have been driving it remain as powerful as ever: an expanding global middle class, an aging population, and rising chronic disease,” said Katherine Johnston, GWI senior research fellow. “But the pandemic has brought new shifts and a global ‘values reset’: ‘Wellness’ now means a growing focus on mental wellbeing and the importance of work-life balance, social justice, environmental sustainability, the built environment, and public health. These drivers will underpin the recovery of the wellness economy; they will also shift consumer, policy and healthcare spending in new directions.”

spa therapies New Global Wellness Institute research–the most in-depth in its history–reveals that the wellness market grew to a record $4.9 trillion in 2019 and then fell to $4.4 trillion in the pandemic year of 2020. But with a consumer “values shift” underway, the future of the wellness market is incredibly bright, predicted to grow 10% annually through 2025 The nonprofit Global Wellness Institute (GWI) unveiled its much-anticipated research report, “The Global Wellness Economy: Looking Beyond Covid”, which provides new global market data on the overall wellness economy and for each of its eleven sectors. The report answers the big questions: How did the shock of COVID-19 impact the wellness industry? Which wellness markets fared best and worst? What is the future of the wellness economy–and why?

The GWI last measured the wellness industry at $4.3 trillion in 2017, and the new research reveals that it grew to historic levels in the two years before the pandemic, reaching $4.9 trillion in 2019. With the massive economic shocks from COVID-19, the global wellness economy fell 11%, to $4.4 trillion, in 2020. But with the pandemic ushering in a major shift in values for consumers, governments, and the medical world–where prevention and wellness take on far greater importance–the GWI predicts that the wellness market will return to pre-pandemic levels in 2021 ($5 trillion), and will grow at an impressive 10% annual pace through 2025, when it will reach $7 trillion.

The report, provides detailed numbers and analysis for all eleven wellness sectors: pre-pandemic, pandemic, and future growth rates; rich regional and national data; and the major trends that will impact each sector post-COVID. “This research update is crucial, because 2020 is the watershed year that will forever divide history–and the trajectory of the wellness economy–into ‘before’ and ‘after’ COVID-19,” said Ophelia Yeung, GWI senior research fellow. “When we analyze how different wellness markets performed in the last year, it’s natural to want to compare them and label winners and losers. But there is no question that wellness–as a concept, as a lifestyle priority, and consumer value–is a big winner from the pandemic.”

Key Findings:

The Global Wellness Economy Stands at $4.4 Trillion Amidst the Disruptions of COVID-19; Is Forecast to Reach $7 Trillion by 2025

By Global Wellness Institute 2

The momentum for wellness is evident in the strong pre-pandemic growth rates for every sector between 2017 and 2109.In those years, the wellness economy grew 6.6% annually, a significantly higher rate than global economic growth (4%). In the pandemic year of 2020, the wellness economy contracted by 11%. Unsurprisingly, sectors requiring a physical presence and/or full immersion for the actual experience, including physical activity, wellness tourism, spas, and thermal/mineral springs, saw the biggest pandemic declines–while healthy eating/nutrition/weight loss, wellness real estate, mental wellness, and the public health/ prevention/personalized medicine category all showed strong pandemic growth.

For the first time, the research breaks down the total wellness economy for each global region. AsiaPacific was one of the fastest-growing wellness

markets from 2017 to 2019 (8.1% growth), and it also shrank the least during the pandemic (-6.4%).

Conversely, North America was the fastest-growing wellness region from 2017 to 2019 (8.4%), but among the hardest hit by the pandemic (-13.4%).

The wellness economy will grow an extremely robust 60% from 2020-2025, with most segments projected to exceed GDP growth across those years. Markets with the highest growth projections (wellness tourism, thermal/mineral springs, spas) are those that took the greatest hits in 2020. Sectors that showed positive pandemic growth, including wellness real estate and mental wellness, are forecast to see powerful, ongoing market expansion.

Wellness Market Snapshots: Wellness Tourism: Grew 8% annually from 2017 to 2019 (reaching $720 billion) and then took a major hit in 2020. The market shrunk -39.5% to $436 billion, while wellness trips dropped from 936 million to 601 million. The impressive 21% annual growth rate projected for wellness tourism through 2025 reflects new traveler values (a quest for nature, sustainability, mental wellness) as well as a period of rapid recovery from pent-up demand in 2021 and 2022.

Thermal/Mineral Springs: One of the fastestgrowing wellness markets from 2017 to 2019, with revenues rising to $64 billion (6.8% annual growth).

Hit hard by the pandemic, revenues fell -39% in 2020, shrinking the market to $39 billion. There are now 35,099 hot springs establishments across 130 countries, with very strong 18% annual growth is expected through 2025, with 140-plus new projects in the pipeline.

Spas: From 2017 to 2019, the spa industry was growing at a fast 8.7% annual rate and reached $111 billion in revenues across 165,714 spas–with a big jump in hotel/resort spas (from 48,248 to 60,873). The high-touch industry got hit hard in 2020: Revenues fell by -39% (to $69 billion) and spa establishments dropped to 160,100 (with a loss of over 4,000 day spas). But the industry is expected to recover fast, with the market growing 17% annually through 2025, and doubling revenues (to $150.5 billion).

Wellness Real Estate: COVID-19 dramatically accelerating the understanding of the role that the built environment and our homes play in our physical and mental health, the wellness real estate market was the #1 growth-leader both before and during the pandemic: The market grew from $148.5 billion in 2017 to $225 billion in 2019 to $275 billion in 2020 (22% annual growth). Wellness residential projects skyrocketed from 740 in 2018 to over 2,300 today. Wellness real estate will continue its growth surge: The market will double to $580 billion from 2020 to 2025.

Physical Activity: This six-sector market grew 5% from 2018-2019 (to reach $874 billion), but revenues fell 15.5% in 2020. The fitness subsector (gyms, studios, classes) suffered a severe -37% revenue decline in 2020. Fitness technology was, of course, the bright spot, exploding 29% in 2020 to become a $49.5 billion market–with digital apps, streaming and on-demand workout platforms surging 40%.

Mental Wellness: Posted strong 7% growth from 2019-2020 (from a $122 billion to a $131 billion market), as consumers desperately sought solutions to help them cope with pandemic stresses. The largest segment, “senses, spaces and sleep,” grew 12.4%, while the smallest segment, meditation and mindfulness, grew the fastest (25%). The forecast: strong 10% growth annually through 2025, to reach $210 billion.

Personal Care & Beauty: Consumer spending expanded from $1 trillion in 2017 to $1.1 trillion in 2019, and then declined by 13% in 2020. In 2020, Spending will bounce back post-pandemic, with 8.2% annual growth through 2025.

Traditional & Complementary Medicine This market spans different holistic, indigenous, ancient therapies and products. It grew from $376 billion in 2017 to $432 billion 2019, but contracted to $413 billion in 2020. It will see healthy 7% annual growth from 2020-2025, reaching $583 billion.

Healthy Eating, Nutrition & Weight Loss : One of the few wellness sectors that maintained positive growth (3.6%) during the pandemic, which launched a wave of interest in home cooking, healthy food, and immunity-focused foods and supplements. The sector grew from $858 billion in 2017 to $912 billion in 2019 to $945.5 billion in 2020–and is forecast to grow 5% annually through 2025, to reach $1.2 trillion.

Public Health, Prevention & Personalized Medicine: Another sector that saw positive pandemic growth (4.5%), largely because many governments and healthcare systems ramped up their public health during the COVID-19 crisis. The sector grew from $328 billion in 2017 to $359 billion in 2019 to $375 billion in 2020. With painful lessons from the pandemic about the terrible costs of underinvesting in public health, the segment is forecast to grow 5% annually through 2025.

Workplace Wellness: This segment grew 4.6% annually from 2017 to 2019–reaching a market high of $52.2 billion–but then shrank 7% in 2020, to $48.5 billion. Companies are recognizing that a compartmentalized, programmatic approach to employee wellbeing is not effective in tackling the challenges of stress, work-life balance, and mental health, so many are shifting to more meaningful, holistic approaches encompassing everything from changing company culture to focusing on the built environment. These expenditures cannot be measured as “workplace wellness,” so expenditures may decline even as the focus on employee wellbeing actually expands.

“The wellness economy will grow to $7 trillion in 2025, because the forces that have been driving it remain as powerful as ever: an expanding global middle class, an aging population, and rising chronic disease,” said Katherine Johnston, GWI senior research fellow. “But the pandemic has brought new shifts and a global ‘values reset’: ‘Wellness’ now means a growing focus on mental wellbeing and the importance of work-life balance, social justice, environmental sustainability, the built environment, and public health. These drivers will underpin the recovery of the wellness economy; they will also shift consumer, policy and healthcare spending in new directions.”

spa lifestyle of fers throughout your salon or clinic: •Invest in frames and display boards for your reception, beauty treatment rooms, hair styling stations, nail bars.

•If you have digital signage/screens in your salon use these to promote re-booking offers for new year and holiday specials. #8. Ho-ho-ho-lidays!

Partnering with other local businesses is an effective and easy-on-the-pocket way to market your salon business. Always try to link up with businesses which target a similar audience to your salon or spa. #9. Season’s Greetings Christmas is an opportunity to thank your loyal clients, reward them and get them booked in for January. I like rewarding loyal clients with a salon Gift Card. Did you know over 60% of gift card holders spend more than the total value of the original card?

1 Festive Marketing Ideas #1. Festive Salon Selfies Simply hang an empty picture frame on the wall.

Add some Christmas spirit with traditional holly, ribbons and baubles, or if your salon has a contemporary feel, echo this styling in the decorations. Now invite clients to pose and preen in front of it.The result: umpteen eye-catching miniadvertisements splashed all over social for free. A festive fun #SalonSelfie. #2. Quick yet effective Christmas advertising Two easy in-salon marketing ideas you’ll love: • Advertise your salon Christmas promotions and festive opening hours on your voicemail.

•Replace the standard print-out on your till receipts with your festive specials, offers and opening hours. #3. Christmas marketing cheer Your salon will be packed in December so make

sure all these clients are encouraged to post online reviews. Word-of-mouth is one of the best ways to attract new clients and these glowing online reviews will help reduce salon downtime come January.

Reviews will also build your business brand locally. #4. Seasonal salon muse Your clients are hungry for original gift ideas and festive inspiration at this time of year. People rarely buy what they need. Tempt them into buying by transforming your salon into a glitzy Christmas promotion for your services and retail. Create striking merchandising displays. Carry on marketing: post attention-grabbing photos of your retail displays on your social media and website. #5. ‘Tis the season to be selling Tempt last-minute spending. Place a basket of inexpensive stocking fillers on your reception desk

to tempt last-minute purchases. Drop a heavy hint with a clear label: ‘ideal stocking-fillers’. #6. ‘Tis the season for salon sparkle 1. Your salon interior: Decide on this year’s festive theme. Hanging graphics, posters and banner stands can all be highly personalised (use your own #hashtags on in-salon graphics to reflect your social marketing).

2. Your salon exterior: Act now to get your business noticed and encourage passers-by to pop in hunting for hair and beauty gifts, and last-minute stocking fillers.

Transforming your shop windows into an eyecatching Christmas advertisement takes planning. #7. Advertising this Christmas for free Look for opportunities to advertise your seasonal

6

#10. We’ve got Christmas wrapped up I bought a birthday card for a friend last week and while in the shop noticed a book I knew she’d love.

When I went to pay, the assistant asked if I’d like the book gift wrapped. I left that shop clutching my beautifully wrapped, beribboned package, a truly delighted client.So use the opportunity to create a lasting impression in the minds of your clients and you’ll turn a happy client into a ‘wowed’ one. #11. Your Christmas salon playlist Spend some time on your Christmas playlist. Is the right fit for your target audience or have your team chosen a mixed bag of their personal favourites? #12. Christmas spirit Christmas is all about giving. Team up with your suppliers and local businesses and host a raffle for your favourite charity. Promote in salon. And don’t forget to promote it online, and on social media.

#13. Salon Gift Vouchers are Ideal Present Why do so many salons undervalue Gift Vouchers?

They are a brilliant marketing tool for hair and beauty businesses. #14. Get the party started Ring the changes with your Christmas drinks menu.

Don’t just serve the old standbys of wine or festive fizz, try some celebratory fun cocktails, like Christmas Negroni, Winter Sidecar or Little Tickle anyone? #15. A festive twist Serving Christmas cupcakes, festive chocolates or mini mince pies throughout December? Go on an urban foraging trip to discover some easy, yet different, alternatives to those boring pre-packed biscuits. Opening on Sundays during the run-up to Christmas? Think about creating a more leisurely atmosphere Change the music tempo, the drinks menu and perhaps offer light brunch for a chilled Sunday morning.

5 3 9 8

7 4

10 2

spa lifestyle of fers throughout your salon or clinic: •Invest in frames and display boards for your reception, beauty treatment rooms, hair styling stations, nail bars.

•If you have digital signage/screens in your salon use these to promote re-booking offers for new year and holiday specials. #8. Ho-ho-ho-lidays!

Partnering with other local businesses is an effective and easy-on-the-pocket way to market your salon business. Always try to link up with businesses which target a similar audience to your salon or spa. #9. Season’s Greetings Christmas is an opportunity to thank your loyal clients, reward them and get them booked in for January. I like rewarding loyal clients with a salon Gift Card. Did you know over 60% of gift card holders spend more than the total value of the original card?

1 Festive Marketing Ideas #1. Festive Salon Selfies Simply hang an empty picture frame on the wall.

Add some Christmas spirit with traditional holly, ribbons and baubles, or if your salon has a contemporary feel, echo this styling in the decorations. Now invite clients to pose and preen in front of it.The result: umpteen eye-catching miniadvertisements splashed all over social for free. A festive fun #SalonSelfie. #2. Quick yet effective Christmas advertising Two easy in-salon marketing ideas you’ll love: • Advertise your salon Christmas promotions and festive opening hours on your voicemail.

•Replace the standard print-out on your till receipts with your festive specials, offers and opening hours. #3. Christmas marketing cheer Your salon will be packed in December so make

sure all these clients are encouraged to post online reviews. Word-of-mouth is one of the best ways to attract new clients and these glowing online reviews will help reduce salon downtime come January.

Reviews will also build your business brand locally. #4. Seasonal salon muse Your clients are hungry for original gift ideas and festive inspiration at this time of year. People rarely buy what they need. Tempt them into buying by transforming your salon into a glitzy Christmas promotion for your services and retail. Create striking merchandising displays. Carry on marketing: post attention-grabbing photos of your retail displays on your social media and website. #5. ‘Tis the season to be selling Tempt last-minute spending. Place a basket of inexpensive stocking fillers on your reception desk

to tempt last-minute purchases. Drop a heavy hint with a clear label: ‘ideal stocking-fillers’. #6. ‘Tis the season for salon sparkle 1. Your salon interior: Decide on this year’s festive theme. Hanging graphics, posters and banner stands can all be highly personalised (use your own #hashtags on in-salon graphics to reflect your social marketing).

2. Your salon exterior: Act now to get your business noticed and encourage passers-by to pop in hunting for hair and beauty gifts, and last-minute stocking fillers.

Transforming your shop windows into an eyecatching Christmas advertisement takes planning. #7. Advertising this Christmas for free Look for opportunities to advertise your seasonal

6

#10. We’ve got Christmas wrapped up I bought a birthday card for a friend last week and while in the shop noticed a book I knew she’d love.

When I went to pay, the assistant asked if I’d like the book gift wrapped. I left that shop clutching my beautifully wrapped, beribboned package, a truly delighted client.So use the opportunity to create a lasting impression in the minds of your clients and you’ll turn a happy client into a ‘wowed’ one. #11. Your Christmas salon playlist Spend some time on your Christmas playlist. Is the right fit for your target audience or have your team chosen a mixed bag of their personal favourites? #12. Christmas spirit Christmas is all about giving. Team up with your suppliers and local businesses and host a raffle for your favourite charity. Promote in salon. And don’t forget to promote it online, and on social media.

#13. Salon Gift Vouchers are Ideal Present Why do so many salons undervalue Gift Vouchers?

They are a brilliant marketing tool for hair and beauty businesses. #14. Get the party started Ring the changes with your Christmas drinks menu.

Don’t just serve the old standbys of wine or festive fizz, try some celebratory fun cocktails, like Christmas Negroni, Winter Sidecar or Little Tickle anyone? #15. A festive twist Serving Christmas cupcakes, festive chocolates or mini mince pies throughout December? Go on an urban foraging trip to discover some easy, yet different, alternatives to those boring pre-packed biscuits. Opening on Sundays during the run-up to Christmas? Think about creating a more leisurely atmosphere Change the music tempo, the drinks menu and perhaps offer light brunch for a chilled Sunday morning.

5 3 9 8

7 4

10 2

spa lifestyle

19

6

18 21

17 14 23 20 13 22 12 11 15 24 16 Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’84

spa business

By Rana Freifer

Five questions with Omar Romero, Chief Development Officer at Six Senses Hotels Resorts In line with Gulf & Indian Ocean Hotel Investors’ Summit, we spoke with Omar Romero, Chief Development Officer at Six Senses Hotels Resorts, to get the lowdown of the company’s business developments, its new projects and growth strategies.

classes, talks on sustainability and more. This enabled the Six Senses brand to keep abreast of the market needs and also keep in touch with all of our customers.

As we started opening our properties again, we experienced strong pick up from loyal customers who wanted to stay with us.

1.What did you learn from Covid-19?

destinations where we are able to attract guests without heavy travel restrictions. Furthermore, we maintained good occupancy levels at the properties we were able to keep open during the pandemic.

4. What are the new trends we should keep in mind?

2. What makes Six Senses stand out?

Managing hotels requires constant adaptability. It doesn’t matter how long we have been working; all of us in the industry must acknowledge that the last two years have been about learning and adapting our businesses. Some of this learning was focused on new ways to look at revenue management, the importance of staffing, etc. I think that hoteliers all over the world understood that we all needed to take action in order to save and protect the interests of hotel owners. The great positive is that under these circumstances, we were forced to innovate and find better ways to attract revenue and stay in contact with our customer base.

The importance of the domestic market was reinforced by the pandemic. The new generation of traveler is more conscious of the environmental effects of travel and has a tendency to take more frequent but shorter holidays. I believe that destinations that are within driving distance from major cities will continue to thrive.

Furthermore, we realized that being part of the digital world is mandatory and not an option. During Covid19, Six Senses launched a very successful digital campaign called “At Home with Six Senses” that allowed us to stay connected with our guests around the globe, from “at home” wellness programs, cooking

8

I believe that due to the Covid-19 crisis and increased health awareness, responsible travel and the need to have genuine experiences during our travels, the Six Senses brand is now more relevant that what it was pre-pandemic. We can see this in the interest that our brand has generated from the developer community but also from our new openings in new destinations such as Six Senses Botanique in Brazil, Six Senses Ibiza in Spain and our latest Six Senses Fort Barwara in Ranthambore, India.

3. Do you think that resorts have become more popular post-Covid-19?

As mentioned above, yes. I feel that our brand is more relevant today than ever before. During the many lockdowns that we all experienced, people were forced to isolate and focus more on their health. They lacked connection with friends and family, as well as with nature in many cases. The Six Senses’ brand mission is to “Reconnect People with themselves, each other and the world around them,” while staying committed to our values of wellness, sustainability and experiential travel.Business is making a steady comeback to the

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’84

Travelers value personal space even more and are attracted to resorts that welcome them with warmth and transparency. The wellness trend will continue to grow, and sustainability is no longer simply “good to have” but a must in all hotels and resorts around the world. Guests will also continue to seek adventures and experiences that they find enriching.

5.What are your expansion plans for the MENA region?

We have quite a significant amount in the works. For more than two years, we have been involved in the refurbishment of a series of old kasbahs around Morocco that we hope to open to our guests toward the end of 2022/early 2023. We have three iconic properties under development in KSA — two will be announced shortly and one was announced just a few days ago, the Six Senses Southern Dunes in the Red Sea Development. We are exploring a great opportunity in the UAE and hope to be able to talk about it very soon. In addition, we are very interested in exploring opportunities in countries like Oman that will complement our beautiful Six Senses Zighy Bay, as well as in countries such as Jordan.

spa lifestyle

What If Aging Is a Mistake?

By By Deepak Chopra™ MD, Brian J. Fertig, MD and Jack A. Tuszynski, Ph.D., D.Sc. Since no one wants to age, there is a tremendous incentive to prevent, slow down or even reverse it. But all these efforts run into the same obstacle. No one actually knows what aging is or precisely what causes it. On its face, this riddle shouldn't exist. The universe is subject to entropy, which causes everything, including the universe itself, to run down like a child's toy whose battery slowly runs down. Biology chimes in with the fact that all higher living things grow old and die. But reality changes depending on your viewpoint, and one viewpoint tells us that aging, especially human aging, could be a mistake. First, we need to counter the evidence that living things must grow old and die.

Here's a thumbnail sketch of the counter-argument against aging.

• Entropy refers to the dissipation of heat by which warm things grow colder. But those are inanimate things. Life preserves and increases energy. Putting on a coat in winter effectively defeats entropy, and so have all living forms for at least four billion years.

• The universe may die a “heat death” as it approaches absolute zero, but in the meantime, complex forms keep arising and surviving through evolution.

• Unique among the living things yet discovered, Homo sapiens can consciously choose to evolve. Long ago Homo sapiens escaped the prison of Darwinian survival of the fittest by moving in any direction that offers more complexity, creativity, and discovery.

These are fundamental facts used to approach aging, making it far from inevitable. An ancient Indian scripture declares that “people grow old and die because they see other people grow old and die.”

What if this were literally true, that we age by being conditioned to age? Two generations ago no one took seriously the prevention of heart disease, hypertension, recovery from stroke, and the advantages of pure food, water, and air. Now all these things are common knowledge, and life expectancy has continued to rise.

Even more critical, the span of wellness has extended into old age, and many people in developed countries may achieve something unknown to the human race for thousands of years: wellness that lasts a lifetime.

So far, so good - the anti-aging camp has some scientific facts on our side as well as proof that lifespan can be

10

extended. Nor are we beyond the notion that people grow old and die because they see other people grow old and die. This position turns aging into a failure of consciousness by which old habits and conditioning block true awareness.Your state of awareness fundamentally influences how and why you age. Here are some striking examples: • Recent research indicates that people suffering from extreme grief are prone to a quicker death.

• At the cellular level, one theory of aging says that levels of a protein known as telomerase correlates with how long a cell lives and how much DNA wears down with time. Research has shown that even a short period of meditation increased telomerase levels by 40%.

These are illuminating facts, but to attack aging directly, we must dig deeper. Your body is organized on time schedules that are many and complex. Biorhythms regulated by biological clocks span from a scale of a few thousandths of a second for the swirling chemical reactions in every cell to an entire lifetime.

When biorhythms get out of sync, entropy speeds up and aging accelerates. One can spend a lifetime as a researcher studying just one hormone, key players in the ebb and flow of every bodily process including hunger, sex, mood, growth, and sleep. But in everyday life one can cut to the chase. Biological clocks are designed to remain in sync unless interfered with. What interferes with them is stress, bad sleep, overwork, and over-stimulation of the central nervous system caused by constant noise, distraction, and everyday pressures at home and at work.

To ultimately answer the mystery of aging, however, we need to probe into the very heart of Nature. Nature coordinates every level of matter, energy, time, and space. These parameters can expand and contract, because relativity governs them and links them together.

Entropy is connected with the arrow of time because events in the macro world aren't reversible. If you break a glass, the arrow of time dictates that you cannot unbreak it again and have it be whole. However, as you get down to finer levels of Nature, reality becomes peculiar. The basic forces such as electromagnetism and gravity, exist without regard to time. Reverse time, standard time, and no time are all possible. In some astonishing way totally outside present knowledge, the

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’84

quantum world of reverse time and no time meshes perfectly with the world governed by the arrow of time.

What invisible force could account for this? There is no known physical force. However, one element of human existence meshes no time, reverse time, and standard time: consciousness. In memory we return to the past; in imagination we fly into the future. Times moves slowly if you are depressed; time speeds up and is light as a feather when you fall in love.

If deep meditation, yogi’s use consciousness alone to radically slow down bodily processes. As demonstration of yogic powers involves burying a sadhu or holy man in a box underground. With nothing but the air in the box to sustain him, a yogi can slow his heart rate and breathing to the extent that he will emerge from burial a week later perfectly healthy.

Let's call this the zero point of aging, since it is close to the zero point of physiology. At the quantum level, there is also a zero point at the horizon before space, time, matter, and energy emerges to create the known universe. What if a yogi's zero point and Nature's zero point are the same, or at least analogous? There was a time when physics knew nothing about the quantum world, and as a result a host of calculations were wrong. This is the crux of anti-aging. In the absence of the kind of knowledge possessed by Yoga, we make wrong calculations about our bodies and miss out on calculations yet to be discovered.

Every scientific model has its blind spots, and for many decades consciousness has been the major blind spot of mainstream science. But as we have just discussed, science is roomy enough to provide a model that not only includes consciousness but traces it to the quantum level of Nature. The brain is likely to be a quantum device that we are using very clumsily. Higher consciousness is likely to be nothing more than a state where the brain is called upon to modify its workings in such a way that it gives quantum information to every cell in the body, being directed from the zero point of consciousness where time itself is controlled.

A hundred years ago such a proposition would have been insanity. Fifty years ago it was the remotest of possibilities. Today it is an exciting probability with the trend of evidence moving rapidly in the right direction.

If the mistake of aging is ever to be corrected, this is the course we must follow.

sponsored advertorial

Sprezzatura - Own Your Confidence T h i s S p re z z a t u ra C l i n i c a l Programme for weight Management (Clinical and Salon Professionals only) is truly a Masterpiece! Blue Sky Distribution International is very excited to be colaborating with Torus Healthcare on this superb revolution in the professional weight management category. This innovation as something truly new and worthy of our attention as wellness and medical professionals across Africa!

Sprezzatura is a revolution in the weight management category and is one of a kind in the world! The system of 2 product SKU's include Psychological, Physical and Digital coaching support to assist salon guests to lose the unwanted excess weight picked up during the past 2 years of this pandemic. The totally new clinical approach, is so relevant during this time that has led to weight related health issues in our societies globally. The growth of weight management professionally is growing at twice the pace of professional skin care globally, and thus Sprezzatura is a valuable introduction to the cutting edge professional salon environment.

Blue Sky's medical aesthetic team is ready to conduct training on this brand new introduction.

Sprezzatura's vision is to inspire and transform women to own their confidence. Losing weight is much more complex for women than men.

There are issues beyond simply cutting calories and watching the weight fall off. Emotional, Physical and Social barriers that simply aren't addressed by a maledominated fitness industry add to the difficulties women face in losing weight.

Sprezzatura is all woman, everything woman

Sprezzatura's aim is to empower and motivate women, to believe in themselves and gain inner strength to reach their weight loss goals.

We believe that no woman should be restricted by our societal values, which unfairly, and somewhat arbitrarily, place greater focus on women's appearances than men.

“As women we are more self-critical about the way we look. The thoughts you think and your selftalk about being overweight can make you feel empty, ashamed, or isolated.

I believe that a woman can either have incredible inner strength based on the way she thinks and feels about her body, mind, and spirit.

Or the exact opposite can have a debilitating effect on her, confining personal growth, self-worth, and achievement in life. If you have weight to lose, realise that you are not your weight. Wipe the sentence "I am fat" from your vocabulary.

You are not fat. You HAVE fat.

Having biologically necessary fat cells, even if it's in abundance, should in no way be tied to your i d e n t i t y. A c c e p t i n g a n d understanding this will allow you to appreciate progress, be realistic about expectations, and most importantly be kind to yourself. The rest we have done for you.

We've developed a potent weight loss formula that activates 9 different systems in the body to help women lose weight fast and effectively. In conjunction with a holistic approach to training and mind coaching that will help you get physically healthy and emotionally healthy while owning the self-love and getting your sexy back.” Jestine Enslin Brand Manager Sprezzatura.

Visit www.sprezzatura.net.za for more details and book your professional training today. Our medical professionals in South Africa are delighted to be able to suggest a performant system that is completely natural, promotes a healthy lifestyle and is free from side effects to assist their patients to lose excess weight - See our report from one of SA's leading clinical specialists - Dr Herman van Rooyen's article “Unpacking the Clinical Weight Management That is - Sprezzatura.“ One day, or day one. You decide...

One day, or day one. You decide...

Announcing the arrival of Sprezzatura in South Africa!

A true Gem, the first Clinical Approach to Weight Management!

Visit: www.sprezzatura.net.za For more info: contact: Blue Sky Distributors International on orders@blueskyinternational.co.za

sponsored advertorial

Sprezzatura - Own Your Confidence T h i s S p re z z a t u ra C l i n i c a l Programme for weight Management (Clinical and Salon Professionals only) is truly a Masterpiece! Blue Sky Distribution International is very excited to be colaborating with Torus Healthcare on this superb revolution in the professional weight management category. This innovation as something truly new and worthy of our attention as wellness and medical professionals across Africa!

Sprezzatura is a revolution in the weight management category and is one of a kind in the world! The system of 2 product SKU's include Psychological, Physical and Digital coaching support to assist salon guests to lose the unwanted excess weight picked up during the past 2 years of this pandemic. The totally new clinical approach, is so relevant during this time that has led to weight related health issues in our societies globally. The growth of weight management professionally is growing at twice the pace of professional skin care globally, and thus Sprezzatura is a valuable introduction to the cutting edge professional salon environment.

Blue Sky's medical aesthetic team is ready to conduct training on this brand new introduction.

Sprezzatura's vision is to inspire and transform women to own their confidence. Losing weight is much more complex for women than men.

There are issues beyond simply cutting calories and watching the weight fall off. Emotional, Physical and Social barriers that simply aren't addressed by a maledominated fitness industry add to the difficulties women face in losing weight.

Sprezzatura is all woman, everything woman

Sprezzatura's aim is to empower and motivate women, to believe in themselves and gain inner strength to reach their weight loss goals.

We believe that no woman should be restricted by our societal values, which unfairly, and somewhat arbitrarily, place greater focus on women's appearances than men.

“As women we are more self-critical about the way we look. The thoughts you think and your selftalk about being overweight can make you feel empty, ashamed, or isolated.

I believe that a woman can either have incredible inner strength based on the way she thinks and feels about her body, mind, and spirit.

Or the exact opposite can have a debilitating effect on her, confining personal growth, self-worth, and achievement in life. If you have weight to lose, realise that you are not your weight. Wipe the sentence "I am fat" from your vocabulary.

You are not fat. You HAVE fat.

Having biologically necessary fat cells, even if it's in abundance, should in no way be tied to your i d e n t i t y. A c c e p t i n g a n d understanding this will allow you to appreciate progress, be realistic about expectations, and most importantly be kind to yourself. The rest we have done for you.

We've developed a potent weight loss formula that activates 9 different systems in the body to help women lose weight fast and effectively. In conjunction with a holistic approach to training and mind coaching that will help you get physically healthy and emotionally healthy while owning the self-love and getting your sexy back.” Jestine Enslin Brand Manager Sprezzatura.

Visit www.sprezzatura.net.za for more details and book your professional training today. Our medical professionals in South Africa are delighted to be able to suggest a performant system that is completely natural, promotes a healthy lifestyle and is free from side effects to assist their patients to lose excess weight - See our report from one of SA's leading clinical specialists - Dr Herman van Rooyen's article “Unpacking the Clinical Weight Management That is - Sprezzatura.“ One day, or day one. You decide...

One day, or day one. You decide...

Announcing the arrival of Sprezzatura in South Africa!

A true Gem, the first Clinical Approach to Weight Management!

Visit: www.sprezzatura.net.za For more info: contact: Blue Sky Distributors International on orders@blueskyinternational.co.za

spa business

The Inner Game: Hotels and the Wellness Opportunity

By Mariana Palmeiro - Glion Institute of Higher Education

The global wellness economy, is rapidly outpacing the growth of the global economy, with ever-increasing demand attributed to several contributory factors.

Aging populations, fast-paced lives and high-pressure jobs are resulting in an increase in chronic conditions, stress, depression and sleep problems. People are also generally more conscious than ever of their mental and physical well-being, and are increasingly open to an expanding range of available treatments.

Add in the impact of covid on our health, freedom and access to the people we love, and our personal well-being has never been more central to our behaviour as consumers.

Wellness Travellers Expect More, and Spend More Wellness tourism is one of the leading revenue growth areas in the wellness economy. Consumers travelling want to access well-being services when they stay in hotels, and for a growing percentage of travellers, it's the primary reason for their trip. The GWI defines these individuals as primary wellness tourists and they make up 11% of the wellness tourism market.

Prior to the pandemic, health-conscious travellers already spent up to 130% more on hotel amenities than other guests, and that's only going to rise in the 'new normal'. In a 2020 consumer survey by the World Tourism Association, a quarter of respondents said they will focus their first post-pandemic trip on wellness, with 78% indicating that they already include wellness activities when travelling.

This presents a substantial opportunity for hoteliers to benefit from, and broaden, their well-being offerings.

More than a consideration, wellness should now be a theme that pervades every department, from F&B and guest services, to room design and even the hiring of new staff with additional fitness/well-being skillsets. As customer expectations evolve, a greater emphasis should be placed on relaxation, fitness and rejuvenation by all department managers.

Integrating Wellness Into New Hotel Design Hotel developers need to ensure that wellness-focused environments and experiences are prioritised in their designs. Hotels should be seizing this opportunity to support their guests' well-being, to both improve the customer experience and build stronger relationships.

Rooms Department There are a multitude of ways to integrate wellness into the guest rooms themselves, including temperature, air filtration, noise, light and sleep quality. Brands

14

such as EVEN Hotels offer travellers a holistic wellness experience for the duration of their stay, without the inconvenience of leaving their private space. So rather than making a trip to the spa, guests can use gym equipment, yoga mats and exercise spaces provided in their rooms, supported by apps and ondemand TV focusing on meditation, yoga and workouts.

F&B When it comes to catering, hotels must prioritise nourishment. Hotels can take the opportunity to stock mini bars with healthy alternatives, such as mineralboosting juices and organic products, with roomservice choices that provides wholesome meals, along with nutritional information to enable informed choices.

Not forgetting the changing consumer trends, including vegan and plant-based diets.

This level of thought about the well-being offer also needs to extend into meeting room packages, providing catering that addresses these new dietary needs, and providing mental and physical fitness activities that enable professionals to perform at their optimum level.

Connecting with Nature When considering the overall hotel aesthetic, there's an undoubted link between exposure to nature and mental well-being. This can be enhanced with biophilic design which uses materials and patterns found in nature, incorporating them into furnishings to create a refuge of calm.

Adapting to Seize the Spa Opportunity Spas have the opportunity to flourish, becoming even more successful than they were before. After all, there has never been a greater desire for stress relief, relaxation and therapeutic treatments. But, with consumer anxiety about cleanliness and social contact at an all-time high, which spa design will need to adapt. Clean zones can also be included in the design, within which the number of airborne particles is controlled to limit the introduction, generation and retention of contaminants within the space.

The Rise of the Urban Destination Spa As wellness tourism accelerates and evolves, so does the appetite for the destination spa experience, but, crucially, with the new requirement of it being closer to home. Hotels have long ignored the importance of incorporating local markets into their business models, but as businesses they have the facilities and

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’84

the service culture that urban residents desire to maintain their healthy lifestyles.

People and Partnerships: Turning a Profit Spas can be significant profit centres when we take into account their contribution to guest welfare, offering key amenities and adding to the overall experience.

But vitally, hotels must ensure the spa and hotel offers are aligned and intrinsically linked, driving guests inside, increasing F&B revenue and selling rooms.

That can only happen if the spa element of the offering is operated effectively, and the calibre of the workforce can result in the difference. As such, hospitality must embrace this new type of service culture and seek the best talent in the industry to support it.

Hotel brands should seek to form established partnerships with reputable spa brands, bringing in expertise on how to deliver professional treatments.

However, it's important that hoteliers are selective, choosing spa brands that fit their overall philosophy.

The Future of the Wellness Offer Within Hotels Hotels and spas have the infrastructure and service culture to help guests find these wellness solutions and maintain their new habits when they travel. The recovery of many hotels will derive from embracing these new guest needs and demands, or simply by capturing a more wellness-driven market segment.

Most general hospitality brands will begin to provide tailored services, bringing the offer into hotel rooms and focusing on the holistic customer experience.

Other more niche operations and destinations will introduce wellness therapies with doctors on hand, offering medical tests and examinations to collect health-related data from guests, and a more sciencedriven approach, alongside input from alternative medicine practitioners. This will see the birth of a new breed of wellness-focused hospitality brand, and we can expect companies outside the hospitality industry, such as ecological fitness organisations and techdriven start-ups, to jump on the bandwagon.

Finally, we can also expect the demand for personal well-being and environmental well-being to be viewed as one. Hotel guests want to be sure their stay doesn't have a negative impact on the planet, just as they don't want it to have a negative impact on their own health. Each hotel brand will have to find the right way to address this concern and consider how their operations will be impacted.

spa business Image Courtesy of Six Senses Hotel Resorts - Yai Noi, Vietnam

The Number of Wellness-Certified Buildings Explodes

By Beth Mcgroarty - GlobalWellness Institute One clear indication of the extraordinary rise of wellness real estate is the number of projects earning wellness building certifications in recent years. The GWI's new report, Wellness Real Estate: Looking Beyond COVID-19, finds that the total number of wellness-certified building projects from the two big players, The Well Building Standard (WELL) and Fitwel, have grown ninefold in the last three years.

As of August 2021, there were over 960 WELL and Fitwel certified projects globally-with another 1,431 projects in progress for certification (Fitwel) or precertified (WELL). During the pandemic, both organizations launched important new ratings standards to address disease transmission risks and an additional 7,684 properties earned those ratings.

One good way to understand the rapid growth trajectory of wellness real estate is to look at the number of projects earning wellness building certifications in recent years. The WELL Building Standard (WELL) and Fitwel are the two major thirdparty rating systems that focus specifically on health and wellness of building occupants. WELL awarded its first certifications in 2014, while Fitwel certified its first projects in 2016. The interest in wellness certifications has risen rapidly since that time, with the total number of wellness-certified Wellness Real Estate: Looking Beyond COVID-19 | 9 building

16

projects increasing by nearly nine times from 2017 to 2020. As of August 2021, there building projects increasing by nearly nine times from 2017 to 2020.

As of August 2021, there are over 950 WELL and Fitwel certified projects globally, with just over half of these located in the United States. The majority of these certifications are for office/commercial, hospitality, and retail properties, with about one-third in residential projects. As of August 2021, an additional 1,431 projects are in progress for certification (Fitwel) or pre-certified (WELL), with the majority of these located in the United States, China, Canada, Hong Kong, United Kingdom, and Australia.

During the pandemic, both organizations launched new rating standards to address disease transmission risks (the WELL Health-Safety Rating for Facility Operations and Management, and the Fitwel Viral Response Module); an additional 7,684 properties have earned those ratings to date (primarily in the United States and Mexico).

It is important to keep in mind that WELL and Fitwel certifications represent only a fraction of the wellness real estate market as defined by GWI. For one, the impact of these rating systems extends far beyond the simple number of certifications awarded. For example, large, multi location companies are increasingly consulting with these rating systems to

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’84

enhance healthy features across their entire portfolio of buildings, even though they may only officially certify their headquarters. Although WELL and Fitwel are the most well-known and most global programs, a wide range of other wellness-related certifications and toolkits are available in the market, many of which focus more broadly on sustainability or regenerative living rather than just wellness (e.g., Living Building Challenge, One Planet Living). In recent years, well-established green building certifications like LEED and BREEAM have been shifting toward a more holistic emphasis on human health and have added criteria related to indoor environments and occupant health and well-being.

Early in the pandemic, the U.S. Green Building Council announced a new vision and strategy - “Healthy people in healthy places equals a healthy economy” - aiming to position LEED as a platform for postCOVID recovery and healthier communities. In Japan, the government has worked with the Institute for Building Environment and Energy Conservation (IBEC) to develop a health and wellness certification for offices as part of the country's CASBEE certification system. The first project evaluations took place in 2019, and 43 properties have been certified to date.

spa business From gallery owners who want to turn the masses into art collectors to DIYers who blend art and science, creative arts entrepreneurs are building new businesses while--purposely or not-reinvigorating cities and towns across the country.

We checked around to see who's creating what-and what this growing creative class contributes to economies small and large.

A Five-Step Guide to Reinventing Your Business

A few months ago, Steve Strauss noticed a fairly popular Italian restaurant in his Portland, Ore., neighborhood had gone out of business. He didn't think anything of it until a week later, when it reopened as a burger joint with a new look, a new name and the same guy behind the counter. "I talked to the owner and said, 'You risk losing your brand. Why would you make such a huge change?'" says Strauss, a business speaker and author as well as a columnist for USA Today. "He said the economy had shifted. That upscale Italian brand wasn't letting him grow the way he wanted. He felt the need to reinvent."

To most business owners who have spent years or decades and hundreds of thousands of dollars building their brand and developing a client base, chucking it all away to reinvent your business probably seems like the height of insanity. And if you do it on the fly or haphazardly, it probably is.

But there are many reasons to tweak your business model--or to try out a whole new one--that make perfect sense. If you do it thoughtfully, it could be the best business decision you ever make. Here's our guide to reinventing your business, one smart step at a time.

1. Know When to Make a Change The first step is deciding if it's the right time for a change. Karyn Greenstreet, a Philadelphia-area small-business coach specializing in self-employment and business reinvention, says she sees a pattern with small-business owners. "Most people who come to me have been running their businesses for about seven years," she says. "They spend the first three years absorbed in getting things started. Then they're in a growth phase for three or four years.

Then they hit a glass ceiling, or don't find the work challenging anymore and want to try something different."

Many factors can push a small-business owner toward reinvention--it may be a need to spend more time with family. The market may have changed.

The economy may have reshuffled your customer base. You may be bored. All are legitimate reasons for change.

But you need to be practical, too. Any change involves risk. If you're paying for kids in college and have a steady cashflow, you may have to suck it up a few more years.

2. Decide What You Want After the decision is made to change, you need to decide what type of change is necessary to meet your goals. "Once you decide there's something

18

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’84

you can do better, you need to decide whether to make a little tweak or a major overhaul," Strauss says. "You have to decide what's best for your brand.

It's a matter of looking at your core competencies and sticking with what you're best at."

Greenstreet agrees. "Entrepreneurs have more ideas than they have time for. The absolute first stage is deciding to cut off all those other ideas and focus on one. Making a decision to make a decision is the hardest thing for entrepreneurs to do."

The easiest way to figure out what to change--and at what magnitude--is to work backward. Are you chiefly interested in reducing the hours you spend in the office? Are you sick of selling office supplies and think running a dog bakery is your destiny?

"Once you have clarity on your goals and values," Greenstreet says, "you have a compass to guide you and help you decide which ideas are good and which are brilliant."

3. Follow the Plan The next step is something every business owner should be experienced at--making and following a business plan. "You need to act as if you're starting from scratch," Strauss says. "You need to think it through thoroughly, figure out who the competition is, how you are going to beat them and what the costs are."

Strauss and Greenstreet suggest sharing your plans with other business owners or a mastermind group.

"Entrepreneurs tend to rely on intuition a lot, but you need to make sure other people think your plan is a good idea," Strauss says.

4. Make the Switch During the transition, you'll likely be running two businesses at once as you phase out the old business model and ramp up the new one. "Sometimes reinvention means running two businesses simultaneously for almost a year," Greenstreet warns. "It's overwhelming, and business owners are often so excited about the new model, they want to let go of the old model. It's like going through a long divorce before committing to a new relationship. It's not fun."

The solution is to create a detailed exit strategy.

Allow time to negotiate new leases, bring on new employees or train current employees. Be transparent through the whole process with vendors, customers, employees and, most important, your family. Give everyone notice that changes are coming, when they will happen and what it means for them.

Pamela Wilson, a marketing consultant in Lehigh Valley, Pa., is in the midst of the process. After running a marketing and design firm for 20 years, she decided to scale back her one-on-one clients and reach a broader audience. In 2010 she created

a do-it-yourself marketing course for small businesses called Big Brand System. "It's been difficult juggling two businesses," she says. "But I'm at 50/50 right now. By the end of next year I plan for the new business to generate 75 percent of my income."

5. Mentor and Manage Even those committed to sticking to their business plans can start to deviate. Greenstreet suggests bringing in outside help. "Business owners sometimes need people to bounce things off of to keep them from going off in crazy directions," she says. "Some people go through a grieving process. They're letting go of a piece of something they've built and need to process that. There's a lot of stuff to deal with, but if you don't, it will come back and bite you hard."

Although the process can be rough, reinventing your business can be a rush. "It's an exciting place to be," Greenstreet says. "A business owner gets to reinvent themselves with capital and 10 or 20 years of experience--without making mistakes. They have an ace in the hole.

spa business From gallery owners who want to turn the masses into art collectors to DIYers who blend art and science, creative arts entrepreneurs are building new businesses while--purposely or not-reinvigorating cities and towns across the country.

We checked around to see who's creating what-and what this growing creative class contributes to economies small and large.

A Five-Step Guide to Reinventing Your Business

A few months ago, Steve Strauss noticed a fairly popular Italian restaurant in his Portland, Ore., neighborhood had gone out of business. He didn't think anything of it until a week later, when it reopened as a burger joint with a new look, a new name and the same guy behind the counter. "I talked to the owner and said, 'You risk losing your brand. Why would you make such a huge change?'" says Strauss, a business speaker and author as well as a columnist for USA Today. "He said the economy had shifted. That upscale Italian brand wasn't letting him grow the way he wanted. He felt the need to reinvent."

To most business owners who have spent years or decades and hundreds of thousands of dollars building their brand and developing a client base, chucking it all away to reinvent your business probably seems like the height of insanity. And if you do it on the fly or haphazardly, it probably is.

But there are many reasons to tweak your business model--or to try out a whole new one--that make perfect sense. If you do it thoughtfully, it could be the best business decision you ever make. Here's our guide to reinventing your business, one smart step at a time.

1. Know When to Make a Change The first step is deciding if it's the right time for a change. Karyn Greenstreet, a Philadelphia-area small-business coach specializing in self-employment and business reinvention, says she sees a pattern with small-business owners. "Most people who come to me have been running their businesses for about seven years," she says. "They spend the first three years absorbed in getting things started. Then they're in a growth phase for three or four years.

Then they hit a glass ceiling, or don't find the work challenging anymore and want to try something different."

Many factors can push a small-business owner toward reinvention--it may be a need to spend more time with family. The market may have changed.

The economy may have reshuffled your customer base. You may be bored. All are legitimate reasons for change.

But you need to be practical, too. Any change involves risk. If you're paying for kids in college and have a steady cashflow, you may have to suck it up a few more years.

2. Decide What You Want After the decision is made to change, you need to decide what type of change is necessary to meet your goals. "Once you decide there's something

18

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’84

you can do better, you need to decide whether to make a little tweak or a major overhaul," Strauss says. "You have to decide what's best for your brand.

It's a matter of looking at your core competencies and sticking with what you're best at."

Greenstreet agrees. "Entrepreneurs have more ideas than they have time for. The absolute first stage is deciding to cut off all those other ideas and focus on one. Making a decision to make a decision is the hardest thing for entrepreneurs to do."

The easiest way to figure out what to change--and at what magnitude--is to work backward. Are you chiefly interested in reducing the hours you spend in the office? Are you sick of selling office supplies and think running a dog bakery is your destiny?

"Once you have clarity on your goals and values," Greenstreet says, "you have a compass to guide you and help you decide which ideas are good and which are brilliant."

3. Follow the Plan The next step is something every business owner should be experienced at--making and following a business plan. "You need to act as if you're starting from scratch," Strauss says. "You need to think it through thoroughly, figure out who the competition is, how you are going to beat them and what the costs are."

Strauss and Greenstreet suggest sharing your plans with other business owners or a mastermind group.

"Entrepreneurs tend to rely on intuition a lot, but you need to make sure other people think your plan is a good idea," Strauss says.

4. Make the Switch During the transition, you'll likely be running two businesses at once as you phase out the old business model and ramp up the new one. "Sometimes reinvention means running two businesses simultaneously for almost a year," Greenstreet warns. "It's overwhelming, and business owners are often so excited about the new model, they want to let go of the old model. It's like going through a long divorce before committing to a new relationship. It's not fun."

The solution is to create a detailed exit strategy.

Allow time to negotiate new leases, bring on new employees or train current employees. Be transparent through the whole process with vendors, customers, employees and, most important, your family. Give everyone notice that changes are coming, when they will happen and what it means for them.

Pamela Wilson, a marketing consultant in Lehigh Valley, Pa., is in the midst of the process. After running a marketing and design firm for 20 years, she decided to scale back her one-on-one clients and reach a broader audience. In 2010 she created

a do-it-yourself marketing course for small businesses called Big Brand System. "It's been difficult juggling two businesses," she says. "But I'm at 50/50 right now. By the end of next year I plan for the new business to generate 75 percent of my income."

5. Mentor and Manage Even those committed to sticking to their business plans can start to deviate. Greenstreet suggests bringing in outside help. "Business owners sometimes need people to bounce things off of to keep them from going off in crazy directions," she says. "Some people go through a grieving process. They're letting go of a piece of something they've built and need to process that. There's a lot of stuff to deal with, but if you don't, it will come back and bite you hard."

Although the process can be rough, reinventing your business can be a rush. "It's an exciting place to be," Greenstreet says. "A business owner gets to reinvent themselves with capital and 10 or 20 years of experience--without making mistakes. They have an ace in the hole.

The results of 16th annual Les Nouvelles Esthetiques Spa Awards hosted by Les Nouvelles Esthetiques South Africa in association with Les Nouvelles Esthetiques Paris, were announced on the 26th September 2021.

Through the success of the previous awards, the Les Nouvelles Esthetiques Spa Awards increases in its stature each year, providing the South African and International Spa Visitors and Media with a comprehensive choice of award winning spas, and a reliable source of spa infor mation and recommendations, within South Africa.

The Les Nouvelles Esthétiques awards programme encourages the highest standards within the Spa & en designed Wellness Industry. The awards have been ence among to stimulate a desire for service excellence South African Spas.

The 2021 Spa Awards consisted of six (6)) Categories, namely Day Spas, Hotel Spas, Boutiquee Hotel Spas, p and nd Aesthetic Safari Spas, Unique Spa Concept, g es.

Institutes/Medi Spas categories.

Days Spas Winner: Shambala la Wellness Welln Wellne Spa, in Walmer, Port Elizabeth.

Shambala meanss a Place of Peace, Tranquillity nquillity and bala Happiness. In Tibetan betan Buddhist Bud lore, Shambala h b l iis a t snowy peaks ks of the mystical land, hidden in the ciety where people labour constantly onstantly Himalayas, a society y Th umanity. sses their for the good of humanity.

This perfectly expresses its, creating pleasure, a sanctuary in irits, ethos – lifting spirits, pe. From the it a rea the middle of the city, realm of escape. dge they are oss over the wo moment guests cross wooden bridge cient kingdom, kingdom ying a unique king transported to an ancient displaying nwind a and re venate. They and relaxing oasis to unwind rejuvenate. sian paradise, donesian par ncorporating have created an Indonesian incorporating d from Bali, sig elected nd selected ali, signature imported décor hand elaxation areas relaxatio adition,, and relaxation re treatments focused on tradition, omplete complete ate thee illusionn of a co throughout the spa to create escape to another land. tute Special Finalist: Senses Wellnesss Instit Institute te in Pietermaritzburg.

Founded in 2008 with a unique vision to combine eate the t e derma aesthetics, hair, and makeup create up and an cre ed by Sh Shaista haista Abdool Abdo l ultimate spa experience. Owned d d and Gafoor, who guides her team of highly h hll trained skilled professionals that strivee to build a trusting he beautiful park like relationship with their guests. The premises and opulent interiors iss the perfect image of the concept they are all about. Each room is designed g the attention to detail for optimum relaxation, including etail and the garden is in the hair salon and boutique retail a tranquil setting where clients are able to enjoy some quiet time. Resulting in you leaving your stress at the door whilst your journey begins with Senses Wellness Institute

Hotel Spas Winner: House of Tshegofatso: The Houghton Hotel Spa The flagship Spa and Wellness facility is located the prestigious Urban Resort – The Houghton Hotel in Johannesburg. The Spa is a member of the House of Tshegofatso, under the guidance of CEO, Tshegofatso

Moseme and her team of highly skilled therapists and hairstylists. Their mission is to add value by providing the best care and healing environment, so guests leave with renewed balance and beauty. They strive to pamper their guests in the most indulgent way, with the conviction of “Changing The Status Quo”. The new state-of-theart facility, offers an an exclusive Couple’s Suite with a private Jacuzzi, wooden deck and outdoor shower, 8 multi-functional Spa treatment suites, a Grand Rasul, a Nail Beautique and Hair Salon, indoor Dining as well as Relaxation area, a spectacular indoor heated swimming pool and outdoor relaxation with an exquisite natural cool and heated Infinity Pool. This unisex Spa caters to Hotel guests, residents, private individuals and the corporate market, making it a destination par excellence. The Spa promotes holistic health, offering a diverse range of o result-driven spa and wellness treatments and wo world class products with wellness benefits.

Boutique Hotel Spa Spas Winner: Belle Foi Fo Spa at Pon Pont de Val – Parys.

Charmaine Ashmore, Ashmo who ho thro through her personal g pe p tenacity and love for f serving ving people in a way that re renewed ren ul an a mind, is the mind they are in body, soul and eart b and heart behind Belle B Foi Spa. Charmaine’s C journey gh var through various wellness wel and nd phar pharmaceutical positions er to start s led ed her her own o Spa. pa. Dee Deeply instilled healing memories drives her passion today, ttoday d and d Belle B ll Foi F i Spa S sa t off renewa al. The Spa iiss a sanctuary renewal.

S no nott only offers clas classi sic therapies and treatment treeatments, but explores e classic treatments, the hea healinng properties of the grape gr vine mething that healing vin as so something th spa apart from other o sets the we wellness venues. The natural components taken from Pont de Val’s vineyards ed with combined w the science ience of TheraVine aree brought brou o treatments in a timeless togetherr to offer of a unique que set of time pres and space. Escape Esca from the pressures of dailyy life a ence the extra eys us using experience t world of extra-sensory journeys erapy products.

Care ed using Vinotherapy ts. Carefully us developed ™ ve clinical eraVine™ extensive clin TheraVin and scientific studies, the TheraVine™ var grape pe range boasts the indigenous Pinotage cultivar see eaves to whi which ch seeds, grape skins & grapevine leaves international nationally acclaimed accla med active ingr dients have ive ingredients h inte been internationally been added. has been expertly expertl woven to relieve add d. Each ritual has relie stress ge, purify, fy, de fi stre s and recharg oxify, firm, an d recharge, detoxify, and rejuvenate w delicate aromas romas will transport tran reju enate while yo delicate you into a place of com plete serenity. renity complete

Safa ari Spass Safari Winner: Kukura k Wellness Spa at Kilima l Private ll aa G a m e Re s e r ve – L i m p o p o P r ov i n c e .

Deep in the African Bushveld, at the foot of the Murchison Mountain Range – “something courageous lies in wait” – Kilima Private Game Reserve & Spa, offers world class standards in luxury accommodation, having won 10 Awards in 2021, close wildlife encounters, personal service and delicious cuisine.

Kilima’s philosophy “COURAGE ABOVE & BEYOND” stems from the Schütte Legacy that has endured against all odds. A Legacy where our family, in harmony with nature executes business for generations to come.

They invite you to experience their warm hospitality that echo’s through the style and flavour to each of our guests. The Kukura Wellness Spa, is a Shona word that means GROWTH. We chose the word ‘growth’ for more than the simple definition of the word, we believe in personal development, we cherish the enhancements one makes to her or his self – one needs to grow in mind, body and spirit, offering the

guest a holistic approach in growth. Additionally we also believe in reducing toxic footprint and leaving a lasting legacy to all those who will walk this beautiful earth long after we’re gone. The purpose of Kukura Wellness Spa services is to trigger the return of homeostasis in the body – this is achieved by reducing tension and inducing relaxation–the first step in balance and equilibrium, allowing healing.

Unique Spa Concept Winner: Yadah Castle – Hammam Turkish Spa & Bath – Pretoria.

Guests receive a warm welcome upon arrival; candles are lit, soft lighting, priceless antiques and art adorn the walls are for guests eyes to feast on, while the touch of Persian carpets and comfortable pillows are for everyone to relax and unwind from all the tensions of the outside world. Their vision is to create an extraordinary ambiance that will transport guests to an exotic foreign land, whilst exciting all of the senses a embracing a unique spa. A true discerning Journey. and T fusion of luxury spa blends from around the world The ow you to enjoy intoxicating treatments from w allow will discern st disc th most the discerning global brands and standards. g old world w ring T They bring traditions and blend it with new niques. The Th Hammam also known as the hniques w world techniques. mmam or TTurkish Bath, is the middle eastern ammam T Turkish Hammam b v variant of thee steam bat bath. Although the first hammams an bath culture was a central originated inn Arabia and part of Roma an life, Turkey Tur Roman popularised the tradition and is mostt often ass associated with it by making Hammams available avvailable to people of all statuses and for a Hamm centenaries the t e Hammam was known as the silent doctor. The garden and Sun deck are for you to relax. and dé d artworks were imported from Most o of the décor owners Vanessa V b thee owners, Turkey by Hacisuleyman and her an the skilled therapists with their okhan and husband Gokhan husband lented hand will d hands wi take you on an enchanted talente talented scape…Be tra …Be transpo escape escape…Be transported to another world without aving to leave the city having

Ae Aesthetic esthetic Instit Institutes: W Winner: Chique Skin Technology – Kempton Park, Wi JJohannesburg This unique Aesthetic Institute, under the dedicated vision of owner, Rita Shaw, has created a sophisticated and soothing environment. Offering the most advanced selection of non-surgical treatments, they strive to introduce their clients to the latest treatments by constantly researching new methods and keeping their standards as high as possible. During your consultation your conc concerns and expectations will be thoroughly discussed with an explanation of all possible methods of non-sur non-surgical make over. Chique Skin Technology Bea Treatments, that tend to be a little more offers Beauty Medical as they offer treatments like Permanent Hair Reduction, Radio Frequency-Treatments, Chemical Peels, Endermology, Fractional RF Treatments,Botox & Fillers, Spraytan, Tan Can, Microneedling, Needleless Mesotherapy and a lot more! They strive to bring to you the latest non-surgical treatments by constantly researching new methods and keeping our standards as high as possible!

We look forward to hosting the Spa Awards in 2022, as South African Spas and individuals continue to flourish in an internationally growing market place.

Spa Awards Les Nouvelles

Esthetiques Hotel Spa 2021 Category Winner

House of Tshegofatso

The Houghton Hotel Spa

H

ouse of Tshegofatso presents The Houghton Hotel Spa

The flagship Spa and Wellness facility is located the prestigious Urban Resort – The Houghton Hotel in Johannesburg. The Spa is a member of the House of Tshegofatso, under the guidance of CEO, Tshegofatso Moseme and her team of highly skilled therapists and hairstylists. Their mission is to add value by providing the best care and healing environment, so guests leave with renewed balance and beauty. They strive to pamper their guests in the most indulgent way, with the conviction of “Changing The Status Quo”. The new state-of-the-art facility, offers an an exclusive Couple’s Suite with a private Jacuzzi, wooden deck and outdoor shower, 8 multi-functional Spa treatment suites, a Grand Rasul, a Nail Beautique and Hair Salon, indoor Dining as well as Relaxation area, a spectacular indoor heated swimming pool and outdoor relaxation with an exquisite natural cool and heated Infinity Pool. This unisex Spa caters to inhouse Hotel guests, residents, private individuals, groups and the corporate market, making it a destination par excellence. The Houghton Hotel Spa promotes holistic health, offering a diverse range of result-driven spa and wellness treatments and world class products with wellness benefits.

Previous Spa awards Winners & Finalists: Hotel Spa Category

2017

2018

2019

Winner -

Winner -

Winner -

Saxon Hotel, Villas and Spa

The Spa at Fancourt

Finalists -

Finalists -

The Spa at The Oyser Box Hotel The Spa at Fancourt Amani Spa at Radisson Blu, Cape Town

Lanzerac Spa Evolve Spa at Premier Hotel, OR Tambo The Hydro & Spa, at Badplaas Forever Resorts

Amani Spa and Wellness at The Houghton Hotel

Finalists Lanzerac Spa The Spa at the Twelve Apostles Hotel The Hydro & Spa, at Badplaas Forever Resorts

Spa Awards Les Nouvelles

Esthetiques Hotel Spa 2021 Category Winner

House of Tshegofatso

The Houghton Hotel Spa

H

ouse of Tshegofatso presents The Houghton Hotel Spa

The flagship Spa and Wellness facility is located the prestigious Urban Resort – The Houghton Hotel in Johannesburg. The Spa is a member of the House of Tshegofatso, under the guidance of CEO, Tshegofatso Moseme and her team of highly skilled therapists and hairstylists. Their mission is to add value by providing the best care and healing environment, so guests leave with renewed balance and beauty. They strive to pamper their guests in the most indulgent way, with the conviction of “Changing The Status Quo”. The new state-of-the-art facility, offers an an exclusive Couple’s Suite with a private Jacuzzi, wooden deck and outdoor shower, 8 multi-functional Spa treatment suites, a Grand Rasul, a Nail Beautique and Hair Salon, indoor Dining as well as Relaxation area, a spectacular indoor heated swimming pool and outdoor relaxation with an exquisite natural cool and heated Infinity Pool. This unisex Spa caters to inhouse Hotel guests, residents, private individuals, groups and the corporate market, making it a destination par excellence. The Houghton Hotel Spa promotes holistic health, offering a diverse range of result-driven spa and wellness treatments and world class products with wellness benefits.

Previous Spa awards Winners & Finalists: Hotel Spa Category

2017

2018

2019

Winner -

Winner -

Winner -

Saxon Hotel, Villas and Spa

The Spa at Fancourt

Finalists -

Finalists -

The Spa at The Oyser Box Hotel The Spa at Fancourt Amani Spa at Radisson Blu, Cape Town

Lanzerac Spa Evolve Spa at Premier Hotel, OR Tambo The Hydro & Spa, at Badplaas Forever Resorts

Amani Spa and Wellness at The Houghton Hotel

Finalists Lanzerac Spa The Spa at the Twelve Apostles Hotel The Hydro & Spa, at Badplaas Forever Resorts

Spa Awards Les Nouvelles

Esthetiques Day Spa 2021 Category Winner

Shambala Wellness Spa

S

hambala Wellness Spa, in Walmer, Por t Elizabeth.

Shambala means a Place of Peace, Tranquillity and Happiness. In Tibetan Buddhist lore, Shambala is a mystical land, hidden in the snowy peaks of the Himalayas, a society where people labour constantly for the good of humanity. This perfectly expresses their ethos – lifting spirits, creating pleasure, a sanctuary in the middle of the city, a realm of escape. From the moment guests cross over the wooden bridge they are transported to an ancient kingdom, displaying a unique and relaxing oasis to unwind and rejuvenate. They have created an Indonesian paradise, incorporating imported décor hand selected from Bali, signature treatment procedures focused on tradition, and relaxation areas throughout the spa to create the illusion of a complete escape to another land.

Previous Spa awards Winners & Finalists: Day Spa Category

2017

2018

2019

Winner -

Winner -

Winner -

Life Day Spa - Waterfront

Camelot Spa - Val de Vie

Finalists -

Finalists -

Natural Living Spa & Wellness Centre, Polokwane Aronia Day Spa Senses Wellness Institute

Shambala Wellness Spa PlacecolSPA Revive Wellness Spa

Life Day Spa - Rosebank

Finalists Shambala Wellness Centre Annique Day Spa

Spa Awards Les Nouvelles

Esthetiques Day Spa 2021 Category Winner

Shambala Wellness Spa

S

hambala Wellness Spa, in Walmer, Por t Elizabeth.

Shambala means a Place of Peace, Tranquillity and Happiness. In Tibetan Buddhist lore, Shambala is a mystical land, hidden in the snowy peaks of the Himalayas, a society where people labour constantly for the good of humanity. This perfectly expresses their ethos – lifting spirits, creating pleasure, a sanctuary in the middle of the city, a realm of escape. From the moment guests cross over the wooden bridge they are transported to an ancient kingdom, displaying a unique and relaxing oasis to unwind and rejuvenate. They have created an Indonesian paradise, incorporating imported décor hand selected from Bali, signature treatment procedures focused on tradition, and relaxation areas throughout the spa to create the illusion of a complete escape to another land.

Previous Spa awards Winners & Finalists: Day Spa Category

2017

2018

2019

Winner -

Winner -

Winner -

Life Day Spa - Waterfront

Camelot Spa - Val de Vie

Finalists -

Finalists -

Natural Living Spa & Wellness Centre, Polokwane Aronia Day Spa Senses Wellness Institute

Shambala Wellness Spa PlacecolSPA Revive Wellness Spa

Life Day Spa - Rosebank

Finalists Shambala Wellness Centre Annique Day Spa

Special Finalist: Spa Awards 2021

S

enses Wellness Institute in Pietermaritzburg

Founded in 2008 with a unique vision to combine derma aesthetics, hair, and makeup and create the ultimate spa experience for guest. Owned by Shaista Abdool Gafoor, who guides her team of highly trained and skilled professionals that strive to build a trusting and friendly relationship with our guests.

The beautiful park like premises and opulent interiors is the perfect image of the concept they are all about. Each room is designed for optimum relaxation, including the attention to detail in the hair salon and boutqique retail and the garden is a tranquil setting where clients are able to enjoy some quiet time. Resulting in you leaving your stress and time constraints at the door whilst your journey begins with Senses Wellness Institute

Senses Wellness Institute

Spa Awards Boutique Hotel 2021 Category Winner

Belle Foi Spa at Pont de Val elle Foi Spa at Pont de Val – Parys. Charmaine Ashmore, who through her personal faith, tenacity and love for serving people in a way that they are renewed in body, soul and mind, is the mind and heart behind Belle Foi. Charmaine’s journey through various wellness and pharmaceutical positions led her to start her own spa at home several years back which has grown into the Belle Foi Spa at Pont de Val as we know it today. The joy it brings her to see people renewed, started way back when she was a young girl and her father would come home from 12 hour shifts on his feet. He would rest while Charmaine massaged his feet. She recalls the contentment she felt at seeing him regain energy as the stress and pain melted away. These deeply instilled memories drives her passion today, and Belle Foi Spa (translated from French: Beauty

by Faith) is for her and her team a sanctuary of renewal. Belle Foi Spa not only offers classic therapies and treatments, but explores the healing

B

properties of the grape vine as something that sets the spa apart from other wellness venues. The natural components taken from Pont de Val’s vineyards combined with the science of TheraVine are brought together to offer a unique set of treatments in a timeless space. Escape from the pressures of daily life, make time for yourself and experience the world of extra-sensory journeys using Vinotherapy products. Carefully developed by a specialised team using extensive clinical and scientific studies, the TheraVine™ range boasts the indigenous Pinotage cultivar grape seeds, grape skins & grapevine leaves to which internationally acclaimed active ingredients have been added. Each ritual has been expertly woven to relieve stress and recharge, purify and detoxify, firm, and rejuvenate while delicate aromas will transport you into a place of complete serenity. While aromas and indulgent textures provide for a multi – sensory experience, each treatment expertly crafted for your ultimate satisfaction.

Previous Spa Awards Winners & Finalists: Boutique Hotel Spa Category

2017

2018

2019

Winner -

Winner -

Winner -

Fresh Wellness at Cellars Hohenort Hotel

Views Boutique Hotel & Spa

The Spa at Fairlawns Boutique Hotel

Finalists Finalists Silver Forest Spa Ginkgo Petite Spa at The Andros Boutique Hotel

Silver Forest Spa The Silo Hotel Spa

Finalists The Spa at Fordoun Boutique Hotel

Spa Awards Les Nouvelles

Esthetiques Safari Spa 2021 Category Winner

Kukura Wellness Spa at Kilima Private Game Reserve

K

ukura Wellness Spa at Kilima Private Game Reserve – Limpopo Province.

Deep in the African Bushveld, at the foot of the Murchison Mountain Range – “something courageous lies in wait” – Kilima Private Game Reserve & Spa, offers world class standards in luxury accommodation, having won 10 Awards in 2021, close wildlife encounters, personal service and delicious cuisine.

Kilima’s philosophy “COURAGE ABOVE & BEYOND” stems from the Schütte Legacy that has endured against all odds. A Legacy where our family, in harmony with nature execute business for generations to come. Kilima Private Game Reserve invites you to experience their warm hospitality that echo’s through the style and flavour to each and every one of our guests. The Kukura Wellness Spa, is a Shona word that means GROWTH. We chose the word ‘growth’ for more than the simple definition of the word, we believe in personal development, we cherish the enhancements one makes to her or his self, we believe in our effectiveness of living, and to live – one needs to grow in mind, body and spirit, offering the guest a holistic approach in growth. Additionally we also believe in reducing toxic footprint and leaving a lasting legacy to all those who will walk this beautiful earth long after we’re gone. The purpose of Kukura Wellness Spa services is to trigger the return of homeostasis in the body (state of equilibrium and balance) – this is achieved by reducing tension and inducing relaxation – relaxation is the first step in balance and equilibrium, because when the body is relaxed healing is possible.

Previous Spa awards Winners & Finalists: Safari Spa Category

2016

2017

2019

Winner -

Winner -

Winner -

Karkloof Safari Spa

Bushmans Kloof Wellness Reserve & Wellnes Retreat, Clanwilliam

Sediko Bush Spa at Palala Boutique Game Lodge

Finalists Legacy Balance Bakubung Spa Amani Spa at Ivory Tree, Pilansburg

Finalists Etali Safari Lodge & Spa

Finalists Legacy Balance Bakubung Spa Emoya Spa

Spa Awards Les Nouvelles

Esthetiques Safari Spa 2021 Category Winner

Kukura Wellness Spa at Kilima Private Game Reserve

K

ukura Wellness Spa at Kilima Private Game Reserve – Limpopo Province.

Deep in the African Bushveld, at the foot of the Murchison Mountain Range – “something courageous lies in wait” – Kilima Private Game Reserve & Spa, offers world class standards in luxury accommodation, having won 10 Awards in 2021, close wildlife encounters, personal service and delicious cuisine.

Kilima’s philosophy “COURAGE ABOVE & BEYOND” stems from the Schütte Legacy that has endured against all odds. A Legacy where our family, in harmony with nature execute business for generations to come. Kilima Private Game Reserve invites you to experience their warm hospitality that echo’s through the style and flavour to each and every one of our guests. The Kukura Wellness Spa, is a Shona word that means GROWTH. We chose the word ‘growth’ for more than the simple definition of the word, we believe in personal development, we cherish the enhancements one makes to her or his self, we believe in our effectiveness of living, and to live – one needs to grow in mind, body and spirit, offering the guest a holistic approach in growth. Additionally we also believe in reducing toxic footprint and leaving a lasting legacy to all those who will walk this beautiful earth long after we’re gone. The purpose of Kukura Wellness Spa services is to trigger the return of homeostasis in the body (state of equilibrium and balance) – this is achieved by reducing tension and inducing relaxation – relaxation is the first step in balance and equilibrium, because when the body is relaxed healing is possible.

Previous Spa awards Winners & Finalists: Safari Spa Category

2016

2017

2019

Winner -

Winner -

Winner -

Karkloof Safari Spa

Bushmans Kloof Wellness Reserve & Wellnes Retreat, Clanwilliam

Sediko Bush Spa at Palala Boutique Game Lodge

Finalists Legacy Balance Bakubung Spa Amani Spa at Ivory Tree, Pilansburg

Finalists Etali Safari Lodge & Spa

Finalists Legacy Balance Bakubung Spa Emoya Spa

Spa Awards Les Nouvelles

Esthetiques Unique Spa Concept 2021 Category Winner

Yadah Castle Hammam Turkish Spa & Bath

Y

adah Castle – Hammam Turkish Spa & Bath – Pretoria.

Guests receive a warm welcome upon arrival; candles are lit, soft lighting, priceless antiques and art adorn the walls are for guests eyes to feast on, while the touch of Persian carpets and comfortable pillows are for everyone to relax and unwind from all the tensions of the outside world. Their vision is to create an extraordinary ambiance that will transport guests to an exotic foreign land, whilst exciting all of the senses and embracing a unique spa. A true discerning Journey. The fusion of luxury spa blends from around the world will allow you to enjoy intoxicating treatments from the most discerning global brands and standards combining superbly beneficial elements from our earth. They bring old world traditions and blend it with new world technique. The Hammam also known as the Turkish Hammam or Turkish Bath, is the middle eastern variant of the steam bath. Although the first hammams originated in Arabia and bath culture was a central part of Roman life, Turkey popularised the tradition and is most often associated with it by making Hammams available to people of all statuses and for centenaries the Hammam was known as the silent doctor. The garden and Sun deck are for you to relax and unwind from the tensions of the outside world. Most of the décor and artworks were imported from Turkey by the owners, Vanessa Hacisuleyman and her husband Gokhan and the skilled therapists with their talented hands will take you on an enchanted escape…Be transported to another world without having to leave the city The adjoining A’la Turka restaurant offers guests the option of private, cushionscattered lounges, each of them uniquely decorated. The exotic middle-eastern decor and art collections, jewellery and intricately crafted candelabra – along with the lighting and subtle Turkish music piped throughout, make the A la Turka at Yadah Castle a truly exceptional experience. The food on offer is hot and cold meze, shish kebab, falafel, dolmades and other Middle Eastern fare.

Previous Spa awards Winners & Finalists: Unique Spa Category

2017

2018

2019

Winner -

Winner -

Winner -

Umngazi River Bungalows & Spa

Enviro Sanctuary Spa at Thaba Tshwena Game Lodge

Finalists Fusionista Spa Woodlands Spa Mukda Thai Spa

Finalists Yadah Castle - Hammam Turkish Bath & Spa Fusionista Spa Puri Thai Spa - Sandton

Jiva Spa at the TAJ Hotel

Finalists Yadah Castle - Hammam Turkish Bath & Spa Bakwena Spa Umngazi River Bungalows & Spa

Spa Awards Les Nouvelles

Esthetiques Unique Spa Concept 2021 Category Winner

Yadah Castle Hammam Turkish Spa & Bath

Y

adah Castle – Hammam Turkish Spa & Bath – Pretoria.

Guests receive a warm welcome upon arrival; candles are lit, soft lighting, priceless antiques and art adorn the walls are for guests eyes to feast on, while the touch of Persian carpets and comfortable pillows are for everyone to relax and unwind from all the tensions of the outside world. Their vision is to create an extraordinary ambiance that will transport guests to an exotic foreign land, whilst exciting all of the senses and embracing a unique spa. A true discerning Journey. The fusion of luxury spa blends from around the world will allow you to enjoy intoxicating treatments from the most discerning global brands and standards combining superbly beneficial elements from our earth. They bring old world traditions and blend it with new world technique. The Hammam also known as the Turkish Hammam or Turkish Bath, is the middle eastern variant of the steam bath. Although the first hammams originated in Arabia and bath culture was a central part of Roman life, Turkey popularised the tradition and is most often associated with it by making Hammams available to people of all statuses and for centenaries the Hammam was known as the silent doctor. The garden and Sun deck are for you to relax and unwind from the tensions of the outside world. Most of the décor and artworks were imported from Turkey by the owners, Vanessa Hacisuleyman and her husband Gokhan and the skilled therapists with their talented hands will take you on an enchanted escape…Be transported to another world without having to leave the city The adjoining A’la Turka restaurant offers guests the option of private, cushionscattered lounges, each of them uniquely decorated. The exotic middle-eastern decor and art collections, jewellery and intricately crafted candelabra – along with the lighting and subtle Turkish music piped throughout, make the A la Turka at Yadah Castle a truly exceptional experience. The food on offer is hot and cold meze, shish kebab, falafel, dolmades and other Middle Eastern fare.

Previous Spa awards Winners & Finalists: Unique Spa Category

2017

2018

2019

Winner -

Winner -

Winner -

Umngazi River Bungalows & Spa

Enviro Sanctuary Spa at Thaba Tshwena Game Lodge

Finalists Fusionista Spa Woodlands Spa Mukda Thai Spa

Finalists Yadah Castle - Hammam Turkish Bath & Spa Fusionista Spa Puri Thai Spa - Sandton

Jiva Spa at the TAJ Hotel

Finalists Yadah Castle - Hammam Turkish Bath & Spa Bakwena Spa Umngazi River Bungalows & Spa

Spa Awards Les Nouvelles

Esthetiques Aesthetic Institute 2021 Category Winner

C

hique Skin Technology – Kempton Park, Johannesburg

This unique Aesthetic Institute, under the dedicated vision of owner, Rita Shaw, has created a sophisticated and soothing environment. Offering the most advanced selection of non-surgical treatments, they strive to introduce their clients to the latest treatments by constantly researching new methods and keeping their standards as high as possible.

During your consultation your concerns and expectations will be thoroughly discussed with an explanation of all possible methods of nonsurgical make over. Chique Skin Technology offers Beauty Treatments, that tend to be a little more Medical as they offer treatments like Permanent Hair Reduction, Radio FrequencyTreatments, Chemical Peels, Endermology, Fractional RF Treatments,Botox & Fillers, Spraytan, Tan Can, Microneedling, Needleless Mesotherapy and a lot more! They strive to bring to you the latest non-surgical treatments by constantly researching new methods and keeping our standards as high as possible!

Chique Skin Technology

Previous Spa awards Winners & Finalists: Aesthetic Institute Category

2017

2018

Winners -

Winner -

The Laser Beautique Bedfordview The Laser Beautique Melrose Arch

Anti-aging Art Medical Aesthetics

2019 Winner Medi-Sculpt - Aesthetic & Anti-ageing Solutions

Finalists The Laser Beautique - Bedfordview The Laser Beautique - Melrose Arch

Finalists The Laser Beautique - Bedfordview The Laser Beautique - Menlyn Maine

Spa Awards Les Nouvelles

Esthetiques Aesthetic Institute 2021 Category Winner

C

hique Skin Technology – Kempton Park, Johannesburg

This unique Aesthetic Institute, under the dedicated vision of owner, Rita Shaw, has created a sophisticated and soothing environment. Offering the most advanced selection of non-surgical treatments, they strive to introduce their clients to the latest treatments by constantly researching new methods and keeping their standards as high as possible.

During your consultation your concerns and expectations will be thoroughly discussed with an explanation of all possible methods of nonsurgical make over. Chique Skin Technology offers Beauty Treatments, that tend to be a little more Medical as they offer treatments like Permanent Hair Reduction, Radio FrequencyTreatments, Chemical Peels, Endermology, Fractional RF Treatments,Botox & Fillers, Spraytan, Tan Can, Microneedling, Needleless Mesotherapy and a lot more! They strive to bring to you the latest non-surgical treatments by constantly researching new methods and keeping our standards as high as possible!

Chique Skin Technology

Previous Spa awards Winners & Finalists: Aesthetic Institute Category

2017

2018

Winners -

Winner -

The Laser Beautique Bedfordview The Laser Beautique Melrose Arch

Anti-aging Art Medical Aesthetics

2019 Winner Medi-Sculpt - Aesthetic & Anti-ageing Solutions

Finalists The Laser Beautique - Bedfordview The Laser Beautique - Melrose Arch

Finalists The Laser Beautique - Bedfordview The Laser Beautique - Menlyn Maine

spa business

ISPA's Stronger Together Summit Highlights Throughout the pandemic, the International Spa Association (ISPA) has championed the strength of the spa community and strived to support, inform and inspire the industry as it grapples with the new challenges of operating in a pandemic landscape. After a busy week of content, Spa Business asked ISPA board chair Patrick Huey and ISPA president Lynne McNees for their favourite moments and key takeaways.

Lynne McNees's Highlights: 1. We really are stronger together It's now been nearly 2 years since we were able to gather in person, but the Stronger Together Summit was a welcome reminder that our industry really is at its best when we unite with a common purpose.

2. Tough times haven't curbed our industry's generosity For much of the last year, we've seen spas and resource partners support a wide array of inspiring causes and initiatives. More than US$54,000 was raised for the ISPA Foundation, which funds research efforts, scholarship opportunities and other initiatives.

3. The pandemic has hit the industry hard, but there's much to be optimistic about Unveiling the “Big Five” statistics from the annual ISPA US Industry Study has been a joyous occasion for much of the last decade as the industry rebounded from the great recession and soared to new heights. This year, the figures weren't quite as happy, but to hear PricewaterhouseCoopers's leader of global research Colin McIlheney say there is pent-up demand for spa services was highly encouraging. We're confident in the rebound to come!

4. Talent and workforce issues remain top-of-mind across the industry In nearly every session, our industry's workforce challenges were a topic of conversation among panellists and attendees alike. Those challenges aren't new, but they've been complicated further by COVID-19, and ISPA is currently developing a Talent Toolkit to provide members with additional resources to optimise their talent management strategies.

5. Don't doubt the spa industry for one second During his Power Session, Seth Godin shared a story about meeting Nel Armstrong, who glanced at the moon and said, “I've been there.” He encouraged us to remember that with less computing power than most of us carry in our pockets, NASA put a man on the moon. The impossible can be made possible, and after such a trying period, Seth's story was such a welcome reminder of what people are capable of, no matter the scale of the task ahead of them. Recovering from a global pandemic is a big task, but after a week of seeing our industry energised to tackle the future, I wouldn't dare bet against it.

Patrick Huey's Highlights 1. The industry has changed, but the core of what we do is firmly intact and more important than ever Starting with Seth Godin's message on the opening day of the Summit, we heard about the ways in which our world has changed. Marketing, hiring, scheduling, revenue management and so much more has been altered, but so has the way the world views mental and physical wellbeing. Spas bring relief and healing through human touch and a focus on holistic wellness, which, going forward uniquely positions us to bring the mission of spa to more people than ever before.

2. Value in the virtual space Although we've all likely experienced moments where we wanted to swear off Zoom calls forever, the summit was a reminder of all the ways we've been able to leverage technology for good over the past year. In fact, ISPA's virtual offerings have been so popular with members that we're going to continue the virtual Town Hall series monthly.

3. The pandemic challenged us, but there's a lot of good to take away Seth Mattison urged attendees to “reframe the story” of our experiences and think about how everything we've gone through might be recontextualised and used to motivate us and drive us forward. It's such a challenging thing to do, but we've already seen so many in our industry turn an awful situation into something positive through their creativity and passion for people, and I've no doubt we'll continue to be amazed by the ways in which our colleagues reframe their stories.

4. The Spa Industry remains hungry for quality education The summit's nearly 1,000 attendees were highly engaged in the Summit's Knowledge Builder sessions, and it seems clear our industry is ready to step into a new phase armed with all we've learned.

38

5. The ISPA community is ready to be truly together again We're thrilled with the way the summit went, and feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. That said, I'm sure I felt the energy rise and mood lift every time a reference was made to the upcoming 2022 ISPA Conference & Expo in Las Vegas and the opportunity to once again see each other in person. We are eager to pour ever ything we've learned over the last 15 months into a can't-miss event next May!

spa business

By Lucy Brialey - Sustainable SpaAssociation

Can We Inspire Greater Biodiversity in The Spa Industry?

As the United Nations Climate Change Conference - COP26 - came to an end, you'd be hard pressed to find an individual who wasn't invested in it's outcome. However, while world leaders looked to solve the pressing issue of a changing climate, the UN's Conference on Biological Diversity was seeking to agree a new set of goals for nature over the next decade through the Convention on Biological Diversity post-2020 framework process.

The framework sets out an ambitious plan to implement broad-based action to bring about a transformation in society's relationship with biodiversity and to ensure that, by 2050, the shared vision of living in harmony with nature is fulfilled.

Discourse around the environment and climate change has never been as prevalent. With a wealth of avenues to explore, biodiversity is one topic that needs to be addressed, and spa operators have a great opportunity to make the difference and be industryleaders in this area, setting the expectations for other industries to follow suit.

Firstly, before we explore any further, we need to establish what biodiversity is? In its rawest form, biodiversity is the natural world around us, all of the organisms - the plants, animals, insects and ecosystems which live on our planet. But why is protecting biodiversity so important? And what would happen if we didn't?

Quite simply, biodiversity is one of the most precious aspects of human life. Typically it may be thought of as a nice area to look at and lots of greenery, but in reality, it's so much more. It's the lifeblood and support system for life on earth, and without it the natural ecosystem could collapse. It's vitally important to provide food, clean water and medicines, or even acting as a natural flood defence, highlighting the importance it plays and how detrimental poor business practice could be.

40

Luckily, however, some organisations are already doing fantastic work in this field and can act as a beacon and an inspiration to others within its sector.

For example, fashion brand Burberry unveiled its new biodiversity strategy, stating its intention to “protect, restore and regenerate nature” as it builds on its recent commitment to become Climate Positive by 2040. While it's important to reduce our carbon footprint, operators and organisations should be striving to go beyond neutrality and leave a positive impact on the wider environment around them.

Within the spa industry specifically, a leading face of biodiversity is the brilliant Sothys team, with a dedication towards utilising its land and the local environment to inspire, enhance and improve its own products, while providing a benefit to the environment at the same time.

Les Jardins Sothys® (The Sothys Gardens), created in 2007, are a preserved plant setting in Auriac, in Corrèze, France in a Natura 2000 protected area. Located on the homeland of the Mas family, Les Jardins Sothys ® enhances the plant world; and acts as a source of inspiration and creation of Sothys cosmetic products.

Through its respect for nature, use of the regional habitat and the produce from the environment they have created, Sothys Advanced Research team have been able to enhance their botanical research to create a number of active ingredients inspired by the gardens. The Sothys philosophy is dedicated to beauty, cosmetics and well-being. At the same time, the atmospheric gardens, a set of small intimate enclosures with varied atmospheres, invite you to a sensory escape, a unique experience that combines nature, beauty and culture. With over 12,000 visitors to the site every year, the gardens are a strong symbol that expresses the respect the brand has for nature, expressing the brand's push towards sustainable development.

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’84

And it's not just Sothys that are making a difference.

Spa hotel operator Barons Eden has made a beeline for biodiversity when it comes to sourcing food items. The company - which operates two Sustainable Spa Association member properties (Hoar Cross Hall and Eden Hall) - has installed a number of beehives at its hotels to produce its own honey for its restaurants and guests, and encouraging biodiversity on site.

Biodiversity doesn't always just mean sticking a few plants in and hoping for the best, but you can encourage biodiversity through the business decisions and practices that are carried out.

Other biodiversity options for spa operators include: • Sustainable Food - growing your own food or buying extremely local to reduce carbon emissions and to encourage plants, shrubs, bugs and insects to utilise the area. Additionally promoting healthy nutrition to your staff and guests.

• Native Garden Plants - create a garden that respects biodiversity: plant local species, provide suitable nesting places for birds, cultivate attractive plants for butterflies and verify that the lighting and noise pollution does not adversely affect wildlife.

• Responsible Activities - the treatments, packages or extra-curricular activities spas may operate can in fact damage the environment or, on the contrary, promote wildlife conservation. Activities and attractions for guests should involve interaction with the natural world, so it is essential to give your guests the opportunity to enjoy local biodiversity responsibly.

Those are just a sample of the wealth of options available to operators within the spa industry.

However, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to biodiversity, so through transparency, communication, and idea-sharing, businesses can begin to learn from one another. Helping to care for our planet isn't a competition, and so sharing best practice should become commonplace within the industry.

spa therapies Whether caused by the digital revolution, the pandemic or the dawn of a new decade, more spa-goers than ever are asking for uniquely tailored spa experiences, from personalized treatments to fully customized spa packages. Pulse spoke to spa leaders to find out what is driving the trend and how your spa can take advantage of the opportunities afforded by customization and personalization.

services out of a desire to present clients with a standardized high-quality experience that they could rely on from location to location. Many years ago, says Cecilia Hercik, director of spa and wellness at Sea Island Resort, “We were so focused on consistency and protocols that we did not allow our providers to use their whole toolbox. Now, I think many we have realized that service providers can create very unique, personalized services.”

Crazy for Customization

The picture is different now at Sea Island, which recently launched a variety of self-guided journeys that allow spa-goers to chart their own path through the spa's facilities. Sea Island's four self-guided journeys are designed to draw attention to the spa's communal facilities-including a cascading waterfall pool, an aromatherapy area, and a sound therapy area-some of which may be confusing for customers to find or use without specific direction. Each guest receives a laminated waterproof “menu” that they can carry around which outlines the self-guided journey for them. Through this clever use of spa facilities, Sea Island Resort was able to add an experience that feels tailored to each customer without having to invest significant capital or manpower in its implementation.

Peoples haved changed the way that they world view themselves, their health and their lifestyles.

Ask any spa director about market demand right now and you'll hear the same thing: people are crazy for spa. In fact, many spas currently report that the only thing keeping them from smashing any and all revenue records is the industry's profound staffing shortage. A greater appreciation for a customized approach to wellness is at the heart of this renewed interest in living healthier, longer lives; that is, spa-goers are coming to spas not just seeking spa experiences, but customized, bespoke spa experiences. In a study of consumer attitudes towards wellness released earlier this year, McKinsey & Company found that “a substantial majority of consumers around the world say they prioritize personalization now more than they did two or three years ago.” In the U.S., more than 88 percent of consumers value personalization more than before; McKinsey & Company also report that customers in Brazil and China are particularly willing to trade privacy for greater personalization.

It's hard not to see consumers' growing valuation of custom experiences as connected to the wearable technology boom. In a world where everyone has a Fitbit or Apple Watch that constantly tracks their personal health in order to make personalized recommendations, why wouldn't consumers expect wellness experiences to also be tailored to them?

THIS TIME IT'S PERSONAL Improve Your Client Journey Through Customization 42

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’84

It's not that simple, however. Laura Martinez, director of spa at the Four Seasons at the Surf Club, views a proclivity for custom spa experiences as a reaction against technology. “We're so connected and virtual in so many ways,” says Martinez, “but at the end of the day, people still need that physical connection.” Viewed this way, the increasingly digital world in which we live is precisely why consumers are craving physical treatments now more than ever. Todd Shaw, Chief Experience Officer of Fountain Life-an integrated platform for healthcare and wellness-sees these increases as the product of existing organic trends within the industry. “I think we're all just sick and tired of being sick and tired,” Shaw says. “My parents' generation is trying to stay as healthy as long as they can, my generation is trying to be healthier, and the younger generation is making even healthier decisions. It's this movement that's happening organically.” Part of that, adds Shaw, is the realization of how much harm has been done by choices we now know to be deleterious to one's health, such as smoking, alcohol or added sugar: the knowledge of our past sins inspires us to be better in the future.

Diverse Approaches, One Goal

By ISPA Pulse Magazine

Virtually all spas are now trying to offer more customized, personalized, or bespoke spa experiences with the same goal in mind: a transformative experience. In the past, hotel spas, in particular, often resisted offering customized

Martinez at the Four Seasons at the Surf Club creates custom experiences during the treatment itself through engaged conversations throughout the customer journey. “At the end of the day, it's really about listening to our guests' needs and being interested,” Martinez says. The spa uses every touch points - the initial booking call, the in-person check-in, the conversation with the therapist before the service begins to ask smart questions and listen closely to the answers.

Another popular approach to offer customized spa experiences and tailored treatments combinations is to charge by time, not by service: this is how Tereza Zanchi - a spa with 10 locations in Brazil, provides customized treatment packages. A client can book either a 30-, 45-, 60-, 90- or 120-minute session and combine services a la carte. “A customer could do thirty minutes of shiatsu plus thirty minutes of reflexology, for example,” says Co-Founder Katja Guimaraes. “Charging for the time makes it easy to operate. For a small difference in price, the confusion of charging by the service, isn't worth it.”

Building a Business Case The business benefits of offering customized services are, for the most part, self-evident. Customized experiences lead to happier spa-goers who are more likely to return to the spa. At the same time, the higher price point attached to more customized and personalized experiences also means greater revenues and bigger profit margins. However, there are benefits that are less intuitive. For example, Hercik notes that customized treatments don't only lead to happier clients: they lead to happier staff, too. Allowing therapists to use their full range of skills to customize services reignites their passion.

“The excitement you see on the therapists - they went to school with that inspiration? They had a gift and a passion. Sometimes we clip their wings a little bit too much.”

On the other hand, there are challenges to offering customized services. Staffing is a major obstacle.

In order to coordinate customized packages that bridge fitness, massage, aesthetics and more, “you

need a qualified individual that understands different areas of the spa,” says Hercik. While that person can be the spa director or spa manager, taking the lead on customizing treatments can be too timeconsuming to be practical. Timing can also be a sticking point, according to Martinez. “Looking at the provider's perspective, timing is hard,” she says.

“How much time do they need to listen to the guest?

Some guests open up really quickly. Others, not so much.” Training staff on human psychology and how to ask effective questions can help overcome the timing challenge, but costs both time and money on the front end. Behind the scenes, managing back bar inventory is also made more difficult by customized treatments: it's harder to anticipate product use when offering custom treatments.

Todd Shaw speaks to ways that customization adds to the burden of responsibility, too. This is especially true for Fountain Life, which works with a client on a total healthcare evaluation that includes traditional medicine as well as spa, wellness and fitness. “Right now, a doctor can feel comfortable because they're playing within the standards that have been approved,” says Shaw. At FountainLife, which uses advanced diagnostics in order to proactively measure and improve health, they don't have the luxury of convention, and this adds to their responsibility. While the stakes at a spa might be different. When we create a customized massage or facial, I send it to my therapist and I say, 'No protocols, use your whole toolbox and do whatever is necessary, this allows your spa to offer a customized experience at very little additional cost by eliminating the need to spend time guiding a client to book the correct service at the time of reservation. Hercik adds, “I think sometimes we overthink it by trying to find too many wellness counselors when the practitioner can do all that for you.” Echoing Hercik's advice, Martinez adds that you could also start even smaller by offering an exclusive customized experience to only your spa's most frequent customers.

Getting Started None of those challenges are insurmountable, though; says Martinez, “At the end of the day, all of this is worth it when you see the guest blown away by their experience.” If your spa wants to implement new ways to customize treatments, there are small but smart ways to start doing so.

One way is to offer a single custom treatment that is sold only in one time length. Allow your therapist to use any methodologies and products that they feel will benefit the client's needs.

If you're hesitant to begin offering fully customized services, you can still make the spa experience more unique by personalizing your services; while the methodologies might be standardized, smaller aspects-like aromatherapy oils, beverage choice, etc. can be altered to suit a client's specific preferences. It's especially impressive if your spa remembers these preferences, says Shaw, by actually attaching them to a client's profile in your spa booking software. The idea of personalization doesn't have to be crazy. Just show people that you care about the details. In providing a customized experience, therapists have to feel comfortable and confident in stepping away from standardized protocols; in doing this, they take even more of the spa-goer's happiness into their own hands.

spa therapies Whether caused by the digital revolution, the pandemic or the dawn of a new decade, more spa-goers than ever are asking for uniquely tailored spa experiences, from personalized treatments to fully customized spa packages. Pulse spoke to spa leaders to find out what is driving the trend and how your spa can take advantage of the opportunities afforded by customization and personalization.

services out of a desire to present clients with a standardized high-quality experience that they could rely on from location to location. Many years ago, says Cecilia Hercik, director of spa and wellness at Sea Island Resort, “We were so focused on consistency and protocols that we did not allow our providers to use their whole toolbox. Now, I think many we have realized that service providers can create very unique, personalized services.”

Crazy for Customization

The picture is different now at Sea Island, which recently launched a variety of self-guided journeys that allow spa-goers to chart their own path through the spa's facilities. Sea Island's four self-guided journeys are designed to draw attention to the spa's communal facilities-including a cascading waterfall pool, an aromatherapy area, and a sound therapy area-some of which may be confusing for customers to find or use without specific direction. Each guest receives a laminated waterproof “menu” that they can carry around which outlines the self-guided journey for them. Through this clever use of spa facilities, Sea Island Resort was able to add an experience that feels tailored to each customer without having to invest significant capital or manpower in its implementation.

Peoples haved changed the way that they world view themselves, their health and their lifestyles.

Ask any spa director about market demand right now and you'll hear the same thing: people are crazy for spa. In fact, many spas currently report that the only thing keeping them from smashing any and all revenue records is the industry's profound staffing shortage. A greater appreciation for a customized approach to wellness is at the heart of this renewed interest in living healthier, longer lives; that is, spa-goers are coming to spas not just seeking spa experiences, but customized, bespoke spa experiences. In a study of consumer attitudes towards wellness released earlier this year, McKinsey & Company found that “a substantial majority of consumers around the world say they prioritize personalization now more than they did two or three years ago.” In the U.S., more than 88 percent of consumers value personalization more than before; McKinsey & Company also report that customers in Brazil and China are particularly willing to trade privacy for greater personalization.

It's hard not to see consumers' growing valuation of custom experiences as connected to the wearable technology boom. In a world where everyone has a Fitbit or Apple Watch that constantly tracks their personal health in order to make personalized recommendations, why wouldn't consumers expect wellness experiences to also be tailored to them?

THIS TIME IT'S PERSONAL Improve Your Client Journey Through Customization 42

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’84

It's not that simple, however. Laura Martinez, director of spa at the Four Seasons at the Surf Club, views a proclivity for custom spa experiences as a reaction against technology. “We're so connected and virtual in so many ways,” says Martinez, “but at the end of the day, people still need that physical connection.” Viewed this way, the increasingly digital world in which we live is precisely why consumers are craving physical treatments now more than ever. Todd Shaw, Chief Experience Officer of Fountain Life-an integrated platform for healthcare and wellness-sees these increases as the product of existing organic trends within the industry. “I think we're all just sick and tired of being sick and tired,” Shaw says. “My parents' generation is trying to stay as healthy as long as they can, my generation is trying to be healthier, and the younger generation is making even healthier decisions. It's this movement that's happening organically.” Part of that, adds Shaw, is the realization of how much harm has been done by choices we now know to be deleterious to one's health, such as smoking, alcohol or added sugar: the knowledge of our past sins inspires us to be better in the future.

Diverse Approaches, One Goal

By ISPA Pulse Magazine

Virtually all spas are now trying to offer more customized, personalized, or bespoke spa experiences with the same goal in mind: a transformative experience. In the past, hotel spas, in particular, often resisted offering customized

Martinez at the Four Seasons at the Surf Club creates custom experiences during the treatment itself through engaged conversations throughout the customer journey. “At the end of the day, it's really about listening to our guests' needs and being interested,” Martinez says. The spa uses every touch points - the initial booking call, the in-person check-in, the conversation with the therapist before the service begins to ask smart questions and listen closely to the answers.

Another popular approach to offer customized spa experiences and tailored treatments combinations is to charge by time, not by service: this is how Tereza Zanchi - a spa with 10 locations in Brazil, provides customized treatment packages. A client can book either a 30-, 45-, 60-, 90- or 120-minute session and combine services a la carte. “A customer could do thirty minutes of shiatsu plus thirty minutes of reflexology, for example,” says Co-Founder Katja Guimaraes. “Charging for the time makes it easy to operate. For a small difference in price, the confusion of charging by the service, isn't worth it.”

Building a Business Case The business benefits of offering customized services are, for the most part, self-evident. Customized experiences lead to happier spa-goers who are more likely to return to the spa. At the same time, the higher price point attached to more customized and personalized experiences also means greater revenues and bigger profit margins. However, there are benefits that are less intuitive. For example, Hercik notes that customized treatments don't only lead to happier clients: they lead to happier staff, too. Allowing therapists to use their full range of skills to customize services reignites their passion.

“The excitement you see on the therapists - they went to school with that inspiration? They had a gift and a passion. Sometimes we clip their wings a little bit too much.”

On the other hand, there are challenges to offering customized services. Staffing is a major obstacle.

In order to coordinate customized packages that bridge fitness, massage, aesthetics and more, “you

need a qualified individual that understands different areas of the spa,” says Hercik. While that person can be the spa director or spa manager, taking the lead on customizing treatments can be too timeconsuming to be practical. Timing can also be a sticking point, according to Martinez. “Looking at the provider's perspective, timing is hard,” she says.

“How much time do they need to listen to the guest?

Some guests open up really quickly. Others, not so much.” Training staff on human psychology and how to ask effective questions can help overcome the timing challenge, but costs both time and money on the front end. Behind the scenes, managing back bar inventory is also made more difficult by customized treatments: it's harder to anticipate product use when offering custom treatments.

Todd Shaw speaks to ways that customization adds to the burden of responsibility, too. This is especially true for Fountain Life, which works with a client on a total healthcare evaluation that includes traditional medicine as well as spa, wellness and fitness. “Right now, a doctor can feel comfortable because they're playing within the standards that have been approved,” says Shaw. At FountainLife, which uses advanced diagnostics in order to proactively measure and improve health, they don't have the luxury of convention, and this adds to their responsibility. While the stakes at a spa might be different. When we create a customized massage or facial, I send it to my therapist and I say, 'No protocols, use your whole toolbox and do whatever is necessary, this allows your spa to offer a customized experience at very little additional cost by eliminating the need to spend time guiding a client to book the correct service at the time of reservation. Hercik adds, “I think sometimes we overthink it by trying to find too many wellness counselors when the practitioner can do all that for you.” Echoing Hercik's advice, Martinez adds that you could also start even smaller by offering an exclusive customized experience to only your spa's most frequent customers.

Getting Started None of those challenges are insurmountable, though; says Martinez, “At the end of the day, all of this is worth it when you see the guest blown away by their experience.” If your spa wants to implement new ways to customize treatments, there are small but smart ways to start doing so.

One way is to offer a single custom treatment that is sold only in one time length. Allow your therapist to use any methodologies and products that they feel will benefit the client's needs.

If you're hesitant to begin offering fully customized services, you can still make the spa experience more unique by personalizing your services; while the methodologies might be standardized, smaller aspects-like aromatherapy oils, beverage choice, etc. can be altered to suit a client's specific preferences. It's especially impressive if your spa remembers these preferences, says Shaw, by actually attaching them to a client's profile in your spa booking software. The idea of personalization doesn't have to be crazy. Just show people that you care about the details. In providing a customized experience, therapists have to feel comfortable and confident in stepping away from standardized protocols; in doing this, they take even more of the spa-goer's happiness into their own hands.

spa lifestyle

Shinrin-Yoku & Other Lifestyle Changes for Shifting Cortisol Levels A certain level of stress is inevitable in today’s society, and the experiences that shape the stress response may also influence sleep patterns, food intake, blood sugar imbalances, and cardiovascular disease—and vice versa—leading to chronic ill health. At times of high anxiety, this bidirectional relationship can feel like an endless loop, as stress can both predispose patients to and precipitate hormonal imbalances.

During this whole-body process, mediated by hormones and the immune system, cortisol can act as a biomarker. Cortisol has a normal diurnal pattern throughout the day, normally peaking in the morning hours and bottoming out at night. In studies, deviations from this pattern are associated with signs and symptoms of adrenal dysfunction.When treating hormone imbalances, a functional medicine tenet says to “start with the adrenals.” In functional medicine, evaluation of stress and application of stress management strategies can assist with downstream hormone production, transport, and processing, as well as offer low-harm, low cost, highbenefit interventions that may counter the stress response—like shinrin-yoku (forest bathing), enhanced nutrition, and physical activity.

Shinrin-Yoku (Forest Bathing) The biophilia hypothesis, the idea that humans possess an innate tendency to seek connections with the natural environment, was introduced and popularized in 1984 by biologist Edward O. Wilson.

He defines biophilia as a consequence of evolution, whereby human beings subconsciously seek connection with other forms of life. Support for this theory comes, in part, from research demonstrating increased psychological well-being upon exposure to natural features and environments.

Research from Japan points to a number of positive health benefits for both psychological and physiological health associated with the practice of shinrin-yoku, also known as forest bathing. Shinrinyoku is a traditional Japanese practice of immersing oneself in nature by mindfully using all five senses, and during the 1980s, it surfaced in Japan as a

44

pivotal part of preventive health care and healing.

Forest environments may reduce blood pressure and heart rate, reduce stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, increase activity of the parasympathetic nervous system, and reduce sympathetic activity.

Over the last 20 years, there has been a growing interest in greenspace and its ability to mediate the deleterious impacts of acute and chronic stress, particularly the physiologic biomarkers of stress such as cortisol. A 2021 review published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health suggests that greenspace interventions may have the potential for a profound impact on reducing stress as measured by cortisol and thereby reduce the physiologic stress burden across the lifespan. All four field studies on forest bathing, specifically, measured cortisol level change in two main participant conditions—a forest group where forest bathing took place in a designated forested area and an urban group where participants were in a city center. Studying the impact of walking on cortisol levels in urban and rural settings, Kobayashi et al found a significant interaction effect between environmental setting and walking; walking in a forest environment decreased mean cortisol concentration from 9.70 to 8.37 nmol/L, whereas walking in an urban environment barely changed mean cortisol concentration, from 10.28 to 10.01 nmol/L.14,15 By contrast, participants in the study

by Lee et al were passively seated in the exposure conditions, which resulted in a positive effect of forest viewing stimuli. Cortisol levels were significantly lower in the forest bathing group compared to the urban viewing group (p < 0.05) at baseline and just before the stimuli (p < 0.01).

Enhanced Nutrition & Physical Activity Cortisol also plays an important role in human nutrition, and vice versa. While cortisol itself has an appetite-stimulating effect, extremes in nutrition intake (such as overeating or not eating enough) may impact cortisol production and secretion. Studies suggest an upregulation of cortisol with a Western-

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’84

pattern diet that includes increased amounts of refined carbohydrates and saturated fats and decreased amounts of fiber. A 2021 cross-sectional study examining the association between hair cortisol concentration (HCC, an indicator of long-term stress) and diet among 597 preschoolers found that higher HCCs were associated with less frequent consumption of fruits and berries and more frequent consumption of sugary beverages.

In addition to nutrition, physical activity and exercise have long been shown to have beneficial effects on stress reactivity; it may also boost levels of musclemaintaining hormones that decline with age. In a 2021 study of acute and delayed hormonal and blood cell responses to a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) session, after three weeks, cortisol, white blood cell count, and lymphocyte responses were decreased by an average of 42%, respectively.

The findings indicate that short-term HIIT may blunt exercise-induced immune responses and induce rapid adaptations of the hypothalamic-pituitaryadrenal axis. For patients who are unable to perform vigorous exercise, regular walking may improve hormone levels and potentially improve strength and quality of life.

Clinical Applications Individualized interventions like forest bathing, enhanced nutrition that highlights the antiinflammatory aspect of a diet, and increased physical activity may help restore hormonal balance. Stress is a key mediator of a variety of poor health outcomes.

Functional medicine clinicians are trained on the application of the “PTSD” mnemonic, which is used in the assessment of hormone dysfunction. It helps determine if the dysfunction is related to h o r m o n e p ro d u c t i o n , h o r m o n e t ra n s p o r t , signaling sensitivity, or to an issue with detoxification.

This functional medicine approach helps identify points of leverage where physicians can apply individualized interventions to help restore hormonal balance.

spa business [Doc: Beauty Street] The "one-size-fits-all" spa model no longer serves guests and spa therapists post-pandemic. As selfcare and paths to well-being have become paramount, today's spa guests are demanding customized treatments that address their specific needs. At the same time, staffing has become the spa industry's number one challenge as therapists are reluctant to return to work.

ISM has eliminated the traditional static spa menu in the 20 spas we manage and replaced it with customized massages and facials that meet guests' personalized wellness needs. Our therapists feel empowered to use their unique skills, and love having the freedom to design a treatment experience that is unique and personal to that guest.

My Experience Starting as a Massage Therapist Most spa therapists chose the healing arts because they are dedicated to serving others. When I went to school to become a massage therapist, I was interested in learning and practicing unique modalities that I found to be most effective. After massage therapy school, I took extensive training in a massage modality called Shiatsu. I also studied other modalities, including neuromuscular therapy and cranial sacral therapy.

As I started my career, I had two choices. I could go into a spa and have the security of the job in a spa, but at the cost of not being able to use all the tools in my toolbox. Although sometimes I may have been able to customize a signature massage, and pull in some of my expertise in Shiatsu or Reiki or Cranial Sacral, I was ultimately bound by what existed on the static menu of that spa facility.

Death of the Static Spa Menu

By Ilana Alberico CEO, ISM Spa

My other alternative was to go into private practice: to rent a treatment room in a wellness center, chiropractic office, beauty salon, or day spa. Not only would I be responsible for purchasing a massage table and the linens, oils, and other products-I would have to wash all my laundry and invest in marketing. I needed to build a brand, set up a payment system, and negotiate with my bank on the merchant fees. Essentially, I needed to go into business for myself, which in my early 20s was a daunting proposition.

I chose to work in a large four diamond resort spa.

This choice ultimately left me feeling unfulfilled. As an employee in a corporate environment, I yearned to have the flexibility, freedom, and control over both what I practiced on my guests and clients and the timing of when I worked. So, I pivoted and rented a treatment room in a beauty salon where I was able to craft a special space for myself and could focus on utilizing all of those modalities that were unique, that would not be found on a static treatment menu. I had the flexibility I craved, but was now accountable for rent, linens, marketing, doing the laundry, and providing all my own products. The dilemma massage therapists face today is the same I faced nearly two decades ago.

The Problem with Signature Treatments Most resort spas develop signature treatments to pay homage to their region, with a focus on

46

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’84

indigenous botanicals and therapies. Guests find exotic services on the menu-with standardized protocols and elaborate, choreographed ritualsthat align with that property's brand identity and vision. Or they choose from specific treatments, or specific modalities like Shiatsu, Lomi Lomi, or Cranial Sacral. The challenge with this approach is twofold-once a spa director or spa consultant develops a specific signature treatment menu, it puts the therapist "in a box" while creating unique operational challenge for that location. These "off the shelf" types of treatments focus more on the property than the guest.

Staff training is also a significant challenge: spa directors must ponder, "How am I going to get all of my therapists trained on all the services of my menu, and at what cost?" Staffing is another biggie"If we do not train all the therapists on my signature treatments, I must employ a system to match a certain therapist trained with a particular treatment.

My reservation system must facilitate that process, or management must train front desk and reservation staff on who does what (who can perform that specific modality and has the additional certifications and training) and who is available when." This becomes a significant operational burden.

The Spa Staffing Conundrum Let's go back to the spa staffing conundrum. We have over 300,000 licensed massage therapists in the United States. The average massage therapist is a middle-aged female, often going into the profession potentially as a second career. For most, the application process to work at a resort spa is drawn out and daunting. They must apply and go through the channels of H.R. and the process typically takes weeks, if not months, from application to first day on the schedule making money for themselves and the spa.

According to Michael Tompkins, partner in Hutchinson Consulting, the staffing shortage has reached historic critical levels. Fifty percent of all massage therapy positions are currently unfilled!

The reasons therapists are disgruntled include lack of true benefits, no insurance for part-time work, scheduling obligations vs. full control, lack of cohesion in wages, and an interview process that is too long. Tompkins recommends shortening the hiring process to less than 6 days total and inter viewing on the spot with test-outs.

Technology Enables Staff Flexibility & Personalization What became clear post-pandemic is that spa guests expect spa treatments to do more than feel good-they want them to improve their well-being.

We see a need for the services we provide to not only be authentic and personalized, but to produce desired results that are individual to each guest. As in other industries, higher levels of customization, on-demand services, and the unforgiving power of public opinion will drive the future of spas.

When used smartly, technology frees up your spa workforce to focus more on optimizing the spa experience. This leads to higher levels of guest satisfaction and healthier performance metrics.

Shouldn't the spa provide value by meeting guests based on their unique needs and preferences?

Instead of just having a signature massage or a signature facial on a spa menu, the needs and preferences of a guest define the spa experience.

Pressure, style, area of focus, areas of pain, and then, based on their needs and preferences, then and only then, a provider is assigned to them. This is a provider who can match with their needs and preferences, and who is not bound by a generic and static menu.

In the future, leading technology companies will partner with the spa director to ease time-consuming administrative tasks and empower the spa director to rebuild their business by attracting the highest quality therapists and driving personalized guest experiences. Using next-generation technology beyond legacy spa software, including new apps and software-as-a-service (SaaS) programs, allows spas to develop a business model driven by entrepreneurial thinking and the flexibility to change with the demands of the time.

ISM's Vice President of Operations Raye Vogler, who oversees many of the managed spas in our portfolio, is witnessing first-hand the benefits of a customized approach. "Getting rid of the static menu has allowed us to focus on the guest journey.

Spa guests are happier, as well as the treatment providers. Our therapists have embraced it with open arms and feel very successful. We ripped up all the protocols and made it easier for our therapists and our guests to truly connect".

Instead of the guest picking a deep tissue massage off a static menu, our staff is present to deliver what the guest really needs in that moment-to be the expert in that room. Maybe what that guest really needs is a combination of deep tissue, reflexology and Reiki all-in-one massage.

About: Ilana Alberico is an award-winning business visionary and serial entrepreneur. Her 20+ years in the spa industry spans from folding towels in a spa locker room, to the treatment room as a massage therapist, to the boardrooms of leading developers, owners, and hotel companies as a spa operations partner. Today, she leads a dynamic collection of wellness companies including boutique wellness design and spa management firm ISM Spa, luxury skin care line Privai, and Spa Space Chicago, a successful urban day spa. As CEO of ISM Spa, Ms. Alberico oversees a team of hundreds operating 20 full-service luxury spas across the US. Accolades for ISM include twice being named to Inc. Magazine's Fastest Growing Companies in the US, and recipient of the International Spa Association's Innovate Award for Outstanding Leadership.

Article courtesy of Spa Executive.

spa business [Doc: Beauty Street] The "one-size-fits-all" spa model no longer serves guests and spa therapists post-pandemic. As selfcare and paths to well-being have become paramount, today's spa guests are demanding customized treatments that address their specific needs. At the same time, staffing has become the spa industry's number one challenge as therapists are reluctant to return to work.

ISM has eliminated the traditional static spa menu in the 20 spas we manage and replaced it with customized massages and facials that meet guests' personalized wellness needs. Our therapists feel empowered to use their unique skills, and love having the freedom to design a treatment experience that is unique and personal to that guest.

My Experience Starting as a Massage Therapist Most spa therapists chose the healing arts because they are dedicated to serving others. When I went to school to become a massage therapist, I was interested in learning and practicing unique modalities that I found to be most effective. After massage therapy school, I took extensive training in a massage modality called Shiatsu. I also studied other modalities, including neuromuscular therapy and cranial sacral therapy.

As I started my career, I had two choices. I could go into a spa and have the security of the job in a spa, but at the cost of not being able to use all the tools in my toolbox. Although sometimes I may have been able to customize a signature massage, and pull in some of my expertise in Shiatsu or Reiki or Cranial Sacral, I was ultimately bound by what existed on the static menu of that spa facility.

Death of the Static Spa Menu

By Ilana Alberico CEO, ISM Spa

My other alternative was to go into private practice: to rent a treatment room in a wellness center, chiropractic office, beauty salon, or day spa. Not only would I be responsible for purchasing a massage table and the linens, oils, and other products-I would have to wash all my laundry and invest in marketing. I needed to build a brand, set up a payment system, and negotiate with my bank on the merchant fees. Essentially, I needed to go into business for myself, which in my early 20s was a daunting proposition.

I chose to work in a large four diamond resort spa.

This choice ultimately left me feeling unfulfilled. As an employee in a corporate environment, I yearned to have the flexibility, freedom, and control over both what I practiced on my guests and clients and the timing of when I worked. So, I pivoted and rented a treatment room in a beauty salon where I was able to craft a special space for myself and could focus on utilizing all of those modalities that were unique, that would not be found on a static treatment menu. I had the flexibility I craved, but was now accountable for rent, linens, marketing, doing the laundry, and providing all my own products. The dilemma massage therapists face today is the same I faced nearly two decades ago.

The Problem with Signature Treatments Most resort spas develop signature treatments to pay homage to their region, with a focus on

46

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’84

indigenous botanicals and therapies. Guests find exotic services on the menu-with standardized protocols and elaborate, choreographed ritualsthat align with that property's brand identity and vision. Or they choose from specific treatments, or specific modalities like Shiatsu, Lomi Lomi, or Cranial Sacral. The challenge with this approach is twofold-once a spa director or spa consultant develops a specific signature treatment menu, it puts the therapist "in a box" while creating unique operational challenge for that location. These "off the shelf" types of treatments focus more on the property than the guest.

Staff training is also a significant challenge: spa directors must ponder, "How am I going to get all of my therapists trained on all the services of my menu, and at what cost?" Staffing is another biggie"If we do not train all the therapists on my signature treatments, I must employ a system to match a certain therapist trained with a particular treatment.

My reservation system must facilitate that process, or management must train front desk and reservation staff on who does what (who can perform that specific modality and has the additional certifications and training) and who is available when." This becomes a significant operational burden.

The Spa Staffing Conundrum Let's go back to the spa staffing conundrum. We have over 300,000 licensed massage therapists in the United States. The average massage therapist is a middle-aged female, often going into the profession potentially as a second career. For most, the application process to work at a resort spa is drawn out and daunting. They must apply and go through the channels of H.R. and the process typically takes weeks, if not months, from application to first day on the schedule making money for themselves and the spa.

According to Michael Tompkins, partner in Hutchinson Consulting, the staffing shortage has reached historic critical levels. Fifty percent of all massage therapy positions are currently unfilled!

The reasons therapists are disgruntled include lack of true benefits, no insurance for part-time work, scheduling obligations vs. full control, lack of cohesion in wages, and an interview process that is too long. Tompkins recommends shortening the hiring process to less than 6 days total and inter viewing on the spot with test-outs.

Technology Enables Staff Flexibility & Personalization What became clear post-pandemic is that spa guests expect spa treatments to do more than feel good-they want them to improve their well-being.

We see a need for the services we provide to not only be authentic and personalized, but to produce desired results that are individual to each guest. As in other industries, higher levels of customization, on-demand services, and the unforgiving power of public opinion will drive the future of spas.

When used smartly, technology frees up your spa workforce to focus more on optimizing the spa experience. This leads to higher levels of guest satisfaction and healthier performance metrics.

Shouldn't the spa provide value by meeting guests based on their unique needs and preferences?

Instead of just having a signature massage or a signature facial on a spa menu, the needs and preferences of a guest define the spa experience.

Pressure, style, area of focus, areas of pain, and then, based on their needs and preferences, then and only then, a provider is assigned to them. This is a provider who can match with their needs and preferences, and who is not bound by a generic and static menu.

In the future, leading technology companies will partner with the spa director to ease time-consuming administrative tasks and empower the spa director to rebuild their business by attracting the highest quality therapists and driving personalized guest experiences. Using next-generation technology beyond legacy spa software, including new apps and software-as-a-service (SaaS) programs, allows spas to develop a business model driven by entrepreneurial thinking and the flexibility to change with the demands of the time.

ISM's Vice President of Operations Raye Vogler, who oversees many of the managed spas in our portfolio, is witnessing first-hand the benefits of a customized approach. "Getting rid of the static menu has allowed us to focus on the guest journey.

Spa guests are happier, as well as the treatment providers. Our therapists have embraced it with open arms and feel very successful. We ripped up all the protocols and made it easier for our therapists and our guests to truly connect".

Instead of the guest picking a deep tissue massage off a static menu, our staff is present to deliver what the guest really needs in that moment-to be the expert in that room. Maybe what that guest really needs is a combination of deep tissue, reflexology and Reiki all-in-one massage.

About: Ilana Alberico is an award-winning business visionary and serial entrepreneur. Her 20+ years in the spa industry spans from folding towels in a spa locker room, to the treatment room as a massage therapist, to the boardrooms of leading developers, owners, and hotel companies as a spa operations partner. Today, she leads a dynamic collection of wellness companies including boutique wellness design and spa management firm ISM Spa, luxury skin care line Privai, and Spa Space Chicago, a successful urban day spa. As CEO of ISM Spa, Ms. Alberico oversees a team of hundreds operating 20 full-service luxury spas across the US. Accolades for ISM include twice being named to Inc. Magazine's Fastest Growing Companies in the US, and recipient of the International Spa Association's Innovate Award for Outstanding Leadership.

Article courtesy of Spa Executive.

spa business

Four Places Where Spas Lose Revenue Is your spa capturing all possible revenue? This is kind of a rhetorical question. Because the answer is, surely, no. All types of businesses in all types of industries wind up leaving money on the table. Spa is no exception. And, these days, it's more important than ever to capture as much as possible, as nobody can afford to be negligent.

This is why, as we move into the New Year, everyone should be taking a look at where they're losing the most revenue and creating strategies to prevent this from happening.

Yield management is a dynamic pricing strategy used by hotels and it means adjusting the price of a product or service in response to market factors like demand or competition. A successful yield management system will increase revenue, and optimize intake. Marriott Hotels reportedly credits yield management for an additional $100 million in revenue per year. Learn to manage your yield and you will see results.

Retail - not training teams or stocking the right items

Leadership - Stretching leaders too thin to focus on the bottom line

Marriott's Senior Corporate Director of Spa Operations, Suzanne Holbrook, points to retail as one area where spas leave money on the table. She said, “You've got to have the right items that people want and you should only keep what is selling,” and on top of that, you have to train your team.

Holbrook also said another reason spas lose revenue is because the industry is limited on leadership. She explained, “There's usually one spa director doing everything, which doesn't allow them to focus on the big picture of driving numbers, driving sales and mar keting, dr iving yield management.”

“I've been a massage therapist and an aesthetician.

It doesn't matter how good you are, it's not enough if you're not educating your guests on how to take care of themselves when they go home, whether it's skincare or taking care of their arthritis. I think it's our responsibility to educate our guests because they will go to another store and buy their skincare from someone that's not a specialist or a massage therapist. So, it's important that we educate our teams and have them understand it's not about sales.

We don't even say the word retail. It's about an additional service that we offer our guests, to educate and help them on that path to wellness. That's how they will remember us when they go home.”

Spa managers and directors are working the floor, doing HR, payroll, scheduling, and taking care of administrative tasks. Holbrook said, “I suggest to GMs all the time that they hire a sales coordinator, someone to be dedicated to your sales. In the hotel, you wouldn't not have someone dedicated to managing your rooms and your sales department, but you're expecting the spa director to do everything.

And it takes them away from focusing on the business.

Shane Upson, Director of Spa Operations at San Manuel Casino, said in an interview, “I believe in changing the narrative from sales to solutions. Don't talk about retail products and items. You're talking about solutions. You're listening to the guests' needs, wants, and concerns, and offering them solutions.

People are open to solutions. They're not open to being sold products.”

48

Yield - not optimizing intake during downtimes

of Resense, pointed to discounting with no clear strategy as a poor revenue generator. She said that, while it's common to offer something like 25% off a massage, this is not necessarily an effective way of doing things. Darby explained, “Giving 25% off is just taking 25% off your top if you're not using that promotion to fill your off-peak times, for example.

It's more effective to create something compelling and solve a problem than it is to just offer 25% off.”

Kathryn Moore of Spa Connectors suggested another tactic: upgrades. Moore said, “What's more effective than discounts are upgrades to more popular services and making it easy for the guest to upgrade 'intreatment.' The therapists become more engaged in the total experience and are more apt to recommend a product regimen to compliment the service.”

Holbrook also offers an example of how effective this can be, saying, “I launched a company-wide program about 10 years ago called Spa Plus, where the front desk or therapist could offer an upgrade, like stones or some CBD for, say, $40, and they would get a percentage of that sale…That program probably made us about $8 million in 2019 in just incremental revenue.”

If you're going to discount, have a strategy. Or consider other ways of doing essentially the same thing.

Gift cards - not selling gift cards online

“There's a lot of money left there. If you worry about the extra $40,000 it's going to cost you'll miss the hundreds of thousand of dollars you could make if you made that change.” Be sure you're focused on the right things. Implementing a system that takes care of day-to-day tasks will help free up staff time.

Gift cards are a huge revenue driver, particularly around the holidays, but selling them online is much more cost effective than selling them in store. At busy resort and hotel spas, it's not unheard of to have to hire extra people around the holidays just to sell gift cards. Selling them online cuts that cost dramatically.

Discounting - Discounting with no strategy or goal There is some disagreement over whether discounts should ever be offered, but if you are going to discount your services, do so with a clear cut strategy and goals. In a 2020 interview, Emma Darby, COO

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’84

If you can find where your spa is leaving the most money on the table, you can recapture that loss. You can't afford to lose revenue.

Nobody can. Start fixing things now.

spa business

Attracting Talent to Take Advantage of Spa Demand

By Lynne McNees, International Spa Association To understand which issues are most pressing in the spa industry, simply get a group of spa leaders together and listen to them talk. Sooner or later, most of those conversations will likely end up orbiting the challenges our industry faces regarding its workforce. During ISPA's recent Stronger Together Summit, about a thousand professionals gathered virtually to connect and learn from one another. Even though wide-ranging, the subject of the spa industry workforce seemed to find its way to the center of nearly every discussion.

There is, of course, a good reason for that. A 2019 ISPA study, conducted in partnership with research firm PricewaterhouseCoopers, revealed that there were more than 28,000 unfilled spa service provider positions (massage therapists, aestheticians and nail technicians) and more than 4,000 unfilled Spa Director or Spa Manager roles available.

Given the impact of the pandemic, those figures are even higher today, and spa leaders continue to struggle in their search for qualified team members. Resort and hotel spas, many of which reduced the size of their staffs more than day spas, may face a particularly difficult labor market for the foreseeable future as a result of attrition, competition from other industries and a weakened talent pipeline. If those spas can rise to meet these workforce challenges, and take advantage of the opportunity of pent-up demand for spa treatments, they will set themselves up for success and recovery.

Attrition Rears Its Head According to The New York Times, there were 4.5 million fewer women employed in Oct 2020 than in Oct 2019, and a third of the working women who are unemployed reported not working due to child care demands. Concerns within the spa industry that a significant number of service providers have left their roles and may not return to the industry seem warranted in light of those figures. An exact accounting of the attrition rate for these workers will not be possible until spas can return to full-scale operations. It is reasonable, to expect that, if even a relatively small percentage of service providers elect not to return to their professions,

50

a spa industry already facing a considerable talent shortage will be in greater need than before of a comprehensive approach to attracting new talent into these roles and closing that gap.

But that task will take time, and meanwhile, resorts and hotels the world over eager to attract returning guests and travelers and provide them with a experience may have to do so without the benefit of a fully staffed spa.

At a time when travel is slow to return to normal, a busy spa can serve as an appealing asset and a significant source of revenue for the property, but only if it is able to fill its treatment spaces with service providers who can meet guest demand.

Closing the Talent Gap If hotels and resorts are to put their spas in the best position to not only recover, but thrive, they must work alongside spa leaders to bring more people into the industry talent pipeline, attract already-qualified service providers seeking career changes and establish talent strategies that help retain top employees.

ISPA is currently developing a toolkit containing resources to aid in these efforts, but our resort and hotel spa members are already putting a number of strategies and initiatives in place to address the issue.

One such strategy involves seeking out partnerships with schools that train service providers. Through these partnerships, spas are often able to make direct contact with potential employees, many of whom may not have previously considered a career in the spa industry.

Another group that may be able to offer the spa industry some relief is already-qualified service providers who work somewhere other than a spa. The American Massage Therapist Association, for example, notes that only 4% of all massage therapists work in a hotel/resort/cruise setting, and just 20% work in a spa/salon setting. By prioritizing outreach to the more than three-quarters of all massage therapists who work outside of these locations, spas may be able to identify candidates who bring experience and confidence.

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’84Attracting (and retaining) top talent obviously goes

beyond simply identifying strong potential hires. From there, spas must also create a culture that is attractive to prospective employees (and current staff).

Communicating a clear-and accurate-sense of your company's mission and the ways it aligns with the values that so many who work in hospitality share is crucial to that messaging.

Put simply, resort and hotel spas must clearly demonstrate the appeal of working in the hospitality industry to a talent pool that will likely remain in exceptionally high demand for the time being. It won't be easy, but it is essential to their success. Investing in and fostering that talent once it's onboard is equally critical. As Fred DeMicco, executive director of Arizona University's School of Hotel Management put it during the Summit audience, his students' basic attitude toward their future employees is simple: "Help me grow, or I will go."

The Case for Pent-up Demand Anecdotally, ISPA has heard from a number of resort and hotel spa leaders who have noted that, despite the occupancy restrictions under which most of them have been opening, demand for spa services has been particularly strong. Given the higher-than-typical stress rates experienced, it is not unsurprising that spa services find themselves in great demand, with the potential for that demand to grow even further.

As Colin McIlheney, leader of global research at PwC, said during the Summit, "I believe the mantra at the moment is, 'Open it and they will come.' If we can get the spas open, you will see unprecedented demand to get back to spas and back to the services people want."

McIlheney's conclusion is rooted in more than simply the power of positive thinking, as illustrated by his colleague Russell Donaldson, manager at PwC and one of the architects of the annual ISPA U.S. Spa Industry Study.

In practicality, it may not be possible for every spa to book every available appointment and use every square inch of treatment space, but those that invest in the search for talent will put themselves in a position to capitalize on an impending flood of demand.

spa business

7 Ways to Increase Employee Productivity in Your Spa A happily engaged workforce is a productive one. Are you getting the best out of your team?

Try these strategies to increase employee productivity in your spa.

Employee productivity is a key element of business success. You want your team to be productive, and make the best use of their time. Sometimes this requires coaching and guidance. Not everyone instinctively knows what they should be doing at all times. This is where leadership comes in. It’s up to leaders to create an environment where people are encouraged to be at their most productive. This means engaging employees and ensuring that they have all the tools and resources they need to do and be their best. Here are seven ways to increase employee productivity.

Communicate Expectations Too many employers are unclear about what they expect from their employees. From the moment an employee is hired, there should never be a time that they don’t know what is expected of them. If you want to increase employee productivity, they should know what success means for their role and how that fits in with what success means for your business.

Set clear goals and targets, communicate those goals from day one, and keep communicating. A lack of communication can leave employees confused and unmotivated.

Track and Analyze Data Once goals are set and communicated, they must be tracked. Your Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) tell you how your business is doing and how your team is doing. Your spa software should tell you everything you need to know about your revenue performance, retail, occupancy, and more. Then we determine what role the employee plays in those KPIs and whether they are meeting expectations.

Staff KPIs might include retail penetration (retail vs services), request rates, and repeat guests. How much is their average ticket and are they upselling?

Are they frequently requested by guests? If goals

52

are easily reached, move them, or your employees will have nothing to work towards.

Respect Your Employees For The Unique Value They Bring Analyze performance from more than one angle.

It’s important to look at retail sales, but also at how much unique value a therapist brings overall. For example: maybe Lisa is a sales dynamo and customers love her exuberant energy. Jeremy is more of a quiet and calming personality whose retail numbers are significantly lower than Lisa’s. But, upon further inspection, you learn that Jeremy has a much higher request rate and that Lisa and Jeremy bring equal value. Maybe this is because people enjoy his lower key energy and lack of sales pressure, and some of Jeremy’s clients would actually stop requesting and recommending him if he started pushing retail sales. Be careful of working against your employee’s strengths.

Offer Feedback and Coaching That said, people often need help. Be there to provide it and make sure that your team has all the resources they need to reach company goals. Give feedback in a constructive and productive way. Tell people when they’re doing well and don’t reserve feedback for when you have something negative to say. If there are areas that need improvement, offer support and solutions rather than just criticism. Be consis tent and communicate regular ly.

Recognize and Reward Performance and Improvement Offering performance incentives is a great way to motivate employees. Employee incentive programs are great, but avoid only recognizing top performers.

When companies do this they risk falling into a trap of always recognizing the same people: the A Players. This means that your B Players are consistently overlooked, and that is demotivating.

Not everyone can be A Players, and, while your B Players don’t bring in the most revenue individually, as a group, they likely make up the bulk of your

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’84

revenue. You don’t want to lose them. So, reward them too. Also, rewards are great but don’t underestimate the power of a heartfelt “thank you.”

Make Sure Everyone Has What They Need To Be Great Your team members should not be spending time on tasks that could otherwise be automated and looking for information that should be readily available to them. What this means: • Making guest information available before an appointment, so therapists know who they will be working with. Your guests’ names, purchase and treatment history, personal preferences (sparkling water over tea, favourite scent, etc.), details like robe and slipper size, and even past conversations, so ensuring your team can deliver a highly personalized experience.

• Optimizing schedules with no double booking and no long gaps between appointments.

• Properly managing inventory, so everyone knows what is available and items which have to be restocked.

• Utilizing online and mobile booking, virtual intake, and contactless payment options to free up front desk staff time and allow them to productively focus on the guest experience.

Trust People To Make Decisions An empowered team is a productive team. When people feel like they have to consult a superior before doing anything – whether it’s offering a small gift with a service to a loyal customer, moving an appointment, or reversing the charge on a service due to a complaint – that is exactly what they will do, and that eats up time and morale. When you step back and trust your team, rather than micromanaging their every move, they grow into the space offered to them and take responsibility.

It’s easy to motivate people with the right tools and resources. An engaged workforce is a productive one.

spa business For much of the past year and a half, the spa industry has navigated the pandemic by adapting and innovating at every opportunity. For many spa and resource partner leaders, a big part of that adaptation has involved finding creative ways to continue supporting each other as everything from occupancy restrictions to supply chain disruptions has presented each group with an evolving set of challenges.

That work has been one of the silver linings of the pandemic. Since the crisis began in March of 2020, many spas and resource partners have transformed the way they do business together, wholly embracing the old saying “necessity is the mother of invention” in the process. Training, ordering, shipping and communication have come under the microscope as industry leaders seek out new, more efficient methods of working with one another. Now, nearly two years into the pandemic, spas’ needs—and thus what they need from their resource partners— continue to evolve as staffing shortages and skyhigh demand put added strain on teams that are already stretched thin.

Adapt and Evolve Like a large number of her industry colleagues, Megan Jasper—director of marketing and operations at Gadabout Salon Spas—is quick to sing the praises of her resource partners’ efforts during the pandemic.

“Our resource partners have been so awesome with us. They haven’t held us to the fire about making purchases or anything like that,” Jasper says.

“They’ve just [said], ‘Whatever you need. Do you need us to do education and it’s all going to be virtual? What can we do?’ Our resource partners have just truly been partners through all of this. For that I’m so grateful.”

Getting Resourceful: The Evolution of the Spa-Resource Partner Relationship

By Pulse Magazine - ISPA

At Red Mountain Resort, home of Sagestone Spa in Ivins, Utah, Director of Spa and Wellness Marci Howard-May expresses a similar sentiment, citing several specific adjustments resource partners have made to assist the spa in one area or another, including changes to the traditional retail sales arrangements they had with Sagestone. “I’ve been really impressed with those [vendors] that have been able to offer retail online where they didn’t before because they wanted to keep [products] exclusive to the spa,” Howard-May says. She adds that because various vendors were able to offer her spa a percentage of guests’ online product purchases similar to what she was receiving on inspa purchases, she’s been able to reduce inventory significantly, which is a welcome simplification for her on the operational side of things.

In addition, Howard-May’s resource partners came through by offering readily available virtual training and providing the spa with pre-made marketing materials for their products. Given the demands often placed on time-starved spa leaders at the moment, they are sure to appreciate the hours saved by those types of actions. “Most spa directors, I’m finding we have all got more on our plates than ever before. Unfortunately, I just don’t have as much time to sit and be creative because I’m dealing with the day-in, day-out so heavily,” she says.

Though spa leaders have obviously faced all manner of strain on their time throughout the pandemic, the past handful of months have likely seen that strain

54

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’84

increase in some ways, as the elimination of occupancy restrictions, high levels of demand for spa services and staffing challenges leave leaders, service providers and other staff with precious little opportunity to set aside time for whole-team training or the development of enticing product displays.

Those resource partners able to remain flexible and meet the changing needs of their spa partners are providing aid that Marci Howard-May describes as “lifesaving.”

Challenges On Both Sides Not all resource partners, of course, have been able to provide the kind of support that Megan Jasper and Marci Howard-May describe. After all, the same disruptions that have affected spas so profoundly have also had an enormous impact on resource partner businesses. “I cannot imagine how difficult this time has been on vendors with so many spas closed and so many sources of revenue just falling off. That has been a challenge, obviously, for both sides,” says Howard-May. Still, when resource partners face challenges related to staffing or manufacturing and the supply chain, the spas with whom they may have had longstanding relationships are forced into awkward situations. challenging.” Specifically, Vazinski cites the popular seasonal treatments guests have come to anticipate as one thing disrupted by a product shortage. “If one ingredient or one product is missing from [those], then we can’t really do it,” he says.

And though Vazinski and the spa’s service providers have been frustrated at inconveniences like these, the issue has less to do with which products are available when and more to do with the dearth of information they receive from some resource partners about what the spa should expect. “If we know ahead of time that we’re not going to have [a certain product], then we can share that information with our staff, and they’re coming into it prepared, as opposed to it being a surprise that you don’t have a tool that’s really crucial to the day,” he says.

Marci Howard-May says she knows how Vazinski feels. “I just don’t have the energy and the time that I can set aside to go to the vendor and request and request. If they're not coming to me with ideas, I have to reach out to them for something, and unfortunately, I’ve taken on an entirely different manager role on top of [my spa director role]. It’s just changed so much of our workload,” she says.

On the other hand, however, when a resource partner comes through with a particularly helpful tactic for keeping spa operations running smoothly, the impact is more keenly felt than ever. Scott Vazinski shares that Comfort Zone has provided a robust library of virtual education materials that have made a tremendous difference, given how difficult it has been to organize whole-team training in recent months. “They’ve been really integral in terms of providing resources,” Vazinski explains.

“It’s more than just having the product knowledge and treatments online, they actually have almost weekly webinars that help with employee engagement, getting them excited about the lines.”

Vazinski adds that the company has tailored their resources to help boost retail sales and educate guests on ingredients that support their wellness in particular ways. At a time when not every resource

partner has been able to offer that level of support, those able to go the extra mile are worth their weight in gold.

No Easy Task Unfortunately, the pandemic’s impact has placed unprecedented strain on both spas and resource partners, making it all but a certainty that some partnerships between the two will come to an end, either because the resource partner goes out of business or the working relationship between the two becomes too strained to continue. It is important that spas prepare for such outcomes so that they aren’t caught flat-footed if a partnership gets into trouble. As Marci Howard-May notes, the process of finding a new resource partner to work with is exactly the kind of intensive, time-consuming task that many spa directors would find difficult to fit onto to-do lists that are already bursting at the seams. “If I change from one line to another, I want to spend a lot of time researching that product, coming to understand that product,” she says. “And then there’s the expense of moving out inventory.

So, it’s hard to move away from one vendor because you’ve developed a personal relationship, but if it’s not working, then sometimes you just have to let the numbers speak, and that has been a challenging thing.”

As Scott Vazinksi points out, however, making that kind of a change can have a major impact beyond the time it requires of spa leaders. “We brand our spa according to the resource partners we have,” he says, “so if we were to switch resource partners— let’s say our skin care brand or something—it’s rebranding as a spa. It’s education that we don’t have the ability to do on new product treatments.

We’d have to redesign a treatment menu. We’d have to analyze and change our pricing, and we’d have to introduce the line to our staff or our clients.

It’s just a really big undertaking.” No matter a spa’s staffing or leadership situation, such an endeavor requires a high level of confidence that the partnership in question is truly not salvageable.

And even if things get to that point, Megan Jasper advises spa leaders to be as empathetic as possible, given the strain the entire spa industry has been under.

“Just put yourself in the other person’s shoes and have a conversation,” Jasper says. “I mean, if we’ve been partners for eight years, 10 years, is it that this situation is so bad that we need to make a change? Then let’s make sure to have a conversation first so that we can both learn from it and build.”

The pandemic has forced spas and resource partners to find ways to work together and support each other. Though traveling this road together may not always be easy, remaining open and flexible to new solutions will be crucial to both groups’ success through the pandemic and beyond. And if you are uncertain about suggesting alternative solutions, Megan Jasper’s advice is simple: don’t be. “It doesn’t have to be broken before you can fix it,” she says. “What if we did it like this? Or what if we modeled it after a different industry that did it like this? Why can’t we explore that question? Don’t just take what’s always been as the way it has to be.”

spa business For much of the past year and a half, the spa industry has navigated the pandemic by adapting and innovating at every opportunity. For many spa and resource partner leaders, a big part of that adaptation has involved finding creative ways to continue supporting each other as everything from occupancy restrictions to supply chain disruptions has presented each group with an evolving set of challenges.

That work has been one of the silver linings of the pandemic. Since the crisis began in March of 2020, many spas and resource partners have transformed the way they do business together, wholly embracing the old saying “necessity is the mother of invention” in the process. Training, ordering, shipping and communication have come under the microscope as industry leaders seek out new, more efficient methods of working with one another. Now, nearly two years into the pandemic, spas’ needs—and thus what they need from their resource partners— continue to evolve as staffing shortages and skyhigh demand put added strain on teams that are already stretched thin.

Adapt and Evolve Like a large number of her industry colleagues, Megan Jasper—director of marketing and operations at Gadabout Salon Spas—is quick to sing the praises of her resource partners’ efforts during the pandemic.

“Our resource partners have been so awesome with us. They haven’t held us to the fire about making purchases or anything like that,” Jasper says.

“They’ve just [said], ‘Whatever you need. Do you need us to do education and it’s all going to be virtual? What can we do?’ Our resource partners have just truly been partners through all of this. For that I’m so grateful.”

Getting Resourceful: The Evolution of the Spa-Resource Partner Relationship

By Pulse Magazine - ISPA

At Red Mountain Resort, home of Sagestone Spa in Ivins, Utah, Director of Spa and Wellness Marci Howard-May expresses a similar sentiment, citing several specific adjustments resource partners have made to assist the spa in one area or another, including changes to the traditional retail sales arrangements they had with Sagestone. “I’ve been really impressed with those [vendors] that have been able to offer retail online where they didn’t before because they wanted to keep [products] exclusive to the spa,” Howard-May says. She adds that because various vendors were able to offer her spa a percentage of guests’ online product purchases similar to what she was receiving on inspa purchases, she’s been able to reduce inventory significantly, which is a welcome simplification for her on the operational side of things.

In addition, Howard-May’s resource partners came through by offering readily available virtual training and providing the spa with pre-made marketing materials for their products. Given the demands often placed on time-starved spa leaders at the moment, they are sure to appreciate the hours saved by those types of actions. “Most spa directors, I’m finding we have all got more on our plates than ever before. Unfortunately, I just don’t have as much time to sit and be creative because I’m dealing with the day-in, day-out so heavily,” she says.

Though spa leaders have obviously faced all manner of strain on their time throughout the pandemic, the past handful of months have likely seen that strain

54

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’84

increase in some ways, as the elimination of occupancy restrictions, high levels of demand for spa services and staffing challenges leave leaders, service providers and other staff with precious little opportunity to set aside time for whole-team training or the development of enticing product displays.

Those resource partners able to remain flexible and meet the changing needs of their spa partners are providing aid that Marci Howard-May describes as “lifesaving.”

Challenges On Both Sides Not all resource partners, of course, have been able to provide the kind of support that Megan Jasper and Marci Howard-May describe. After all, the same disruptions that have affected spas so profoundly have also had an enormous impact on resource partner businesses. “I cannot imagine how difficult this time has been on vendors with so many spas closed and so many sources of revenue just falling off. That has been a challenge, obviously, for both sides,” says Howard-May. Still, when resource partners face challenges related to staffing or manufacturing and the supply chain, the spas with whom they may have had longstanding relationships are forced into awkward situations. challenging.” Specifically, Vazinski cites the popular seasonal treatments guests have come to anticipate as one thing disrupted by a product shortage. “If one ingredient or one product is missing from [those], then we can’t really do it,” he says.

And though Vazinski and the spa’s service providers have been frustrated at inconveniences like these, the issue has less to do with which products are available when and more to do with the dearth of information they receive from some resource partners about what the spa should expect. “If we know ahead of time that we’re not going to have [a certain product], then we can share that information with our staff, and they’re coming into it prepared, as opposed to it being a surprise that you don’t have a tool that’s really crucial to the day,” he says.

Marci Howard-May says she knows how Vazinski feels. “I just don’t have the energy and the time that I can set aside to go to the vendor and request and request. If they're not coming to me with ideas, I have to reach out to them for something, and unfortunately, I’ve taken on an entirely different manager role on top of [my spa director role]. It’s just changed so much of our workload,” she says.

On the other hand, however, when a resource partner comes through with a particularly helpful tactic for keeping spa operations running smoothly, the impact is more keenly felt than ever. Scott Vazinski shares that Comfort Zone has provided a robust library of virtual education materials that have made a tremendous difference, given how difficult it has been to organize whole-team training in recent months. “They’ve been really integral in terms of providing resources,” Vazinski explains.

“It’s more than just having the product knowledge and treatments online, they actually have almost weekly webinars that help with employee engagement, getting them excited about the lines.”

Vazinski adds that the company has tailored their resources to help boost retail sales and educate guests on ingredients that support their wellness in particular ways. At a time when not every resource

partner has been able to offer that level of support, those able to go the extra mile are worth their weight in gold.

No Easy Task Unfortunately, the pandemic’s impact has placed unprecedented strain on both spas and resource partners, making it all but a certainty that some partnerships between the two will come to an end, either because the resource partner goes out of business or the working relationship between the two becomes too strained to continue. It is important that spas prepare for such outcomes so that they aren’t caught flat-footed if a partnership gets into trouble. As Marci Howard-May notes, the process of finding a new resource partner to work with is exactly the kind of intensive, time-consuming task that many spa directors would find difficult to fit onto to-do lists that are already bursting at the seams. “If I change from one line to another, I want to spend a lot of time researching that product, coming to understand that product,” she says. “And then there’s the expense of moving out inventory.

So, it’s hard to move away from one vendor because you’ve developed a personal relationship, but if it’s not working, then sometimes you just have to let the numbers speak, and that has been a challenging thing.”

As Scott Vazinksi points out, however, making that kind of a change can have a major impact beyond the time it requires of spa leaders. “We brand our spa according to the resource partners we have,” he says, “so if we were to switch resource partners— let’s say our skin care brand or something—it’s rebranding as a spa. It’s education that we don’t have the ability to do on new product treatments.

We’d have to redesign a treatment menu. We’d have to analyze and change our pricing, and we’d have to introduce the line to our staff or our clients.

It’s just a really big undertaking.” No matter a spa’s staffing or leadership situation, such an endeavor requires a high level of confidence that the partnership in question is truly not salvageable.

And even if things get to that point, Megan Jasper advises spa leaders to be as empathetic as possible, given the strain the entire spa industry has been under.

“Just put yourself in the other person’s shoes and have a conversation,” Jasper says. “I mean, if we’ve been partners for eight years, 10 years, is it that this situation is so bad that we need to make a change? Then let’s make sure to have a conversation first so that we can both learn from it and build.”

The pandemic has forced spas and resource partners to find ways to work together and support each other. Though traveling this road together may not always be easy, remaining open and flexible to new solutions will be crucial to both groups’ success through the pandemic and beyond. And if you are uncertain about suggesting alternative solutions, Megan Jasper’s advice is simple: don’t be. “It doesn’t have to be broken before you can fix it,” she says. “What if we did it like this? Or what if we modeled it after a different industry that did it like this? Why can’t we explore that question? Don’t just take what’s always been as the way it has to be.”

spa lifestyle

How to Train Your Mind for Emotional

By Shayna Meyer, Founder and Creator of The Enjoyment Method Resiliency Use the mental strategies of top athletes to support emotional strength.

I admit it, my favorite thing to watch on TV since I was a little girl is the Olympics. Additionally, it did not matter what sport it is. Yes, I am a sucker for ice skating and gymnastics, but I'm also just as amazed by basketball, hockey, water polo, track and field, and every other event.

I remember laying in my parents' bed while my mom folded laundry nearby, watching the 1984 Olympics.

Mary Lou Retton was going for the gold medal, and I remember being in complete awe of her talent. I thought to myself, I want to be that good at something one day. At that time, my dad was one of the world's top professional rodeo cowboys, and I had been exposed to, for the entirety of my life, what it takes to be a professional athlete. At the age of four, I had already comprehended the amount of both physical and mental effort it would take for any athlete, in any sport, to be the best.

As the years went on, and I began a serious quest to become a professional dancer, I learned just how many mental and physical sacrifices it would take for me to achieve this goal. Of course, there were bleeding toes and almost constantly sore muscles, but there was also the loneliness of being away from my family at such a young age (14) and the mental strain of so much responsibility. It took all I had-both mentally and physically-to achieve my dancing goals.

What I have learned growing up in a family of professional athletes is that there is no way to separate the mind from the body. If a person wants to succeed at anything physical, it will take the strength of the mind, as well, and vice versa. In the state of our current world, it seems we are almost constantly dealing with extreme emotional situations. May I suggest, if we want to be prepared for all we will encounter emotionally that we begin looking at ourselves as athletes?

There are several ways in which we can begin training ourselves to be emotional athletes. Glennon Doyle

says it best, “We can do hard things.” This is such a simple, yet profound statement. I believe one of the reasons for emotional weakness is due to people's inability to put themselves in challenging situations and stick to it.

We have a fear of pain, so we shy away from it.

However, just like diamonds, we gain our strength under time and pressure. The quicker we can put ourselves in a challenging situation and follow through with it, the quicker we can gain mental and physical fortitude. This leads to self-worth and confidence. I am not referring to putting yourself in a financial or relational hard spot, rather I am talking about truly challenging yourself to do something you thought you never could.

Many people have a hard time just sitting alone with themselves. When was the last time you went out to eat or on a vacation all alone? To truly just be with yourself without anyone else to distract you. What do you think you could learn about yourself by doing something you never thought you could do? Have you committed to working out five days per week but settled for three? Our confidence and self-worth are built and lost in the honoring, or not, of the commitments we make. If it is important to have emotional strength, we must possess both self-worth and self-confidence. Seek out challenging opportunities and conquer them for no reason other than to build emotional strength.

Unlike a medieval soldier going off to war, when it comes to emotional strength, I view this more as a disrobing of armour. As we go about our lives and people hurt us through both small and large wounds, one by one, we add pieces to our armour. At some point, this armour feels suffocating, and we are either easily triggered or so confined we can't feel anything at all.

Two extremely effective tactics I have used to help my clients heal trauma wounds and remove the emotional armor from the body are breathwork and cold plunges. Both methods, when done on a consistent basis, can be effective in excavating past

traumas and helping the body move through them and heal. Wim Hof, an athlete known for his extreme ability to withstand freezing temperatures, is an incredible resource, and I encourage everyone to add these practices into their weekly routines. If you are like me, the daily cold shower will also satisfy the “we can do hard things” mantra. However, the zest for life that rushes through my veins when I am done, makes it all worthwhile.

As we train ourselves for emotional strength and fortitude, there may be nothing more important than getting to know ourselves on the very deepest of levels. Take time to sit in the stillness of the morning or night with a clear head and remember the stories that hurt you. Let them hurt again, and ask yourself, why does this hurt? What is it that moves me? As you go about your day and you notice things starting to irritate you, just step back from it and, again, ask yourself, why? The healing is the remembering.

When we connect the dots of our past, we can build the bridge to our brightest future.

As emotional athletes, we must create a life of healthy rituals that build self-confidence and help us understand ourselves at the deepest of levels, so we can walk through our lives as present and emotionally available beings. When we fervently work towards these concepts on a daily basis, we craft a life where we are able to stand tall in our boots, aligned and confident in exactly who we are and with quiet resolve.

This is how we become emotional Olympians.

About: Shayna Meyer, Founder and Creator of The Enjoyment Method, guides women to deep-rooted peace and enjoyment in their lives. Shayna utilizes a variety of tools and tactics including breathwork, herbal cleanses, a collection of meditations, effective education against various vices, and cutting-edge thought processes to create a safe space where women can find true and lasting levels of enjoyment in all the fibers of their lives through healing. Her own healing journey took an extended peior to find restoration and reach a state of daily, predictable enjoyment.

The NEW Dermatological Patent & Anti-Aging Hydration Benchmark

The NEW Dermatological Patent & Anti-Aging Hydration Benchmark

spa lifestyle

Hotel Health & Wellness: Walk the Talk

By Herbert Laubichler-Pichler Managing Director, Alma Resort

As the old adage goes, "you can't love anyone else unless you love yourself first". I believe we can draw upon this saying's underlying lesson when it comes to health and wellness offerings at hotels and resorts the world over. How can we authentically promote health and well-being initiatives unless we ourselves are mindful of, and taking full responsibility for, our own health and well-being?

We have been exercising daily, whether that be walking or jogging on the beach, hitting the gym, practicing our yoga asanas, cycling or swimming laps in one of our 12 swimming pools that spectacularly cascade down to the beach. We have especially appreciated spending quality time with loved ones. Importantly, we have been discussing our success with each other in regards to our achievements on this front and cheering and encouraging each other.

The pandemic may have turned everything completely upside-down worldwide, yet all is far from lost. The hotel industry is one of the most resilient industries because everyone, sooner or later, needs it. Whether you visit a city to do business, you want to get away from it all with your partner, or you wish to catch up with family or friends, there will always be a demand.

In fact, on my extended health kick that began1 January this year, I have personally lost 25 kilograms so far and feel the best I've felt in a long time. I'm convinced this health kick will last for good because I love feeling this rejuvenated and energized. And proved New Year's resolutions can and do last.

And when something like COVID-19 happens, it all boils down to one thing – what have you done dif ferently during these challenging times?

At the time of this article, our team is preparing to open our resort Alma for the third time in the space of a year and a half. Overlooking one of Vietnam's most stunning beaches, Long Beach, on scenic Cam Ranh peninsula, our resort first opened its doors for business late December 2019. We temporarily closed in April 2020, before re-opening the following month. Due to the recent flare-up we opted to temporarily close for a 2nd time in May 2021.

The team and I have enthusiastically viewed each closure as a prime opportunity to learn, grow and develop. Despite the volumes of research you do before a hotel opening, there are always things you think will appeal to the guests that don't and vice versa. It's so much more difficult to brainstorm, strategize, alter and develop, for example, your spa and wellness concepts and offerings when you're busy attending to the daily operations of a resort. With each closure, there have been so many things our team has had to do to improve our services and guest experience and importantly, our health and well-being. In fact, we are busier than ever, in a surreal way, as we never shy away from a challenge.

And this leads me to my point. We must whole-heartedly take care of our well-being. Doing so ultimately helps ensure we overcome not only the anxiety of the pandemic but also the direct threat to our health. I can safely say our management team has been focusing on properly breathing in the clean sea air around us in abundance. And I cannot stress how important it is for our well-being to learn how to breathe properly.

We have been researching about nutritious food and are cautious about what we are consuming.

How can we seriously be ambassadors for health and well-being at our luxury hotels and resorts unless we 'walk the talk', so to speak?

Hospitality professionals are special creatures. We work evenings, weekends and during all of the big events such as Christmas and New Year. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining about this; if we didn't love what we do, it would never work. We thrive in a hotel environment and, for me at least, as a life-long hotelier, I couldn't imagine working in any other environment.

However, research has long deemed "emotional labour" a very real thing in the industry.

The sociologist, Arlie Hochschild, defined emotional labour as regulating or managing emotional expressions with others as part of one's professional work role.

Research has found that workers in roles that continually demand emotional labour are at greater risk of anxiety and burnout because, frankly, being forced to smile all day, can be stressful and people come home feeling depleted emotionally. And what can be seen as perks of the job, also require balance when it comes to eating well, ensuring we don't consume much alcohol, sleeping well and, significantly, making time for our health and well-being and our loved ones, who can be easily be overlooked when it comes to all-consuming work commitments.

As a result of the latest temporary closure, our backto-basics approach with our own health and well-being is being emulated through our offerings at our resort.

We host a daily morning walk and run for staff that courses through our vast resort and focuses on the right breathing techniques. Upon reopening, we will also offer this to our guests.

We will also provide a variety of meditation and yoga classes to calm the mind and strengthen the body.

Following hour-long sunrise and sunset yoga classes

at Alma's yoga room or at the beach, one-hour meditation classes will be held at our yoga room. The meditation classes will focus on the chakra points to harness balanced energy. The yoga and meditation classes are open to a minimum of two people and a maximum of 10 people. In addition to our fully-equipped gym, we also have outdoor exercise stations that encourage guests to get their heart rates up while breathing in the incredible sea breezes we have here at Long Beach.

Exercising the body is one thing, but nurturing the mind is also crucial to holistic living. I have discussed the need for our staff to spend quality time with loved ones, as social interaction is important to our health and wellbeing. Additionally our resort also features a science museum, designed to engage minds young and old.

Our Science Museum promotes interactive learning through a host of exhibits focused on mind-boggling wonders such as Bernoulli's principle, electromagnetic induction, viscosity, magnetic fields, electricity generation, optical illusions, and more.

Our resort also ushers talented artists on to its grounds to craft portraits of guests and teach painting classes, as well as hosts artists-in-residence programs in a bid to make art "more accessible" to travellers. As part of the programs, artists interact with guests and create artwork before their eyes and showcase their works at the Lounge. Creativity has a calming effect on the brain and body, helping to reduce anxiety and stress.

We have also developed special new menus comprising solely of healthy, balanced meals as well as freshlysqueezed juices such as refreshing detoxing and digestion juices. Let food be thy medicine. We need to fuel ourselves with nutrition to be as strong and healthy as possible. People who may have previously been sceptical but are now more open to how good they are for us.

As I circle back to that old adage "you can't love anyone else unless you love yourself first", us hospitality professionals can say to ourselves that "we cannot truly promote guest well-being unless we embrace our own well-being first". The silver lining would have to be, in addition to our resilience, a heightened focus on just how precious our health and well-being are.

My team and I look forward to continuing with our good clean living in the form of breathing properly, exercising, eating well and appreciating those who matter most to us. When it comes to keeping our staff, guests and community healthy and safe, it all starts with us. Together with my team, I'm brimming with optimism about what the future holds for our hotel.

spa business At the ISPA STRONGER TOGETHER SUMMIT , Rosa Crawford and Scarlett Dixon, co-founders of U.K.based agency Partner & Bloom, shared a wealth of insights about how spas can make the most of their marketing efforts, even while facing the challenges presented. Pulse recently caught up with Crawford to discuss recent trends, how your spa's marketing money should be spent and more.

Don't Drop Digital Marketing It may seem far-fetched to imagine that much has changed in the handful of months since the Summit, but the truth is that the spa industry itself has continued to evolve rapidly during that time. Leaders are doing everything in their power to meet high demand for spa services after many of their spas returned to fullscale operations and occupancy limitations fell away.

Staffing challenges have become greater, spa professionals are taking on increased workloads and, of course, the pandemic itself continues to keep everyone on their toes. All of these factors have an impact on the way that spas choose to-and are able to-market themselves.

Early on in the pandemic, around the time many spas were reopening, digital marketing efforts were top of mind for many in the industry. “I think some businesses, particularly those who hadn't tapped into digital marketing and maybe didn't have their retail offering online or through Shoppable links, through their social media or otherwise, they were under a lot of pressure to get up and running,” Crawford says. “And so one thing we saw was partners, particularly in hospitality, who were interested in our help and advice on how to do that very quickly.” If this sounds familiar, then you may be a part of one of those businesses.

But as Crawford points out, as more spas returned to full capacity, those digital marketing efforts slowed down in some cases, despite their effectiveness.

“The irony is that there's still such a fabulous opportunity to be on social media and on Shoppablethere are all sorts of different tools coming out all the time,” she adds. Crawford suspects that this scaling back has more to do with staffing and resources than any sort of decline in the value of digital marketing itself. “We're seeing the spas back and busy, which is amazing, but we're seeing some of the digital marketing take a backseat, maybe because there are fewer in-house members of staff looking after that side of things.”

Marketing in Bloom

By Josh Corman - Pulse Magazine

62

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’84

The Wellness Boom The recent high level of demand for spa services has also been accompanied by an attendant rise in consumer interest surrounding the ingredients Even time-honored ingredients such as lavender, chamomile and that make spa products and treatments. Though Crawford notes that the CBD market in the U.K. and Europe is much smaller than in the U.S., it is exactly the kind of ingredient-tied to better wellness outcomes, applicable in a number of ways, naturally derivedthat consumers are interested in learning more about after coping with the stresses of the pandemic and potentially seeing their mental and physical health decline. “I think the pandemic lit a fire under that interest [in CBD]. People are looking at their symptoms, whether it's struggling to sleep, increased anxiety-these things that, unfortunately, the pandemic has increased.”

Even time-honored ingredients such as lavender, chamomile and Vitamin C are seeing renewed interest from individuals increasingly focused on their personal wellness. Spa brands highlighting these types of ingredients in their products and services have seen a notable increase in website traffic, according to Crawford. “That's been a really interesting avenue of opportunity for us… making sure that spa partners are aware of some of the very targeted, ingredientlevel benefits and are able to communicate that clearly during reopenings or product launches as well,” she says.

Educating your audience about the ways in which product ingredients can affect their wellness is just one example of meeting your audience. Crawford shares that some of Partner & Bloom's clients in the spa and wellness space have seen an enthusiastic response to messaging centered on improving guests' well-being in other ways. “They have chosen, on balance, to change how they're profiling themselves during the pandemic,” she says. “I think they realize that their audiences are looking for a sympathetic conversation, a demonstration that they're in tune with the mental health aspect of the pandemic, using their platforms to advocate for very practical things that one can do to help boost their energy, help their sleep patterns and routines and so on.”

The increased emphasis on self-care that seems to have taken clear hold is likely fueling interest in the outcomes, and spas should consider highlighting the specific results guests might expect to see from the treatments and product on offer, especially if those results are tied to improved mental or physical wellbeing in some way. “Definitely make sure there are offerings… that really tap into more of a journey of wellness,” adding that spas able to incorporate natural outdoor settings into their offerings are likely to draw attention from those looking to incorporate nature into that journey.

Head Of The Class Spa and resource partner leaders alike can take advantage of a more wellness-focused audience, but only if they can effectively educate that audience about which services and products are likely to serve their particular wellness goals. This education can be delivered in any variety of ways, but Crawford cites Instagram's versatility and emphasis on visuals as particularly effective for sharing expert knowledge with your guests and social media audience. “It's not the only very valuable social media platform out there, but it is one that I think, if utilized in a certain way, can really generate sales withing the spa and wellness industry for product- or service-based businesses,” she says.

There are two keys to education in this space. The first is leaning on the credibility you and your team have established, Crawford advises most clients to dedicate a quarter of all posts to educational output and emphasizes the need to maintain a truly educational-rather than sales-focused-tone in those posts. It's not always easy. “Some individuals find it comes really easily to them to write content as experts in your field. “The quality of that content is really important to look at. People are often really, really interested in you as an expert,” she says. “Whoever's behind the Instagram account, whether it's an enormous marketing team or just one spa director, I think you can embrace the voice of authority on

the matter, be it why you've just introduced a new treatment or what, specifically, it's targeting.” And though social media has a reputation as a space where brevity and attention-grabbing hooks are the primary currency, educational posts can-and shouldbe more robust. “I think these types of posts are worthy of longer captions as well, and they can be more in depth,” says Crawford. Authoritatively sharing the expertise you and your team have acquired in your roles can be the spark that brings a curious individual into your spa.

“Some individuals find it comes really easily to them to write content that is educational, and for some people, that's absolutely not the case. They might be writing content that is of a greater entertainment value or finding their voice slips automatically into the voice of promotion and sales,” she says. If that tendency rears its head, ask for a fresh set (or fresh sets) of eyes to make sure the post strikes the right note. “Planning ahead and making sure you've got this balance of content is really, really important.”

In other words, let promotional posts be promotional, and let educational posts be purely educational.

Small Spend, Big Impact For businesses without deep marketing budgets, determining where and how to best allocate funds given the myriad platforms available to choose from can be one of the most challenging parts of creating an effective plan. There are, however, ways for spa industry businesses to make the most of their spend.

Making sure that you're highly tailoring to your audiences and thinking very carefully about which content you're sponsoring, if your budget is limited.

Regarding sponsored content, Crawford explains that businesses often don't see tremendous results from their initial efforts, leading them to abandon the practice due to a lack of results. The exact reason a sponsored post doesn't gain much traction can sometimes have little to do with the quality of the content itself, but with the approach to putting it out there. “If you're going to sponsor something for a couple of days, it won't have time to optimize itself on any of the platforms,” she says, pointing out that Partner & Bloom sometimes work with a clients who haven't experimented much with sponsored content and the impact that different approaches have on the effectiveness of the posts. Testing out more “directfed sponsorships over a longer period of time, where, on balance, they're probably not spending any more money,” Crawford says, can have a significant impact, as long as the content is highly tailored to its intended audience.

“If they want to draw attention to something-if that's a giveaway or a product launch-it's probably worth sponsoring something on that main feed because you're going to be increasing the traffic onto that platform. If you've had a bad experience spending money on things like digital advertising, and you don't feel like you have seen any tangible results from that, that's a great shame, but it doesn't mean that there isn't an enormous opportunity there for you as a brand.”

A tailored, authoritative approach to digital marketing as described here, you and your business can end 2021 on a high note with an aim to reach new peaks in 2022!

spa business At the ISPA STRONGER TOGETHER SUMMIT , Rosa Crawford and Scarlett Dixon, co-founders of U.K.based agency Partner & Bloom, shared a wealth of insights about how spas can make the most of their marketing efforts, even while facing the challenges presented. Pulse recently caught up with Crawford to discuss recent trends, how your spa's marketing money should be spent and more.

Don't Drop Digital Marketing It may seem far-fetched to imagine that much has changed in the handful of months since the Summit, but the truth is that the spa industry itself has continued to evolve rapidly during that time. Leaders are doing everything in their power to meet high demand for spa services after many of their spas returned to fullscale operations and occupancy limitations fell away.

Staffing challenges have become greater, spa professionals are taking on increased workloads and, of course, the pandemic itself continues to keep everyone on their toes. All of these factors have an impact on the way that spas choose to-and are able to-market themselves.

Early on in the pandemic, around the time many spas were reopening, digital marketing efforts were top of mind for many in the industry. “I think some businesses, particularly those who hadn't tapped into digital marketing and maybe didn't have their retail offering online or through Shoppable links, through their social media or otherwise, they were under a lot of pressure to get up and running,” Crawford says. “And so one thing we saw was partners, particularly in hospitality, who were interested in our help and advice on how to do that very quickly.” If this sounds familiar, then you may be a part of one of those businesses.

But as Crawford points out, as more spas returned to full capacity, those digital marketing efforts slowed down in some cases, despite their effectiveness.

“The irony is that there's still such a fabulous opportunity to be on social media and on Shoppablethere are all sorts of different tools coming out all the time,” she adds. Crawford suspects that this scaling back has more to do with staffing and resources than any sort of decline in the value of digital marketing itself. “We're seeing the spas back and busy, which is amazing, but we're seeing some of the digital marketing take a backseat, maybe because there are fewer in-house members of staff looking after that side of things.”

Marketing in Bloom

By Josh Corman - Pulse Magazine

62

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’84

The Wellness Boom The recent high level of demand for spa services has also been accompanied by an attendant rise in consumer interest surrounding the ingredients Even time-honored ingredients such as lavender, chamomile and that make spa products and treatments. Though Crawford notes that the CBD market in the U.K. and Europe is much smaller than in the U.S., it is exactly the kind of ingredient-tied to better wellness outcomes, applicable in a number of ways, naturally derivedthat consumers are interested in learning more about after coping with the stresses of the pandemic and potentially seeing their mental and physical health decline. “I think the pandemic lit a fire under that interest [in CBD]. People are looking at their symptoms, whether it's struggling to sleep, increased anxiety-these things that, unfortunately, the pandemic has increased.”

Even time-honored ingredients such as lavender, chamomile and Vitamin C are seeing renewed interest from individuals increasingly focused on their personal wellness. Spa brands highlighting these types of ingredients in their products and services have seen a notable increase in website traffic, according to Crawford. “That's been a really interesting avenue of opportunity for us… making sure that spa partners are aware of some of the very targeted, ingredientlevel benefits and are able to communicate that clearly during reopenings or product launches as well,” she says.

Educating your audience about the ways in which product ingredients can affect their wellness is just one example of meeting your audience. Crawford shares that some of Partner & Bloom's clients in the spa and wellness space have seen an enthusiastic response to messaging centered on improving guests' well-being in other ways. “They have chosen, on balance, to change how they're profiling themselves during the pandemic,” she says. “I think they realize that their audiences are looking for a sympathetic conversation, a demonstration that they're in tune with the mental health aspect of the pandemic, using their platforms to advocate for very practical things that one can do to help boost their energy, help their sleep patterns and routines and so on.”

The increased emphasis on self-care that seems to have taken clear hold is likely fueling interest in the outcomes, and spas should consider highlighting the specific results guests might expect to see from the treatments and product on offer, especially if those results are tied to improved mental or physical wellbeing in some way. “Definitely make sure there are offerings… that really tap into more of a journey of wellness,” adding that spas able to incorporate natural outdoor settings into their offerings are likely to draw attention from those looking to incorporate nature into that journey.

Head Of The Class Spa and resource partner leaders alike can take advantage of a more wellness-focused audience, but only if they can effectively educate that audience about which services and products are likely to serve their particular wellness goals. This education can be delivered in any variety of ways, but Crawford cites Instagram's versatility and emphasis on visuals as particularly effective for sharing expert knowledge with your guests and social media audience. “It's not the only very valuable social media platform out there, but it is one that I think, if utilized in a certain way, can really generate sales withing the spa and wellness industry for product- or service-based businesses,” she says.

There are two keys to education in this space. The first is leaning on the credibility you and your team have established, Crawford advises most clients to dedicate a quarter of all posts to educational output and emphasizes the need to maintain a truly educational-rather than sales-focused-tone in those posts. It's not always easy. “Some individuals find it comes really easily to them to write content as experts in your field. “The quality of that content is really important to look at. People are often really, really interested in you as an expert,” she says. “Whoever's behind the Instagram account, whether it's an enormous marketing team or just one spa director, I think you can embrace the voice of authority on

the matter, be it why you've just introduced a new treatment or what, specifically, it's targeting.” And though social media has a reputation as a space where brevity and attention-grabbing hooks are the primary currency, educational posts can-and shouldbe more robust. “I think these types of posts are worthy of longer captions as well, and they can be more in depth,” says Crawford. Authoritatively sharing the expertise you and your team have acquired in your roles can be the spark that brings a curious individual into your spa.

“Some individuals find it comes really easily to them to write content that is educational, and for some people, that's absolutely not the case. They might be writing content that is of a greater entertainment value or finding their voice slips automatically into the voice of promotion and sales,” she says. If that tendency rears its head, ask for a fresh set (or fresh sets) of eyes to make sure the post strikes the right note. “Planning ahead and making sure you've got this balance of content is really, really important.”

In other words, let promotional posts be promotional, and let educational posts be purely educational.

Small Spend, Big Impact For businesses without deep marketing budgets, determining where and how to best allocate funds given the myriad platforms available to choose from can be one of the most challenging parts of creating an effective plan. There are, however, ways for spa industry businesses to make the most of their spend.

Making sure that you're highly tailoring to your audiences and thinking very carefully about which content you're sponsoring, if your budget is limited.

Regarding sponsored content, Crawford explains that businesses often don't see tremendous results from their initial efforts, leading them to abandon the practice due to a lack of results. The exact reason a sponsored post doesn't gain much traction can sometimes have little to do with the quality of the content itself, but with the approach to putting it out there. “If you're going to sponsor something for a couple of days, it won't have time to optimize itself on any of the platforms,” she says, pointing out that Partner & Bloom sometimes work with a clients who haven't experimented much with sponsored content and the impact that different approaches have on the effectiveness of the posts. Testing out more “directfed sponsorships over a longer period of time, where, on balance, they're probably not spending any more money,” Crawford says, can have a significant impact, as long as the content is highly tailored to its intended audience.

“If they want to draw attention to something-if that's a giveaway or a product launch-it's probably worth sponsoring something on that main feed because you're going to be increasing the traffic onto that platform. If you've had a bad experience spending money on things like digital advertising, and you don't feel like you have seen any tangible results from that, that's a great shame, but it doesn't mean that there isn't an enormous opportunity there for you as a brand.”

A tailored, authoritative approach to digital marketing as described here, you and your business can end 2021 on a high note with an aim to reach new peaks in 2022!

spa business We are all aware the wellness trend is not only here to stay but fast becoming the spa identity.

It is no longer about feeling good to look good. It is now about helping rehabilitate from effects of stress and anxiety. In our approaching postCovid world, our culture is suffering. Therapists have waiting lists, Psychologists are turning away patients, drug use is at epidemic levels. People need help. Everyone’s mental health is being challenged in ways we could never imagine.

What does this have to do with the spa? This is an inflection point. This turning point signals a change in the way we operate a spa and the services we offer.

In upcoming articles, we will explore, in-depth, priorities of change listed below.

The Culture of the Spa The first turning point is spa culture. If guests are coming to find healing and mental health comfort, there must be higher vibrational energy; one that is sacred and inspirational. I have worked in the spa business for over 40 years, and the one constant has been the drama culture. This is the Achilles heel in the reputation, and identity of the spa. When staff members spew grievances to other staff members, or worse, to guests, negative energy can be felt as soon as one walks into the spa. The culture of wellness in a spa is the first place to start with transitioning from a traditional spa into a wellness destination for your guests.

This begins with staff. Staff is the delivery mechanism of your brand. Are your staff members a reflection of wellness? Emotional intelligence is a must for delivering wellness. Having studied emotional intelligence, heart coherence, meditation, and emotional trigger therapy, I have found emotional intelligence tests given to spa staff, have scored low.

“If you are expanding your brand to be about mental health care and wellness of mind and body, every person who works for your brand needs to be walking the talk.”

Why is this? So many practitioners are attracted to the industry due to lower self-esteem. They need themselves what they give to their guests. Those attracted to the beauty side, want to be beautiful, and place all value on how they look.

Those attracted to touch services, such as massage therapists and aestheticians like the comfort of touch, and therefore, they give guests what they want for themselves. However, they are not meeting their own needs. This creates a gap and culminates in lower emotional intelligence responses as they allow their unmet emotional needs to control communications and behaviors.

People With High EQ • Make better decisions and solve problems • Keep cool under pressure • Resolve conflicts • Listen, reflect, and respond to constructive criticism People With Low EQ • Play the role of the victim or avoid taking responsibility for errors • Have passive or aggressive communication styles • Refuse to work as a team??

• Are overly critical of others or dismiss others’ opinions Which group do you see currently in your staff? Which group will upgrade the energy of your spa culture?

The Expansion of Mental Health and Wellness in The Spa 64

If you are expanding your brand to be about mental health care and wellness of mind and body, every person who works for your brand needs to be walking the talk. This means each person, including all leaders, living wellness daily.

This means new training that helps each staff member upgrade their emotional wellness in how they deliver your brand, whether it be on the phone, at the front desk, or in the delivery of services. This is not an overnight process but starting with retreats for staff to help them navigate this new mission is crucial to helping them deliver healing services.

The current trend in the Conscious Business movement is in creating a work environment that helps staff be more mindful and become better for having worked in the company. The spa, not only has an amazing opportunity to become an example, but I would argue, is dependent on its evolution to do so.

Some resorts are offering mental-health help not just to their guests, but to their own employees. …Singapore-based Banyan Tree, which operates dozens of hotels and spas worldwide, this Fall is offering the product to its employees.

“We said, ‘How are we going to deliver well-being for our guests if our associates are not well?’” says Woon Hoe Lee, executive director of well--being.

Services To meet the demand of this emerging culture, it may not be about changing a service menu. It could be as simple as changing the delivery of the service via well-functioning staff through the aforementioned staff training.

However, if you feel it is time for a service menu change, there has been an expanded emphasis on a mental health/relaxation hybrid. Some spas are working with licensed therapists, and/or psychologists to offer a full experience of mental health empowerment within the culture of relaxation and rejuvenation.

This is likely to expand as we move through the decade.

Whatever service you add, understand what people really want. It is not just to feel good while at your spa. They want a more lasting benefit; to take home as they go back into their world. This can incorporate products for relaxation but needs to include instructions on how to maintain the benefits of their service(s) at home, such as daily self-care methods. This could include having a dedicated spa concierge upon completion of the guest service. In many cases, this can be the Spa Manager or Director, or Associate Manager.

“It is in its spas that clients will expect body, mind, and spirit enhancement services. One can go as far as to imagine that clients will go to the spa for wellness just as they go to the restaurants for food. Wellness will be as indispensable as F&B in the ratings of hotels,” says Louis de Vilmorin

spa business We are all aware the wellness trend is not only here to stay but fast becoming the spa identity.

It is no longer about feeling good to look good. It is now about helping rehabilitate from effects of stress and anxiety. In our approaching postCovid world, our culture is suffering. Therapists have waiting lists, Psychologists are turning away patients, drug use is at epidemic levels. People need help. Everyone’s mental health is being challenged in ways we could never imagine.

What does this have to do with the spa? This is an inflection point. This turning point signals a change in the way we operate a spa and the services we offer.

In upcoming articles, we will explore, in-depth, priorities of change listed below.

The Culture of the Spa The first turning point is spa culture. If guests are coming to find healing and mental health comfort, there must be higher vibrational energy; one that is sacred and inspirational. I have worked in the spa business for over 40 years, and the one constant has been the drama culture. This is the Achilles heel in the reputation, and identity of the spa. When staff members spew grievances to other staff members, or worse, to guests, negative energy can be felt as soon as one walks into the spa. The culture of wellness in a spa is the first place to start with transitioning from a traditional spa into a wellness destination for your guests.

This begins with staff. Staff is the delivery mechanism of your brand. Are your staff members a reflection of wellness? Emotional intelligence is a must for delivering wellness. Having studied emotional intelligence, heart coherence, meditation, and emotional trigger therapy, I have found emotional intelligence tests given to spa staff, have scored low.

“If you are expanding your brand to be about mental health care and wellness of mind and body, every person who works for your brand needs to be walking the talk.”

Why is this? So many practitioners are attracted to the industry due to lower self-esteem. They need themselves what they give to their guests. Those attracted to the beauty side, want to be beautiful, and place all value on how they look.

Those attracted to touch services, such as massage therapists and aestheticians like the comfort of touch, and therefore, they give guests what they want for themselves. However, they are not meeting their own needs. This creates a gap and culminates in lower emotional intelligence responses as they allow their unmet emotional needs to control communications and behaviors.

People With High EQ • Make better decisions and solve problems • Keep cool under pressure • Resolve conflicts • Listen, reflect, and respond to constructive criticism People With Low EQ • Play the role of the victim or avoid taking responsibility for errors • Have passive or aggressive communication styles • Refuse to work as a team??

• Are overly critical of others or dismiss others’ opinions Which group do you see currently in your staff? Which group will upgrade the energy of your spa culture?

The Expansion of Mental Health and Wellness in The Spa 64

If you are expanding your brand to be about mental health care and wellness of mind and body, every person who works for your brand needs to be walking the talk. This means each person, including all leaders, living wellness daily.

This means new training that helps each staff member upgrade their emotional wellness in how they deliver your brand, whether it be on the phone, at the front desk, or in the delivery of services. This is not an overnight process but starting with retreats for staff to help them navigate this new mission is crucial to helping them deliver healing services.

The current trend in the Conscious Business movement is in creating a work environment that helps staff be more mindful and become better for having worked in the company. The spa, not only has an amazing opportunity to become an example, but I would argue, is dependent on its evolution to do so.

Some resorts are offering mental-health help not just to their guests, but to their own employees. …Singapore-based Banyan Tree, which operates dozens of hotels and spas worldwide, this Fall is offering the product to its employees.

“We said, ‘How are we going to deliver well-being for our guests if our associates are not well?’” says Woon Hoe Lee, executive director of well--being.

Services To meet the demand of this emerging culture, it may not be about changing a service menu. It could be as simple as changing the delivery of the service via well-functioning staff through the aforementioned staff training.

However, if you feel it is time for a service menu change, there has been an expanded emphasis on a mental health/relaxation hybrid. Some spas are working with licensed therapists, and/or psychologists to offer a full experience of mental health empowerment within the culture of relaxation and rejuvenation.

This is likely to expand as we move through the decade.

Whatever service you add, understand what people really want. It is not just to feel good while at your spa. They want a more lasting benefit; to take home as they go back into their world. This can incorporate products for relaxation but needs to include instructions on how to maintain the benefits of their service(s) at home, such as daily self-care methods. This could include having a dedicated spa concierge upon completion of the guest service. In many cases, this can be the Spa Manager or Director, or Associate Manager.

“It is in its spas that clients will expect body, mind, and spirit enhancement services. One can go as far as to imagine that clients will go to the spa for wellness just as they go to the restaurants for food. Wellness will be as indispensable as F&B in the ratings of hotels,” says Louis de Vilmorin

spa business

Six Trends in Wellness Real Estate & Communities from GWI’s Initiative From thinking past bricks-and-mortar to people and community first to applying wellness to any size real estate project-from the smallest to the largest The Global Wellness Institute’s Wellness Communities and Real Estate Initiative has identified six trends that create a framework for how developers and investors can think about the planning and design of wellness real estate, that can be found here below and support the inclusive focus on people, and intentionality about wellness real estate design, activation, and financial sustainability long-term.

Trend 1: Created “On Purpose”—Not In Name Only Sustainable wellness communities are becoming more and more intentional from initial concept planning to purposeful activation. Healthy environments that are mindful of the environment are the new expectation for consumers and residents.

These built environments are being proactively envisioned, designed and built on purpose—fueled by an intentional wellness vision that will endure for generations. Wellness is not an afterthought. It is the primary intention of wellness communities.

Question: Many “wellness” communities are wellness only in name. Authentic wellness communities are designed on purpose from the beginning and at every stage of development with the intention of improving people’s lives.

Trend 2: All Sizes Matter—Principles Of Wellness Communities Applied At Any Scale Consumers are demanding wellness in their built environments. Forward-thinking developers realize the elements of the most transformational wellness communities are scalable—they work at the large scale and the smaller scale—a multiphase master

66

plan in North America, a four-home neighborhood in Switzerland, a revitalized Borghi in Italy, an office park in Singapore, and more.

Question: Wellness can function at any scale, and although solutions vary with the size of the project, the principles of wellness communities are meaningfully applied to guide the development of communities at any scale.

Trend 3: People First—Versus Bricks And Mortar Focus Wellness communities are becoming truly impactful by being focused on and driven by delivering humancentric benefits that enhance the wellbeing of the people who engage with the community, which in turn drives value and reputation of the real estate for the developer. Starting with the end users’ experience and creating tangible health benefits is key.

Question: So what?: We have focused on bricks and mortar for way too long as wellness integration was “too expensive.” Today, “too expensive” has been redefined, and the true value is in the tangible, meaningful things that improve people’s lives.

context with solutions that have the greatest and longest-lasting impact.

Trend 5: Accelerated And Activated—Requires Programming, Operational Support And Continued Evolution—Never Finished Wellness communities are immersive, reactive and dynamic. They are also planned and programmed.

Wellness is not passive. It is not simply providing a spa or a garden. It is activated in the spaces in between and activities within. It requires programming and operational support. The key is to adapt and continue to evolve over time and accelerate the wellbeing of community occupants. Wellness communities are never “finished.” They evolve, and so does their activation. More “human-centric” than “building-centric,” they are inclusive, living, breathing and engaging places that activate wellbeing for life.

Question: How many spas, gyms and community gardens have been left to die or didn’t evolve when needs did or the opportunity was there? Activation is an iterative way of thinking and something that never stops.

Trend 6: An Ear To The Past And An Eye To The Trend 4: Uniquely Contextual—Responding To The Future—Provides Inspiration Local Context Adaptable and responsive to local contexts, new wellness communities are not formulaic or measured by a checklist that must be followed rigorously. They are guided, and inspired by, a set of key elements that improve people’s lives in the relevant context and at the right levels for each unique community.

Question: What makes life better in one place doesn’t necessarily mean living better somewhere else. Wellness communities respond to the local

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’84

Holistic wellness communities celebrate traditional wellness practices proven over thousands of years and creatively infuse them, where appropriate, into today’s new wellness communities. We learn from past successes and failures to plan the communities of tomorrow.

Question: The piazza inspires town squares and placemaking. A day of rest inspires digital detoxing and deeper social connectivity.

spa lifestyle

Hospitality Business Trends that are Shaping the Future

By Linda Harding-Bond, (APSWC Member)

We can all bear witness to the significant impact that the pandemic and resulting safety measures have had on the hospitality industry. We live with the results every day and can expect to feel the effects this year and beyond. Meanwhile, increased consumer awareness of all things wellness and sparelated has new benchmarks. Here are six hospitality business trends that are shaping the future and that you need to be aware of:

assisted options, such as mobile check-in, contactless payments, voice control, and biometrics.

Unfortunately, these upgrades may be costly to install and maintain. However, if you want to stay ahead of the curve, we recommend you dig deep and make the investment as more customers are demanding these perks.

#1 – Staycations

Customers request extreme personalization and unique experiences.

Travel restrictions in 2020 facilitated the rise of the staycation. With air travel still not as popular as before, 2021 vacationers may still be choosing to stay closer to home for environmental or budgeting reasons. Facilities that create unique and exciting ideas to generate business and ensure that their staff can provide an elevated experience will gain the lion’s share of local business.

#3 – Experience Economy & Essentialism

Travelers are pivoting away from flashy displays of wealth, preferring instead to spend wisely, purposefully, and make a positive impact on the world. Unique experiences that give back to local communities in meaningful ways are in demand, as are more interactions with local entertainment and eateries, niche properties, adventurous holidays, and relaxation retreats.

#2 – Digitalized Guest Experiences & Contactless #4 – Generations X and Y Technology Apps are increasingly important and can now control many aspects of the guest experience.

The trend towards digital and contactless services has gained new momentum in 2021. Traditionally, customer-facing services are being given an overhaul, thanks to the more widespread use of technology-

70

These new generations have different requirements and needs compared to older generations. The thought is that “Older generations think about hotels and car rentals. Younger generations think about Airbnb and Uber.” The tendency to show less loyalty to brands that don’t deliver should be a wake-up call. The hospitality industry needs to re-evaluate its

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’84

offerings to ensure a level of products and service that appeal to these up-and-coming markets.

#5 – Virtual & Augmented Reality Recognizing the need for visually appealing content, competitive players in hospitality are capitalizing on features such as virtual tours, conjuring up a digital environment for consumers to picture themselves in. Videos providing 360-degree views of restaurant ambiance, spa retail stores, sweet little café terraces enveloped in greenery, or hotel beachfront locations, are just the ticket to make an establishment stand out this year.

#6 – Sustainability People are becoming increasingly sensitive to environmental and social issues.

Avoiding disposable plastics, eliminating unnecessary paper consumption, and reducing food waste, are considerations that are shaping decisions made.

The wrong choices can be catastrophic to your business growth.

Business changes are moving rapidly. It may be time to rethink your strategy for 2022 and beyond. To think that hospitality business trends that are shaping the future will not impact you, could be a major oversight on your part.