Spa Origins Co., Ltd.

On 7th June, The Financial Chronicle, in New Delhi reported that the Indian spa industry, which is growing at around 20-30 per cent annually due to increased affluence of people and lifestyle related ailments, is still unregulated and lacks trained therapists, according to experts.  This is a partial exert of the article.

An absence of a monitoring authority to set standards and accreditation for the Indian spa industry is also a cause of worry.  A study by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) suggests that the wellness industry in the country is growing at close to 20 per cent annually and currently stands at Rs 1,500 crore. (approx USD316,000,000)

According to a CII report, India needs 20,000 trained therapists and there are over 2300 spas that have created direct and indirect employment for about 400,000 people in the country.  Blossom Kochhar, Chairperson, Blossom Kochhar Group pointed out that without professional training spa services can do more harm than good.

According to a 2009 FICCI-Ernst & Young report, wellness industry, including spas, wellness centres and gyms, are expected to sustain the growth rate of 20 to 30 per cent till 2010.  Some experts opine that accreditation or certification by any central authority would not work in an industry which is best judged by the clients or consumers.  “The Spa and Wellness Association of India has tried to bring the industry under one umbrella. But I think spas are experiences and perhaps best judged and accredited by clients or consumers,” says Ramesh Ramanathan, MD, Mahindra Holidays and Resorts India Ltd.

Expecting a flow of tourists during Commonwealth games, the spa centres are gearing up in the metropolitan cities to cash in on the demand.

According to an industry report, in the next four years, 700 new spas, both homegrown and international brands, will open in India to meet the growing demand.  Presently India has around 20-25 major spa centres, most of them spread in the southern states — Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

Source: www.mydigitalfc.com

Thailand did very well in the recently announces Travelers Choice2010 Awards, taking out three of the Top 10 Relaxation & Spa Destinations in Asia http://www.tripadvisor.com/TCDestinations-cRelaxation-g2  

1. Ubud, Indonesia
2. Koh Samui, Thailand
3. Maldives
4. Miyakojima, Japan
5. Seminyak, Indonesia
6. Ko Lanta, Thailand
7. Chiang Mai, Thailand
8. Ishijaki, Japan
9. Boracay, Philippines
10. Nusa Dua, Indonesia.

In the same awards, Bangkok came in 9th in the Top 10 Food & Wine Destinations in Asia http://www.tripadvisor.com/TCDestinations-cFoodWine-g2 and also 9th in the Top 10 Nightlife Destinations in the World http://www.tripadvisor.com/TCDestinations-cNightlife-g1

Talk about ‘spa’ and invariably everyone today adds in ‘wellness’ somewhere into the conversation.  So is ‘wellness’ the new ‘spa’ or is it just the latest marketing pitch?   For a completely different slant on the world of wellness, there is now the World Wellness Project (WWP) with their inaugural event in November 2010.  For more details www.worldwellnessproject.com or www.thewwproject.com

Every spa should have a Marketing Plan.  This can be anything from a simple outline to a complex ‘reference source’, but regardless it must include details on how to implement it and the overall impact on the business that will result.  After all if you are forecasting a 10% increase in customers, does this also mean you need an increase of 10% of staff or 10% increase in operating costs to accommodate this?  This is not necessarily the case, but a smart spa operator will have their goals documented and the steps to achieve the outcome, while an even smarter spa operator will ensure that these are measurable so that the business can continue to grow.

At Horwath HTL Spa Consulting, we recommend that every spa operator should:

1. Prepare a Marketing Plan including details of how this will build your business
2. Make the Marketing Plan measurable so that you know how many customers you need to achieve the goals.
3. Make it clear who is responsible for the implementation of the Marketing Plan
4. Make sure that all time lines are clear and realistic
5. Review and measure your plan regularly – it is a living breathing document that needs to be nurtured to make it most effective!

Should you need assistance, contact info@horwathspa.com

Diagonal Reports have recently released their European Spa Report 2010.  This is not cheap by any means, but should definitely be reviewed if you are thinking of entering the European Spa market.

More details: http://www.diagonalreports.com/pdfs/spa10eu.html

• Economic downturn hit spas – accustomed to years of double digit growth - hard. Spas now enter a more mature growth phase
• Science” and “organic” brands have displaced “beauty” brands in the spa channel and account for most sales
• Maintenance beauty replaces luxury treatments. Compact spa services attract the more convenience-oriented clients.

Spas describe 2009 as a “disaster”. US Spa revenues fell 15% in 2009.  A decade of double digit growth had led to oversupply of spas which has made the problem worse. In addition, costs had spiraled out of control during the boom. Initially, spas delayed their response to falling revenues and did not react – by reducing prices - until late 2009.

For more information http://www.diagonalreports.com/pdfs/spa10us_pr.html

An impassioned presentation by Stuart Scott.  His views may be an affront to many, but it is a wakeup call towards sustainability of our planet for future generations http://www.theclimatesummit.org/videos/a-few-minutes-to-save-the-world/

For more about The Climate Summit – www.theclimatesummit.org

The Climate Summit, is an online forum focusing on organizing and articulating the non-governmental side of the global effort to tackle climate change and transition to a low-carbon world. We are producing a series of carbon-light, international meetings bringing you together with thought and action leaders of our time. We are creating a Forum in the global commons for the people of Earth to address the challenge of the climate crisis.

The first Climate Summit event on April 16th was a success.  To find out more – www.theclimatesummit.org for lots on-line links including the following video: http://www.theclimatesummit.org/videos/sir-david-attenborough-the-truth-about-climate-change/

While many still may not association spas and climate change, it is a reality that spas use a huge amount of natural resources, so perhaps it is time we all stood back and took stock of what we actually use to make sure that it comes from a sustainable source.

Many have heard of LOHAS (an acronym for Lifestyles for Health and Sustainability), which can be applied to all aspects of ones life.  LOHAS consumers are growing across Asia to the point that LOHAS ASIA has opened in Singapore.  But what has LOHAS got to do with spas?  Well frankly LOHAS and SPA have a lot of similarities as this article http://www.lohas.com/journal/spatrends.htm written a few years back, but the heart of which is still valid today.

For more about LOHAS – www.lohas.com
For more about LOHAS ASIA – www.lohas-asia.org

As a member of the spa community, we are committed to promoting the vital connections between personal wellbeing, resource sustainability, and the health of our planet. We recognize that consciously managing our environmental footprint is key to our success.

We understand that greening principles, products and technologies are continually evolving. We intend to remain responsive to these developments, and apply “best environmental practices” in ways that will make a difference for our employees, clients, and our local and global community.

Our goals are to:

• Provide and promote earth-friendly products, services, and business practices.
• Network and share environmental awareness, resources and inspiration, both within our organization and throughout the spa community.
• Share our efforts with clients, customers and guests to raise their awareness of the connection between personal and planetary well-being.

To accomplish this, we will:

•  Apply conservation practices to our use of water, energy and other resources.
•  Adopt responsible reuse, recycling, and waste management and disposal practices.
•  Reduce the use of hazardous substances.
•  Promote the use of natural and organic personal care products.
•  Support suppliers who conduct their operations in a socially and environmentally responsible manner.
•  Make these objectives an integral part of our business planning and decision-making process, and continually improve upon them.

To take the pledge:  https://web.memberclicks.com/mc/quickForm/view/saveResponse.do

For more about the Green Spa Network – www.greenspanetwork.org