There are rumors that the era of pamper-centered spas is over. Nowadays, spa users are more and more interested in ‘health for life’ spas. Visitors expect spas to be centers of spiritual, emotional and physical health development and they also expect the spas to teach them how to take responsibility for their well-being. They expect to be taught how to have a healthy lifestyle.
Nevertheless Ms Anne Biging, managing director of Healing Hotels of the World, says that pampering is not over. She claims that it will become an enjoyable extra.
Spa Finder, Inc., the global spa resource, has just released the results of its first annual "State of Spa Travel" survey. It stated that 65% of travel agents report that spa bookings were up in "06. The main reasons for choosing a specific spa were facilities and amenities. Surprisingly the cost and location were both less important to the customers.
The rumor about pamper-centered spas being over is not true. Traditional pampering is still the most important component of the spa experience. The majority of the surveyed travel agents said that pampering was very important for their clients. The survey showed that the next most important elements were health and wellness programs. Eighty four percent of travel agents predict increased spa travel bookings in 2007.
One of the predictions also says that the Internet is going to play an even bigger role in the coming period. This means that more bookings will be done via the media.
International SPA Association carried out research that highlighted some spa trends. Among those trends is so-called “living at the spa”. This could be seen in New York City and Las Vegas. There are gated communities and condominiums. The visitors are also seeking results. They do not want mere pampering, but also some long-term results. Many of the visitors view a visit to a spa as a part of a larger health and wellness lifestyle.
