Spanish destination spa Sha Wellness Clinic has cited ambitions to have a facility in every major world region in the next 10 years, following its recent announcement of expansion into Mexico and the UAE.
Based in picturesque mountains near Alicante, the resort has 93 suites, 11 private residences and 6,000sq m of spa and wellness facilities which were opened 11 years ago by the Bataller family. It's known for the Sha Method, a holistic approach that provides a mix of cutting-edge preventive, genetic and anti-ageing medicine – from telomere testing to male hormone therapy – alongside natural therapies and macrobiotics. Vice president Alejandro Bataller tells Spa Business: “We feel we’ve reached our maximum potential at Sha Spain, so we wanted to make our offering more accessible to a global market.”
Sha explored multiple potential international locations, assessing climate, environment and access to clinical resources. In-depth analysis showed Mexico and the UAE were best-suited to the needs of the business and these locations are now on track to open by 2021 and 2023, respectively, with Sha developing and managing both properties.
Sha Mexico will be based in the north of the Riviera Maya in Cancun and include 100 suites and a number of private residences. Meanwhile, Sha Emirates will be located in the new AlJurf coastal development in Abu Dhabi and include 120 suites and close to 300 residences. It's being created in partnership with local place-maker IMKAN with an investment of AED600m (US$163.4m, €146.8m, £124.5m).
“Over the years we’ve received countless proposals to open in different countries and have always been very cautious in that we’ll only expand when we consider we can maintain the concept and standards of excellence that characterise us. We feel this moment has arrived.”
The offering at Sha Mexico and Sha Emirates will remain the same in terms of the traditional Sha Method and types of health programmes. However, the brand anticipates each site will attract guests with specific needs.
Sha foresees that guests staying at the Mexico clinic will seek a retreat-focused approach, with anti-stress or holistic treatments and therapies and that Sha Emirates guests are likely to focus on revitalising medical treatments, such as ozone therapy, and also non-invasive aesthetic medical treatments.
“Our aim is to always offer the most outstanding therapies, but it’s important we tailor our offering to each market and its individual needs,” says Bataller.
Sha’s flagship clinic in Spain welcomes approximately 6,000 guests a year and remains at full capacity. When the company launched in late 2008, only 30 per cent of guests were men, but today it accommodates nearly equal numbers of male and female guests.
Bataller says: “A typical Sha guest is someone who seeks to spend their free-time evolving, learning from themselves and constantly striving to improve their health.
“Recently we’ve seen an increase in solo travellers – those who chase a transformative rather than a pampering experience. In fact, the majority of guests who come to the clinic, come alone.”
In 2018, Sha celebrated its 10 year anniversary and Bataller upholds that the offering remains a unique concept that’s capable of transforming people’s lives.
He says: “Sha is a life-changing experience. It’s a place where you come to reset yourself while acquiring the knowledge and the tools to take hold of your health and enjoy optimal health and wellbeing at any stage of your life.”
