The UK wellness industry grew faster than any other top 10 market after the pandemic according to fresh research, yet other new reports reveal issues it must resolve if it’s to maintain levels of unprecedented growth
The Global Wellness Summit is coming to St Andrews, Scotland, in November / photo: Kohler Co
There’s an air of excitement in the UK as wellbeing pioneers worldwide prepare to convene in St Andrews, Scotland for the 2024 Global Wellness Summit (GWS). This year’s host venue is the Old Course Hotel, owned by water fixtures company Kohler, which also operates a portfolio of own-branded spas (see www.spabusiness.com/kohlerspas).
In the run-up to the GWS, fresh research from the Global Wellness Institute (GWI) indicates that the country has the fifth biggest wellness economy in the world (see p21), worth £171 billion (US$223.8 billion, €202.8 billion). It grew faster than any other top 10 market following the pandemic, making it “one of the world’s largest, most diverse and resilient wellness economies”.
GWI numbers show that a small yet still highly significant player in this expansion is the UK’s £2.4 billion (US$3.19 billion, €2.9 billion) spa market. In this issue, we highlight some of its exciting new players – from the new Surrenne longevity club in London (see p74) to singer Charlotte Church, who’s set up a healing centre (see p10) and TV presenter Julia Bradbury who’s launching Walk Yourself Happy retreats (see p16).
However, this booming sector faces several challenges, according to two other new reports. The 2024 State of the Spa Industry Snapshot by the UK Spa Association shows that while demand for services has increased, the sector is grappling with severe staff shortages (see p56). Around 44 per cent of spas have unfilled therapist positions and 28 per cent have four or more vacant roles.
The Good Spa Guide’s State of Spa Report 2024, which surveyed 2,456 UK spa-goers, also airs some concerns (see www.spabusiness.com/gsgsurvey24). It found that although most people value spa experiences and an extra 31 per cent are looking to spend in the higher brackets – £100-plus (US$132, €119) for a spa day – compared to last year, the needs of others aren’t being met. Three-quarters of menopausal women feel therapies aren’t adjusted for them and pregnant women say choices are limited.
Some also question whether spas are accessible or support those living with chronic conditions.
As the UK readies itself for the GWS and being in the industry spotlight, the country stands at a crossroads. While it’s emerged as a leader in the global wellness economy, challenges such as workforce shortages and inclusivity must be addressed to drive sustained growth and resilience and to ensure we meet the needs of consumers.
photo: Jack Emmerson
Katie Barnes is the editor of Spa Business magazine
| [email protected]
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
View contents of Spa Business 2024 issue 3
Editor's letter: At a crossroads
As the UK prepares to host this year's Global Wellness Summit, fresh research shows its wellness industry must address a number of issues if it's to maintain levels of unprecedented growth
Spa People: Charlotte Church
The Welsh singer talks about how growing up in the media spotlight has influenced The Dreaming, her healing retreat business
Spa People: Julia Bradbury
Leading a series of Walk Yourself Happy retreats based on her best-selling book and years of TV presenting
Spa People: Samantha Dunn
Shaking up the industry with her new, affordable DIY consultancy programme for entrepreneurs
News report: Big spenders
Finn Partners’ latest research shows how China’s high-net-worth women are redefining luxury travel
News report: Step back in time
Two new GWI reports analyse the growth of the global spa and hot springs markets over the past 10 to 15 years
Interview: Dillip Rajakarier
Following a 450 per cent increase in core revenues, Minor Hotels is planning 200 more properties. Megan Whitby sits down with its CEO
New opening: Kintsugi Space
Patrizia Bortolin talks to Lisa Starr about creating a transformative women-only sanctuary in Abu Dhabi
Research: To inform and inspire
The UK Spa Association has conducted its first survey of spa businesses in the country for 18 years. GM Bobby Griffiths unveils the numbers
Research: From wellness to wellbeing
A new study uncovers four wellness consumer market segments ripe for innovation. WELLSurvey co-author Kevin Kelly reveals the findings in a Spa Business exclusive
First person: To the source
Jane Kitchen takes to the sulphurous waters of Terme di Saturnia in Italy and shares details about its exciting upcoming sister site in Milan
Promotion: L'OCCITANE en Provence – the art of recovery
With an approach to wellbeing that’s both holistic and grounded in science, the latest massage from L’OCCITANE en Provence promises to have a powerfully-beneficial effect on customers, both in the spa and at home
New opening: Surrenne at The Emory
The £15k memberships at this wellness club in London sold out in just weeks. Creator Inge Theron tells us why
First person: Playful wellness
A Stella McCartney facial and Tracy Anderson studio are just two USPs Megan Whitby finds at Surrenne
Promotion: TechnoAlpin – naturally cool design
TechnoAlpin’s snow technology is not only an effective way to introduce gentle cold therapy into the spa environment, it’s also a powerful biophilic design element that can bring the wonder of nature indoors
Promotion: Biologique Recherche – potent partnership
A new anti-senescence serum from Biologique Recherche offers transformative results and raises the bar in anti-ageing skincare when combined with its iconic collagen formula
Promotion: Comfort Zone – A longer life for skin
Created to combat the visible signs of ageing, Comfort Zone’s latest range revamp is based on the company’s pioneering research into cutaneous cellular longevity
Promotion: G.M. COLLIN – Clinical excellence in skincare
With laboratories based in Montreal, G.M. Collin’s highly researched derma-corrective treatments have been helping skincare professionals deliver exceptional and exclusive results worldwide for many decades. We talk to VP Myriam Sayer
The MSpa Oslo series is a perennial bestseller in global markets. With innovative
engineering and premium performance, this completely portable spa line-up is expertly
designed to meet the needs of customers worldwide. [more...]
The UK wellness industry grew faster than any other top 10 market after the pandemic according to fresh research, yet other new reports reveal issues it must resolve if it’s to maintain levels of unprecedented growth
The Global Wellness Summit is coming to St Andrews, Scotland, in November / photo: Kohler Co
There’s an air of excitement in the UK as wellbeing pioneers worldwide prepare to convene in St Andrews, Scotland for the 2024 Global Wellness Summit (GWS). This year’s host venue is the Old Course Hotel, owned by water fixtures company Kohler, which also operates a portfolio of own-branded spas (see www.spabusiness.com/kohlerspas).
In the run-up to the GWS, fresh research from the Global Wellness Institute (GWI) indicates that the country has the fifth biggest wellness economy in the world (see p21), worth £171 billion (US$223.8 billion, €202.8 billion). It grew faster than any other top 10 market following the pandemic, making it “one of the world’s largest, most diverse and resilient wellness economies”.
GWI numbers show that a small yet still highly significant player in this expansion is the UK’s £2.4 billion (US$3.19 billion, €2.9 billion) spa market. In this issue, we highlight some of its exciting new players – from the new Surrenne longevity club in London (see p74) to singer Charlotte Church, who’s set up a healing centre (see p10) and TV presenter Julia Bradbury who’s launching Walk Yourself Happy retreats (see p16).
However, this booming sector faces several challenges, according to two other new reports. The 2024 State of the Spa Industry Snapshot by the UK Spa Association shows that while demand for services has increased, the sector is grappling with severe staff shortages (see p56). Around 44 per cent of spas have unfilled therapist positions and 28 per cent have four or more vacant roles.
The Good Spa Guide’s State of Spa Report 2024, which surveyed 2,456 UK spa-goers, also airs some concerns (see www.spabusiness.com/gsgsurvey24). It found that although most people value spa experiences and an extra 31 per cent are looking to spend in the higher brackets – £100-plus (US$132, €119) for a spa day – compared to last year, the needs of others aren’t being met. Three-quarters of menopausal women feel therapies aren’t adjusted for them and pregnant women say choices are limited.
Some also question whether spas are accessible or support those living with chronic conditions.
As the UK readies itself for the GWS and being in the industry spotlight, the country stands at a crossroads. While it’s emerged as a leader in the global wellness economy, challenges such as workforce shortages and inclusivity must be addressed to drive sustained growth and resilience and to ensure we meet the needs of consumers.
photo: Jack Emmerson
Katie Barnes is the editor of Spa Business magazine
| [email protected]
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
View contents of Spa Business 2024 issue 3
Editor's letter: At a crossroads
As the UK prepares to host this year's Global Wellness Summit, fresh research shows its wellness industry must address a number of issues if it's to maintain levels of unprecedented growth
Spa People: Charlotte Church
The Welsh singer talks about how growing up in the media spotlight has influenced The Dreaming, her healing retreat business
Spa People: Julia Bradbury
Leading a series of Walk Yourself Happy retreats based on her best-selling book and years of TV presenting
Spa People: Samantha Dunn
Shaking up the industry with her new, affordable DIY consultancy programme for entrepreneurs
News report: Big spenders
Finn Partners’ latest research shows how China’s high-net-worth women are redefining luxury travel
News report: Step back in time
Two new GWI reports analyse the growth of the global spa and hot springs markets over the past 10 to 15 years
Interview: Dillip Rajakarier
Following a 450 per cent increase in core revenues, Minor Hotels is planning 200 more properties. Megan Whitby sits down with its CEO
New opening: Kintsugi Space
Patrizia Bortolin talks to Lisa Starr about creating a transformative women-only sanctuary in Abu Dhabi
Research: To inform and inspire
The UK Spa Association has conducted its first survey of spa businesses in the country for 18 years. GM Bobby Griffiths unveils the numbers
Research: From wellness to wellbeing
A new study uncovers four wellness consumer market segments ripe for innovation. WELLSurvey co-author Kevin Kelly reveals the findings in a Spa Business exclusive
First person: To the source
Jane Kitchen takes to the sulphurous waters of Terme di Saturnia in Italy and shares details about its exciting upcoming sister site in Milan
Promotion: L'OCCITANE en Provence – the art of recovery
With an approach to wellbeing that’s both holistic and grounded in science, the latest massage from L’OCCITANE en Provence promises to have a powerfully-beneficial effect on customers, both in the spa and at home
New opening: Surrenne at The Emory
The £15k memberships at this wellness club in London sold out in just weeks. Creator Inge Theron tells us why
First person: Playful wellness
A Stella McCartney facial and Tracy Anderson studio are just two USPs Megan Whitby finds at Surrenne
Promotion: TechnoAlpin – naturally cool design
TechnoAlpin’s snow technology is not only an effective way to introduce gentle cold therapy into the spa environment, it’s also a powerful biophilic design element that can bring the wonder of nature indoors
Promotion: Biologique Recherche – potent partnership
A new anti-senescence serum from Biologique Recherche offers transformative results and raises the bar in anti-ageing skincare when combined with its iconic collagen formula
Promotion: Comfort Zone – A longer life for skin
Created to combat the visible signs of ageing, Comfort Zone’s latest range revamp is based on the company’s pioneering research into cutaneous cellular longevity
Promotion: G.M. COLLIN – Clinical excellence in skincare
With laboratories based in Montreal, G.M. Collin’s highly researched derma-corrective treatments have been helping skincare professionals deliver exceptional and exclusive results worldwide for many decades. We talk to VP Myriam Sayer
Hand and Stone Massage and Facial Spa, the spa business with more than 650 locations across
the US and Canada, has appointed franchise expert Carrie Walsh as CEO as the company plans
to expand.
Synergy – The Retreat Show, the global trade show for retreats, has launched a global research
initiative that will provide insights into the retreat sector from both consumer and industry
perspectives.
The Wellness Tourism Association (WTA) has published a non-regulatory global industry
framework designed to ensure the retreat market offers responsible experiences.
A new survey of UK and international spa practitioners shows that stress, burnout and
wellbeing concerns have caused one in three respondents to consider leaving the industry.
The UK's four Chief Medical Officers have published a refreshed edition of Physical activity
guidelines: UK Chief Medical Officers' report, updating the evidence that underpins the nation's
physical activity recommendations and placing greater emphasis on strength, balance, reducing
sedentary behaviour and, for the first time, supporting people taking weight loss medications.
Anna Bjurstam has left her role as Wellness Pioneer at Six Senses Hotels and Resorts and
launched a new wellness, longevity and “consciousness consultancy” called Wahayla.
Fairmont Cheshire, The Mere, has opened today (10 July) in the Northwest of England
with a
1,715sq m Fairmont Spa that has been designed using a ‘Wellness without Walls’
concept.
Wellness hotels generating less than US$1 million (€932,700, £785,200) – or 10 per cent of
total revenue from wellness and leisure – recorded the strongest RevPAR and TRevPAR growth
in 2025 across categories when compared with 2024, according to the latest Wellness Real
Estate Report by RLA Global, produced in partnership with P and L benchmarking firm HotStats.
The MSpa Oslo series is a perennial bestseller in global markets. With innovative
engineering and premium performance, this completely portable spa line-up is expertly
designed to meet the needs of customers worldwide. [more...]
