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Experiences in the hospitality industry have grown from spa, to wellness and to something far more powerful. Jeremy McCarthy explains what this means for the decades ahead
The mission is to convert guests’ time into memorable moments / photo: mandarin oriental hotel group
Having worked in hospitality for more than three decades, I’m in an interesting position to look at the evolution of its experiential offerings.
At the beginning of my career, there was a lot of debate about whether spa was important at all. Is it profitable? Is it necessary? Can it be outsourced? Should it be outsourced? The dialogue about spa was filled with uncertainty and scepticism for a long time.
Although there are still naysayers today, spa has become a de facto standard in any luxury or full-service hotel. It’s seen as a necessary component because it generates revenues (sometimes out of undesirable spaces), attracts affluent travellers, generates publicity, connects our hotels to the local community and builds loyalty, by providing guests with impactful and meaningful experiences that go far deeper than other typical hospitality interactions.
From wellness to leisure Once spa was accepted, the industry began to ask what else it could offer guests. “How can we generate more revenues? How can we impact our guests even more? How do we meet the growing demand from affluent customers to not just provide services, but also support their lifestyle?”
We’re living in the age of the #wellnesseverywhere consumer. These customers are not content to carve out limited time in their life for wellness, they want it everywhere they go. They want it at work, at home and when they travel. Hotels have had to adapt to help guests maintain their healthy lifestyle while on the road, with cutting-edge fitness offerings, flexible culinary plans that respect a broad range of dietary interests and sleep programmes to ensure guests are well rested. 'Directors of spa’ became ‘directors of spa and wellness’ and they moved beyond the spa and fitness areas having a hand in guestroom amenities, sleep rituals, healthy menus, employee wellbeing programmes, wellness retreats, meetings and events and more. I like to tell my team: “We're not here to take part, we're here to take over.”
Today hospitality experiences are evolving and expanding once again – from spa to wellness, to leisure. Because just as spa is only one component of wellness, so wellness is only one component of the kind of experiences that travellers are seeking. The hotel industry is no longer selling beds and meals, it’s selling experiences. Some of those might be spa and wellness-focused, but they can extend far beyond this into a plethora of other domains such as social, family, culture, shopping, history, art, adventure and more.
What’s next? The hotel of the future doesn’t just provide accommodations, it provides and facilitates experiences. The hospitality industry has to once again rethink how it does business in a way that transcends traditional department structures such as concierge, guest services, F&B, wellness, activities, etc. Guests don't care if the experience takes place in or outside the hotel. They don’t care if it’s offered by the hotel or by a third party. And they don’t care what department is in charge of the experience. The guest only cares about their time. “I’m here until Thursday, what should I do?”. Our ability to guide a guest to the best answer to that question will determine our success for the decade ahead.
What hospitality has learned from spa is that if it can convert our guests’ leisure time into something impactful, this will grow loyalty and drive revenues. The mission for the decade ahead is to convert more of our guests’ time into meaningful and memorable experiences.
As group director of spa, wellness and leisure for Mandarin Oriental, Jeremy McCarthy works across 35 luxury hotels globally. Contact him with your views on Twitter @jeremymcc
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
View contents of Spa Business 2023 issue 3
Editor's letter: Reflection point
As Spa Business celebrates its 20th birthday, Katie Barnes pauses for thought and rejoices in the industry’s evolution
Spa People: 20th anniversary issue: Anna Bjurstam
The strategic senior advisor at Six Senses and Raison d'Etre on being initiated as a shaman, why psychedelics are here to stay and her bigger fear for the global spa industry
Promotion: Klafs: Relax into wellbeing
Klafs and Studio F. A. Porsche have combined their design and wellness expertise to create an oasis for total-body relaxation
News report: Eastern promise
Japan’s spa industry is valued at US$4.2 billion and is part of the world's third highest-performing wellness economy
Jeremy McCarthy: Theory of evolution
From spa to wellness and now leisure – Spa Business’ contributing editor looks at where hospitality experiences are heading
Promotion: Lemi: Built to last
Lemi is committed to leading with innovation to create
cutting-edge treatment room solutions that excel
in terms of performance and eco-credentials
Promotion: G.M. COLLIN: Collagen pioneers
GM Collin’s expertise in collagen research and product formulation has resulted in the creation of a new serum that combats age-related skin degeneration
Promotion: Comfort Zone: A brighter future
Consumers are increasingly interested in reducing dark spots and hyperpigmentation and a new line from Comfort Zone has been launched to address this emerging need
Promotion: Art of Cryo: Life changing experience
Vikki and Robbie are often exhausted after work. A visit to the spa to experience
the Art of Cryo Tech-Spa Module is a chance to re-set and rejuvenate together
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...]
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Experiences in the hospitality industry have grown from spa, to wellness and to something far more powerful. Jeremy McCarthy explains what this means for the decades ahead
The mission is to convert guests’ time into memorable moments / photo: mandarin oriental hotel group
Having worked in hospitality for more than three decades, I’m in an interesting position to look at the evolution of its experiential offerings.
At the beginning of my career, there was a lot of debate about whether spa was important at all. Is it profitable? Is it necessary? Can it be outsourced? Should it be outsourced? The dialogue about spa was filled with uncertainty and scepticism for a long time.
Although there are still naysayers today, spa has become a de facto standard in any luxury or full-service hotel. It’s seen as a necessary component because it generates revenues (sometimes out of undesirable spaces), attracts affluent travellers, generates publicity, connects our hotels to the local community and builds loyalty, by providing guests with impactful and meaningful experiences that go far deeper than other typical hospitality interactions.
From wellness to leisure Once spa was accepted, the industry began to ask what else it could offer guests. “How can we generate more revenues? How can we impact our guests even more? How do we meet the growing demand from affluent customers to not just provide services, but also support their lifestyle?”
We’re living in the age of the #wellnesseverywhere consumer. These customers are not content to carve out limited time in their life for wellness, they want it everywhere they go. They want it at work, at home and when they travel. Hotels have had to adapt to help guests maintain their healthy lifestyle while on the road, with cutting-edge fitness offerings, flexible culinary plans that respect a broad range of dietary interests and sleep programmes to ensure guests are well rested. 'Directors of spa’ became ‘directors of spa and wellness’ and they moved beyond the spa and fitness areas having a hand in guestroom amenities, sleep rituals, healthy menus, employee wellbeing programmes, wellness retreats, meetings and events and more. I like to tell my team: “We're not here to take part, we're here to take over.”
Today hospitality experiences are evolving and expanding once again – from spa to wellness, to leisure. Because just as spa is only one component of wellness, so wellness is only one component of the kind of experiences that travellers are seeking. The hotel industry is no longer selling beds and meals, it’s selling experiences. Some of those might be spa and wellness-focused, but they can extend far beyond this into a plethora of other domains such as social, family, culture, shopping, history, art, adventure and more.
What’s next? The hotel of the future doesn’t just provide accommodations, it provides and facilitates experiences. The hospitality industry has to once again rethink how it does business in a way that transcends traditional department structures such as concierge, guest services, F&B, wellness, activities, etc. Guests don't care if the experience takes place in or outside the hotel. They don’t care if it’s offered by the hotel or by a third party. And they don’t care what department is in charge of the experience. The guest only cares about their time. “I’m here until Thursday, what should I do?”. Our ability to guide a guest to the best answer to that question will determine our success for the decade ahead.
What hospitality has learned from spa is that if it can convert our guests’ leisure time into something impactful, this will grow loyalty and drive revenues. The mission for the decade ahead is to convert more of our guests’ time into meaningful and memorable experiences.
As group director of spa, wellness and leisure for Mandarin Oriental, Jeremy McCarthy works across 35 luxury hotels globally. Contact him with your views on Twitter @jeremymcc
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
View contents of Spa Business 2023 issue 3
Editor's letter: Reflection point
As Spa Business celebrates its 20th birthday, Katie Barnes pauses for thought and rejoices in the industry’s evolution
Spa People: 20th anniversary issue: Anna Bjurstam
The strategic senior advisor at Six Senses and Raison d'Etre on being initiated as a shaman, why psychedelics are here to stay and her bigger fear for the global spa industry
Promotion: Klafs: Relax into wellbeing
Klafs and Studio F. A. Porsche have combined their design and wellness expertise to create an oasis for total-body relaxation
News report: Eastern promise
Japan’s spa industry is valued at US$4.2 billion and is part of the world's third highest-performing wellness economy
Jeremy McCarthy: Theory of evolution
From spa to wellness and now leisure – Spa Business’ contributing editor looks at where hospitality experiences are heading
Promotion: Lemi: Built to last
Lemi is committed to leading with innovation to create
cutting-edge treatment room solutions that excel
in terms of performance and eco-credentials
Promotion: G.M. COLLIN: Collagen pioneers
GM Collin’s expertise in collagen research and product formulation has resulted in the creation of a new serum that combats age-related skin degeneration
Promotion: Comfort Zone: A brighter future
Consumers are increasingly interested in reducing dark spots and hyperpigmentation and a new line from Comfort Zone has been launched to address this emerging need
Promotion: Art of Cryo: Life changing experience
Vikki and Robbie are often exhausted after work. A visit to the spa to experience
the Art of Cryo Tech-Spa Module is a chance to re-set and rejuvenate together
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.
Lefay Resorts, the portfolio of two luxury wellness properties in Italy, has added emotional
dance classes and group cold plunge sessions in response to market demand for social
connection.
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...]
+ More featured suppliers
COMPANY PROFILES
The Wellness Founded in 2007, headquartered in Dubai and based in Hong Kong and Singapore, The Wellness is an int [more...]
