Yes! Send me the FREE digital editions of Spa Business and Spa Business insider magazines and the FREE weekly Spa Business and Spa Business insider ezines and breaking news alerts!
What’s coming down the track for the global spa and wellness industries? Spa Business examines the trends, technologies and strategies which will shape the future
By Katie Barnes | Published in Spa Business 2014 issue 4
1. Loneliness 2. Oil, gas – and solar 3. Edible environments 4. Taste sensations 5. Cellular health 6. Robot therapists 7. War zones 8. Fats & carbs 9. 3D product printing 10. Predicting purchasing 11. No front desk 12. Virtual trainer 13. Bad products 14. Over nourishment 15. Circadian aware 16. Microgyms 17. Gut health 18. Clean air and water 19. Facial recognition 20. Wellness cities
BAD FOR HEALTH 1. LONELINESS The number of people living alone has increased by 80 per cent in the last 15 years, rising to 277 million globally in 2011 according to Euromonitor. While ageing populations have contributed to statistics, the ‘cult of the individual’ has also intensified.
Figures are the highest in Sweden, where 47 per cent of households only have one person living in them, this is followed by the UK (34 per cent) and Japan (31 per cent). Loneliness has dramatic ramifications for health – it can interfere with sleep, raise blood pressure, decrease immunity, increase depression, lower overall wellbeing and stimulate the production of cortisol. Lonely people are twice as likely to die prematurely warn doctors.
With the power of touch being one of the most effective antidotes to isolation, spas are ideal hubs to tackle loneliness. Facilities could offer community outreach programmes targeting the most vulnerable and provide educational sessions on how to deal with it.
SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/icsnaps
277 million people live alone
GLOBAL HOTSPOTS 2. OIL, GAS – AND SOLAR Identifying hotspots very early on enables operators to unlock new markets for growth, by acquiring land and property and forming local partnerships to underpin expansion.
Spa Foresight™ is tracking emerging economies where wealth is based on the production of energy – oil and gas in the short-term – but longer-term we expect this to broaden out to include solar power. The wealth generated by the harvesting of these natural resources is creating exciting opportunities for development in emerging nations such as Kazakhstan, Nigeria, Algeria, Angola and Azerbaijan, which have vast oil reserves and Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan which have gas.
Opportunities for spa development will emerge once better infrastructure is in place and this oil and gas wealth combines with more stable political situations.
As solar gains market share, we’ll track the winners in that too. These are just as likely to be in the developed world. For example, in Australia solar has reached a tipping point where it’s cheaper than coal.
Baku: follow the oil to find growth
Growing interest 3. EDIBLE ENVIRONMENTS Going to the spa to get your hands in the soil and do some gardening may seem an unlikely idea, but we think growing and spa are natural bedfellows and predict this trend will take off.
Growing is the new rock and roll, with horticulture degrees at full capacity, foraging becoming a career choice and communities being built around brands like Modern Farmer, the New York-based magazine which is attracting a crowd who love to grow and eat.
In the restaurant sector, chefs now view the soil as the starting point for their craft, with some investing in their own farms, while new resort Kittitian Hills in St Kitts will have an edible golf course.
Edible parks and ponds are also becoming more popular in response to the drive to make communities more local, natural and sustainable – the message is, if you can make it edible then do so.
We expect to see spas embracing the Grower movement in a multitude of ways, such as adding rooftop gardens and opening up space for growing.
Working in the gardens and with the soil – with the added benefits associated with earthing – could be an enjoyable part of the spa experience. This is especially the case for those who live in cities. Being able to graze on the landscape while enjoying the outdoors is a nourishing and healing pleasure that fits perfectly with the spa ethos and chimes with the growing interest in ‘food as medicine’.
SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/Ekaterina Pokrovskaya
Growing and spa are a natural fit. The message is, if you can make it edible then do so
PLAYING WITH FOOD 4. TASTE SENSATIONS Living Food – a concept from biology and robotics student Minsu Kim – proposes the addition of live organisms to fine dining. She foresees a time where we move beyond the oyster to where “a vegetable plays with your fork, while noodles tickle your tongue as you eat them,” and plates of food become living, pulsating things.
The colour, shape, weight and size of cutlery and crockery also affects taste. Researchers from Oxford University, UK have found that food tastes saltier if eaten with a knife and feels denser and more expensive if a light plastic spoon is used. Drinks served in cold-coloured glasses seem to quench the thirst more.
PHOTOS: www.minsukim.net
Live organisms are incorporated into fine dining in Minsu Kim’s Living Food concept
STRIKING A BALANCE 5. CELLULAR HEALTH We anticipate increasing awareness of the importance of cellular health – something few people have any knowledge of.
Many of the systems which run our bodies at a cellular level work through tensions between opposites and the balance between them determines our health.
For example, the health of the gut – which underpins the immune system – relies on the balance between fungi and bacteria. If either dominate, our health is undermined: consume too much sugar or yeast and fungus flourishes, which leads to disorders such as candida, athletes foot and thrush.
The cellular pump, which keeps our cells clean and our blood pressure healthy, relies on the correct balance between sodium and potassium in the body. Get the balance wrong and the result will be disease and high blood pressure.
A wide range of health factors are reliant on balance – exercise and rest,
acid and alkali, oxygen and carbon dioxide. Good balance means excellent cellular health and a greater likelihood of freedom from disease.
We expect to see a more widespread recognition of the importance of good cellular health, its role in the fundamental underpinning of wellbeing and of its importance as the ultimate tool in the prevention of disease.
This subtle element of health is unseen and rarely researched, so education to raise awareness will be the first step.
SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/Warren Goldswain
Good cellular health is the foundation of wellbeing, but few people are aware of this
AUTOMATION 6. ROBOT THERAPISTS The ability to perceive the minds of others is emerging in robots and the field continues to develop and evolve.
We predict the spa and wellness industry will eventually employ robot therapists to carry out some, if not all work.
The world of work is changing fast – researchers at the University of Oxford in the UK have just published a report, The Future of Employment, which says 45 per cent of jobs currently done by humans will be computerised in 20 years. The coming of robot workers will overlap with this, as businesses strive to reduce labour costs and increase profitability.
Robots can already scan and appraise materials and interact with them appropriately, so some of the elements which are required for the leap into delivering a treatment are already in existence. Unlike humans, robots can be programmed (and reprogrammed) quickly to follow highly technical and complex procedures – imagine the comprehensive spa menus and levels of customisation which would be possible if treatments were delivered by robot instead of human? Some may prefer to be treated by robot, as it removes the embarrassment they feel at being naked in front of another person.
Robots are capable of making connections between data and basing actions on the latest research because they can upload, process and analyse vast quantities of information to reach a diagnosis.
As an example, IBM pitted its most powerful computer – Watson – against world leading medics in a diagnostic test for cancer and Watson won hands down. IBM says 20 per cent of all medical diagnoses in the US are erroneous, leading to incorrect treatment. We imagine a time when healing modalities are prescribed and delivered effectively by robot.
- More about IBM Watson: http://lei.sr?a=4b0F8 and http://lei.sr?a=k7v7y - Oxford University report: http://lei.sr?a=r3F0V
SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/Kiselev Andrey Valerevich
The advent of robot therapists will enable the delivery of highly technical treatments
A NEW PERSPECTIVE 7. WAR ZONES Although we’re living in the most peaceful century in history, the last seven years has shown a notable deterioration in levels of peace, according to The Global Peace Index from The Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP).
Since 2008, 111 countries have deteriorated in levels of peace, it found, while only 51 have increased and the world’s become less peaceful due to a rise in terrorist activity, the number of conflicts fought and people displaced. The global economic impact of violence reached US$9.8tn last year.
We believe there’s a case for the spa industry to track and respond to war zones for a number of important reasons.
Firstly, there are opportunities in rebuilding, as conflicts draw to a close and major infrastructure and investment recommence. It’s a long-term play, but can prove lucrative. Former war zones such as Vietnam are now booming as spa and resort destinations.
Secondly, where spa developments are underway or established, businesses can be threatened by civil unrest, so operators, developers and investors need a systematic way of assessing and responding to this risk to protect assets.
Thirdly, and most importantly, the healing ethos of spa and wholesome physical touch can make a huge difference in areas of conflict.
Overall, tracking war zones gives a clear indication of where threats and opportunities lie for the spa industry.
- IEP report: http://lei.sr?a=y8Y6G
SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/John Bill
Vietnam, a former war zone, now has a booming spa sector
THE NEW SUPERFOODS 8. FATS & CARBS Misinformation about fats and carbohydrates has led to many excluding them from their diet.
However, we expect to see this change, as people become better educated in holistic nutrition.
In his book Fats that Heal, Fats that Kill, Udo Erasmus makes the case for consuming the correct fatty acids to prevent a wide range of serious health disorders. While carbohydrates are necessary to help functions such as nerve health.
Spas are perfectly placed to educate customers on these issues and to include the correct fats and carbs on the menu.
SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/Natasha Breen
Superfoods
ON-SITE AND ON-DEMAND 9. 3D PRODUCT PRINTING The therapist goes to get a bottle of body scrub and finds someone took the last one. A disaster? Today perhaps, but not for much longer. Soon it will be possible to 3D print more to order on-site. The implications are huge and will change both the economics of spa operations and the relationship between suppliers and operators.
3D printing products on-site will mean they’re fresher, so less preservatives will be needed, shipping costs will be lower and storage and packaging will be reduced.
Product companies which gear up for this hugely disruptive trend will be able to control the intellectual property rights to their own formulations. But those that sit back and do nothing will find that – as with the drug industry – there will be competitors who adapt their formulae and create generic versions.
The power of the brand and the control which suppliers exert over the infrastructure will be key. If a product house creates a 3D printing option for clients whereby they have a licence to print a branded product for use in treatments, then they will retain market share, but if this isn’t done, then they could potentially lose their business.
SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/Apollofoto
3D printing – product houses beware
WEATHER CHANNEL 10. PREDICTING PURCHASING In the US, the Weather Channel has rebranded as the Weather Company – a business with over 75 years’ of weather data which it’s using to predict not only the weather, but when people are more likely to buy certain goods. We think operators will increasingly use big data like this to understand customer behaviour and how to optimise income.
SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/Mihai Simonia
Weather impacts on consumer buying patterns
WELCOMING GUESTS 11. NO FRONT DESK Cloud software enables operators to remove the front desk and instead welcome guests with a tablet computer and a personal greeting at check-in. Spas and hotels are experimenting with tablet check-ins, while some restaurants are trialling app payments which allow customers to avoid a wait for their bill.
ACCESS TO EXPERTS 12. VIRTUAL TRAINER Given their ability to generate value from underutilised space, virtual exercise classes are likely to be picked up by spas. They’re already very popular with top fitness operators such as GoodLife Fitness, Virgin Active and Anytime Fitness.
Systems consist of a screen, projector and a computer connected to the internet that runs classes and installation starts at US$3,000 (€2,210, £1,790). Operators can pre-schedule classes or let customers choose sessions on-demand.
They enable facilities to offer world-class instruction and a huge variety of trainers. Gaiam provides yoga sessions by Rodney Yee. Other major brands such as Les Mills and Zumba have also entered the virtual arena which suggests that it’s on the brink of rapid growth.
Gaiam’s virtual yoga includes instruction by Rodney Yee
LAWSUITS ON THE HORIZON 13. BAD PRODUCTS Rub garlic on your feet and soon you can smell it on your breath – such is the amazing absorptive power of the skin.
With such a mainline into the circulatory and lymphatic systems, the skin is a miracle – and its role in good health cannot be underestimated.
Skin can’t discriminate between beneficial and harmful substances and it will absorb everything it’s exposed to – for good or ill – creams, oils, treatments and potions included.
As global product houses fight for market share, they produce endless streams of new and ever more ‘efficacious’ product lines which claim to reverse ageing and variously firm, lighten and rejuvenate the skin.
Where these products are ineffective, there’s less cause for concern, because this limits the potential for damage. However, where they have active ingredients, their use – especially when randomly combined – amounts to a giant experiment at the expense of the consumer and no one can accurately predict the outcome.
Ethical suppliers factor this into their R&D and ensure products are harmless, but some compromise for commercial gain and we expect health-related issues triggered by these products to lead to a backlash from consumers. We may even see lawsuits being brought by consumers as compensation for conditions related to product use.
TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING 14. OVER NOURISHMENT Millions of people the world over take vitamin supplements for any number of reasons – to boost their health, give them better skin or even raise their sex drive. While some people may benefit from specific supplementation, scientists are warning that taking extra vitamins without supervision could be a waste of money and may even be harmful. High doses of vitamin A, for example, can be linked to osteoporosis.
SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/Vucicevic Milos
Supplements are big business, but too many can be harmful
SETTING THE RHYTHM 15. CIRCADIAN AWARE Organising schedules around the body’s natural clocks – our circadian rhythms – can improve mental alertness and enhance the immune system. Yet when these rhythms are disrupted by work patterns or even artificial light, our inner clocks are thrown.
We see spas creating circadian friendly environments by installing ‘healthy lights’ which mimic the wavelengths and natural patterns of daylight that our biological rhythms are in-synch with.
We also see spas becoming more mindful of the timing of treatments. Is there an optimum time to offer a more relaxing or energising massage? Many skin functions are circadian rhythmic – oil production is twice as high at noon and its temperature is higher in the evening. Of course, everyone has their own natural rhythm, but these guidelines could be used as a starting point to tailor facials.
SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/Dudarev Mikhail
Our inner body clock – or circadian rhythm – is in-synch with natural patterns of daylight
SPECIALIST FITNESS 16. MICROGYMS Microgyms – centres specialising in just one area of fitness such as cycling or functional training – are taking the health club market by storm, creating a new breed of exerciser which spas can also target.
The users are becoming more targeted with each club they join – wanting a specific type of yoga, group cycling or equipment.
Savvy spa operators will monitor the microgym movement and emulate the experience by putting on themed workouts with special guest instructors. We also expect to see partnerships forming between microgym and spa owners.
A microgym by Body Bike
THE SECOND BRAIN 17. GUT HEALTH A growing body of science is revealing just how essential our digestion is to overall physical and mental wellbeing.
The 9m long enteric nervous system is referred to as ‘the second brain’ because it contains around half a billion nerve endings – more than in the spinal cord. It not only controls digestion but exerts a powerful effect on hunger and appetite hormones like ghrelin and CCK, as well as immunity and mood. It also manufactures around 50 per cent of the feel-good hormones serotonin and dopamine.
The FX Mayr cure is a renowned treatment for digestion in Austria, but is less well known internationally. It’s based on a restricted calorie, low starch regime, Epsom salts to cleanse the bowel and abdominal massage.
We predict extreme growth in the number of spas offering gut health programmes as research backs up its importance in underpinning wellness.
Austria’s Original FX Mayr Health Center focuses on gut health
THE BASICS ARE NOW A USP 18. CLEAR AIR AND WATER Breathing clean air and drinking and bathing in clean water are three fundamentals of health, but for some who live in toxic places, there’s no respite from pollution.
Spas that offer access to clean air and water will find that this USP is increasingly sought by consumers and we foresee a new trend emerging around the provision of both of these elements, by either natural or artificial means.
We expect spas with access to clean air and water to devise healing programmes, while those located in polluted places, will have the opportunity to offer special rooms where guests can enjoy breathing clean air and bathing in pure water. This will extend to concepts such as sensory rooms with 360 degree-screens where it will be possible to simulate standing on a beach in a wood or lavender field.
SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/Zai Aragon
Consumers will value healing breaks which provide respite from unhealthy environments
TUNING IN OR JUST CREEPY? 19. FACIAL RECOGNITION Understanding consumers’ true feelings and motivations has been the concern of neuromarketers for some years: what we say we want and what we really want are often two completely different – and sometimes contradictory – things.
Now, facial gesture recognition and profiling software is coming to market which is enabling retailers to identify mood and respond accordingly.
A coffee brand recently conducted a PR stunt by installing a vending machine at a Johannesburg airport: travellers got a free cup when the facial recognition software detected them yawning.
We expect hospitality companies such as spas and hotels to deploy facial-recognition software to assess customers’ moods before, after and even during visits.
Are they relaxed and content, or are they disengaged or annoyed? The software could give valuable insight into guest experiences and, in turn, be used to improve services.
SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/GFranck Boston
New tech shows how guests really feel
HUBS FOR HEALTH 20. WELLNESS CITIES Spas are already beginning to embrace wellness, but could this be taken further where we’ll see the emergence of wellness cities?
Locales could become hubs for wellbeing where everything has been designed (or redesigned) with health in mind: from the green spaces outside and fresh air we breathe to the buildings which incorporate circadian lighting and water filtration systems. Spas offering a multitude of wellness services would also feature heavily.
The vision of building entire cities around wellness is a powerful one which most people can relate to and find compelling and attractive. And although the idea of wellness environments is not new, we’re approaching a time when the concept will reach tipping point and enter the mainstream.
SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/Dirima
The vision of building entire cities around wellness is a powerful and enticing one
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Liz Terry has been writing about and analysing the global leisure industries since 1983. She’s editor of Spa Business and Spa Opportunities magazines. email: [email protected] twitter: @elizterry
Katie Barnes has a 13-year career in international spa, beauty and health media. She’s managing editor of Spa Business magazine and was launch editor of the Spa Business Handbook. email: [email protected] twitter: @SpaBusinessKB
With an increasing number of luxury hotels and resorts offering day and resort passes to
drive staycation business, Book4Time, a leader in innovative spa and wellness solutions, is
thrilled to announce the launch of Day & Resort Passes on its award-winning platform. [more...]
What’s coming down the track for the global spa and wellness industries? Spa Business examines the trends, technologies and strategies which will shape the future
By Katie Barnes | Published in Spa Business 2014 issue 4
1. Loneliness 2. Oil, gas – and solar 3. Edible environments 4. Taste sensations 5. Cellular health 6. Robot therapists 7. War zones 8. Fats & carbs 9. 3D product printing 10. Predicting purchasing 11. No front desk 12. Virtual trainer 13. Bad products 14. Over nourishment 15. Circadian aware 16. Microgyms 17. Gut health 18. Clean air and water 19. Facial recognition 20. Wellness cities
BAD FOR HEALTH 1. LONELINESS The number of people living alone has increased by 80 per cent in the last 15 years, rising to 277 million globally in 2011 according to Euromonitor. While ageing populations have contributed to statistics, the ‘cult of the individual’ has also intensified.
Figures are the highest in Sweden, where 47 per cent of households only have one person living in them, this is followed by the UK (34 per cent) and Japan (31 per cent). Loneliness has dramatic ramifications for health – it can interfere with sleep, raise blood pressure, decrease immunity, increase depression, lower overall wellbeing and stimulate the production of cortisol. Lonely people are twice as likely to die prematurely warn doctors.
With the power of touch being one of the most effective antidotes to isolation, spas are ideal hubs to tackle loneliness. Facilities could offer community outreach programmes targeting the most vulnerable and provide educational sessions on how to deal with it.
SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/icsnaps
277 million people live alone
GLOBAL HOTSPOTS 2. OIL, GAS – AND SOLAR Identifying hotspots very early on enables operators to unlock new markets for growth, by acquiring land and property and forming local partnerships to underpin expansion.
Spa Foresight™ is tracking emerging economies where wealth is based on the production of energy – oil and gas in the short-term – but longer-term we expect this to broaden out to include solar power. The wealth generated by the harvesting of these natural resources is creating exciting opportunities for development in emerging nations such as Kazakhstan, Nigeria, Algeria, Angola and Azerbaijan, which have vast oil reserves and Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan which have gas.
Opportunities for spa development will emerge once better infrastructure is in place and this oil and gas wealth combines with more stable political situations.
As solar gains market share, we’ll track the winners in that too. These are just as likely to be in the developed world. For example, in Australia solar has reached a tipping point where it’s cheaper than coal.
Baku: follow the oil to find growth
Growing interest 3. EDIBLE ENVIRONMENTS Going to the spa to get your hands in the soil and do some gardening may seem an unlikely idea, but we think growing and spa are natural bedfellows and predict this trend will take off.
Growing is the new rock and roll, with horticulture degrees at full capacity, foraging becoming a career choice and communities being built around brands like Modern Farmer, the New York-based magazine which is attracting a crowd who love to grow and eat.
In the restaurant sector, chefs now view the soil as the starting point for their craft, with some investing in their own farms, while new resort Kittitian Hills in St Kitts will have an edible golf course.
Edible parks and ponds are also becoming more popular in response to the drive to make communities more local, natural and sustainable – the message is, if you can make it edible then do so.
We expect to see spas embracing the Grower movement in a multitude of ways, such as adding rooftop gardens and opening up space for growing.
Working in the gardens and with the soil – with the added benefits associated with earthing – could be an enjoyable part of the spa experience. This is especially the case for those who live in cities. Being able to graze on the landscape while enjoying the outdoors is a nourishing and healing pleasure that fits perfectly with the spa ethos and chimes with the growing interest in ‘food as medicine’.
SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/Ekaterina Pokrovskaya
Growing and spa are a natural fit. The message is, if you can make it edible then do so
PLAYING WITH FOOD 4. TASTE SENSATIONS Living Food – a concept from biology and robotics student Minsu Kim – proposes the addition of live organisms to fine dining. She foresees a time where we move beyond the oyster to where “a vegetable plays with your fork, while noodles tickle your tongue as you eat them,” and plates of food become living, pulsating things.
The colour, shape, weight and size of cutlery and crockery also affects taste. Researchers from Oxford University, UK have found that food tastes saltier if eaten with a knife and feels denser and more expensive if a light plastic spoon is used. Drinks served in cold-coloured glasses seem to quench the thirst more.
PHOTOS: www.minsukim.net
Live organisms are incorporated into fine dining in Minsu Kim’s Living Food concept
STRIKING A BALANCE 5. CELLULAR HEALTH We anticipate increasing awareness of the importance of cellular health – something few people have any knowledge of.
Many of the systems which run our bodies at a cellular level work through tensions between opposites and the balance between them determines our health.
For example, the health of the gut – which underpins the immune system – relies on the balance between fungi and bacteria. If either dominate, our health is undermined: consume too much sugar or yeast and fungus flourishes, which leads to disorders such as candida, athletes foot and thrush.
The cellular pump, which keeps our cells clean and our blood pressure healthy, relies on the correct balance between sodium and potassium in the body. Get the balance wrong and the result will be disease and high blood pressure.
A wide range of health factors are reliant on balance – exercise and rest,
acid and alkali, oxygen and carbon dioxide. Good balance means excellent cellular health and a greater likelihood of freedom from disease.
We expect to see a more widespread recognition of the importance of good cellular health, its role in the fundamental underpinning of wellbeing and of its importance as the ultimate tool in the prevention of disease.
This subtle element of health is unseen and rarely researched, so education to raise awareness will be the first step.
SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/Warren Goldswain
Good cellular health is the foundation of wellbeing, but few people are aware of this
AUTOMATION 6. ROBOT THERAPISTS The ability to perceive the minds of others is emerging in robots and the field continues to develop and evolve.
We predict the spa and wellness industry will eventually employ robot therapists to carry out some, if not all work.
The world of work is changing fast – researchers at the University of Oxford in the UK have just published a report, The Future of Employment, which says 45 per cent of jobs currently done by humans will be computerised in 20 years. The coming of robot workers will overlap with this, as businesses strive to reduce labour costs and increase profitability.
Robots can already scan and appraise materials and interact with them appropriately, so some of the elements which are required for the leap into delivering a treatment are already in existence. Unlike humans, robots can be programmed (and reprogrammed) quickly to follow highly technical and complex procedures – imagine the comprehensive spa menus and levels of customisation which would be possible if treatments were delivered by robot instead of human? Some may prefer to be treated by robot, as it removes the embarrassment they feel at being naked in front of another person.
Robots are capable of making connections between data and basing actions on the latest research because they can upload, process and analyse vast quantities of information to reach a diagnosis.
As an example, IBM pitted its most powerful computer – Watson – against world leading medics in a diagnostic test for cancer and Watson won hands down. IBM says 20 per cent of all medical diagnoses in the US are erroneous, leading to incorrect treatment. We imagine a time when healing modalities are prescribed and delivered effectively by robot.
- More about IBM Watson: http://lei.sr?a=4b0F8 and http://lei.sr?a=k7v7y - Oxford University report: http://lei.sr?a=r3F0V
SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/Kiselev Andrey Valerevich
The advent of robot therapists will enable the delivery of highly technical treatments
A NEW PERSPECTIVE 7. WAR ZONES Although we’re living in the most peaceful century in history, the last seven years has shown a notable deterioration in levels of peace, according to The Global Peace Index from The Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP).
Since 2008, 111 countries have deteriorated in levels of peace, it found, while only 51 have increased and the world’s become less peaceful due to a rise in terrorist activity, the number of conflicts fought and people displaced. The global economic impact of violence reached US$9.8tn last year.
We believe there’s a case for the spa industry to track and respond to war zones for a number of important reasons.
Firstly, there are opportunities in rebuilding, as conflicts draw to a close and major infrastructure and investment recommence. It’s a long-term play, but can prove lucrative. Former war zones such as Vietnam are now booming as spa and resort destinations.
Secondly, where spa developments are underway or established, businesses can be threatened by civil unrest, so operators, developers and investors need a systematic way of assessing and responding to this risk to protect assets.
Thirdly, and most importantly, the healing ethos of spa and wholesome physical touch can make a huge difference in areas of conflict.
Overall, tracking war zones gives a clear indication of where threats and opportunities lie for the spa industry.
- IEP report: http://lei.sr?a=y8Y6G
SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/John Bill
Vietnam, a former war zone, now has a booming spa sector
THE NEW SUPERFOODS 8. FATS & CARBS Misinformation about fats and carbohydrates has led to many excluding them from their diet.
However, we expect to see this change, as people become better educated in holistic nutrition.
In his book Fats that Heal, Fats that Kill, Udo Erasmus makes the case for consuming the correct fatty acids to prevent a wide range of serious health disorders. While carbohydrates are necessary to help functions such as nerve health.
Spas are perfectly placed to educate customers on these issues and to include the correct fats and carbs on the menu.
SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/Natasha Breen
Superfoods
ON-SITE AND ON-DEMAND 9. 3D PRODUCT PRINTING The therapist goes to get a bottle of body scrub and finds someone took the last one. A disaster? Today perhaps, but not for much longer. Soon it will be possible to 3D print more to order on-site. The implications are huge and will change both the economics of spa operations and the relationship between suppliers and operators.
3D printing products on-site will mean they’re fresher, so less preservatives will be needed, shipping costs will be lower and storage and packaging will be reduced.
Product companies which gear up for this hugely disruptive trend will be able to control the intellectual property rights to their own formulations. But those that sit back and do nothing will find that – as with the drug industry – there will be competitors who adapt their formulae and create generic versions.
The power of the brand and the control which suppliers exert over the infrastructure will be key. If a product house creates a 3D printing option for clients whereby they have a licence to print a branded product for use in treatments, then they will retain market share, but if this isn’t done, then they could potentially lose their business.
SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/Apollofoto
3D printing – product houses beware
WEATHER CHANNEL 10. PREDICTING PURCHASING In the US, the Weather Channel has rebranded as the Weather Company – a business with over 75 years’ of weather data which it’s using to predict not only the weather, but when people are more likely to buy certain goods. We think operators will increasingly use big data like this to understand customer behaviour and how to optimise income.
SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/Mihai Simonia
Weather impacts on consumer buying patterns
WELCOMING GUESTS 11. NO FRONT DESK Cloud software enables operators to remove the front desk and instead welcome guests with a tablet computer and a personal greeting at check-in. Spas and hotels are experimenting with tablet check-ins, while some restaurants are trialling app payments which allow customers to avoid a wait for their bill.
ACCESS TO EXPERTS 12. VIRTUAL TRAINER Given their ability to generate value from underutilised space, virtual exercise classes are likely to be picked up by spas. They’re already very popular with top fitness operators such as GoodLife Fitness, Virgin Active and Anytime Fitness.
Systems consist of a screen, projector and a computer connected to the internet that runs classes and installation starts at US$3,000 (€2,210, £1,790). Operators can pre-schedule classes or let customers choose sessions on-demand.
They enable facilities to offer world-class instruction and a huge variety of trainers. Gaiam provides yoga sessions by Rodney Yee. Other major brands such as Les Mills and Zumba have also entered the virtual arena which suggests that it’s on the brink of rapid growth.
Gaiam’s virtual yoga includes instruction by Rodney Yee
LAWSUITS ON THE HORIZON 13. BAD PRODUCTS Rub garlic on your feet and soon you can smell it on your breath – such is the amazing absorptive power of the skin.
With such a mainline into the circulatory and lymphatic systems, the skin is a miracle – and its role in good health cannot be underestimated.
Skin can’t discriminate between beneficial and harmful substances and it will absorb everything it’s exposed to – for good or ill – creams, oils, treatments and potions included.
As global product houses fight for market share, they produce endless streams of new and ever more ‘efficacious’ product lines which claim to reverse ageing and variously firm, lighten and rejuvenate the skin.
Where these products are ineffective, there’s less cause for concern, because this limits the potential for damage. However, where they have active ingredients, their use – especially when randomly combined – amounts to a giant experiment at the expense of the consumer and no one can accurately predict the outcome.
Ethical suppliers factor this into their R&D and ensure products are harmless, but some compromise for commercial gain and we expect health-related issues triggered by these products to lead to a backlash from consumers. We may even see lawsuits being brought by consumers as compensation for conditions related to product use.
TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING 14. OVER NOURISHMENT Millions of people the world over take vitamin supplements for any number of reasons – to boost their health, give them better skin or even raise their sex drive. While some people may benefit from specific supplementation, scientists are warning that taking extra vitamins without supervision could be a waste of money and may even be harmful. High doses of vitamin A, for example, can be linked to osteoporosis.
SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/Vucicevic Milos
Supplements are big business, but too many can be harmful
SETTING THE RHYTHM 15. CIRCADIAN AWARE Organising schedules around the body’s natural clocks – our circadian rhythms – can improve mental alertness and enhance the immune system. Yet when these rhythms are disrupted by work patterns or even artificial light, our inner clocks are thrown.
We see spas creating circadian friendly environments by installing ‘healthy lights’ which mimic the wavelengths and natural patterns of daylight that our biological rhythms are in-synch with.
We also see spas becoming more mindful of the timing of treatments. Is there an optimum time to offer a more relaxing or energising massage? Many skin functions are circadian rhythmic – oil production is twice as high at noon and its temperature is higher in the evening. Of course, everyone has their own natural rhythm, but these guidelines could be used as a starting point to tailor facials.
SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/Dudarev Mikhail
Our inner body clock – or circadian rhythm – is in-synch with natural patterns of daylight
SPECIALIST FITNESS 16. MICROGYMS Microgyms – centres specialising in just one area of fitness such as cycling or functional training – are taking the health club market by storm, creating a new breed of exerciser which spas can also target.
The users are becoming more targeted with each club they join – wanting a specific type of yoga, group cycling or equipment.
Savvy spa operators will monitor the microgym movement and emulate the experience by putting on themed workouts with special guest instructors. We also expect to see partnerships forming between microgym and spa owners.
A microgym by Body Bike
THE SECOND BRAIN 17. GUT HEALTH A growing body of science is revealing just how essential our digestion is to overall physical and mental wellbeing.
The 9m long enteric nervous system is referred to as ‘the second brain’ because it contains around half a billion nerve endings – more than in the spinal cord. It not only controls digestion but exerts a powerful effect on hunger and appetite hormones like ghrelin and CCK, as well as immunity and mood. It also manufactures around 50 per cent of the feel-good hormones serotonin and dopamine.
The FX Mayr cure is a renowned treatment for digestion in Austria, but is less well known internationally. It’s based on a restricted calorie, low starch regime, Epsom salts to cleanse the bowel and abdominal massage.
We predict extreme growth in the number of spas offering gut health programmes as research backs up its importance in underpinning wellness.
Austria’s Original FX Mayr Health Center focuses on gut health
THE BASICS ARE NOW A USP 18. CLEAR AIR AND WATER Breathing clean air and drinking and bathing in clean water are three fundamentals of health, but for some who live in toxic places, there’s no respite from pollution.
Spas that offer access to clean air and water will find that this USP is increasingly sought by consumers and we foresee a new trend emerging around the provision of both of these elements, by either natural or artificial means.
We expect spas with access to clean air and water to devise healing programmes, while those located in polluted places, will have the opportunity to offer special rooms where guests can enjoy breathing clean air and bathing in pure water. This will extend to concepts such as sensory rooms with 360 degree-screens where it will be possible to simulate standing on a beach in a wood or lavender field.
SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/Zai Aragon
Consumers will value healing breaks which provide respite from unhealthy environments
TUNING IN OR JUST CREEPY? 19. FACIAL RECOGNITION Understanding consumers’ true feelings and motivations has been the concern of neuromarketers for some years: what we say we want and what we really want are often two completely different – and sometimes contradictory – things.
Now, facial gesture recognition and profiling software is coming to market which is enabling retailers to identify mood and respond accordingly.
A coffee brand recently conducted a PR stunt by installing a vending machine at a Johannesburg airport: travellers got a free cup when the facial recognition software detected them yawning.
We expect hospitality companies such as spas and hotels to deploy facial-recognition software to assess customers’ moods before, after and even during visits.
Are they relaxed and content, or are they disengaged or annoyed? The software could give valuable insight into guest experiences and, in turn, be used to improve services.
SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/GFranck Boston
New tech shows how guests really feel
HUBS FOR HEALTH 20. WELLNESS CITIES Spas are already beginning to embrace wellness, but could this be taken further where we’ll see the emergence of wellness cities?
Locales could become hubs for wellbeing where everything has been designed (or redesigned) with health in mind: from the green spaces outside and fresh air we breathe to the buildings which incorporate circadian lighting and water filtration systems. Spas offering a multitude of wellness services would also feature heavily.
The vision of building entire cities around wellness is a powerful one which most people can relate to and find compelling and attractive. And although the idea of wellness environments is not new, we’re approaching a time when the concept will reach tipping point and enter the mainstream.
SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/Dirima
The vision of building entire cities around wellness is a powerful and enticing one
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Liz Terry has been writing about and analysing the global leisure industries since 1983. She’s editor of Spa Business and Spa Opportunities magazines. email: [email protected] twitter: @elizterry
Katie Barnes has a 13-year career in international spa, beauty and health media. She’s managing editor of Spa Business magazine and was launch editor of the Spa Business Handbook. email: [email protected] twitter: @SpaBusinessKB
Marriott International has signed a new deal with Neom to open a Ritz-Carlton Reserve property
as part of Trojena, a brand new year-round mountain adventure destination in Saudi Arabia.
The Bannatyne Group says it has officially bounced back from the pandemic, with both turnover
and profits restored to pre-2020 levels in 2023, according to its year-end results.
While British adults are the most active they’ve been in a decade, health
inequalities remain with the same groups missing out, according to Sport
England’s latest Active Lives Adults Report.
Kerzner International has signed deals to operate two new Siro recovery hotels in Mexico and
Saudi Arabia, following the launch of the inaugural Siro property in Dubai this February.
Nuffield Health’s fourth annual survey, the Healthier Nation Index, has found people moved
slightly more in 2023 than 2022, but almost 75 per cent are still not meeting WHO guidelines.
The US spa industry is continuing its upward trajectory, achieving an unprecedented milestone
with a record-breaking revenue of US$21.3 billion in 2023, surpassing the previous high of
US$20.1 billion in 2022.
Short-term incentives for exercise, such as using daily reminders, rewards or games, can lead
to sustained increases in activity according to new research.
The Sacred River Spa at Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan will reopen later this year with an
all-new design plus enhanced treatments and experiences inspired by its river valley home.
Operator Circadian Trust has launched a five-year growth drive designed to
support health and wellbeing across South Gloucestershire, UK. The initiative
will see a £2.4m investment in its five Active Lifestyle Centres.
With an increasing number of luxury hotels and resorts offering day and resort passes to
drive staycation business, Book4Time, a leader in innovative spa and wellness solutions, is
thrilled to announce the launch of Day & Resort Passes on its award-winning platform. [more...]
