Everyone’s talking about...
Spas could be taken more seriously if they followed up treatment outcomes with guests
Scientific proof
COULD A UNION WITH HEALTHCARE BE THE SPA INDUSTRY’S REWARD FOR BECOMING MORE SAVVY ABOUT SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH?
KATH HUDSON » JOURNALIST » SPA BUSINESS T
he spa industry prides itself on offering services that make a real different to people’s health and
wellbeing. Yet recently it has come under fire for not backing up these claims. This is bad news if you take into
account SRI’s new International Spas and the Global Wellness Market report, which found that 71 per cent of consum- ers would be more likely to visit spas if they knew studies had shown treatments to deliver measurable health benefits. Sometimes services or products
offered can be, at best, gimmicky or, at worst, dangerous. However, there are also some highly beneficial and credible experiences and treatments out there. So, how can the industry prove its worth? Should it commission targeted scientific
research into its practices and consist- ently follow up outcomes with clients? Or, is it not appropriate to conduct tri- als in spa environments? Also, while big pharmaceutical com-
panies can spend a fortune on proving efficacy, companies behind complemen- tary therapies rarely have the budget to do this. Could the industry pool resources to create funding to support future research? Or would it be possible to cre- ate a database of existing studies – such as those that outline the benefit of mas- sage, hydrotherapy and heat experiences
– which could be accessed for free? Providing evidence wouldn’t just be
good for the industry’s credibility, it could also open up a whole new audience. A report by PricewaterhouseCoopers,
20 Read Spa Business online
spabusiness.com / digital
HealthCast 2020, shows that the global health industries will become unsustain- able within 15-20 years, as they struggle to cope with the issues caused by an ageing population, stress, diabetes and obesity. Health systems need to focus more on encouraging healthy living or ‘wellness’ rather than managing illness. Spas already promote health so are ahead of the curve, if they can prove treatment efficacy. Working with the scientific and med-
ical communities could attract a huge number of potential clients, as well as new potential avenues for funding, from governments and private health insur- ance companies. Is this tie-up with healthcare really
possible? And how can the industry bring it about? We ask the experts…
SPA BUSINESS 3 2010 ©Cybertrek 2010
PHOTO: ISTOCK.COM/©STEVE COLE
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