INDUSTRY INSIGHTS


HEALTH CLUB SPA


Spa scene


Our panel of experts offer their thoughts on the current trends shaping health club spas


GERARD McCARTHY SALES DIRECTOR, DALESAUNA


in health and fi tness. Spa operators are now seeking return on investment more than ever before, and are looking for products that they can make a tangible return on –dry fl oat and Rasul mud rooms, for example, for which they can make specifi c charges, and which require very little therapist ‘hands-on’ involvement. For health clubs, I believe heat experiences are still seen


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very much as a must-have. However, they currently offer relatively little opportunity for making a direct charge for use, other than in a tiered membership structure – at David Lloyd Leisure, for example, where the standard membership package allows access to the gym, pool, poolside sauna and steam room, but where an upgraded, opt-in Celsius membership includes access to a separate heat experience area with rooms such as salt vapour, aromatherapy, ice cave, hydro-pool and so on. In my opinion, this tiered approach will become a


more popular method of pricing club usage, as it will allow operators to compete at all levels. Also, if members can pay for what they want rather than paying an all-in price, each individual will be able to tailor their membership to their own specifi c requirements, hopefully leading to increased membership levels and better retention.


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he trends in heat experiences have changed over the past 12–18 months, but more so in the spa market than


SUSIE ELLIS PRESIDENT, SPAFINDER


spas will need to rethink everything to address Boomers’ specifi c needs: facilities, equipment, programming and staffi ng. As futurist Edie Weiner – keynote speaker at the 2010 Global Spa Summit – so wisely says, the days of ‘over-65’ as a catch-all, ‘old person’ category are over. We need to think about the unique issues for people aged 65–70, 70–75, 75–80 and so on. Ageing Boomers will have more aches and pains, back, neck and knee problems. We’ll see more knee, hip and shoulder replacements. Problems with mobility, depression and nutrition will also rise. Boomers will be less focused on looking good and more


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concerned about their health. Physical therapy will play a larger role, with rehabilitation and restoration as key goals. In general, a more individual, nuanced approach will need to be taken. Wellness coaching will enter the scene in a big way, while home exercise – using portable items like dumbbells and stretch bands, ideally suited for this audience – and home spa services will become more popular. Also on the horizon are insurance company reimbursements


(which may, initially, cause more headaches than revenue), the rising impact of technology – online spa bookings, for example – and interesting new wellness diagnostics and online health monitoring options, which will add a bit of zest.


think the big story over the next few years is going to be about the ageing Baby Boomer. Health clubs and


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