talented head-office team has a very broad range of skills and experience: we have people with back- grounds in spa management, hospitality, design, training and marketing. George: For therapists and personal trainers, we recruit locally. We’re not really concerned how much experience someone has as we can train them; if they love what they’re doing, they’re the people for us.
Why did you choose LI’TYA as your exclusive partner for Limegrove?
George: We’ve worked with LI’TYA at Aphrodite Hills for over two years, and not only do they offer great value, but their commitment to quality and their business ethos match our own. Tey also offer something unique: the LI’TYA range is inspired by ingredients and rituals used by the Aboriginal people for 40,000 years, and I don’t think there’s any other company in the industry that can claim to have that kind of history and philosophy behind them. Chris: But what really makes LI’TYA unique is the way they com- bine these ancient traditions with the latest technology – they’ve even developed a distilling method that preserves the life-force of the plant, ensuring their products contain only highly active ingredi- ents. Tey also practise a ‘tread-lightly’ philosophy, partnering with organic farmers whose methods have a minimal impact on the envi- ronment, and using only recyclable or biodegradable packaging.
How did you become a distributor for the company?
Chris: We saw an opportunity, because although LI’TYA is a luxury brand, it hasn’t yet reached the luxury spa market in many parts of the world – and as a distributor, we really felt our voice could be heard with the product. We’re one of eight distributors world- wide, and we have exclusive rights in more than 40 countries across Europe, the Middle East, North Africa and Russia.
SPA BUSINESS 2 2011 ©Cybertrek 2011
Te Retreat Spa at Aphrodite Hills (above); LI’TYA products (both pictures, right)
George: The reason LI’TYA has chosen us is because they’ve seen how we value their product, and what we can do with it. As distributors, we don’t just supply products, we also offer consulting services, from designing signature treatments to training on stock-taking and setting up the retail area. We show them how to make money.
When will the first Limegrove Spa open?
Chris: We have five Limegrove Spas in the pipeline, but the first will open this July in Cairo, in a private members’ club offering more than 2,000sq m (21,528sq ſt) of sport, leisure and restaurant facilities. Te challenge there is that we’ve effectively had to build two spas – one ladies-only and one mixed – both of which offer treatment rooms, ther- mal areas and fitness centres. It’s going to be a big, beautiful spa. George: We’re also working on a spa for a new agrotourism devel- opment in Cyprus, where guests stay in traditional cottages in a working village in the mountains. We’ve already created a small, non- branded spa there, in a 19th-century house, and we’re now working on a brand new 1,000sq m (10,764sq ſt) Limegrove Spa, which will combine the Limegrove formula with a number of unique elements, such as signature treatments using the area’s natural thermal waters and hiking in the forest. Everything, from the design to the therapies, will reflect the environment. Tere are a lot of construction chal- lenges and planning restrictions, but it’s a very exciting project.
What challenges is the spa industry facing right now?
Chris: Te biggest challenge is delivering consistent quality and keeping up with lifestyle trends, while also making the spa business profitable. Tis has always been difficult, but it’s going to get even more difficult as clients become ever more demanding, while costs are not going down, they’re going up. Balancing high standards with profitability is the challenge, and that’s where we come in. l
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