SPA TRENDS
HEALTH CLUB SPA
SPACE
The Health and Wellness Knowledge Venturing team at global foresights firm The Futures Company share their thoughts on the hottest trends impacting the health club spa industry worldwide
A
ffordable indulgence A holistic approach to wellbeing is innate to the millennial generation and
something they’re reluctant to sacrifice, despite the economic uncertainty and financial constraints that surround them. Eighteen- to 33-year-olds in western
Europe have grown up accustomed to a society where it’s acceptable to focus on yourself as an individual and dedicate time to your own mental and emotional wellbeing. Yet times are tough for this group, particularly at the younger end of the age spectrum, as they attempt to establish themselves on the career ladder against a backdrop of austerity. They’re increasingly worried about their future and are having to plan for the long term in a way that previous generations managed to avoid. Emotional wellbeing is under threat as anxiety over job security, debt and future prospects takes hold. Should the health club spa industry
be worried about a cash-strapped younger generation? Reassuringly, in this climate, little luxuries are more important than ever for this age group. Whether it’s a cup of their favourite coffee or a weekly music download, millennials are normally unwilling to sacrifi ce the boosts that help them to maintain an even keel and deal with the pressures they are under. The spa industry should take note:
luxury treatments will be out of budget, but affordable, everyday treats such as express manicures or day passes to use spa facilities are just what this population group needs and craves. If the spa industry can offer a range of treatments that meet a £10–20 budget, there’s an opportunity to reach out to this younger audience.
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Spa ‘gamification’ Gamification is fast permeating every part of the health and wellness industry – not only fitness (see HCM June 12, p46 and HCM Oct 12, p50), but also spas. Social gaming offers an important
If spas can hit a treatment price point of £10–20, they can attract a younger audience
offered, especially treatments and technologies that are new to the market.
In the future, we might also expect
means to enrich client relationships. Facebook has already been used by many brands to educate and engage with clients and staff through social gaming: Clarins’ Spa Life, for example, is a game in which Facebook users must manage virtual customers in a virtual spa. More recently, pharmaceutical group
Boehringer Ingelheim created Syrum, a Facebook game in which players solve global pandemics and diseases by discovering cures, creating a stable drug, and then testing it through clinical trials. It’s easy to imagine how this type of
immersive social gaming might be used to educate spa clients about treatments
Read Health Club Management online at
healthclubmanagement.co.uk/digital
to see spas using gamifi cation to improve loyalty schemes. An app that rewards clients for purchases could replace physical loyalty cards, for example. Businesses could incentivise clients to return for more treatments – especially those who do not make regular visits – by offering them points to trade in against discounted or even free treatments and trials. Tracking features – already common among apps focused on more goal-orientated aspects of health, such as diet and exercise – could also be incorporated to help clients record and comment on treatments they have enjoyed. Gaming can help deliver a higher level
of client engagement, which can only benefi t health club spas and their clients.
May 2013 © Cybertrek 2013
LEV DOLGACHOV/
SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
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