spa trends
q&a
Icy touch Crushed ice can be
used for body scrubbing after
a heat room treatment
experience, but the number of saunas
we sell has been diluted by the range of
products we now offer. And we tailor
the offering to the end user. Females
seem to prefer lower temperatures,
softer heat, maybe steam. They like the
aromatherapy rooms because they don’t
feel harsh and prickly on your skin, they
smell amazing and they’re not too hot.
what can health club spas
do to raise their game?
Staff training is vital. It’s one of things
we certainly recognised and have tried
to drive forward. If you join a health
club, you have an induction before you
do anything, and we’re trying to suggest
the same for the wet facilities, because
there’s such a variety of experiences
now which all do different things.
Nothing beats the staff using the
facilities themselves, otherwise it’s
impossible for them to recommend
anything with enthusiasm. It always
surprises me how often the staff don’t
bother to try out the facilities in advance.
what can suppliers do to
progress the industry?
Education. We need to keep pushing the
idea that we’re not a one-off treat or a centres in Germany and Austria are how can it be made
luxury, which is how it still tends to be unbelievable: beautifully built and more affordable?
viewed in the UK. Seventy per cent of fantastically provisioned, but also We need the government to realise that
visits to GPs are because of stress- affordable. They may have 20 different it’s as important as fitness. This was
related complaints, so we need to do heat experiences, as well as indoor and discussed at SIBEC: the fitness bodies
more to get the message across that outdoor pools, but it only costs €10 are getting funding to support their
sitting in a steamroom isn’t a waste of to use it. They’re heavily subsidised campaigns for fitness so, if we had a
time – it’s vital relaxation. because their governments realise the sufficiently strong lobby to stress the
We’re a long way away from the benefi ts of relaxation. benefits of relaxation, perhaps it might
attitude they have in continental We’re a long way away from that be taken seriously, with funding to make
Europe. Our neighbours in Germany, kind of facility. Whitley Bay is making it more affordable. We need to get away
Austria, Italy, Slovenia, Slovakia all it accessible and moving it away from from this idea of it being a treat. Spa for
have long histories of thermal spas being an elitist experience, but more all as well as sport for all!
and regard it as an everyday part of operators need to look at ways of
life. They see relaxation and wellbeing making it affordable. It’s the expense that kath hudson
as one of the things they do. The reinforces the attitude that this is a treat.
healthclub@leisuremedia.com
62 Read Health Club Management online august 2009 © cybertrek 2009
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