Letters
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Insider knowledge on the spa market in Baku
Richard Grew, regional project manager, Resense Spa
There’s no doubt, as Professor Stevens points out in Spa Business (see SB12/1 p82), that Azerbaijan and in particular, Baku is booming when it comes to spa development. We’ve managed Kempinski The Spa, Badamdar since it opened in December 2011 and feel we can offer some unique insights on the marketplace. With the rapid growth of major hotels, spa utilisation has yet to keep up with the rate of construction in Baku. Yes, there’s an increasing business clientele, but many spa operators struggle to draw them in. The real promise lies in the growing – albeit slow – emergence of the Azerbaijani middle class and increasing tourism from surrounding countries. Key to success will be understanding these guests and their view of spas. Azerbaijan has strong historical links with Germany, Turkey and Russia and has been heavily infl uenced by the dominating spa cultures from these countries. Hammams and large relaxation spaces to socialise and drink tea in are very sought-after.
Massage is still the most requested service, but in Baku the traditional practice sees copious amounts of oil massaged into every inch of you – including your eyeballs and inner ears!
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Resense has managed Kempinski, T e Spa Badamdar in Baku since it opened in late December
Hiring VIP suites for a set time and then adding treatments is also very popular. Massage is still the most requested service, accounting for 65 per cent of treatment revenue, but in Baku the traditional practice sees copious amounts of oil massaged into every inch of you – including your eyeballs and inner ears! Men are by far the biggest users of spa – over 85 per cent of our clients are male aged 45-65. But regardless of Muslim culture or gender, female therapists are nearly always requested and are expected to be highly skilled. Unfortunately, many
locals have little or no formal therapist training so big players, like Kempinski, are introducing their own expert trainers, which has led to clear improvement. And international spa training is perceived by local therapists as a major draw. Although training does need to be conducted in English and Azeri, with the Azeri often broken down further into Russian and Turkish, so it does take longer. Overall, our experience has been very positive. Baku is readying itself to meet growing numbers of business and leisure travellers and the future is very promising.
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SPA BUSINESS 3 2012 ©Cybertrek 2012
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