This page contains a Flash digital edition of a book.
RESEARCH


POINTS OF VIEW


ISPA’s latest industry study reveals subtle, yet interesting, variances among international consumers. PwC’s Colin McIlheney explores the nuances


T


he sixth Consumer Snapshot Initiative by the International Spa Association (ISPA), which focuses on trends and attitudes among consumers to the spa


industry, highlights several small but important variances across four major economies – the US, UK, Canada and Australia. Spending on spa treatments and experiences has rebounded impressively since the financial downturn of 2008-2009 and the industry has a loyal customer base. Across the globe, the sector is in an encouraging position and this study aims to provide spa businesses with information to drive further improvement and growth. The study, conducted by consultancy


PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) on behalf of the ISPA Foundation, was based on a representative sample of 4,000 consumers across the four countries. It examined several areas of the spa industry including the reasons people go to spas, how they go, how much is spent on which retail products and on which spa treatments. Perhaps more importantly, the research also asked non-spa-goers the reasons behind their decision not to visit a spa.


ABOUT ISPA RESEARCH


The ISPA Foundation is a non-profit educational and research arm of the US-based International Spa Association (ISPA). It commissioned the first Consumer Snapshot Study in 2011 and has since released six volumes of research focusing on spa-goer and


non-spa-goer tendencies and perceptions. The aim of the 2015


Consumer Snapshot Volume VI study, prepared by PwC, is to give an insight into consumer attitudes of spas in the US and – for the first time – three other countries: Canada, the


64 spabusiness.com issue 3 2015 ©CYBERTREK 2015


UK and Australia. ISPA members can download a complimentary copy of the full report at www.expereinceispa.com. The association itself


represents over 3,400 spa professionals, including operators, practitioners and product suppliers, in more than 70 countries.


Some people love to be pampered, others associate it with being spoiled


Who goes to spas? Given the cultural ties between the four participating nations, the differences in attitudes to spas and frequency of spa-going were slight rather than seismic, although it may come as a surprise to learn that British consumers visit spas more than anyone else. In the UK, 47 per cent of women and 40 per cent of men had been to a spa in the last 12 months, with British men more likely to visit a spa than


men from any of the other three nations. Least likely to visit a spa are Australians, with just 38 per cent of men and women attending a spa in the last year – although it’s the only nation where men are just as likely to visit a spa as women. The idea of men only visiting a spa to


buy a gift certificate for their girlfriends, wives or mothers is also increasingly in the past. The study was able to pinpoint the typical male spa-goer: aged 25-44, middle to high income, buys moisturiser and gets a massage. Most importantly, male spa-goers tend to view their spa visits not as indulgences but as necessities, whether to maintain their appearance for work or as part of an overall personal wellness programme.


Key to growth? One of the main areas where the spa industry can drive growth is by turning infrequent spa-goers into regular spa- goers. Across the four nations surveyed, less than 20 per cent of spa-goers visit a facility more than four times a year. And although British spa-goers are most likely to visit a spa, they’re actually less


WAVEBREAKMEDIA/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120  |  Page 121  |  Page 122  |  Page 123  |  Page 124  |  Page 125  |  Page 126