Spa Executive_April Issue

Spa Executive
The magazine for leaders in the business of wellness
April 2021 Issue #25
KENNETH
RYAN
Vice President of Global
Wellness, Spa and Fitness
Operations for Marriott
International on what it takes
to be a successful leader in
spa & wellness.
THE IMPORTANCE
OF ONLINE REVIEWS
HOW TO INCREASE
SPA REVENUE
FEATURE: ANANTARA
GOLDEN TRIANGLE
THE FUTURE OF THE
SPA INDUSTRY

Spa Executive
The magazine for leaders in the business of wellness
ISSUE #25 – APRIL 2021
IN THIS MONTH'S ISSUE
ABOUT SPA
EXECUTIVE
Spa Executive is Book4Time's
magazine for leaders in the
business of wellness. News,
views, and interviews for the
those who want to attract top
talent, increase customer retention,
and offer the best possible
guest experience.
SPOTLIGHT
04
Kenneth Ryan, Vice President
of Global Wellness, Spa
and Fitness Operations for
Marriott International on what
it takes to be a successful
leader in spa & wellness
14
How to stop leaving money
on the table and increase spa
revenue
GROWTH
04
THE SPA EXECUTIVE
MAGAZINE TEAM
PUBLISHER
Roger Sholanki
8
BUSINESS
Turn your customers into
Influencers. Here's How
16
Featured property: Anantara
Golden Triangle
14
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Nima Chadha
EDITOR
Elizabeth Bromstein
10
Do reviews matter? They're
one of your most important
marketing tools
INDUSTRY NEWS
18
Hilton Grand Vacations Inc.
acquires Diamond Resorts
International
DESIGNER
Tiffany Delve
MANAGEMENT
12
The Future of the Spa
Industry: Where do we go
from here?
12
16
www. spaexecutive.com
Spa Executive APRIL 2021 ISSUE Spa Executive
APRIL 2021 ISSUE

SPOTLIGHT
MARRIOTT'S KENNETH RYAN
ON LEADERSHIP, RETAIL &
TECHNOLOGY
Kenneth Ryan, Vice President of Global Wellness, Spa and Fitness
Operations for Marriott International, talked with Spa Executive about
a range of topics, including what it takes to be a successful leader in
spa & wellness.
Kenneth Ryan is the Vice President of Global
Wellness, Spa and Fitness Operations for
Marriott International, the world’s largest hotel
spa operator
In his role, Mr. Ryan drives the design and
development of global programs for over
500 spas for brands that include, but are not
limited to, The St. Regis, The Ritz-Carlton,
W Hotels, and JW Marriott. He also directs
fitness center design and programs for Marriott
International across all 30 hotel brands and has
led the creation of Wellness Programs for the
JW Marriott brand, designing and launching
traveler-focused fitness videos, a wellness
book, wellness retreats and a mobile fitness
application. On top of that, Mr. Ryan plans to
add more than 90 on-brand spa projects to
Marriott’s portfolio over the next four years.
An iconic figure in the hospitality industry, Mr.
Ryan began his career more than 20 years ago
and has served as Spa Director for several of
the world’s leading resort destinations. Before
joining Marriott in 2011, he was in charge
of Fairmont Hotels’ North American spa
operations.
We talked with Mr. Ryan about leadership, retail,
technology and more.
Please talk about your career trajectory
and how you came to be doing what you
are today.
My first job in spa and wellness was working
for the JW Marriott Camelback Inn Spa in
Scottsdale, Arizona more than two decades
ago.
I had been managing a small hotel in New
Jersey and I was actually applying for a front
office management position. At that time I had
listed my personal interest in fitness & wellness
on my resume and that I had worked in health
and fitness when I was in school, and they said
to me, “we have a spa here at our resort. We
have a position available there. Would you like
to try it?” That was my official foray into spa
operations. I began at the bottom in operations
checking people in and out and cleaning the
locker rooms.
In my previous position, business travelers
would check into the hotel and run up to the
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APRIL 2021 ISSUE

oom to call in their sales orders for the day, then
go hit the lounge. I never had much interaction
with them. As I moved on to Camelback Inn Spa,
I saw these powerful executives coming into our
spa totally frazzled. They’d spend the week with
us and I’d get to know them, and I would see the
transformation come over them during that time.
It was amazing. I never would’ve thought in a
million years – and neither would anyone who
knew me as a kid growing up – that this is what I
would love doing.
I worked on property in spa operations for
14 or 15 years overseeing all aspects of
the spa. I grew up in the industry and was
fortunate enough to keep advancing, eventually
obtaining the position that I have today. I love
the complexity of the business, the problem
solving, the creativity, and the strategic aspect
of it. There are a thousand things going on at
any given time and each one impacts the guest
experience and moves the business forward.
Do you have an overarching wellness
concept at Marriott or does it differ
across properties?
We look at spa and wellness from a brand’s
lens point of view. How we design spa and
wellness for The Ritz-Carlton is different from
how we design wellness for The St. Regis,
which is different from how we design wellness
for W Hotels. Each of our brands has a very
specific customer experience. They know their
customers, and we align the spa and wellness
experience with the customer’s expectation
when interacting with that brand. The Ritz-
Carlton and W Hotels are both luxury products,
but one’s distinctive lifestyle, luxury and one’s
classic luxury. How the customer experiences
those hotels, and what they’re looking for is
different.
What does it take to be a leader in spa
and wellness at your level?
Being willing and able to go to battle to realize
your vision. Part of my role is being the voice of
our spas and our spa teams and going to bat
with hotel owners and executives on their behalf,
to get them the resources and support they
need. I’m also the champion for our brand spa
"I've been a champion of online
booking for spa for at least eight or
nine years. If you're a spa today, you
absolutely have to be in the
online booking space. Guests want
the freedom to be able to get things
done in their time and at their
leisure and not be confined to
actually calling when the spa is
open or waiting on hold"
concepts. These days, because wellness is so mainstream,
everybody’s got a very personal perspective on fitness and
wellness which adds complexity. Sometimes we have to
remind them that the branded spa concept is an extension of
the hotel brand and the expected guest experience.
We also have to ensure that we stay connected with the
teams working in the spas and can be the voice of our staff
and leaders, applying their needs and voice to future areas of
development across the company.
Spas often struggle with retail. Sephora alone, for
example, does more retail revenue than the entire
spa industry. Do you have any insight into why this is
and how to solve the problem?
I've learned that retail is very much a science. The more I work
with the experts, the more I realize how much expertise there
is in it. There’s a behavior in how people shop. There’s a reason
why Sephora is successful. There is a science to everything
they do, there’s a science to the way the store is lit, to the
planogram and how it’s laid out, to the way they allow people
to test and play with the product. When you work with retail
experts, you see it, and we, as an industry, are not necessarily
doing that. There’s opportunity for retail to get better by
providing more education and guidance, and bringing in the
people who do it well.
I am also very interested in how we bring technology into this
retail/spa space. I am actively exploring ways we can make
shopping easier for our consumers that better align with how
they shop today in the digital space.
What challenges will the spa and hospitality
industries face in the forseeable future?
The biggest industry challenge has been compounded during
recent times, and that is our ability to attract young people to
become therapists and join the industry. We have been short
staffed for some time and now, due to COVID, many therapists
have left the industry and have taken different career paths.
I anticipate this will continue and will make it difficult for us to
meet the growing needs of our industry. Wellness and travel
are at the forefront for consumers, demand for our services
will grow, and we are going to struggle to meet that demand
because we are not going to have the staff.
The industry needs to come together and promote wellness
as a career path in high schools and vocational schools,
highlighting the benefits. We also need to listen to our current
therapist needs and ensure they are being met.
Have you found yourself relying more on technology
lately?
The transformation that has happened in this last year is
incredible. Fitness centers that closed quickly got their
technology together to do video classes, 71,000 new health,
wellness and fitness apps launched in 2020, and so much
more.
We’re working on technology in the spa space and how we can
make the whole experience more transformational. It should
be less about the transaction and more about the experience.
I love those functions and features that make that possible.
That’s huge and I think people want that. Guests like the
convenience of ordering products and having them delivered
to your car or curbside. We learned that behavior now, and
we’re comfortable with it. There’s a way to integrate that into
the spa experience.
I’ve been a champion of online booking for spa for at least
eight or nine years. If you’re a spa today, you absolutely have
to be in the online booking space. Guests want the freedom
to be able to get things done in their time and at their leisure,
and not be confined to actually calling when the spa is open or
waiting on hold.
What industry developments or movements are you
excited about?
I’m excited about the growth and development within our
company. I am working on at least 25 new spa build projects
right now. We’re going to open at least 15 spas in 2021. I’ve
got projects from Mexico City, to Bermuda, to China, to Dubai,
and to Texas. Everything looks positive. That’s huge. I’m
also excited that we’re getting ready to launch two new spa
concepts for The St. Regis and W Hotels brands.
I also love the evolution of the spa experience. It used to be
that spa was this quiet, sleepy type of space, and it could only
be Zen. Now we’re creating modernized experiences that are
social and fun.
If you could give one piece of advice to spa and
wellness directors, what would it be?
Go above and beyond – work to the level of the position you
want, not the one you are paid for – practice self care and
nourish your mind with positivity and that’s what will return to
you.
Spa Executive APRIL 2021 ISSUE Spa Executive
APRIL 2021 ISSUE

BUSINESS
TURN YOUR CUSTOMERS INTO
INFLUENCERS. HERE’S HOW
Influencer marketing can be very expensive, or a cost effective way to give your
brand a boost. Here’s why and how to turn your customers into influencers.
With more and more consumers ignoring and
blocking traditional, outbound ads, content
marketing is often touted as more effective and
cost effective. Influencer marketing can play an
important role in a content marketing strategy.
Some research and insights on influencer
marketing:
- The influencer marketing industry is reportedly
set to grow to approximately $13.8 Billion in 2021.
- 75% of businesses intend to dedicate a budget to
influencer marketing in 2021.
- A survey found that 90% of respondents believe
influencer marketing is an effective form of
marketing.
WHY CONSIDER INFLUENCER MARKETING?
Reports suggest that people are put off by
traditional advertising and most likely to just
ignore it in 2021. Research has also found that
consumers trust recommendations from real
people significantly more than we trust advertising
and promotions from brands, and that influencer
marketing works.
A study conducted a few years ago looked at
the results of an influencer marketing program
conducted for White Wave Foods, the parent
company of Silk Almond Milk and other products,
and found the following:
- Households exposed to influencer marketing
purchased 10% more Silk products than a control
group.
- Every 1000 people exposed to influencer
marketing purchased $285 worth of Silk products
more than the control group.
- After 12 months, the ROI of influencer blog posts
alone (not including social promotion) was 11X
the ROI of banner ads.
WHY TURN YOUR EXISTING CUSTOMERS INTO
INFLUENCERS FOR YOUR BRAND
There are several different ways to employ
influencer marketing. Knowing whether to pay big
prices, or what you should be expected to pay can
be hard to figure out, as it varies widely. And it
can be difficult to know what to expect in terms of
ROI and how to avoid getting scammed by people
with fake followings. One way to find people to
work with is to comb through Instagram and
TikTok looking for relevant accounts with large
followings. There are also agencies that work with
influencers.
An influencer may have millions of followers, a few
hundred thousand, or just a few thousand (maybe
even a few hundred). Influencer Marketing Hub
has broken down influencer levels into categories
that look like this:
Nano-influencers: 1,000–10,000 followers
Micro-influencers: 10,000–50,000 followers
Mid-tier influencers: 50,000–500,000 followers
Macro-influencers: 500,000–1,000,000 followers
Mega-influencers: 1,000,000+ followers
The price of partnering with these people can be
anything from $10 to more than a million. But
bigger followings don’t necessarily mean better
bang for your buck. You might find that someone
with just a few thousand followers has far more
actual reach and engagement than someone
with a million followers. Even someone with 500
followers can be very influential, if those 500
people are very engaged with that
person.
For example, Dwayne Johnson, who
reportedly makes a million dollars
per sponsored Instagram post, got
1.8 million likes on a shared photo
of wireless earbuds. Out of his
200 million followers, that’s a less
than one percent engagement rate.
Compare that to a post by Gabby
Whiten, a nano influencer, about dish
soap that got 300 likes. Out of her
3,000 (at the time) followers, that’s
a 10% engagement rate. Builtin.com
points out that what nano-influencers
lack in reach, they make up for in
engagement.
One way to find these smaller-level
influencers is to look at people who
already know and love your brand.
Tim Sovay, chief operating officer of
CreatorIQ, an influencer marketing
platform with a database of more
than 20 million “creators,” told
Marketing Dive, “As the industry
evolves, we are moving away from
what was ‘Influencer Marketing 1.0,’
which was really a transactional
relationship between brands and the
creators that they worked with on
one-off campaigns.” Now, he says,
marketers are looking for longer-term
partnerships.
“A creator is really choosing the
types of brands that they want to
work with, that they identify with
and who their audience is interested
in,” Sovay said. “On the brand side,
they’re looking for a more authentic
relationship, and weirdly, it’s almost
like a traditional endorsement.” This is
where understanding your high-value
customer comes in, he said.
Those influencers are already available
to you in the form of your existing
clients. Spa and hospitality is well
positioned to truly tap into this. You
already have customers that love
you and your brand, and unlike many
other types of businesses, you have
direct interactions with and have built
relationships with these people. They
know you and you know them better
than a retail company, or similar,
probably knows and is known by its
customers. Take advantage of that.
Use your databases of customer
information to partner with your most
loyal. They are all potential brand
ambassadors and they are your target
market because they are already your
customers.
HOW TO TURN YOUR LOYAL
CUSTOMERS INTO BRAND
INFLUENCERS
Find ways to incentivize your
customers to market your brand for
you. It does not have to cost you much
and the return should be more than
your investment. More than a third of
brands are more likely to give away free
product samples or offer discounts
than to pay their influencers.
Offer discounts and products in
exchange for referrals. Elkfox, a
digital commerce solutions company,
suggests creating tiered incentives, like
$5 off a treatment for every friend who
makes a purchase if they share a code,
and increasing the reward to a hundred,
or several hundred dollars worth of
products or services if more friends
become customers (like $100 off when
friends’ purchases equal $600). You
can also use your loyalty program to
encourage referrals.
You want your customers to share
positive messages about your brand
with their networks, and to make
that happen, you have to ask. When
you are communicating with existing
customers, invite them to share
these messages, particularly after a
treatment, service, or purchase. You
can send a survey before asking to
make sure they are happy.
Click here to read the full article
Spa Executive APRIL 2021 ISSUE Spa Executive
APRIL 2021 ISSUE

BUSINESS
DO REVIEWS MATTER?
THEY'RE ONE OF YOUR MOST
IMPORTANT MARKETING TOOLS
Online reviews have dramatically
changed the way people make
purchasing decisions. Your online
reviews can have a massive impact on
your business success, affecting it on
many levels.
HOW MUCH DO REVIEWS MATTER?
Most people read and write reviews,
according to research. In 2020, 72% of
consumers had written a review for a
local business, up from 66% in 2019, and
87% said they looked at online reviews
for local businesses, an increase of
six percent over 2019. More than half
(52%) of consumers said they would not
consider using a business with fewer
than four stars.
In 2018, 70% of people were using rating
filters and the most commonly applied
filter was to see only businesses with
four-star ratings or higher. Consumers
also said they don’t trust businesses with
lower than a four-star rating and 80% said
the ratings they trust the most are 4.0,
4.5, and 5 stars. Ninety-four percent said
an online review has convinced them to
avoid a business.
Specific to hospitality, reviews may be
even more important than they are for
other business types. Tripadvisor found
the following:
- 96% of Tripadvisor users consider
reading reviews important when
planning trips and booking hotels.
- 83% of Tripadvisor users will
“usually” or “always” reference
reviews before deciding to book a
hotel.
- More than half of Tripadvisor users
will not book a property that doesn’t
have any reviews.
Research has also found that travelers
are 3.9 times more likely to choose a
hotel with higher review scores when
the prices are the same, and actually
more likely to book a hotel with a
higher score even when it’s more
expensive. When asked, 76% said they
were willing to pay more for a hotel
with higher review scores.
ENCOURAGE YOUR GUESTS TO
WRITE REVIEWS
As you can see, reviews are an
intrinsic part of the buyer’s decisionmaking
process. You should therefore
be encouraging your guests to write
them. Before doing this, send a
customer satisfaction survey after a
guest’s visit to ensure that the guest
is happy with their experience. If their
responses are less than positive, this
is your chance to make amends.
Remember that many people won’t
complain if they’re unhappy with a
service or product; they just won’t
come back. And, often, what they
won’t say to your face they will say
in a negative online review. Nip
that in the bud before it happens. It
works. I once had a mildly negative
experience at a hotel and did
not complain. They later sent a
customer satisfaction survey and
I wrote about my experience in
the comments box. The manager
immediately sent me an apology
and a gift. I was mollified and
continue to be a happy customer of
this company (though I would not
have posted a negative review).
Make your customers happy. Then
encourage them to write a review by
sending an email or message with
links to review sites.
PEOPLE EXPECT COMPANIES TO
RESPOND TO THEIR REVIEWS
You should also respond to reviews,
whether they are positive or
negative.
According to sources, 52% of
customers expect to hear back
from brands within seven days of
writing an online review, particularly
if the review is negative. One in four
expect a response within three days,
and 21% expect a response within
24 hours.
How to respond? Be gracious. Never
get defensive, fight or argue with
a customer. Once in a blue moon
that sort of response can work in
someone’s favour, but it’s rare, and
it’s far more likely to make you look
petty. Apologize and say that you are
sorry the customer had a negative
experience. Ask how you can make
it better. See if you can make them
happy and maybe they will change
their review. Statistics reportedly
show that 33% of customers
who received a response from a
company after posting a negative
comment changed their review to
a positive one and 34% deleted the
original negative review.
If a review is positive, say thank
you. Someone took the time to say
something nice, and it’s nice to
recognize that. Not responding to
reviews may reportedly increase
your customer churn by up to 15%.
REVIEWS AFFECT GOOGLE
RANKINGS
One final point: reviews affect your
Google ranking. The results of a
2016 survey found that reviews
accounted for 15.44% of how
Google ranks a local business.
These numbers will change year to
year, but they clearly have an impact.
Good reviews will boost your brand
profile and image, while bad ones
can sink you. You can’t afford to
ignore this valuable – and cost
effective – marketing tool. Pay
attention to what people are saying
about you.
Spa Executive APRIL 2021 ISSUE Spa Executive
APRIL 2021 ISSUE

MANAGEMENT
We sat down with Kathryn
Gallagher from the Leading
Spas of Canada to talk about the
Future of the Spa Industry.
THE FUTURE OF THE SPA
INDUSTRY, WHERE DO WE GO
FROM HERE?
It has now been one year since the world became
aware of Covid-19, and no one could have predicted
how long it was going to last or the impact it would
have, especially in the hospitality sector, which
includes spas. Leaders from our industry talk about
not only the financial impact the virus has had, but
the lack of support and general disregard we have
been afforded. This is not just a Canadian issue, but
a global one.
“We are one of the most compliant industries, having
invested time and resources in providing safe and
Covid-secure environments, and yet we continue to
be penalised and placed behind almost every other
sector,” said Danny Pecorelli, Managing Director,
Exclusive Collection, UK (European Spa Magazine).
The pandemic has exposed how vulnerable our
industry is when government restrictions are put
in place. The question becomes, “what can we
do to change the government’s perception of our
businesses going forward?” Unfortunately, there is
no federal government regulation of the Canadian
spa industry and that is where an association would
help.
Leading Spas of Canada was established
in 2000 and is the only national spa
industry association in Canada. We
represent the broad spectrum of the spa
experience, including hotel, resort and
day spas, destination, Nordic, mineral
spring and thermal spas, and medical
spas. In addition, we represent resource
partners, educational institutions,
individual professionals and students.
Our members adhere to the highest
standards and practices related to
service, hygiene and safety. In 2009,
a first-of-its-kind, national Quality
Assurance Approved (QA) program was
developed.
No one else has Quality Assurance
Approved certification and this unique
program is a method for verifying that
the quality and integrity of the services
and best practices provided by spas
have been met. Government and
health officials should know that spas
earn the distinctive Quality Assurance
Approved designation by completing an
assessment conducted by independent
third-party assessors specially trained for
this industry. Renewal is not automatic,
and spas must re-qualify once their
terms expire. When people see this
logo, they know the spa they are visiting
is audited regularly by a third party to
ensure they are meeting the highest
standards of health and safety, hygiene
and cleanliness and adhering to a code
of ethics and conduct. People who are
hesitant will feel a sense of reassurance
when they see spas with this logo.
We are also looking at the future
of spas in Canada and the role of
Wellness. We are seeing how the
pandemic has made people aware
of the need for self-care (physical as
well as emotional) and spas have a
significant role to play. Breath work,
yoga, healthy eating, holistic spa
treatments, programs for fitness and
programs for anxiety are just a few
areas that are supported by western
scientific study to not only improve
immunity and prevent illness, but also
to support physical and mental health
and are much in demand by the public.
“Today the spa industry is part of 11
global wellness markets defined by
the Global Wellness Institute [and] is
part of a booming wellness economy
that was estimated at US$4.5tn and
growing in 2018. Citing the mental
and physical benefits of spa practices
will give the industry more traction
in medical and political circles,” said
Dr Richard Carmona, 17th surgeon
general, USA (Spa Business).
The pandemic has been hard on
our industry, but we also have a rare
opportunity to unify and create a
strong, respected sector that has the
ability to make a difference in reducing
healthcare costs and contribute to the
economy in a meaningful way.
ABOUT LEADING SPAS OF CANADA
Spa Industry Association of Canada,
incorporated in 1997, is Canada’s
only national spa industry member
association. A not-for-profit
organization led by a volunteer board
of directors, the Association provides
support for the development of the
Canadian spa industry representing
spas, spa suppliers, and educational
institutions. Association members
are united in a commitment to
uphold the highest standards of
practice, along with a code of ethics
as set out by the Association.
The Leading Spas of Canada
designation represents members
who demonstrate leadership in the
industry through Quality Assurance
accreditation, enhanced services and
amenities, reputation, longevity, or
through promotional, financial, and
human resources support.
We proudly believe that Canada is
home to some of the finest spas in
the world, supported by top product
and service suppliers, and respected
educational and training institutions
whose shared goal is improved
wellness for the spa goer.
Spa Executive APRIL 2021 ISSUE Spa Executive
APRIL 2021 ISSUE

MANAGEMENT
HOW TO STOP LEAVING MONEY
ON THE TABLE AND INCREASE
SPA REVENUE
Spas and hospitality companies leave money on the table in many ways. Here’s how to
stop doing that and increase hospitality revenue.
processes, rather than linear ones.
But do we employ this same thinking
to our business operations? Do you,
when thinking about a software
system, for example, consider how
that system and its setup will impact
employee scheduling and payroll,
which in turn impacts employee
experience, which impacts guest
experience, which impacts revenue
streams and occupancy, which
impacts employee scheduling and
payroll? Oh, look! We’re back to
the beginning. Meanwhile, all of
these things impact occupancy and
revenue.
Are you losing out on potential revenue?
There are many ways that spas and
hospitality companies leave money
on the table, some more obvious than
others.
Now more than ever, it’s important to
capture as much revenue as possible,
to keep our operations running and our
people working. Let’s look at some of the
bigger picture changes you can make and
the more granular impact they will have
on your bottom line.
Here are three strategic ways to increase
hospitality revenue.
GET INTEGRATED & EMPLOY SYSTEMS
THINKING
Systems thinking has been defined as “a
holistic approach to analysis that focuses
on the way that a system’s constituent
parts interrelate and how systems work
over time and within the context of larger
systems.” This is in contrast with another
common approach of evaluating systems
separately, and can be applied to any
business in any sector. Read more about
systems thinking here.
We all know that the customer journey
and customer experience are circular
There are far too many examples
of how systems thinking can be
applied to go through here, but let’s
also consider this through a lens of
integrations: hotels and resorts often
regard wellness amenities as an
adjunct or afterthought rather than
an integral part of overall operations.
There are many ways in which this
can cost a company. Any process that
requires a guest to make a separate
payment or go through a separate
process is going to create a barrier.
Integrated systems remove these
barriers.
An excellent example is the Disney
parks and resort experience. Disney’s
guests – through the Magic Band
from 2013-2021, and soon to be
through the Disney My Experience
app – can move through theme parks,
dining, shopping, recreation, and even
across brands, without interruption.
This is a mastery of integration that
drives revenue through the simple fact
that the guest is not startled out of
the flow of their experience because
of having to pay for something
separately, make an outside booking,
or share their information over and
over again.
Similarly, a hotel or resort’s Property
Management System (PMS)
should be able to look up a guest’s
profile for a spa reservation and
charge the treatment to the guest’s
room. As simple as this sounds, to
accomplish it, the spa system needs
to be integrated with the hotel’s PMS
system. Integrations create these
seamless customer experiences
by allowing you to easily maintain
customer records, transactions, and
interactions across all systems.
A cloud-based software solution
is key, as it can be accessed from
anywhere and information shared
across locations.
More benefits of integrations include
the following:
Saving time by automating a manual
task, or expediting a process
Centralised data – multiple solutions
feeding data into a central system
(ERP, PMS, EMR, etc.) allows for a
user to access what would normally
be ‘siloed’ data, in one, central place
Greater accuracy in numbers –
integrated systems reduce the risk
for error in numbers that may have
been originally captured manually
(ie. human error)
Integrations are essential for driving
revenue, keeping operations running
smoothly and optimizing guest
experience.
Book4Time integrates with many
PMS systems including Opera
(Oracle Hospitality), Infor, Guestline,
Galaxy, Agilysys and many more, to
ensure that hoteliers can centrally
manage their guest accounts, and
provide an excellent customer
experience.
To read the rest of this paper and get
more ideas for how to increase spa
revenue, click here.
Spa Executive APRIL 2021 ISSUE Spa Executive
APRIL 2021 ISSUE

GROWTH
FEATURED PROPERTY
ANANTARA GOLDEN
TRIANGLE
Anantara Golden Triangle Resort stands on a ridge in
northern Thailand overlooking the borders with Myanmar
and Laos, and is one of the finest hotels in Chiang Rai.
Anantara is a renowned, award-winning luxury
hospitality brand. Founded in 2001 with the
company’s first luxury property in Thailand’s
historic seaside retreat of Hua Hin, Anantara
has since expanded throughout the world
to beaches and private islands, countryside
retreats, desert sands, heritage wonders and
cosmopolitan cities. The portfolio spans Asia,
the Indian Ocean, the Middle East, Africa and
Europe.
Anantara’s luxury hotels and resorts are
thoughtfully designed to provide windows
into the genuine modern character of each
destination and to offer guests the opportunity
to engage with the places, people and stories
that make each destination unique.
Anantara Golden Triangle
Perched on a ridge in northern Thailand
overlooking the borders with Myanmar and
Laos, Anantara Golden Triangle Resort is one
of the finest hotels in Chiang Rai. Designed for
immersive, once-in-a-lifetime experiences, the
property sits in a tranquil jungle setting and
features 40 rooms and 15 suites, including six
family suites. Thai design reigns throughout,
with indigenous artworks and teak furnishings.
From the comfort of their balconies, guests
can gaze over three countries and watch
Thailand’s majestic elephants grazing.
Anantara Golden Triangle boasts an award-
winning elephant camp and
scientific research and conservation
programme, and offers allinclusive
Discovery packages with
elephant, spa, cooking and cultural
experiences. Among the more
extraordinary offerings at this spa
is the opportunity to bond with the
elephants at the mahout camp
or spend an unforgettable night
observing them in their natural
habitat from the comfort of a
private, fully furnished, transparent
Jungle Bubble. "Perched on a
wooden deck above the forest,
your luxurious bubble offers
uninterrupted views of our gentle
giants, as well as the stunning starlit
sky above".
Spa By Nature
Other activities include cruising
down the Mekong River, exploring
the unique cultures of three
countries, or rejuvenating at the
Spa By Nature at Lanna Resort. The
spa features a three-storey openair
pavilion with teak wood suites,
and three treatment suites for two
with shower, herbal steam room,
and outdoor terrace with sunken
terrazzo tub.
Guests are greeted by the scent of
lemongrass in the air and invited to
unwind with a selection of northern
wellness traditions using indigenous
and medicinal ingredients or visit
the rice paddy pavilion for yoga and
massage experiences in a lush,
natural setting.
Stand out treatments, as listed on
the spa menu, include the following:
ANANTARA SIGNATURE MASSAGE
“Combining revered eastern and
western techniques in purpose
designed movements with our
signature oil blend, this massage
stimulates the circulation and
deeply relaxes muscles. Meanwhile,
reflexology clears blockages
of energy and promotes overall
wellbeing.”
MAHOUT RELAXATION PACKAGE
“Relieve tiredness and tension
with a traditional Thai massage
of stretching and pressure point
techniques. A heated herbal
compress is rolled over your body
using healing moringa oil. Nurture
youthful radiance with anti-ageing
golden silk to balance, deeply
nourish and moisturise.”
LANNA EXPERIENCE
“Plai, or poo loey as it is known in
the north, is a ginger species revered
for its ability to cool inflammation
and combat joint and muscle ache.
Submit to a healing massage
while also calming, cleansing and
nourishing skin.”
Spa Executive APRIL 2021 ISSUE Spa Executive
APRIL 2021 ISSUE

INDUSTRY NEWS
Hilton Grand Vacations has
than 325,000 owners to create a premier
vacation ownership company with the
broadest offering in the industry.
entered into an agreement
to acquire Diamond Resorts
International, Inc. The combined
company will have 720,000
I’m excited to announce
our transformational
owners and 154 resorts.
agreement to add
Diamond Resorts to the
Hilton Grand Vacations
family, accelerating our
next phase of growth
HILTON GRAND VACATIONS
INC. ACQUIRES DIAMOND
RESORTS INTERNATIONAL
Hilton Grand Vacations Inc. (HGV) has entered
into an agreement to acquire Diamond Resorts
International, Inc. from funds managed by
affiliates of Apollo Global Management, Inc.,
funds managed by affiliates of Reverence
Capital Partners, and other Diamond
stockholders. The stock-based transaction
has an equity value of approximately $1.4
billion. The Apollo funds and other Diamond
stockholders will receive 34.5 million shares of
HGV common stock (subject to adjustments).
HGV is one of Hilton‘s world-class global
brands and a leader in vacation ownership
with a reputation for consistently exceptional
service. Diamond is the world’s largest
independent timeshare operator, with 92
leisure resorts and nearly 400,000 owners.
The acquisition combines these with HGV’s
62 upscale and luxury properties and more
“I’m excited to announce our
transformational agreement to add
Diamond Resorts to the Hilton Grand
Vacations family, accelerating our next
phase of growth,” Mark Wang, president
and CEO of Hilton Grand Vacations,
said in a statement. “This strategic
combination will leverage the strengths
of each company, positioning us to
drive significant Net Owner Growth
while enhancing efficiencies of scale
and generating significant shareholder
value. Diamond’s extensive regional,
drive-to network of resorts and expanded
demographics uniquely complement
HGV’s best-in-class lead generation,
world-class hospitality, and premier
destinations backed by the strength of
the Hilton brand. For our valued team
members, owners and guests, this
combination creates new opportunities
to provide exciting destinations and
memorable vacation experiences while
continuing to provide exceptional levels
of service.”
“Through this agreement, HGV and
Diamond will create a new global
standard of vacation ownership
hospitality,” said Mike Flaskey, CEO of
Diamond Resorts. “Together, we will
expand Diamond’s unique events
and concert platform and deliver
the broadest range of world-class
experiences available in the industry,
providing our members and owners
with additional flexibility, unforgettable
vacations and experiences of a
lifetime. We are thrilled to join the HGV
family and look forward to achieving
new heights of excellence.”
The transaction expands and
diversifies HGV’s existing resort
portfolio of beach, attraction-based,
and urban markets into more than 20
new markets in outdoor, desert and
ski locations. The combined company
will have 720,000 owners, 154 resorts,
and 48 sales centers. A broader range
of pricing and product options will
widen customer reach, enhancing
alignment with the existing 112 million
Hilton Honors members​.
The transaction is expected to close
in the summer of 2021, subject to
customary closing conditions and
regulatory approvals.
HGV’s management team, including
President & Chief Executive Officer
Mark Wang, Chief Financial Officer
Dan Mathewes, and Chief Operating
Officer Gordon Gurnik, will continue to
serve in their current roles.
See the entire media release here.
Spa Executive APRIL 2021 ISSUE Spa Executive
APRIL 2021 ISSUE