Spa Executive March-April
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
ISSUE #44 MARCH/APRIL 2023<br />
SPA EXECUTIVE<br />
FOR LEADERS IN THE BUSINESS OF WELLNESS<br />
Spotlight:<br />
Rosewood’s Emmanuel Arroyo on succeeding as an<br />
industry leader & supporting our teams<br />
Advice:<br />
Dear Sal, how I can keep revenue coming<br />
in during slower times?<br />
Trend:<br />
Sauna Aufguss: the rise of the ritual
PUBLISHER<br />
Roger Sholanki<br />
EDITOR, CREATIVE DIRECTOR<br />
Elizabeth Bromstein<br />
Note from the Publisher<br />
Dear readers,<br />
DESIGNER<br />
Design Pickle<br />
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR,<br />
PRODUCTION MANAGER<br />
Sal Capizzi<br />
“We’ve been speaking about wellness in the workplace for so long, and now we are all<br />
surprised by this recession and great resignation that we’re facing. But, for me, it is an<br />
example of our lack of proactivity in creating workplaces that are inviting people to stay.<br />
Because, at the end, it’s about being fulfilled where you are.”<br />
Those are the words of our spotlight interview for this month, Emmanuel Arroyo, Senior<br />
Corporate Director of Wellness at Rosewood, talking about the staffing crisis in hospitality. Mr.<br />
Arroyo talked about some of the ways we can improve our spaces and work environments to<br />
make them more welcoming to our teams. You can read more of what he had to say here.<br />
Also pertinent to the staffing topic is the question of how to handle sexual harassment<br />
in your spa. A 2020 study found that 75% of massage therapists had experienced sexual<br />
harassment or assault from a client at least once and 27% had experienced it three times or<br />
more. Because creating safe spaces is key to attracting talent to our industry - and there are<br />
clearly issues here.<br />
And here, we discuss how staff training can boost your bottom line. And we also look at<br />
the rising trend of event saunas and sauna aufguss performances. Check out the digital<br />
magazine and website for more articles.<br />
I hope you enjoy reading this month’s articles in <strong>Spa</strong> <strong>Executive</strong> and they provide valuable<br />
<strong>Spa</strong> <strong>Executive</strong><br />
information to help you achieve success.<br />
<strong>Spa</strong> <strong>Executive</strong> is Book4Time’s<br />
magazine for leaders in the<br />
business of wellness. News,<br />
views, and interviews for those<br />
who want to attract top talent,<br />
increase customer retention,<br />
and offer the best possible<br />
guest experience.<br />
Roger Sholanki,<br />
CEO,<br />
Book4Time
Contents<br />
<strong>March</strong>/<strong>April</strong> 2023 Volume 44<br />
4<br />
WELLNESS RESEARCH:<br />
Boost your bottom line with<br />
staff training<br />
6<br />
TREND:<br />
Sauna aufguss:<br />
the rise of the ritual<br />
8<br />
ADVICE:<br />
Dear Sal, how I can keep revenue<br />
coming in during slower times?<br />
11<br />
NEWS:<br />
How to handle sexual harassment<br />
in your spa<br />
14<br />
FEATURED PROPERTY:<br />
Cartesiano Urban<br />
Wellness Center<br />
16<br />
SPOTLIGHT:<br />
Rosewood’s Emmanuel Arroyo on<br />
succeeding as an industry leader<br />
& supporting our teams<br />
18<br />
NEWS:<br />
Four Seasons Toronto <strong>Spa</strong><br />
launches biohacking treatments<br />
20<br />
BUSINESS:<br />
Case Study:<br />
Fairmont Chateau Whistler<br />
23<br />
TECHNOLOGY:<br />
The power of personalization (and<br />
what is hyper-personalization?)<br />
25<br />
NEWS:<br />
Survey finds what high end travelers<br />
are willing to spend on a hotel
Image by wayhomestudio on Freepik<br />
Wellness research:<br />
Boost your bottom line<br />
with staff training<br />
Staff training is key to success for any<br />
business, and hospitality is no different.<br />
When your team is not 100% clear on what<br />
they need to be doing, they can’t perform at<br />
their best. This is why leaders need to focus<br />
on comprehensive training for staff. You<br />
might not feel like you have the time and<br />
resources, but it’s worth the investment.<br />
Comprehensive team training results<br />
in improved job performance, higher<br />
productivity, and better customer service.<br />
Training helps employees become more<br />
knowledgeable about the products and<br />
services you offer, which makes them better<br />
equipped to answer customer questions<br />
and make recommendations. Training can<br />
improve job satisfaction and help employees<br />
feel more confident in their abilities, which<br />
reduces turnover and the associated costs.<br />
And well-trained employees are better able<br />
to provide excellent customer service, which<br />
increases customer loyalty and word-ofmouth<br />
advertising.<br />
All of these things will boost your bottom line.<br />
The Association for Talent Development<br />
(ATD) reportedly found that companies<br />
who invest in formalized training had a<br />
24% higher profit margin and 218% higher<br />
income per employee than those that<br />
did not. It’s also reportedly been found<br />
that 94% of employees will stay longer at<br />
a company that invests in learning and<br />
development. And, if you want to be an<br />
award winning hospitality business, training<br />
is key to providing that top notch service<br />
those inspectors are looking for.<br />
Here are three areas where training and<br />
educating your team can make a big<br />
difference to your hotel, resort, and/or spa’s<br />
bottom line.<br />
Educate your team about your vendors and<br />
retail products<br />
If your practitioners are educated about<br />
your products, they will effortlessly drive new<br />
revenue. When staff can provide detailed<br />
information about a product’s usage and<br />
benefits, it helps customers make informed<br />
decisions about what to buy, increasing<br />
the likelihood of upselling and encouraging<br />
customer loyalty.<br />
It’s also essential to educate staff about the<br />
product vendors. Understanding where<br />
a product comes from, where and how<br />
ingredients are sourced, and a vendor’s<br />
business practices can enhance a story and<br />
increase appeal – for both the team member<br />
4<br />
| <strong>Spa</strong> <strong>Executive</strong>
and the guest. When a staff member really<br />
loves a product (a massage therapist loves<br />
an oil or a facialist loves a moisturizer or<br />
toner) they will be passionate about sharing<br />
that and customers will pick up on it. Vendor<br />
education also helps staff offer alternative<br />
products if a particular item is unsuitable or<br />
out of stock.<br />
When introducing a new product, invite a<br />
vendor to do a demonstration on technique.<br />
This will create a better relationship with the<br />
product and vendor and boost staff confidence.<br />
Training your hotel team to use the CRM<br />
software can also improve data security. A<br />
properly trained team will know how to handle<br />
customer data safely and avoid any potential<br />
breaches, reducing the risk of data loss or theft.<br />
And a team that is familiar with the system’s<br />
CRM can help ensure that the software is<br />
used consistently throughout your property,<br />
increasing efficiency and allowing for<br />
more accurate reporting, which can help<br />
management make informed decisions and<br />
drive success.<br />
Significantly lower turnover than<br />
companies with the lowest levels of<br />
employee engagement.<br />
These are just a few examples of the ways<br />
employee training and education can boost<br />
your hotel, resort, and spa’s profits. Be sure to<br />
track improvements and celebrate everyone’s<br />
achievements. You should all feel pretty good<br />
about yourselves!<br />
Train your team to use your CRM<br />
Staff that truly knows how to use your software<br />
will make everything easier and more profitable.<br />
Take, for instance, your system’s Customer<br />
Relationship Management (CRM) functionality.<br />
Training your hotel team to use your CRM<br />
software is essential for improving customer<br />
service, increasing efficiency, ensuring data<br />
security, and driving success. This training can<br />
help streamline communication and improve<br />
customer service. Logging all customer<br />
information, interactions and preferences<br />
can provide important insights into customer<br />
behavior, allowing your team to personalize and<br />
enhance the customer experience.<br />
Research has found that:<br />
Educate your team on the brand’s goals<br />
and standards<br />
Sharing your goals and KPIs with your team,<br />
setting standards, and communicating those<br />
standards ensures that everyone is aligned and<br />
working together to achieve these goals.<br />
Service providers and salespeople should<br />
know what revenue targets and numbers they<br />
are individually responsible for. How many<br />
upsells they should be making and what their<br />
conversion rate from new clients to return<br />
customers should be, for example. Having goals<br />
and targets, being aligned with your colleagues,<br />
and knowing what is expected of you are<br />
empowering things, and knowing that you’re an<br />
integral part of the success of something makes<br />
a person feel invested in that success.<br />
80% of consumers are more likely to<br />
do business with a company that offers<br />
personalized experiences.<br />
Customers who believe a company is<br />
doing very well on offering personalized<br />
experiences shop more than three times<br />
more often.<br />
55% of hotel guests would exchange<br />
personal details in exchange for a<br />
personalized offer or promotion.<br />
All of these things serve to increase employee<br />
engagement, which improves operations and<br />
increases revenue. A 2023 report from Gallup<br />
found that companies with the highest levels of<br />
employee engagement have:<br />
81% lower absenteeism<br />
28% less shrinkage (theft)<br />
10% higher customer loyalty/engagement<br />
18% more sales productivity<br />
23% more profitability<br />
5<br />
| <strong>Spa</strong> <strong>Executive</strong>
Trend:<br />
Sauna aufguss: the rise of the ritual<br />
Event saunas and aufguss performances are<br />
designed to make saunas more social and<br />
less boring.<br />
You’ve probably been hearing a bit, or a lot,<br />
about sauna aufguss lately.<br />
Until recently, this niche trend was mainly<br />
popular in Europe and relatively unknown<br />
in North America and elsewhere; so much<br />
so that even spa managers and directors<br />
didn’t know what it was- or still don’t.<br />
That has been changing, and aufguss has<br />
become increasingly popular recently, with<br />
more hospitality businesses around the<br />
world looking at the idea of adding event<br />
saunas and related programs to meet<br />
growing interest. For spas and wellness<br />
businesses, these experiences can create<br />
new revenue streams.<br />
This “trend” has actually been growing for some<br />
time. In its 2017 trends report, the GWI stated:<br />
“Saunas, spaces built for intense dry or<br />
wet heat sessions, are standard fare at<br />
hotels, spas and gyms worldwide. But when<br />
it comes to how sauna “gets done” there<br />
has been a serious disconnect between<br />
Northern, Central and Eastern Europe,<br />
where sauna-going is a way of life…and the<br />
rest of the world. In countries like Finland<br />
(where saunas were born 2,000 years ago),<br />
Italy, Austria, Germany, Sweden, Norway,<br />
Switzerland, The Netherlands, Hungary,<br />
Poland, etc., the rituals and facilities are<br />
often creative, deeply social and fabulous.<br />
But the sauna experience outside Europe<br />
can frankly be rather “meh”: an uninspired,<br />
lonely experience in a spa or condo<br />
basement ‘box.’”<br />
Event saunas are designed to change this;<br />
large spaces that can accommodate 10<br />
people or more, and typically incorporate<br />
space for a Sauna Master (or “Sauna<br />
Meister” or “Aufguss Meister”) to perform the<br />
“Art of Aufguss” and/or lead group classes,<br />
like meditation or breathwork.<br />
A history of aufguss<br />
“Aufguss” is a German word that, according<br />
to Minneapolis-based Sauna With Alex,<br />
translates to English as “infusion.” The Finnish,<br />
who have more saunas per capita than<br />
anywhere else in the world, call it “loyly.” It<br />
refers to the pouring of water onto the hot<br />
stones of the sauna oven. The steam this<br />
creates increases the heat and humidity<br />
inside the sauna.<br />
Alex explains that aufguss is thought to have<br />
begun as a means of maintaining the heat<br />
level in the sauna. After the door is opened<br />
to let fresh air in, also letting in the cold,<br />
people pour more water to quickly restore<br />
temperature and humidity levels and wave<br />
towels to distribute the hot steam. Over time<br />
this action has become the more complex<br />
6<br />
| <strong>Spa</strong> <strong>Executive</strong>
social and experiential communal experience<br />
it is today, a performance art, incorporating<br />
everything from elaborate, theatrical<br />
shows with dramatic towel work to quieter<br />
meditative journeys and sound baths.<br />
Aufguss in the 21st Century<br />
According to Sauna With Alex, one can find<br />
both large wellness parks and smaller sauna<br />
facilities all over Germany offering a variety of<br />
aufguss. The rest of the world is following suit.<br />
For example, the first event sauna in<br />
North America opened in 2022 at Resorts<br />
World AWANA <strong>Spa</strong> & Wellness in Las Vegas.<br />
AWANA’s event sauna measures 360 square<br />
feet and can accommodate an audience of<br />
up to 40 people. The theater-inspired space<br />
was created by Design for Leisure (DFL) in<br />
collaboration with aufguss consultants Lasse<br />
Eriksen, vice president of Aufguss-WM, Rob<br />
Keijzer, a three-time world aufguss champion<br />
and professional trainer, and spa consultant<br />
Cary Collier at Blu <strong>Spa</strong>s.<br />
World Aufguss Championship<br />
There’s even a World Aufguss Championship<br />
(as you might have noted from the above<br />
mention of three-time world Aufguss<br />
champion, Rob Keijzer). This year’s nationals<br />
will soon take place in countries around the<br />
world, including the UK, which will hold its<br />
first-ever national championships in <strong>April</strong><br />
2023, and winners will go on to compete in<br />
Germany in September.<br />
Resorts and properties with the space<br />
to create larger facilities and hold events<br />
may see benefit from offering aufguss<br />
experiences. Since the pandemic, pundits<br />
have been touting the allure of social and<br />
community wellness experiences. Not only<br />
does Aufguss fit this bill, it offers the added<br />
benefit of novelty for many.<br />
An example of a champion Aufguss<br />
performance:<br />
Sauna WM 2015 - Sauna-Aufguss<br />
Italienmeisterin Tanja Ennemoser<br />
Also, the UK’s first sauna festival, Saunaverse,<br />
took place at the Community Sauna Baths<br />
in Hackney Wick in February 2023. The<br />
Community Sauna Baths is part of an<br />
emerging sauna movement in London,<br />
offering wood-fired saunas and cold plunge<br />
facilities for £10-£15. Saunaverse includes<br />
aufguss experiences and aims to promote<br />
sauna culture in the UK and make use of<br />
unused spaces in London.<br />
In Canada, a number of Nordic style spas<br />
have opened up recently,like Nordik <strong>Spa</strong>-<br />
Nature, offering Aufguss rituals.<br />
7<br />
| <strong>Spa</strong> <strong>Executive</strong>
Dear Sal, how I can keep revenue coming in<br />
during slower times?<br />
Sal Capizzi, Marketing Director at Book4Time<br />
and a former Director of <strong>Spa</strong> and Wellness<br />
at NEXUS Luxury Collection, shares his expert<br />
insight into your reader questions.<br />
Send your queries about managing staff,<br />
operations, and anything else you want to know<br />
(challenge him!) to scapizzi@spaexecutive.com<br />
Q. Dear Sal:<br />
To be honest, I’m a bit scared about my<br />
business weathering the turbulent economic<br />
times. Do you have any suggestions on how<br />
I can keep revenue coming in when business<br />
seems to be a bit slower?<br />
A. Great question!<br />
There are several successful ways I’ve run a<br />
business during slow times and new ideas<br />
that are being talked about in a major way<br />
throughout the industry as it stands right now.<br />
My first rule of thumb is to always pre-book<br />
as much as you can. I was leading a business<br />
where it was almost a requirement to have<br />
40% of the next month’s “goal” pre-booked<br />
the month before. For example if my next<br />
month’s goal was $70,000 – I would aim to<br />
have $28,000 of that already booked.<br />
Incentivize your practitioners. Your<br />
practitioners don’t necessarily need to be the<br />
ones telling clients about any pre-booking<br />
discounts if they come back again, but if<br />
clients know that their LMT or esthetician<br />
is invested in their well-being, reviews a<br />
solid treatment plan with them, and gives<br />
them take-home care advice, you are sure<br />
to see that client again. An incentive for a<br />
practitioner could look like a cash bonus<br />
on number of sessions performed or prebooked,<br />
a self care treatment of their choice,<br />
or even a promotion. In order for someone to<br />
move up the ranks by tier in my business they<br />
had to have at least a 30% pre-booking rate<br />
for consecutive months.<br />
Incentivize your guests. At checkout,<br />
let your guests know of any benefits that<br />
may come with pre-booking their next<br />
appointment or buying a series/package of<br />
services. Most times both of these come<br />
with a small discount on each service, or<br />
an add-on to a treatment that adds no<br />
additional time to the service, costs pennies,<br />
8<br />
| <strong>Spa</strong> <strong>Executive</strong>
and guarantees you revenue for the weeks or<br />
months ahead.<br />
Promote any in-house promotions,<br />
specials, and offerings weeks to months in<br />
advance. You are the leader of your business<br />
and have the ability to create as much (or as<br />
little) hype as you’d like around an upcoming<br />
promotion. Hit those outreach lists – an<br />
educated client is a happy client and you’re<br />
likely to see a few faces in your spa that may<br />
have simply forgotten to schedule some time<br />
for self care after their last treatment.<br />
could turn your entire schedule around.<br />
I hope some of these tips help for the<br />
upcoming year ahead and I wish a ton of<br />
success to your and your team!<br />
Good luck!<br />
Sal.<br />
Use the new technology your spa<br />
software system offers such as an online<br />
booking site to generate passive revenue<br />
after hours. Put a direct booking link in your<br />
email signature and QR codes around your<br />
resort (where allowed). Another tool is Yield<br />
Management. This powerhouse of a feature<br />
has been used in the hospitality industry<br />
since the 1970s. From airlines to hotel<br />
rooms, prices can always fluctuate based<br />
on demand. For example, if there’s a huge<br />
sporting event taking place near your hotel<br />
of choice, you’ll likely be paying more. Simply<br />
put, yield management is the practice of<br />
adjusting prices based on demand.<br />
During the past couple of years, the spa<br />
industry has begun to catch on and utilize<br />
this practice to make up for slower days<br />
without having to discount their services or<br />
offerings, which can actually harm a business.<br />
Yield Management gives spa directors and<br />
general managers the opportunity to use new<br />
sales and marketing techniques to fill their<br />
treatment rooms during these slower times<br />
to entice guests to make a visit to the spa and<br />
to make up for potential lost revenue. On a<br />
slower day, your system could automatically<br />
lower prices for you. Pairing these prices with<br />
a smooth marketing campaign for hotel guests<br />
9<br />
| <strong>Spa</strong> <strong>Executive</strong>
ARE YOU PASSIONATE ABOUT THE<br />
SPA & WELLNESS INDUSTRY & DO<br />
YOU LOVE TECHNOLOGY?<br />
COME WORK FOR US.<br />
Book4Time is the global leader in spa, wellness, and leisure activity management<br />
software for the hospitality market, operating in more than 85 countries.<br />
Book4Time is experiencing rapid growth and hiring experienced professionals in a<br />
number of key roles. We offer:<br />
• 100% employer-paid premium benefits<br />
• Wellness/fitness membership program<br />
• Company match group RRSP program<br />
• 18 days of paid time off plus corporate holidays<br />
• Remote-First work environment (Office location: Markham, ON)<br />
• Free underground parking<br />
• Budgeted professional development<br />
• Wellness Stipend<br />
• Discounts at our customer locations<br />
Browse open positions here<br />
We look forward<br />
to working with you!
How to handle sexual harassment<br />
in your spa<br />
A 2020 study found that 75% of massage<br />
therapists had experienced sexual harassment<br />
or assault from a client at least once.<br />
Inappropriate behavior from clients towards<br />
service providers is an unfortunate reality<br />
in the spa and wellness industry. <strong>Spa</strong><br />
employees are particularly vulnerable to<br />
sexual harassment because they work in<br />
close quarters, alone, touching people who<br />
are in various states of undress.<br />
In 2020, The Association of New Brunswick<br />
Massage Therapists (ANBMT) conducted an<br />
online survey of New Brunswick massage<br />
therapists and found that 75% had<br />
experienced sexual harassment or assault<br />
from a client at least once, while 27% had<br />
experienced it more than three times. Only<br />
one reported it to police.<br />
Another survey from Massage Tables Now,<br />
conducted in 2018 found that 64% of<br />
female and 56% of male massage therapists<br />
had experienced “unwanted advances or<br />
inappropriate sexual behavior” from a client.<br />
Businesses must do what they can to avoid<br />
these problems and handle them when they<br />
happen. Prevention is everyone’s responsibility,<br />
and managers must take the lead.<br />
Dealing with inappropriate behavior from<br />
a spa customer can be challenging, but it’s<br />
important to maintain a professional, safe,<br />
and comfortable environment for all clients<br />
and staff. Here are some tips on how to<br />
handle such situations:<br />
Have protocols in place and train your<br />
team. Outline your policy and make the<br />
protocol part of your onboarding. Provide<br />
employees with proper training on how to<br />
identify and address inappropriate behavior.<br />
What do they say? Who are they to go to, and<br />
what will that person do? Have a plan and<br />
lay it out so that you’re all on the same page<br />
and they feel empowered. Teach them how<br />
to handle difficult situations professionally<br />
and calmly, and empower them to take<br />
appropriate action when necessary.<br />
Let them know they can come to you.<br />
Staff should feel 100% comfortable coming<br />
to you with any issues and should know<br />
that you have their backs. Not only will you<br />
inspire confidence, but you’ll be keeping<br />
yourself in the loop. You should know what’s<br />
going on at your business, so you don’t<br />
wind up getting blindsided by complaints,<br />
attrition, or even lawsuits. Keeping<br />
communication lines open helps promote<br />
security for both you and your team.<br />
Have the courage to stand up. A main<br />
reason sexual harassment is so rampant<br />
is because people are afraid to speak up,<br />
call out offenders, and defend themselves<br />
and others. In a business setting, managers<br />
11 | <strong>Spa</strong> <strong>Executive</strong>
may be afraid of confrontation, making a<br />
wrong decision, or losing business. This fear<br />
around standing up to sexual harassment<br />
and assault is the reason offenders feel<br />
empowered to keep doing what they do. In a<br />
clear case where a team member has been<br />
harassed or assaulted, take action.<br />
Speaking about harassment in the<br />
service and hospitality sectors, workplace<br />
harassment prevention consultant, Fran<br />
Sepler, told the New York Times: “Every<br />
worker in the service and hospitality<br />
industry must be told by management that<br />
their health and safety is more important<br />
than a sale or a customer. Every worker<br />
in service and hospitality must know that<br />
they are empowered to say: ‘I’m sorry, but<br />
it’s unacceptable to treat me this way. I am<br />
happy to have my manager come and talk<br />
to you about that if you like.’ You never<br />
have to smile at someone who is scaring or<br />
demeaning you.”<br />
What to do when you are certain a line<br />
has been crossed<br />
In a situation where a service provider has<br />
been harassed, that person should alert the<br />
spa manager and the manager should then<br />
go and tell the customer that the treatment<br />
is over and ask them to leave. The manager<br />
should not leave the customer alone with<br />
the service provider. The customer should<br />
be informed that they will not be allowed<br />
to return to the spa and should be asked<br />
to pay for the treatment in full. If the guest<br />
denies any wrongdoing, have them fill out a<br />
templated form that you should have ready<br />
in your spa at all times. The form is for them<br />
to make an initial statement in case further<br />
investigation is required.<br />
assaulted, charges should be laid. If you<br />
don’t alert the police, the individual will feel<br />
empowered to go and assault someone else.<br />
Keep records in your software of what has<br />
happened. Your software features should<br />
allow you to add notes to a customer file and<br />
even ban a customer from the spa with details<br />
about the reason for the ban. In this case, if a<br />
ban is merited, you would note that they are<br />
banned for reasons of sexual misconduct.<br />
What do when you are not certain that a line has<br />
been crossed<br />
Sometimes, there will be a situation in<br />
which it is unclear whether a line has been<br />
crossed. This could be a questionable<br />
comment, a suggestive but not overt<br />
gesture, or subtle behavior that caused a<br />
feeling of uneasiness. These things might<br />
not merit intervention or dismissal of the<br />
guest, but they can be noted in that person’s<br />
file, so therapists can be on guard. Your<br />
software should also allow you to ban that<br />
customer from booking a particular service<br />
provider. The replacement therapist should<br />
be informed of the situation, so it can be<br />
properly monitored.<br />
We are all accountable for creating<br />
safe spaces.<br />
The therapist should be paid for the<br />
treatment in full. If the therapist was<br />
12 | <strong>Spa</strong> <strong>Executive</strong>
BOOK ONLINE,<br />
PAY ONLINE,<br />
SKIP THE LINE<br />
Enjoy the contact-less experience.
Featured property:<br />
Cartesiano Urban Wellness Center<br />
Cartesiano Urban Wellness Center is an oasis<br />
of wellbeing in the city of Puebla, just an hour<br />
and a half from Mexico City.<br />
Cartesiano Urban Wellness Center is an<br />
oasis of wellbeing in the city of Puebla, just<br />
an hour and a half from Mexico City.<br />
Each room at Cartesiano is designed to<br />
be a sanctuary of energy renewal with<br />
unique architectural designs that merge<br />
the contemporary and the traditional. The<br />
apothecary bar offers a unique selection of<br />
energy shots, smoothies, freshly squeezed<br />
juices, and more, while cuisine is a selection<br />
of dishes created with natural ingredients<br />
from farm-to-table to satisfy body and spirit.<br />
The award-winning spa and wellness center<br />
at Cartesiano offers more than 30 treatments,<br />
including massages and regenerative services<br />
using the most advanced wellness technology.<br />
All-inclusive programs are curated to help<br />
generate real change and achieve wellness. The<br />
spa has 12 treatment rooms, five of them with<br />
Gharieni Tech. Wellness programs include Yoga,<br />
sound healing, and fitness classes.<br />
Treatments are inspired by seven pillars<br />
– Rhythm, Vibration, Conscious Nutrition,<br />
Regeneration, Movement, Culture, and Biophilia<br />
– and categorized into North (driven by air),<br />
East (driven by earth), South (driven by fire), and<br />
West (driven by water). Gharieni tech includes<br />
the Quartz Bed and Cellis.<br />
frequencies. They have Health and Wellness<br />
benefits, including pain relief.”<br />
Baroque massage “60 or 90 Min | Activating<br />
massage for the body through Lomi-Lomi<br />
movements. Firm acupressure points and a warm<br />
drip of essential oils to release tension at the<br />
nervous system level, resulting in a deep state of<br />
balance for the body.”<br />
Cartesiano offers customized wellness programs<br />
based in ancient wisdom and backed by science,<br />
created and led by a team of health and wellness<br />
experts, to help guests achieve their physical,<br />
emotional, and mental goals during their stay.<br />
Examples from the spa menu include:<br />
Bio-tuning treatment “60 or 90 Min | Tuning<br />
forks with specific hertz and tension movements<br />
combined to align biological and physiological<br />
14 | <strong>Spa</strong> <strong>Executive</strong>
Rosewood’s Emmanuel Arroyo on succeeding<br />
as an industry leader & supporting our teams<br />
Emmanuel Arroyo was recently promoted<br />
to Senior Corporate Director of Wellness at<br />
Rosewood after more than 11 years with the<br />
brand and several more in the hospitality, spa<br />
and wellness sector.<br />
Rosewood Hotels is a global collection of oneof-a-kind<br />
luxury hotels, resorts and residences,<br />
inspired by the philosophy “A Sense of Place,”<br />
to reflect the local culture and spirit of a<br />
destination. The brand aspires to create travel<br />
experiences that are “authentic, original, and<br />
deeply personal.”<br />
Emmanuel Arroyo was recently promoted<br />
to Senior Corporate Director of Wellness at<br />
Rosewood after more than 11 years with the<br />
brand and several more in the hospitality, spa<br />
and wellness sector.<br />
His hospitality career began with Fairmont as<br />
a spa experience coordinator at one of the<br />
Willow Stream locations. A management trainee<br />
program led to opening the brand’s location<br />
in Mayakoba, after which he went to work for<br />
Hilton Worldwide for three years before joining<br />
Rosewood where he operated the first branded<br />
Sense <strong>Spa</strong>, also in Mayakoba.<br />
“Sense Mayakoba became the first 5-Star <strong>Spa</strong><br />
by Forbes Travel Guide in Latin America,” says<br />
Mr. Arroyo. “That was exciting. Not just for us<br />
as a spa or hotel, but also as a recognition for<br />
Rosewood as a brand and a statement for<br />
Mexico, which is a destination with so many<br />
high caliber spas, enough to be known as a<br />
worldwide top spa and wellness destination.<br />
Later, he was promoted to Regional Director<br />
of Wellness, North America, Caribbean, and<br />
Europe, before moving into his current role.<br />
He now supports 27 spas, with 25 more<br />
in the pipeline. “My responsibilities are<br />
mainly dedicated to operational excellence,<br />
business strategies, maximizing our financial<br />
performance, and supporting the pre-opening<br />
and opening process of the new projects.”<br />
As Senior Corporate Director of Wellness for a<br />
brand so renowned for its singularly authentic<br />
and original positioning, Mr. Arroyo is well<br />
placed to share some deep and valuable<br />
insights about what it takes to succeed as<br />
an industry leader and how we can better<br />
support our teams and create truly excellent<br />
customer experiences. So, we asked him<br />
about these things.<br />
What does it take to succeed as a leader in spa<br />
and wellness?<br />
There are so many things but if I must<br />
choose, I think you must commit to staying<br />
ahead of the curve and being an innovator.<br />
You have to challenge yourself to not be in<br />
the same spot for too long and recognize<br />
that this is a very fast changing industry. At<br />
Rosewood, not exclusively from a wellness<br />
perspective, we really are aiming to be<br />
16 | <strong>Spa</strong> <strong>Executive</strong>
trendsetters rather than trend followers.<br />
That’s always a challenge but it’s important<br />
to us.<br />
What are the biggest challenges you see facing<br />
the industry? And do you have solutions for<br />
solving them? Most people say staffing.<br />
Can I say staffing too?<br />
Yes.<br />
There is a lot of focus on recruiting, but we<br />
also must focus on retention. We’ve been<br />
speaking about wellness in the workplace for<br />
so long, and now we are all surprised by this<br />
recession and great resignation that we’re<br />
facing. But, for me, it is an example of our<br />
lack of proactivity in creating workplaces that<br />
are inviting people to stay. Because, at the<br />
end, it’s about being fulfilled where you are.<br />
People are leaving jobs because they’re not<br />
enjoying them. At Rosewood, as a company,<br />
we’re challenging ourselves to do this with<br />
the programming and the spaces we create<br />
in our hotels. We have hotels with full-scale<br />
gyms for their associates, and lounge areas<br />
where they can relax and really engage. We’re<br />
trying to promote a sense of community<br />
because that is what is going to turn this from<br />
a job to a place where or team belongs. So<br />
yes, we are strongly challenged by this crisis,<br />
but we are also seeing the silver linings and<br />
using it as an opportunity to come out of it as<br />
the top hospitality employer.<br />
Do you find yourself relying more on<br />
technology lately?<br />
Absolutely. I just came back from London<br />
where I was on a speaking panel discussing<br />
the importance of integrating technology as<br />
a fundamental pillar of being a trendsetter<br />
for wellness. With technology applied to<br />
wellness we have access to data to create<br />
new authentic experiences. For example, last<br />
year we launched a wellness campaign called<br />
Alchemy of Sleep, a collection of immersive<br />
retreats to promote restorative rest. We<br />
partnered with a company called Brite, that<br />
designs smart mattresses that help the<br />
user get better sleep and track data on how<br />
productive and effective their sleep is. Guests<br />
were thrilled about the concept, eager to try<br />
the beds and experience them.<br />
In the same line it’s also important to<br />
work with the right software company.<br />
The differences we’ve seen by integrating<br />
a software platform that offers online<br />
booking and shopping, and that is accessible<br />
and compatible with the hotels’ property<br />
management systems is big. So, yes, I’d say<br />
we are relying a lot on technology lately.<br />
What makes an excellent guest experience?<br />
It’s a list of things but it always comes<br />
down to the provider and the quality of the<br />
treatments. What does a guest want? They<br />
want a great massage. Where does a great<br />
massage come from? It comes down to<br />
recruiting the right talent and making sure<br />
you promote and enhance their strengths by<br />
providing them with tools and training to do<br />
simple things in an extraordinary way.<br />
But it’s also about finding the right product<br />
partner and creating experiences that are not<br />
only stimulating the senses but are enriching<br />
and inspiring people’s lives.<br />
What are you excited about in spa and wellness<br />
or hospitality right now?<br />
I am excited about how the industry is<br />
evolving and the commitments we’re making<br />
to be more authentic. Commitments such<br />
as a world free of preventable diseases and<br />
discovering the true meaning of longevity and<br />
biohacking demonstrate that this industry<br />
wants to create real impact.<br />
I’m also excited about Rosewood and our firm<br />
vision to be leader as an ultra-luxury lifestyle<br />
brand and a true purpose driven company.<br />
17 | <strong>Spa</strong> <strong>Executive</strong>
Four Seasons Toronto <strong>Spa</strong> launches<br />
biohacking treatments<br />
The all-new, state-of-the-art Wellness & Bio<br />
Bar, now open daily at Four Seasons Toronto,<br />
offers a number of advanced treatments,<br />
including biohacking.<br />
The Five-Star <strong>Spa</strong> at Four Seasons Toronto is<br />
introducing an innovative new feature designed<br />
to improve guests’ health, well-being, and<br />
quality of life.<br />
The all-new, state-of-the-art Wellness & Bio<br />
Bar, now open daily at Four Seasons Toronto,<br />
offers a number of advanced treatments,<br />
including biohacking, and “reinforces the<br />
brand’s standards of personalized service while<br />
redefining what it truly means to live well.”<br />
The Wellness & Bio Bar required six months of<br />
extensive training for the Four Seasons team and<br />
features a curated menu centered around four<br />
pillars: mental, physical, spiritual and sexual wellness.<br />
“At the <strong>Spa</strong> at Four Seasons Toronto, I want to<br />
ensure guests know living well is a lifestyle, not<br />
a trend,” said Carlos Calvo Rodriguez, Senior<br />
<strong>Spa</strong> Director at Four Seasons Hotel Toronto,<br />
in a statement. “With the introduction of the<br />
Wellness & Bio Bar, we’re providing our guests<br />
with scientifically proven evidence-based<br />
treatments tailor-made to each guest’s wants,<br />
needs and desires. We’re excited to provide<br />
them with some of the only biohacking services<br />
in Toronto that will notably improve their health<br />
as they make incremental changes to their<br />
bodies and overall lifestyles.”<br />
Results driven services include:<br />
LPG Endermologie treatments<br />
Touch therapy for those living with, or who<br />
have a history of living with, cancer<br />
Pre and post-natal treatments<br />
Jetlag recovery<br />
Celluma light therapy<br />
Hypnosis sessions<br />
LPG Endermologie is technology that gently<br />
stimulates the skin to reactivate dormant<br />
cellular activity. It is said to be 100% natural<br />
and painless, and to provide visible results<br />
instantly with no side effects. Four Seasons is<br />
the first luxury hotel spa in Canada to have LPG<br />
technology, which was created in France and is<br />
based on mechanobiology; a science studying<br />
the influence of mechanical forces on tissues<br />
and cells.<br />
Also notable is the introduction of touch<br />
therapy for guests living with, or who have a<br />
history of living with, cancer. These therapies<br />
are designed to address specific needs of<br />
those who have gone through treatments such<br />
as chemotherapy, radiation, and surgeries,<br />
and to address related skin conditions while<br />
supporting the body’s immune and lymphatic<br />
systems, improving the range of motion,<br />
encouraging better sleep, and reducing pain<br />
and inflammation.<br />
18 | <strong>Spa</strong> <strong>Executive</strong>
Sessions by hypnotist Asad Mecci will<br />
include a series of imagery exercises while<br />
providing positive suggestions specific to<br />
desired outcomes, like improving sleep,<br />
calming nerves, enhancing performance, and<br />
reaching one’s full potential.<br />
19 | <strong>Spa</strong> <strong>Executive</strong>
Case Study<br />
Fairmont Chateau Whistler<br />
Fairmont Chateau Whistler is a resort in a<br />
naturally spectacular alpine setting that delivers<br />
an ideal experience for guests. This awardwinning<br />
hotel sits at the base of Blackcomb<br />
Mountain, with ski-in ski-out access, and<br />
showcases classic elegance, exceptional dining<br />
and full resort amenities.<br />
At the Fairmont Chateau Whistler, you’ll find<br />
519 alpine-inspired guest rooms, a Fairmont<br />
Gold floor, expansive conference and event<br />
space, a renowned food and beverage program<br />
and a championship golf resort.<br />
Surrounded by stunning mountain vistas,<br />
scenic lakes and a close-knit mountain<br />
community, Fairmont Chateau Whistler<br />
welcomes adventure-seekers, families, and<br />
outdoor enthusiasts.<br />
The resort offers a wide variety of activities<br />
for hotel guests that include recreational<br />
offerings, fitness classes and Whistler<br />
Experience Guide activities.<br />
Fitness classes include twice daily yoga, Pilates,<br />
Stretch & Mobility, Aquafit, Tai Chi, LuLuLemon<br />
Mirror classes, and personal training. Whistler<br />
Experience Guide activities are based on<br />
the seasons and include (but are not limited<br />
to): skiing (downhill and cross country),<br />
snowboarding, snowshoeing, hiking, biking,<br />
walking, star gazing, cultural tours, museum<br />
tours, brewery/distillery experiences, paddle<br />
boarding, shuttle bus tours and nature tours.<br />
Something efficient and easy to use for our staff,<br />
but also sleek and professional for guests<br />
Josh Fraser is the resort’s Health club and<br />
Recreation Manager. When shopping for<br />
a spa and amenity management software,<br />
Fraser was looking for a system that suits<br />
multiple needs. He explains, “We have<br />
a huge range of activities and facilities<br />
that change throughout the year with the<br />
seasons. We struggled to find software<br />
that could do everything.”<br />
The team was seeking “something that was<br />
efficient and easy to use for our staff, but<br />
also sleek and professional for guests. We<br />
wanted software that doubled as a marketing<br />
tool, to show our guests what we can offer.<br />
Specifically for us, we also needed something<br />
that could handle our membership platform<br />
as well as the activity bookings.”<br />
Book4Time was the clear choice to manage<br />
Fairmont Chateau Whistler’s activities,<br />
spa, and memberships. “I knew that other<br />
Fairmont Hotels had used Book4Time and<br />
were very happy with the product,” says<br />
Fraser. “Book4Time appealed to me, as they<br />
were very flexible in their approach and very<br />
accommodating to my needs. Even if they<br />
hadn’t used the software for this particular<br />
use in the past, they were happy to try and<br />
accommodate it.”<br />
20 | <strong>Spa</strong> <strong>Executive</strong>
“I’d never been through such a rigorous onboarding<br />
process with a software platform before.”<br />
The 10-week onboarding process was very<br />
thorough, Fraser says, and the Book4Time<br />
support team was available for additional<br />
questions/assistance whenever needed.<br />
“They used a set structure to ensure<br />
everything was covered, although they often<br />
tailored it depending on our requirements.<br />
They gave a detailed list of employees (IT,<br />
<strong>Spa</strong>, Management etc) that could benefit<br />
from the training and kept us accountable for<br />
completing our work on time.<br />
“I’d never been through such a rigorous<br />
onboarding process with a software platform<br />
before. They really covered everything and<br />
learned a lot.”<br />
Fraser adds, “The Book4Time team was very<br />
supportive, in particular, Ashish (Ratnaparkhe,<br />
Onboarding Specialist). They continued to<br />
assist us even after our onboarding was<br />
completed. Considering our setup was very<br />
different from other hotels/spas, they were<br />
always happy to help us figure out some of<br />
the more unique problems we faced.”<br />
A software system to manage it all<br />
Fraser says the resort employs two Whistler<br />
Experience Guides, two in-house class<br />
instructors, two in-house personal trainers,<br />
and 10 contracted yoga instructors. On the<br />
average day, anywhere from 2-50 guests<br />
participate in the activities. Fraser explains,<br />
“Our hotel clientele varies, as does the<br />
demand for activities.”<br />
Book4Time helps manage it all.<br />
Fraser says, “In winter, our Mountain tour<br />
is very popular as our guests love to ski.<br />
Book4Time allows guests to book this activity<br />
with us well in advance, which is helpful when<br />
they’re trying to plan their whole vacation.<br />
Book4Time allows us to control the amount<br />
of spots available, and offer a waitlist option.<br />
The system automatically sends our guests a<br />
confirmation email and reminder, including<br />
the link to sign their participation waiver. This<br />
helps us save time on the day of the activity,<br />
and gives our guests more time to ski.<br />
“Yoga classes are also very popular and<br />
Book4Time allows the guests to book<br />
themselves in for their whole stay. So they<br />
can continue their yoga or workout routine<br />
whilst they are away from home.”<br />
Guests can book themselves into activities<br />
using an online booking site, which Fraser<br />
says is “used heavily.” He adds, “They can also<br />
manage their bookings and view the activity<br />
details at any time. Wellness is a growing<br />
area within hospitality and it’s wonderful for<br />
guests to be able to continue their workout<br />
and wellness routines whilst they’re away<br />
from home. Book4Time plays a large role in<br />
showing the guests the options they have<br />
during their stay with us.”<br />
75% of booking through the online system<br />
“Guests can actually see everything available<br />
to them, where in the past, they may not have<br />
been aware of what was on offer.”<br />
In fact, between July 2022, when the Chateau<br />
launched Book4Time, and December 31,<br />
2022, out of the 5327 sign-ups for activities<br />
and classes, 4016 came through the new<br />
online booking system, or a stunning 75% of<br />
bookings.<br />
“The system gives our guests the freedom<br />
to choose their activities at their leisure, and<br />
saves our staff time, instead of placing every<br />
booking manually,” says Fraser. Plus, “the<br />
online usage is also great for our marketing.<br />
It means guests can actually see everything<br />
available to them, where in the past, they may<br />
not have been aware of what was on offer.”<br />
When asked to name his favourite<br />
Book4Time features and functionalities,<br />
Fraser says, “The compatibility with guest<br />
intake, to create and store our online forms<br />
has been amazing. We’re able to create, send<br />
and store all of our participation waivers and<br />
Health Club membership contracts using this,<br />
whereas, in the past we would have stacks of<br />
paper files.”<br />
Also, “The ability to have the internal site work<br />
independently from the guest facing site is<br />
great for us. It means we can have internal<br />
scheduling and programming and also have<br />
the freedom to design what is on the guestfacing<br />
site.”<br />
Third, he says, “The reporting functions are<br />
really helpful for anyone looking to gain<br />
insight into their spa and hotel business.”<br />
“They never settle for what they already have,<br />
and are always looking for new features to<br />
enhance the user experience.”<br />
Always innovating<br />
He has also been impressed with the<br />
constant updates and new features being<br />
released by B4T. “They never settle for what<br />
they already have, and are always looking for<br />
new features to enhance the user experience.<br />
This is crucial in the hospitality industry, as we<br />
too are always working to improve customer<br />
service and guest experience. The ideas put<br />
forward by Book4Time for Q2/Q3 of 2023<br />
already look very interesting and are sure to<br />
be a great addition.”<br />
21 | <strong>Spa</strong> <strong>Executive</strong>
Would Josh Fraser recommend Book4Time?<br />
“I have nothing but good things to say about<br />
Book4Time software. It is very user friendly,<br />
and all of our staff were able to become<br />
competent users very quickly. As time<br />
progressed, we have discovered and used<br />
more features, and I’m still learning new<br />
things with the platform today. We’re always<br />
thinking of new ideas and the majority of<br />
them can be implemented easily. We always<br />
ask ourselves ‘Can I use B4T for this?’ and the<br />
answer is usually yes.<br />
“I’m sure Book4Time can offer solutions to<br />
most, If not all, issues faced by spas and<br />
hotels. The platform is extremely robust and<br />
can be adapted to suit everyone.”<br />
“I’m sure Book4Time can offer solutions to<br />
most, If not all, issues faced by spas and hotels.<br />
The platform is extremely robust and can be<br />
adapted to suit everyone.”<br />
22 | <strong>Spa</strong> <strong>Executive</strong>
The power of personalization (and what is<br />
hyper-personalization?)<br />
These days, everyone expects personalization<br />
from their favorite hospitality brands. The next<br />
frontier is hyper-personalization.<br />
Everyone in the hospitality industry knows by now<br />
that personalization is a powerful tool for creating<br />
a unique and memorable customer experience.<br />
By tailoring offerings to individual needs and<br />
preferences, hotels, resorts, and spa and wellness<br />
businesses can set themselves apart from<br />
competitors and build strong, long-lasting guest<br />
relationships. A vast majority of customers today<br />
want and expect personalized experiences.<br />
Why? One key benefit of personalization in<br />
hospitality is that it allows businesses to create<br />
a more emotional connection with their guests.<br />
In 2015, researchers Alan Zorfas, and Daniel<br />
Leemon found that creating an emotional<br />
connection with customers can yield big payoffs.<br />
They wrote in the Harvard Business Review:<br />
“Many companies are busy mapping their<br />
customer experience… Their stated goal is<br />
typically to improve customer satisfaction at<br />
each step of the customer journey. But overall<br />
customer satisfaction is often already high, and<br />
seldom a competitive differentiator.”<br />
“Our research across hundreds of brands in dozens<br />
of categories shows that the most effective way to<br />
maximize customer value is to move beyond mere<br />
customer satisfaction and connect with customers<br />
at an emotional level.”<br />
Personalization is an effective way to do that.<br />
When guests feel that a hotel or restaurant<br />
understands their individual preferences and<br />
desires, they are more likely to feel valued and<br />
appreciated, which creates that connection.<br />
Separate research on product personalization<br />
found that the amount of effort invested into<br />
creating personalized products has both a<br />
direct effect and an indirect effect on the<br />
strength of the emotional bond a person<br />
develops with the product.<br />
The power of data<br />
Data can help businesses better<br />
understand their guests and anticipate<br />
their needs. By collecting data on guest<br />
preferences and behavior, businesses<br />
can create more targeted marketing<br />
campaigns and develop more effective<br />
strategies for improving guest satisfaction.<br />
A hotel, resort, or spa can use data on<br />
a guest’s past stay preferences to offer<br />
them a personalized room or experience<br />
upgrade.<br />
Technology has expanded the possibilities<br />
of personalization in recent years. With<br />
the help of tools like customer relationship<br />
management (CRM) software and artificial<br />
intelligence (AI), businesses can automate<br />
the process of collecting and analyzing<br />
guest data, making it easier to provide<br />
personalized journeys at scale.<br />
23 | <strong>Spa</strong> <strong>Executive</strong>
Hyper-personalization<br />
The next frontier, so to speak, is what<br />
people are calling hyper-personalization.<br />
In traditional personalization, companies<br />
typically use basic information such as<br />
a customer’s name, location, and past<br />
purchases to deliver relevant messages,<br />
recommendations, and experiences.<br />
Hyper-personalization takes this one step<br />
further by incorporating a combination<br />
of historical and real-time data covering<br />
purchase history, behavior, and<br />
preferences across the entire customer<br />
journey. They may also use social media<br />
activity, and even biometric data.<br />
A company can then create the most<br />
personalized experience and provide the<br />
best possible service offerings moment<br />
by moment, by anticipating a customer’s<br />
needs and providing personalized<br />
solutions in real-time. As this becomes the<br />
norm, eventually, all “personalization” will<br />
be “hyper-personalization.”<br />
Here are just three ways your spa and<br />
ancillary revenue software system can help<br />
create hyper-personalized journeys.<br />
1. Sharing information across multiple properties<br />
In the second decade of the 21st century, a<br />
hotel, resort, or spa is expected to know a<br />
customer’s name, contact information, and<br />
relevant health information before that person<br />
arrives to check-in. They are also expected<br />
to collect purchase history and preference<br />
information – like slipper and robe size, and<br />
preferred products, snacks and beverages.<br />
They should also have a system that makes the<br />
data shareable across multiple properties once<br />
it’s logged. Book4Time will do this for your spa<br />
and ancillary revenue services. This means, for<br />
example, that when a customer who has visited<br />
your spa in New York City decides to visit the spa<br />
at your Bangkok location, the Bangkok location<br />
already has all that guest’s information and can<br />
greet them accordingly. This is one of the best<br />
ways to elevate the guest journey all over the<br />
world.<br />
2. Exquisite surprises<br />
It’s standard for service providers to note special<br />
and relevant information, like important dates<br />
and conversation topics, for service<br />
enhancements, like giving the guest a birthday<br />
gift. These tidbits can also keep the conversation<br />
flowing when the guest returns to the spa<br />
(“How was your birthday?” for example). Hyperpersonalization<br />
takes this a step further. If,<br />
for example, a guest shares with a massage<br />
therapist that it’s their anniversary, that they just<br />
got engaged, or they are pregnant, with<br />
Book4Time, this information can be quietly<br />
shared with the front desk through a mobile<br />
device, and a special package prepared to<br />
surprise the guest at checkout, without the<br />
service provider ever leaving the room or<br />
making an audible call – an almost magical<br />
touch.<br />
3. Real-time retail recommendations<br />
Features like Book4Time’s Shopping Cart<br />
allow your service providers to communicate<br />
treatment notes and suggested retail items<br />
directly with the front desk through a mobile<br />
device, placing the items in a virtual cart, so desk<br />
staff can continue with the recommendation for<br />
suggested retail purchases at checkout. This<br />
streamlines the process and keeps<br />
communication flow between team members<br />
open to create that hyper-personalized wow<br />
factor, while increasing upsells and retail sales.<br />
A more engaging customer journey<br />
Overall, personalization creates a more<br />
engaging customer journey, and is a critical<br />
element of success in the hospitality industry. By<br />
leveraging technology and data to create tailored<br />
experiences for their guests, businesses can<br />
build stronger relationships, increase loyalty, and<br />
drive long-term success.<br />
24 | <strong>Spa</strong> <strong>Executive</strong>
Survey finds what high end travelers are<br />
willing to spend on a hotel<br />
Findings of a recent survey show that high-end<br />
travelers are reining in their vacation spending.<br />
Findings of a recent Bloomberg MLIV Pulse<br />
survey show that high-end travelers are reining in<br />
their vacation spending.<br />
The survey consisted of 465 respondents from<br />
the US, Canada, and Europe that included traders,<br />
portfolio managers, senior managers, and retail<br />
investors, and found that respondents don’t want<br />
to pay more than $500 a night for a hotel, even<br />
for “greener or fancier options.”<br />
The author notes that, “The results come during<br />
what should be one of the busiest periods for<br />
travel booking.”<br />
Asked the question, “What is the maximum you<br />
are willing to pay for a night in a hotel on vacation<br />
this year?” approximately 69% of poll participants<br />
said their maximum budget for a night in a hotel<br />
room was $500, while 24% were willing to spend<br />
up to $1,000. Five percent set their limit at<br />
$2,000, and two percent may spend $3,000 or<br />
more a night. The number of people “splashing<br />
out” on their next vacation was a small seven<br />
percent.<br />
69% of poll participants said their<br />
maximum budget for a night in a hotel<br />
room was $500, while 24% were willing<br />
to spend up to $1,000. 5% set their limit<br />
at $2,000, and 2% may spend $3,000 or<br />
more a night.<br />
Setting the limit at $500 eliminates more upscale<br />
hotels in most major markets, and even suites or<br />
larger rooms at mid-tier properties.<br />
According to data from Google, five-star hotels in<br />
New York City are typically priced between $523 –<br />
$999 per night in <strong>April</strong> and May. In Paris they<br />
range from $707 – $1,382, and in St. Barts, the<br />
average is $1,451.<br />
airlines will face increasingly irritated consumers<br />
this summer,” and muses that the decreased<br />
willingness to spend may be a reflection of<br />
diminishing consumer confidence or feelings<br />
that service quality has not increased apace with<br />
inflated pricing.<br />
Implement revenue management<br />
Hotels and resorts facing a pullback on<br />
customer spending might consider emulating<br />
the airlines and implementing revenue<br />
management strategies. Airlines have been<br />
using yield management since the 1970s, and<br />
American Airlines CEO Robert Crandall has<br />
given it credit for saving the company from<br />
bankruptcy. More recently, they have taken<br />
revenue management even further. Services<br />
that were once bundled in with the cost of a<br />
plane ticket are now commonly sold<br />
separately, most notably checked bags, but<br />
also meals, alcoholic beverages, and even<br />
headphones.<br />
25 | <strong>Spa</strong> <strong>Executive</strong><br />
Bloomberg states, “The results of the survey<br />
suggest that luxury hotels, restaurants and<br />
Hotels and resorts with spas or ancilla ry revenue<br />
departments that are already employing yield
management may explore more revenue<br />
management strategies with rooms and services<br />
like upsells and add-on packages.<br />
We know that discounting services can negatively<br />
impact a brand but “upgrading” to VIP spa services<br />
or in-room treatments and services, for example,<br />
can have the opposite effect of increasing,<br />
rather than decreasing, perception of value. A<br />
mini facial or hot stones added to an existing<br />
spa reservation, for example, costs little for the<br />
property and adds value for the guest. Similarly, a<br />
VIP cabana package of food, drink, and a poolside<br />
massage, or post-ski, fireside experience with a<br />
cheese plate and glass of sparkling wine or hot<br />
toddy, can do the same.<br />
Travelers intending to spend less means<br />
hospitality companies have the opportunity to get<br />
creative with their offerings to make guests feel<br />
that their money is well spent. There will always<br />
be a market for excellent service quality and truly<br />
exquisite experiences.<br />
26 | <strong>Spa</strong> <strong>Executive</strong>
FOR LEADERS IN THE BUSINESS OF WELLNESS<br />
ADVERTISE WITH US<br />
CONTACT SAL CAPIZZI FOR MORE INFORMATION<br />
SCAPIZZI@SPAEXECUTIVE.COM<br />
scapizzi@book4time.com www.spaexecutive.com