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ISSUE #49 NOVEMBER <strong>2023</strong><br />
SPA EXECUTIVE<br />
FOR LEADERS IN THE BUSINESS OF WELLNESS<br />
THE TRENDS ISSUE<br />
SPOTLIGHT<br />
Auberge’s new Global VP of Wellbeing,<br />
Vivianne Garcia-Tunon, talks wellbeing &<br />
wellness travel<br />
FEATURE<br />
2024 <strong>Spa</strong> & Wellness Trends: gender<br />
inclusivity, anti-ageism, thermal bathing<br />
& more<br />
MANAGEMENT<br />
Dear Sal, what can I do with 2<br />
employees who hate each other?
PUBLISHER<br />
Roger Sholanki<br />
Note from the Publisher<br />
EDITOR, CREATIVE DIRECTOR<br />
Elizabeth Bromstein<br />
Dear readers,<br />
DESIGNER<br />
Design Pickle<br />
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR,<br />
PRODUCTION MANAGER<br />
Sal Capizzi<br />
It’s Q4 of <strong>2023</strong>, time to make our spa & wellness trends predictions for 2024. This is a labor<br />
of love, for which we pull from news and research from around the world, as well as<br />
interviews and insights from thought leaders, while also relying on our own instinct and<br />
intuition to bring you the trends we’re watching in the coming year.<br />
We know some people are averse to the word "trend", as it can imply fleeting fads and<br />
bandwagon jumping. But let’s remember that the first definition of a “trend” is “a general<br />
direction in which something is developing or changing.” And, as we all know, the spa,<br />
wellness, and hospitality industries are forever developing and changing, with societal<br />
movements, new technologies, advancements in scientific research, and much more.<br />
Among the trends we’re watching are the anti-ageism movement, micro workouts and mini<br />
meditations, a surge in companies maximizing revenue through yield management, a<br />
continued boom in wellness travel, and a wave of renewed interest in thermal bathing.<br />
We’ve listed these in this issue and also in our downloadable 2024 <strong>Spa</strong> & Wellness Trends<br />
Report: A Hospitality Handbook.<br />
Meanwhile, we asked our Spotlight interviewee, Vivianne Garcia-Tunon, Auberge’s new<br />
Global VP of Wellbeing, to talk about the developments she’s excited about, as well as about<br />
her new role and plans for the brand.<br />
I trust that the insights in this edition of <strong>Spa</strong> <strong>Executive</strong> will empower you with valuable<br />
knowledge to propel your business forward - and we hope you enjoy reading.<br />
Warm regards,<br />
Roger Sholanki,<br />
CEO, Book4Time<br />
<strong>Spa</strong> <strong>Executive</strong><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.
Contents<br />
<strong>November</strong> <strong>2023</strong><br />
4<br />
6<br />
Volume 49<br />
PARTNER SPOTLIGHT: TRIPFUSION<br />
MANAGEMENT<br />
Dear Sal, what can I do with 2 employees who<br />
hate each other?<br />
8<br />
10<br />
12<br />
14<br />
16<br />
19<br />
22<br />
SPECIAL ISSUE<br />
2024 SPA & WELLNESS TRENDS<br />
ANTI-AGEISM TAKES ON ANTI-AGING<br />
RETHINKING GENDER IDENTITY & INCLUSIVITY<br />
YIELD MANAGEMENT IS REDEFINING<br />
REVENUE POTENTIAL<br />
THERMAL BATHING SEES BUOYANT INTEREST<br />
TIME-OPTIMIZED WELLNESS, MICRO<br />
WORKOUTS & MINI MEDITATIONS<br />
INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO WELLNESS<br />
TRAVEL EXPERIENCES<br />
SPOTLIGHT<br />
Auberge’s new Global VP of Wellbeing,<br />
Vivianne Garcia-Tunon, talks wellbeing,<br />
wellness travel & more<br />
24<br />
FEATURED PROPERTY:<br />
Dr. Wilkinson’s Backyard Resort &<br />
Mineral Springs
TripFusion: Transforming travel with<br />
seamless booking integration<br />
TripFusion by Vacayou is turning the tide with<br />
cutting-edge software designed to provide a<br />
flawless wellness travel booking experience.<br />
TripFusion empowers hotels and resorts<br />
to package rooms with spa and wellness<br />
experiences and activity bookings, bringing these<br />
two trends together, and catering to this wildly<br />
lucrative market of health-conscious travelers.<br />
The travel industry is operating in a new<br />
era, where convenience and customization<br />
are not just valued but expected.<br />
Consumers want cohesive, personalized,<br />
stress-free experiences. The global wellness<br />
economy, meanwhile, is booming, expected<br />
to reach $8.5 trillion by 2027.<br />
Vacayou is a leading wellness travel<br />
marketplace founded in 2019 by Muirgheal<br />
Montecalvo, an industry veteran with an<br />
entrepreneurial spirit. Headquartered in<br />
Tampa, Florida, Vacayou curates the best<br />
experiences geared to wellness travelers,<br />
a market willing to spend 177% more<br />
than average travelers, especially on spa<br />
experiences.<br />
But after several years in business, the<br />
team at Vacayou came to the realization<br />
that, despite the demand for wellness<br />
travel, the process of designing spa<br />
and wellness packages was strangely<br />
cumbersome for both guest and hotelier.<br />
The Fragmentation Frustration<br />
The traditional travel booking model is often<br />
fragmented and frustrating for consumers<br />
trying to reserve additional services with<br />
their hotel or resort room in advance. In<br />
an age where efficiency is everything, the<br />
inconvenience of managing multiple booking<br />
processes has become an outdated and<br />
costly affair.<br />
So they asked: as more people look for<br />
retreat and restoration, how can hotels<br />
best accommodate this high-yield travel?<br />
Enter TripFusion, Vacayou’s innovative B2B<br />
SaaS solution. TripFusion elegantly syncs a<br />
hotel’s reservation systems with its ancillary<br />
amenities and services, ensuring that never<br />
again will a hotel guest arrive to find that the<br />
spa is fully booked or their activity bookings<br />
don’t line up with their hotel reservations.<br />
TripFusion’s unique solution<br />
TripFusion addresses fragmentation<br />
frustration head-on with a dynamic booking<br />
system that enables guests to customize<br />
their stay and amenities through a single,<br />
streamlined checkout process. As a guest<br />
selects room accommodations, they have<br />
the option right in the checkout screen to<br />
select available services and activities, like<br />
spa appointments and other experiences, in<br />
real-time. The hotel guest is happy because<br />
they can immediately know if the spa<br />
services and wellness experiences they want<br />
to book will be available to them — before<br />
hitting that payment button.<br />
4<br />
| <strong>Spa</strong> <strong>Executive</strong>
The value this brings to hospitality groups<br />
and spas is enormous – not only does<br />
it elevate the customer experience, it<br />
also increases spa revenue, revenue per<br />
occupied room (RevPOR), and significantly<br />
reduces administrative tasks.<br />
Beyond the booking: the guest experience<br />
Between multiple emails and calls, a<br />
splintered booking process is simply not<br />
conducive to a good guest experience, even<br />
with the most professional staff. TripFusion<br />
is designed with the guest experience at its<br />
core. For the spa concierge, gone are the<br />
hours of back and forth conversations and<br />
emails with guests. By offering a seamless<br />
booking process that allows guests to<br />
reserve appointments in tandem with their<br />
rooms, TripFusion eliminates the friction that<br />
typically comes with separate bookings.<br />
Whether you’re booking direct or distributing on Vacayou, with TripFusion and Book4Time,<br />
the benefits include:<br />
Increased revenue: By enabling the simultaneous sale of rooms and additional<br />
services, hotels offering spa and wellness services see a direct increase in RevPOR.<br />
Operational simplicity: Simplified operations lead to reduced administrative costs<br />
and frustrations.<br />
Elevated guest experience: The seamless booking journey results in higher guest<br />
satisfaction and loyalty.<br />
The partnership of Book4Time and TripFusion stands alone at the forefront of this industry<br />
innovation, giving spas and hotels the opportunity to make unique branded offers, and<br />
providing an unmatched competitive edge. Learn more:<br />
https://www.tripfusion.com/<br />
TripFusion’s is a complete solution to the<br />
disjointed problem. The game-changing<br />
technology doesn’t just simplify the booking<br />
process, it creates a seamless bridge<br />
between a hotel’s reservation system and spa<br />
ancillary amenities and experiences in realtime,<br />
utilizing AI-powered dynamic packages<br />
to maximize efficiency and profitability.<br />
Book4Time + TripFusion: a passport to a<br />
seamless & enriched travel future<br />
With Book4Time and TripFusion, you can<br />
provide a seamless experience to guests<br />
looking for the perfect wellness getaway.<br />
And, since TripFusion is a part of Vacayou,<br />
you can also choose to promote those same<br />
packages and journeys directly to those<br />
high-yielding wellness travelers searching on<br />
vacayou.com!<br />
5<br />
| <strong>Spa</strong> <strong>Executive</strong>
Dear Sal, what can I do with 2 employees<br />
who hate each other?<br />
Sal Capizzi<br />
In Dear Sal, Sal Capizzi, Marketing Director<br />
at Book4Time and a former Director of <strong>Spa</strong><br />
and Wellness at NEXUS Luxury Collection,<br />
shares his expert insight into your reader<br />
questions. Here he talks about how to hire<br />
the best spa employees.<br />
Send your queries about managing<br />
staff, operations, and anything else you<br />
want to know (challenge him!) to<br />
scapizzi@spaexecutive.com<br />
Q. Dear Sal,<br />
I need help. I manage a medium-sized<br />
spa with about 30 employees, including<br />
massage therapists, aestheticians,<br />
and front desk staff. Most of them get<br />
along well, but there are two therapists<br />
who just don’t get along and I find<br />
this incredibly frustrating. One (1) has<br />
been with the company longer, is an<br />
excellent massage therapist, and has<br />
a long list of regular customers and<br />
many repeat requests. The other (2)<br />
is also a very good therapist who has<br />
fewer regulars because they are newer<br />
to the team. As such, 1 tends to leave<br />
menial tasks for 2 to take care of, the<br />
rationale being that they are “busier,”<br />
and also talks down to them and bosses<br />
them around. 2 was patient to a point<br />
but is beginning to crack – they will do<br />
the tasks, because they don’t want to<br />
leave things undone and are a good<br />
employee, but they are not enjoying<br />
it. This tension is spilling over onto<br />
the rest of the team and infecting the<br />
atmosphere at work. I don’t blame 2. I<br />
like this employee and their work ethic<br />
and don’t want to lose them.<br />
I’ve tried talking to 1 but they are a bit<br />
of a diva and not easy to reach, and<br />
frankly, they could go work anywhere<br />
they want and I can’t afford to lose<br />
them. I can’t afford to lose either of<br />
them, staffing challenges being what<br />
they are. What can I do??<br />
A. Hey there, Thank you for reaching out!<br />
Wow this sounds like quite the conundrum.<br />
I’m sorry to hear about the challenges<br />
you’re facing.<br />
First, let’s acknowledge the strengths of<br />
both therapists. It’s clear that both Therapist<br />
1 and 2 bring valuable skills to the team.<br />
Their different styles and experiences can<br />
complement each other beautifully if you<br />
6<br />
| <strong>Spa</strong> <strong>Executive</strong>
can find a way to bridge the communication<br />
gap. I personally would first have private<br />
conversations with each therapist. Praise<br />
them for their exceptional skills and<br />
contributions. Express your appreciation for<br />
their dedication to the spa.<br />
But this is where I would also turn my<br />
leadership cap around to the other side<br />
where it says “manager.” You must clarify<br />
expectations during these meetings as well.<br />
Clearly define the roles and responsibilities of<br />
each team member. Emphasize that everyone<br />
is expected to contribute to the overall<br />
success of the spa, regardless of seniority.<br />
If the problem continues after you have had<br />
your individual conversations with them<br />
both it’s time for some good ole fashion<br />
mediation and lay it all out on the table<br />
with another manager in the room also<br />
that can help suggest out of the box ideas<br />
and solutions. The purpose of this would<br />
be to come to a mutual conclusion so<br />
nothing as far as expectations can get lost<br />
in translation in further 1-on-1 meetings,<br />
you have a business to run. You could also<br />
subtly make them have a good time together<br />
by organizing a team-building activity or<br />
workshops to strengthen the bonds among<br />
these two but also all of your staff members.<br />
It sounds like it might be a good time to start<br />
planning this!<br />
Also, be regimented with rewards and<br />
recognitions for the overall team! Implement a<br />
system to recognize and reward outstanding<br />
performance and teamwork. This will motivate<br />
everyone to work better together.<br />
Remember, change may not happen<br />
overnight, but with consistent effort and<br />
positive reinforcement, we<br />
can create a more inclusive and<br />
supportive environment!<br />
7<br />
| <strong>Spa</strong> <strong>Executive</strong>
2024 <strong>Spa</strong> & Wellness Trends<br />
Anti-ageism takes on anti-aging<br />
The anti-ageism movement is a growing one<br />
as people have had enough of “anti-aging”<br />
and outright ageism, “one of the last socially<br />
acceptable prejudices.”<br />
Four years ago, we published an article<br />
suggesting that it was time to rethink<br />
the term “anti-aging” and, while the idea<br />
didn’t take off like a rocket at the time, a<br />
slow build followed. This was something<br />
we actually predicted. “Movements don’t<br />
usually start with a bang,” we wrote, “but<br />
with a whisper.”<br />
These days, people everywhere – particularly<br />
women – are talking about how sick and tired<br />
they are of being told they should want to<br />
look, and be, younger, and the pushback is<br />
real. Women face ageism in the workplace, on<br />
the job search, in media, and from the beauty<br />
and wellness industries. It’s everywhere.<br />
As skincare is being marketed to increasingly<br />
younger audiences, often through fearbased<br />
messaging designed to prey on girls<br />
with already low self esteem, people are<br />
saying “enough.”<br />
Ageism is one of the last socially<br />
acceptable prejudices<br />
Ageism is one of the last socially acceptable<br />
prejudices,” reads a recent headline from<br />
the American Psychological Association,<br />
“Psychologists are working to change that.”<br />
The article reads: “From ‘antiaging’ face<br />
creams to wisecracking birthday cards about<br />
getting older to ‘OK, boomer’ memes, the<br />
message is clear: Being old is something<br />
to avoid.” The author adds: “It is clear that<br />
ageism has a host of negative effects, for<br />
people’s physical and mental well-being and<br />
society as a whole.”<br />
And the only alternative to aging is … well …<br />
dying. So, why would we be against it?<br />
It seems important that the wellness<br />
industry not perpetuate this type of<br />
discrimination and that people are wary of<br />
the messages they are sending. Suggesting<br />
to women that what they need is something<br />
to make them look younger may no longer<br />
land the way you think it will. As a business,<br />
knowing your audience is crucial. Women<br />
over 40 have big purchasing power and you<br />
don’t want to insult or alienate them.<br />
For example, Elizabeth ( Editor in Chief at<br />
<strong>Spa</strong> <strong>Executive</strong>), was recently buying perfume<br />
and asked if there were any free samples.<br />
The younger woman behind the counter<br />
said “sure!” and cheerfully stuffed something<br />
in the bag. Later, when Elizabeth looked in<br />
the bag, expecting to find perfume samples,<br />
she found a sample of neck firming cream.<br />
Elizabeth, who is perfectly happy with her<br />
neck and has no interest in firming creams,<br />
found the young woman’s presumption<br />
surprising and irritating. A more easily<br />
offended person might have been put off<br />
from ever returning to that business.<br />
Pro-aging & anti-ageism movements are<br />
growing on social media<br />
As it was with fat shaming and the<br />
relentlessly insensitive weight loss<br />
messaging that spawned the body positivity<br />
and body neutrality movements a few years<br />
ago, pro-aging and anti-ageism movements<br />
are growing on social media.<br />
8<br />
| <strong>Spa</strong> <strong>Executive</strong>
Hashtags like #ilookmyage and accounts<br />
with names like Ageism Is Never in Style<br />
and aging_is_amazing have hundreds of<br />
thousands of followers – and not just as<br />
tokenism or new wrapping for tired, old<br />
ideas. They’re not marketing anti-aging<br />
creams and serums under the guise of “pro<br />
aging” or “aging gracefully,” but rather, these<br />
are accounts for women with gray hair,<br />
natural skin, wrinkles, and big smiles.<br />
Celebrities are also talking. Among them,<br />
supermodel Paulina Porizkova has been<br />
outspoken against ageism and persistent<br />
in sharing her true face. So, the now<br />
58-year-old was unimpressed when last<br />
year, she says, a plastic surgeon shared a<br />
photo of her and pointed out everything<br />
“wrong” with it. In response, Porizkova<br />
reshared the image with her<br />
own comments.<br />
She wrote: “telling a woman what she<br />
‘needs’ to do herself in order to be seen as<br />
attractive, whether it’s hair color, makeup,<br />
skin creams or clothing – or the more<br />
invasive options – is shaming her. Every time<br />
you catch yourself thinking or saying ‘you<br />
know, you should…’ to a friend, stop for a<br />
moment. If she doesn’t ask for help, are you<br />
really helping?”<br />
View the Instagram post here<br />
Other women who have broached the topic<br />
include Andie MacDowell, Sarah Jessica<br />
Parker, and Jamie Lee Curtis, who said at<br />
the Reframing Aging Summit hosted by<br />
Maria Shriver in March, “This word ‘antiaging’<br />
has to be struck. I am pro-aging. I<br />
want to age with intelligence, and grace,<br />
and dignity, and verve, and energy. I don’t<br />
want to hide it. I’m not denying what I look<br />
like, of course I’ve seen what I look like. I am<br />
trying to live in acceptance.”<br />
Others are realizing that self acceptance is<br />
key. A Washington Post article states:<br />
“Age bias doesn’t show up only as blatant<br />
discrimination (‘We want someone younger<br />
for that job.’) or snarky birthday cards. One<br />
of the most potent sources of ageism comes<br />
from older people themselves, and like<br />
other forms of ageism, the self-inflicted kind<br />
is associated with lower levels of emotional<br />
and physical health and can slash years off<br />
people’s lives.”<br />
This self acceptance means tuning out the<br />
voices of discrimination telling you that<br />
you’re not good enough and should be<br />
trying to look 25 again.<br />
Brands & media are getting the message and<br />
changing their messaging<br />
Brands and media are getting the message.<br />
For example:<br />
The Body Shop recently changed<br />
the name of its best-selling “Drops<br />
of Youth” serum to “Edelweiss,”<br />
reportedly motivated by research<br />
identifying the negative impact the<br />
beauty industry’s messaging is having<br />
on its consumers.<br />
Zara has named 67-year-old <strong>Spa</strong>nish<br />
actress Angela Molina as the face of its<br />
new campaign, and<br />
71-year-old actress and model Isabella<br />
Rossellini appeared on the October<br />
<strong>2023</strong> cover of Vogue Italia. Unlike<br />
81-year-old Martha Stewart’s heavily<br />
altered Sports Illustrated cover, which<br />
missed the mark with some people,<br />
Rossellini appeared with no digital<br />
altering of her face.<br />
Will we see a lot of pandering and<br />
tokenism? Absolutely, just like when brands<br />
started self consciously using models<br />
with a wider range of body types in their<br />
marketing while loudly calling attention<br />
to the fact and demanding accolades for<br />
it. But now, about a decade later, thanks<br />
to more brands jumping on-board and<br />
to social media, that representation is<br />
somewhat normalized.<br />
So it will likely be with aging. Like weight<br />
loss products, there will always be a<br />
market for anti-aging products but it<br />
will shrink, and change, as older women<br />
become accustomed to seeing themselves<br />
represented in faces similar to their own<br />
smiling back at them.<br />
9<br />
| <strong>Spa</strong> <strong>Executive</strong>
2024 <strong>Spa</strong> & Wellness Trends<br />
Rethinking gender identity & inclusivity<br />
Increased discourse around gender diversity<br />
and inclusivity in all sectors, including<br />
spa and wellness, is leading to changes in<br />
practices and policies.<br />
In recent years, there has been increased<br />
discourse around diversity, and a notable<br />
shift in societal perception around gender<br />
identity and inclusivity.<br />
Traditional binary notions of gender, which<br />
have long categorized individuals as either<br />
male or female based on biological sex,<br />
are being challenged and redefined and<br />
many are moving towards acceptance of<br />
a spectrum of gender identities, including<br />
non-binary, genderqueer, genderfluid,<br />
and transgender.<br />
As awareness around the topic grows, many<br />
sectors, including spa and wellness, are<br />
re-evaluating traditional gender norms and<br />
standards, and thinking about how best to<br />
accommodate transgender and non-binary<br />
guests – and how to implement related<br />
policies and practices. This is in the spirit<br />
of inclusivity, as well as due to increasing<br />
risk of being accused of discrimination and<br />
human rights violations.<br />
A business accused of violating<br />
anti-discrimination laws can face legal<br />
consequences (lawsuits, penalties,<br />
and fines), reputation damage, loss of<br />
partnerships and more issues that can<br />
create financial strain. <strong>Spa</strong>s in both the<br />
US and Canada have faced human rights<br />
complaints related to transgender guests in<br />
the last few years.<br />
ISPA recently devoted its September <strong>2023</strong><br />
Town Hall to the topic of gender inclusivity.<br />
ISPA Chairman, Patrick Huey, lead the<br />
discussion, titled Implementing Inclusive<br />
Gender Identity Policies & Best Practices, with<br />
panelists Brennan Evans (Trilogy), Heidi<br />
Smith-Mullen (Miraval), Jessica Swartley<br />
(Stowe Mountain Lodge), Catherine Warren<br />
(Arch Amenities Group), and Kristen Eber<br />
(Rosefinch <strong>Spa</strong>), with each sharing their<br />
views and experience. And earlier, in 2022,<br />
<strong>Spa</strong> Business published an article titled,<br />
“Everyone’s talking about: Going gender<br />
neutral” stating that “Many trans and<br />
non–binary people would love to visit a<br />
spa but report having concerns about the<br />
experience and the welcome. It’s time to go<br />
gender neutral.”<br />
What this means for spas and wellness<br />
businesses will depend on the business’<br />
demographic and location, and what local<br />
laws and human rights codes dictate. Some<br />
of the topics under consideration when<br />
it comes to practices and policies around<br />
gender diversity and inclusivity include:<br />
Policies & procedures: Reviewing and<br />
updating policies and procedures, the<br />
design of which may depend on local laws<br />
and codes. These policies might include<br />
revising dress codes to be gender-neutral<br />
or accommodating, ensuring equal<br />
access to all amenities, and providing<br />
clear guidelines for handling any related<br />
complaints or issues.<br />
Facilities: Some businesses are creating<br />
gender neutral spaces, be it in locker rooms<br />
or smaller spaces, like single use restrooms,<br />
or providing private, lockable changing<br />
10 | <strong>Spa</strong> <strong>Executive</strong>
ooms or stalls, to provide options for<br />
all genders.<br />
Staff training: How best to educate team<br />
members about gender diversity, inclusivity,<br />
and sensitivity, including the importance<br />
of using inclusive language and treating all<br />
guests with respect and dignity. Plus, training<br />
on how to manage related complaints or<br />
issues while adhering to policy.<br />
Marketing and Communications: using<br />
inclusive language and imagery in marketing<br />
materials and representing diversity in<br />
advertising and promotional materials to<br />
make potential guests feel welcome.<br />
Feedback mechanisms: Creating systems<br />
guests to provide feedback on their<br />
experiences to help identify and address<br />
any issues related to inclusivity that may<br />
arise and to make the experience more<br />
comfortable for everyone involved.<br />
Inclusivity in hiring: Encouraging diversity<br />
in hiring practices to create an inclusive<br />
workplace where employees of all genders<br />
feel comfortable and respected.<br />
Legal compliance: As mentioned above,<br />
ensuring that policies and practices comply<br />
with local and national laws regarding<br />
gender identity and expression, as well as<br />
other aspects of discrimination and<br />
equal treatment.<br />
The evolving landscape of gender inclusivity<br />
is not a passing fad but a fundamental shift<br />
shaping the future of industries, including<br />
spas and wellness. This transformation<br />
is indicative of a broader societal<br />
evolution that, as the trend continues to<br />
gain momentum, will redefine the way<br />
businesses operate in many areas.<br />
11 | <strong>Spa</strong> <strong>Executive</strong>
2024 <strong>Spa</strong> & Wellness Trends<br />
Yield management is redefining<br />
revenue potential<br />
Yield management has been in use in the airline<br />
and hotel industry for years, but only recently is<br />
a wider audience cluing into its potential.<br />
yield can be managed in a variety of ways<br />
through a range of applications and applied<br />
to spas, activities, amenities, and more.<br />
Last-minute deals: Offer discounts for<br />
unsold capacity as the service date or time<br />
approaches to stimulate demand.<br />
Yield management is the business practice<br />
of leveraging data to optimize pricing and<br />
capacity utilization based on fluctuating<br />
demand and availability. By understanding<br />
and capitalizing on the patterns in your<br />
data, businesses can boost their revenue<br />
potential, approach maximum capacity<br />
utilization, and enhance the overall customer<br />
experience at your spa and for your hotel or<br />
resort’s other ancillary revenue streams.<br />
This pricing strategy has been in use in<br />
the airline industry for decades and many<br />
major hotel brands have been using<br />
dynamic pricing for several years. But it’s<br />
only recently that a wider audience is cluing<br />
in to its potential. More and more people<br />
are starting to see that it’s not just about<br />
adjusting room rates or changing prices<br />
based on time of day or year, and that<br />
Increased revenue by $8 million with an<br />
80% profit<br />
Someone in the know is Suzanne Holbrooke,<br />
Marriott’s Senior Corporate Director of<br />
<strong>Spa</strong> Operations, who, more than a decade<br />
ago launched a company wide program<br />
to incentivize spa front desk staff to offer<br />
treatment upgrades like stones, face masks,<br />
CBD, and scalp treatments for an additional<br />
cost. “This increased revenue by $8 million<br />
in 2019 with an 80% profit,” she told us in<br />
an interview. “There are many facets to yield<br />
management,” she said.<br />
Examples of creative ways to use<br />
yield management<br />
Some more granular examples of ways in<br />
which companies are managing yield:<br />
Early-bird discounts: Encourage<br />
customers to book early by offering lower<br />
prices.<br />
Variable capacity: Adjust the available<br />
capacity based on demand forecasts, such<br />
as having flexible staffing levels.<br />
Categorizing inventory/capacity: For<br />
example, airlines divide their seats into<br />
various fare classes, releasing them for<br />
booking at different times and prices.<br />
Similarly, this could work for treatment<br />
rooms, service stations, and cabanas.<br />
Utilization % Rate: As your spa or facility<br />
fills up your system will automatically adjust<br />
prices to a designated yield rule of your<br />
choice, allowing you to maximize revenue<br />
during these high traffic times.<br />
12 | <strong>Spa</strong> <strong>Executive</strong>
Blocking inventory: Holding back some<br />
capacity to be released closer to the<br />
service date, especially when higher prices<br />
are anticipated.<br />
Blackout dates: Restricting or not allowing<br />
discounts or special offers during peak<br />
demand periods.<br />
Package deals: Bundle products or services<br />
together at a discounted price, often leading<br />
to increased overall sales.<br />
Book4Time CEO, Roger Sholanki, says,<br />
“Revenue and yield management are<br />
easier to manage than ever before with the<br />
development of powerful data collection<br />
tools combined with cross department<br />
integrations and intuitive, easy to use<br />
tools and interfaces. Our customers are<br />
discovering new ways to manage revenue<br />
and yield that would have been unthinkable<br />
just a few years ago. Book4Time’s reporting<br />
dashboards with their wide range of<br />
accurate data points allow for better<br />
forecasting and help decision makers cut<br />
through the noise to find simple solutions in<br />
complex numbers.”<br />
This development is redefining how an<br />
entire industry views revenue potential and<br />
will continue to do so. Business leaders<br />
are catching on to the fact that for fixed<br />
capacity industries like hotels, airlines, and<br />
spas, mastering the art of yield management<br />
can spell the difference between mediocre<br />
returns and roaring success.<br />
13 | <strong>Spa</strong> <strong>Executive</strong>
2024 <strong>Spa</strong> & Wellness Trends<br />
Thermal bathing sees buoyant interest<br />
The buoyant enthusiasm for thermal<br />
bathing has been attributed to an increased<br />
consumer desire to connect with nature and<br />
with other people.<br />
Thermal bathing has seen a surge of global<br />
interest in the last few years. The Global<br />
Wellness Institute tagged this growing trend<br />
in 2022, and <strong>Spa</strong> Business did the same,<br />
covering developments in thermal bathing<br />
in New Zealand, Australia, and the US,<br />
where, the magazine stated, the hot springs<br />
scene was “on fire.” And this one looks like<br />
it’s still growing.<br />
The buoyant enthusiasm for what is<br />
commonly referred to as “taking the<br />
waters” has been attributed to an increased<br />
consumer desire to connect with nature and<br />
with other people – probably related to the<br />
isolation many endured during the COVID<br />
pandemic. Bathing in hot springs and warm<br />
pools is largely a social activity, and many<br />
industry thought leaders did indeed predict<br />
that communal activities would see a surge<br />
when restrictions were lifted.<br />
Record breaking visitation numbers at<br />
thermal bathing sites<br />
Vicky Nash, executive director of the US<br />
Hot Springs Association told <strong>Spa</strong> Business<br />
that about 50 hot springs projects were in<br />
development in the US at that time. “There’s<br />
definitely a renewed interest in hot springs<br />
properties,” she is quoted as saying. “These<br />
past two years, health-conscious consumers<br />
have been utilizing geothermal pools and<br />
baths in greater numbers, seeking more<br />
natural immune-boosting activities and<br />
many resorts have recently experienced<br />
record-breaking visitation numbers.”<br />
The tradition of taking the waters has a<br />
long history, with examples like Turkey’s<br />
Pamukkale, Italy’s Abano and Montegrotto,<br />
Hungary’s Kiraly Bath, Slovenia’s Terme<br />
Dobrna, and the UK’s city of Bath, where<br />
we now find the Thermae Bath <strong>Spa</strong>. Some<br />
of today’s well-known thermal spas include<br />
Iceland’s Blue Lagoon, Germany’s Therme<br />
Erding, Japan’s Kusatsu Onsen, and<br />
many more.,<br />
New builds & restorations<br />
Renowned spas around the world are<br />
seeing new life, including Tuscany’s Grotta<br />
Giusti Thermal <strong>Spa</strong> Resort. After it was<br />
acquired by Marriott, the historic 19th<br />
Century property underwent a two-yearlong<br />
resort-wide refurbishment, reopening<br />
in 2022. Located in Montecatini Terme,<br />
Grotta Giusti boasts an underground<br />
thermal cave thought to be 130 million<br />
years old, the largest in Europe, renowned<br />
for its healing properties. With newly<br />
refreshed spa, guestrooms, restaurants,<br />
and hotel bar, Grotta Giusti offers a variety<br />
of bathhouse-style experiences, including<br />
Roman baths, saunas, and experience<br />
showers. The highlight is the thermal<br />
cave, divided into three areas of varying<br />
temperatures. Additional treatments,<br />
changing rooms, and a spa garden are part<br />
of the expanded spa experience.<br />
North America, meanwhile, is warming<br />
up to the wellness ritual with older<br />
spas undergoing renovations and<br />
transformations and new locations<br />
14 | <strong>Spa</strong> <strong>Executive</strong>
emerging in the US and Canada. Among<br />
the US spas undergoing renewals are<br />
Murrieta Hot Springs Resort. Set to open<br />
in February 2024, the Southern California<br />
spot has been closed to the public for 30<br />
years. Visitors will have access to more than<br />
50 geothermal pools, water features, and<br />
cold plunges, a “mud loft” and panoramic<br />
sauna. <strong>Spa</strong> treatments will be inspired<br />
by the minerals in the geothermal water,<br />
abundant agricultural region, and mud<br />
bathing history.<br />
And Canada’s Fairmont Lake Louise, in<br />
Banff, Alberta, is building a state-of-the-art,<br />
eco-friendly well-being thermal wellness<br />
facility. Construction on the facility, which is<br />
located on the site of the hotel’s previous<br />
outdoor pool – which was built in 1926<br />
and closed in 1980 – began in 2022 and it<br />
will open to the public in 2024. The space<br />
will feature a steam ritual, a sequence of<br />
vitality pools, saunas, a room dedicated<br />
to exfoliation and rinsing, and a lounge<br />
serving food and drink made with locally<br />
sourced ingredients to create “dishes that<br />
complement a soul awakening.”<br />
in 2022 offering indoor hydrotherapy with<br />
a combination of hot and cold facilities<br />
and a full line-up of wellness treatments.<br />
SKA offers evening “social hours” featuring<br />
“a more lively environment for guests to<br />
socialize, celebrate or simply take part in<br />
conversation with friends.”<br />
Forena Cité Thermale, St Bruno,<br />
Quebec: Forena Cité Thermale is a massive<br />
complex at the base of Mont Saint Bruno,<br />
offering bathing circuits and massotherapy,<br />
thermotherapy, and aesthetic care inspired<br />
by Icelandic, German, and Russian traditions.<br />
The Cité opened in 2020, right before the<br />
COVID shutdowns.<br />
The <strong>Spa</strong> at Séc-he, Palm Springs: The<br />
Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians<br />
opened The <strong>Spa</strong> at Séc-he at the Agua<br />
Caliente Cultural Plaza in <strong>2023</strong>, located<br />
at the tribe’s sacred hot mineral spring,<br />
adjacent to Agua Caliente Casino Palm<br />
Springs. Séc-he translates to “the sound of<br />
boiling water” in the Cahuilla language, and<br />
the springs are sacred to the tribe, which<br />
has been their steward for generations.<br />
New projects in Canada and the US include:<br />
Circle Wellness Granville Island,<br />
Vancouver: Circle Wellness, already a<br />
popular Vancouver spa, opened a second<br />
location in <strong>2023</strong>. The private self-guided<br />
thermal experience combines ancient<br />
wellness rituals with modern technology for<br />
an immersive healing experience. The Circle<br />
is a circuit that includes a shower, soak,<br />
Welpod (an immersive and multi-sensory<br />
room designed to promote physical and<br />
emotional well-being), cold plunge, and bed<br />
of stones.<br />
SKA City Thermal <strong>Spa</strong>, Calgary: SKA,<br />
“Calgary’s only urban thermal spa,” opened<br />
Mysa Nordic <strong>Spa</strong>, St. Peters Bay: Mysa is<br />
Prince Edward Island’s first and only Nordic<br />
<strong>Spa</strong> & Resort, located on St. Peter’s Bay and<br />
featuring 17 water-view accommodations,<br />
top tier food and beverage services, and a<br />
state-of-the-art thermal spa. Mysa features<br />
an 85-person thermal bath, Aufguss<br />
ceremonies, and a wide range of spa and<br />
relaxation services including essential oil<br />
steam rooms, cold water plunges, a Finnish<br />
sauna, meditation sessions, and massages.<br />
With its compelling blend of health and<br />
wellness benefits and the appeal of<br />
community experience, thermal bathing’s<br />
resurgence in popularity will likely grow in<br />
the years to come.<br />
15 | <strong>Spa</strong> <strong>Executive</strong>
2024 <strong>Spa</strong> & Wellness Trends<br />
Time-optimized wellness, micro workouts<br />
& mini meditations<br />
Time-optimized wellness practises, including<br />
micro workouts and mini meditations have been<br />
growing in popularity over the last few years.<br />
Time is fleeting and there’s never enough<br />
of it, which is why time-optimized wellness<br />
practices, including micro workouts and mini<br />
meditations have been growing in popularity<br />
over the last few years.<br />
This trend is still on the rise, driven by<br />
social media (mainly TikTok) and the allure<br />
of workouts and wellness practices that<br />
prioritize efficiency, effectiveness, and worklife<br />
balance.<br />
Micro workouts are mini bursts of activity<br />
that make it easier for busy people to fit in<br />
some exercise from pretty much wherever<br />
they happen to be, whether at home or in the<br />
office. Particularly popular with Gen Z, they<br />
can be performed several times throughout<br />
the day, usually last from one to 10 minutes,<br />
and can include high-intensity interval training<br />
(HIIT) and circuit training routines combining<br />
strength and cardio exercises. Forbes reports<br />
that some time-optimized fitness programs<br />
“incorporate technology, like wearable<br />
fitness trackers or virtual reality workouts, to<br />
optimize workout efficiency.”<br />
They may also be 10 minutes of gentle<br />
pilates, low impact cardio (like dancing),<br />
yoga, stretching, or anything that qualifies<br />
as exercise. A search for micro workouts,<br />
one-minute dances, or one minute fitness<br />
videos on TikTok yields many varied results,<br />
so enthusiasts can mix it up daily.<br />
Fitness Magazine looked into whether<br />
micro workouts actually work or are just<br />
another useless trend, using examples<br />
ranging from “a few reps between meetings,<br />
or power-walking up the stairs at the<br />
office to two-, three- or 10-minute interval<br />
sessions over lunch incorporating 2-3<br />
compound exercises.”<br />
The article states that “a growing body of<br />
research suggests that micro workouts can<br />
certainly deliver benefits.” A study published<br />
in 2022, for example, found that performing<br />
short workouts every day, rather than longer<br />
exercise sessions, was enough to improve<br />
metabolic health.<br />
Another study found that “brief (20-second),<br />
intense stair climbing is a practical, timeefficient<br />
strategy to improve [cardiovascular<br />
fitness] in previously untrained women.”<br />
And according to a third study, cardiovascular<br />
fitness “was similarly increased by a protocol<br />
involving ‘sprint snacks’ spread throughout<br />
the day and a traditional SIT (sprint interval<br />
training) protocol in which bouts were<br />
separated by short recovery periods within a<br />
single training session.”<br />
While these workouts might not get you<br />
ready for the Olympics or burn as many<br />
calories as a lengthier session, they can help.<br />
16<br />
| <strong>Spa</strong> <strong>Executive</strong>
Life is increasingly overwhelming<br />
With life feeling increasingly overwhelming,<br />
inflation on the rise, and burnout impacting<br />
growing numbers of people, fitting in a<br />
little bouts of exercise is important. As we<br />
know, engaging in regular physical activity<br />
can lower the risk of disease, improve brain<br />
health, boost mood, reduce stress, and<br />
enhance your capacity to perform daily<br />
tasks. Even finding ways to incorporate<br />
small amounts of activity into an otherwise<br />
sedentary day can have big benefits. Micro<br />
workouts are an actionable way to do this.<br />
Micro meditations and micro mindfulness<br />
Beyond the workout are micro meditations<br />
and micro mindfulness practices. Many<br />
(most?) people don’t have a half hour to<br />
meditate first thing in the morning because<br />
of families, pets, kids, jobs, general tasks<br />
and general exhaustion. And trying and<br />
failing to do so on a daily basis (setting the<br />
alarm for 5 am and sleeping through it again<br />
and again) can lead to a constant feeling of<br />
failure and cycle of self loathing. But most<br />
people do have 10 minutes to sit or take<br />
a meditative walk, and taking advantage<br />
of those minutes provides the benefits of<br />
mindfulness and can also help provide a<br />
feeling of accomplishment and self worth.<br />
This positive trend has the power to make a<br />
big difference in people’s lives as it catches<br />
on with a wider audience.<br />
17 | <strong>Spa</strong> <strong>Executive</strong>
2024 <strong>Spa</strong> & Wellness Trends<br />
Innovative approaches to wellness<br />
travel experiences<br />
Wellness travel is still growing in popularity as<br />
people seek ways to disconnect from everyday<br />
stressors and prioritize health and wellbeing<br />
during their trips.<br />
The trend of wellness travel is expected to<br />
continue its upward trajectory into 2024,<br />
driven by the evolving needs and priorities of<br />
consumers. According to multiple sources,<br />
travelers are increasingly seeking ways to<br />
disconnect from everyday stressors, like<br />
economic uncertainty and global turmoil,<br />
and prioritize their health and wellbeing<br />
during their trips.<br />
94% of affluent travelers are incorporating<br />
wellness and self-care into their trips<br />
GlobalData reports that global inbound<br />
spending in the health and wellness sector<br />
is growing significantly, while Travel Week<br />
states that 94% of affluent travelers are<br />
incorporating wellness and self-care into<br />
their trips.<br />
Hilton’s most recent annual trends report<br />
also shows an upward trajectory. In a recent<br />
interview with <strong>Spa</strong> <strong>Executive</strong>, Amanda<br />
Al-Masri, the company’s Vice President of<br />
Wellness told us, “According to our <strong>2023</strong><br />
Trends Report, half of travelers seek travel<br />
experiences that align with their wellness<br />
goals and priorities. For that reason, we<br />
can be sure that there is significant and<br />
ever-increasing opportunity to win with<br />
customers in a global hospitality wellness<br />
marketplace. Historically, hospitality<br />
wellness was grounded in spa and fitness<br />
experiences, and while we absolutely plan<br />
to build on our existing strengths in these<br />
areas, we see this as table stakes.”<br />
The report states that among the wellness<br />
focused travel trends in 2024 will be quality<br />
sleep, connectivity and personalization, and<br />
culture and experiences<br />
A rise in retreats & wellness programs<br />
catering to the health-focused traveler<br />
Per Me Time Away, some are finding<br />
solace in seeking out off-grid, less crowded<br />
destinations that promote leisure, wellness,<br />
and meaningful experiences, with people<br />
valuing the journey as much as the<br />
destination itself. And DC Global Talent<br />
states: “We are seeing a rise in retreats,<br />
wellness programs, and hotel amenities<br />
that cater to the continuously healthfocused<br />
traveler.”<br />
Wellness travel in 2024 will encompass a<br />
wide variety of experiences, as hotels and<br />
resorts, as we have seen over recent years,<br />
are increasing their offerings of related<br />
services and amenities including spas,<br />
fitness centers, thermal baths, reiki, yoga,<br />
and meditation sessions. Innovative and<br />
creative programs, ranging from equine<br />
therapy, oceanside cabanas, and cacao<br />
ceremonies to “constellation-inspired<br />
18 | <strong>Spa</strong> <strong>Executive</strong>
programs” are curated to provide relaxation<br />
and rejuvenation.<br />
Innovation, technology, biohacking, and more<br />
<strong>Spa</strong> trends are also evolving to meet the<br />
wellness demands of travelers and many are<br />
showing innovation and creativity. Tammy<br />
Pahel, Vice President of <strong>Spa</strong> & Operations<br />
at Carillon Miami Wellness Resort, recently<br />
listed some of her future spa trend<br />
predictions with Luxury Travel Magazine.<br />
These include combining traditional spa<br />
treatments with modern technology,<br />
focusing on mental wellness, leveraging data<br />
to cater to specific wellness requests, and<br />
emphasizing nutrition. Carillon, for example,<br />
offers touchless treatments like sound<br />
therapies and zero-gravity stress reduction<br />
alongside traditional treatments like facials<br />
and massages.<br />
Meanwhile, the <strong>Spa</strong> at Four Seasons<br />
Toronto began offering biohacking services<br />
when it launched its Wellness & Bio Bar in<br />
spring <strong>2023</strong>, providing guests with curated,<br />
“scientifically proven evidence-based<br />
treatments” including LPG Endermologie,<br />
celluma light therapy, and hypnosis sessions.<br />
Wellness travel in 2024 is poised to offer<br />
sanctuary for travelers and continues to be a<br />
top priority. The sector is likely to see further<br />
expansion, enriching the travel sector with<br />
innovative and transformative experiences.<br />
19 | <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 />
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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 />
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SPOTLIGHT<br />
Vivianne Garcia-Tunon<br />
Auberge’s new Global VP of Wellbeing,<br />
Vivianne Garcia-Tunon, talks wellbeing,<br />
wellness travel & more<br />
Auberge’s new Global Vice President of<br />
Wellbeing, Vivianne Garcia-Tunon talks about<br />
her plans for her new role.<br />
Auberge Resorts Collection recently named<br />
Vivianne Garcia-Tunon as the company’s<br />
new Global Vice President of Wellbeing. The<br />
creation of this new role affirms Auberge’s<br />
commitment to offering guests impactful<br />
wellness experiences and building innovative<br />
spas and wellbeing destinations.<br />
Ms. Garcia-Tunon has more than 25 years of<br />
experience creating forward-thinking, holistic<br />
health solutions for the hospitality industry.<br />
As global vice president of wellbeing, she will<br />
develop and deepen the wellness experience<br />
across Auberge Resorts Collection’s portfolio.<br />
She embarked on her career journey at age<br />
16, at a female-only gym chain in San Juan,<br />
Puerto Rico, and says, “The profound joy of<br />
making others feel better filled my soul and<br />
ignited my passion.” After high school, she<br />
relocated to Miami, and pursued a study in<br />
nutrition while simultaneously taking on the<br />
role of a spa receptionist at a nearby hotel.<br />
This decision led to a series of promotions<br />
and a rewarding five-year stint with<br />
Mandarin Oriental.<br />
She then spent 10 years with ESPA<br />
International, the pioneer in luxury spa,<br />
wellness, and fitness operations. Under<br />
the mentorship of Susan Harmsworth, she<br />
honed her skills in areas like spa therapies,<br />
aromatherapy, wellness operations, design,<br />
marketing, and public relations. She says,<br />
“This invaluable experience allowed me to<br />
spearhead the successful opening of over<br />
30 award-winning spas and wellness centers<br />
in partnership with renowned brands such<br />
as The Peninsula, One&Only, Four Seasons,<br />
and Ritz Carlton Reserve.”<br />
At the same time, she returned to school<br />
to become a licensed massage therapist,<br />
skincare specialist, and energy medicine<br />
practitioner, later embarking on a spa<br />
consultancy venture in 2013 after a decade<br />
with ESPA.<br />
Ms. Garcia-Tunon says, “Over the past<br />
decade, my journey has taken me to<br />
remarkable destinations, where I’ve<br />
contributed to projects for esteemed<br />
clients like Faena, Four Seasons, and even<br />
the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In 2018,<br />
I had a serendipitous encounter with<br />
the founders of THE WELL, leading to a<br />
ground-braking collaboration on a New<br />
York-based wellness start-up grounded in<br />
ancient wisdom and modern medicine. This<br />
21 | <strong>Spa</strong> <strong>Executive</strong>
partnership ultimately culminated in my<br />
formal appointment as Senior Vice President<br />
of Operations and Development, steering<br />
THE WELL’s expansion into the world of<br />
hospitality with Auberge Resorts Collection.”<br />
but my creativity is born from a deep<br />
understanding of the human body, the<br />
physical and subtle.<br />
What are your plans in this role?<br />
As we venture into 2024, my vision is<br />
one of abundant education and<br />
meticulously curated, personalized<br />
experiences that revolve around<br />
individualized wellness journeys.<br />
As of <strong>2023</strong>, she has been a part of fortysix<br />
worldwide spa and wellness openings,<br />
and after six fulfilling years with The Well,<br />
she seized the opportunity to join Auberge<br />
Resorts Collection as their first Global<br />
Vice President of Wellbeing. With 20 spas<br />
currently in the brand’s portfolio and nine<br />
in the pipeline, Garcia-Tunon arrives at a<br />
key moment to lead the developments and<br />
oversee all pre-opening elements including<br />
conception, design and operations.<br />
We asked Vivianne Garcia-Tunon about<br />
her new role, her plans for the Auberge<br />
wellbeing brand, and what makes the best<br />
wellness experiences.<br />
Can you please talk about your new/current<br />
role and what it entails?<br />
In my new role as Global Vice President<br />
of Wellbeing, I will elevate Auberge’s<br />
positioning as a leading brand in the<br />
wellbeing space. I will conceptualize,<br />
develop, and oversee the wellbeing strategy<br />
at each property while maintaining its<br />
unique personality and staying connected<br />
to the brand’s overall spa and wellness<br />
philosophy and, in parallel, working closely<br />
with the design, creative, and operations<br />
teams to create truly unique and curated<br />
experiences that are locally inspired and<br />
connect guests to the soul of the place.<br />
At Auberge, I am looking forward to<br />
exploring the concepts of healthspan,<br />
longevity, salutogenic design, and human<br />
rewilding – in the luxury hospitality space.<br />
I plan and strategize as an operator,<br />
As the Global Vice President of Wellbeing,<br />
my vision is to craft pioneering, immersive<br />
initiatives that enhance and enrich the<br />
wellness journey throughout Auberge<br />
Resorts Collection’s diverse portfolio. I<br />
am committed to preserving the unique<br />
character and individuality of each property<br />
while seamlessly aligning them with our<br />
brand’s overarching philosophy. This entails<br />
providing abundant opportunities for<br />
guests to unwind, introspect, and restore<br />
their well-being.<br />
What are you most excited about?<br />
I am particularly thrilled about reshaping<br />
the very concept of design-driven<br />
well-being within our global portfolio.<br />
As a dedicated practitioner, I eagerly<br />
anticipate the opportunity to pioneer<br />
and champion extraordinary therapeutic<br />
experiences that have yet to be offered in<br />
a hospitality context. Moreover, I am eager<br />
to connect with the passionate leaders<br />
and practitioners within our collection.<br />
For me, true wellness is embodied in<br />
the collaborative spirit that transcends<br />
geographical boundaries and brings teams<br />
from around the world together.<br />
What are the industry trends or developments<br />
you are excited about?<br />
I eagerly anticipate the prospect of<br />
fostering sustainable growth within our<br />
industry, characterized by a deliberate shift<br />
away from cookie-cutter spa concepts that<br />
often lead to confusion and the dilution of<br />
distinct therapies.<br />
I envision wellness as a dynamic force,<br />
extending its reach into every facet of our<br />
lives—from the way we come together in<br />
communities to our work environments,<br />
our physical activities, and the daily<br />
priorities we set.<br />
Can you please talk about what makes the<br />
best wellness experience in a hotel or resort?<br />
The ultimate wellness experience is the<br />
one that takes guests by delightful surprise!<br />
My expertise and fervor revolve around<br />
crafting extraordinary moments infused<br />
with surprise, joy, and creativity. This could<br />
mean commencing a treatment within<br />
an oversized sound bowl nestled amidst<br />
the Costa Rican mountains, experiencing<br />
myofascial release guided by skilled<br />
therapists in the heart of Napa Valley,<br />
immersing in mindful moments amidst the<br />
Sea of Cortez, or handpicking your own<br />
herbs for a rejuvenating body treatment in<br />
the Northeast. It’s in the realm of the curious<br />
and unexpected that true magic happens!<br />
Does Auberge have a wellness philosophy?<br />
Auberge is renowned globally for being<br />
a best in class operator and curator of<br />
destination wellness. We create world<br />
renowned luxury spas and wellbeing<br />
experiences that attract an audience of highend<br />
well-being enthusiasts from around<br />
the globe. From destination wellness<br />
centers and luxury day spas to immersive<br />
retreat experiences, Auberge Resorts<br />
brings together the best practitioner talent,<br />
educational resources, visionary designers,<br />
22 | <strong>Spa</strong> <strong>Executive</strong>
and strategic partners to introduce unique<br />
and highly relevant wellbeing concepts that<br />
stand apart from the rest.<br />
What is the biggest challenge facing the<br />
hospitality/wellness industry right now?<br />
I am truly delighted to join the portfolio at<br />
such an exhilarating juncture. With five new<br />
spas currently in the brand’s pipeline, my<br />
arrival marks a pivotal moment to guide<br />
these developments and oversee all preopening<br />
aspects, encompassing conception,<br />
design, and operations. On a deeply<br />
personal note, it’s hard to fathom that<br />
sometime next year, I will commemorate the<br />
opening of my 50th wellness project! That is<br />
very exciting!<br />
The biggest challenge our industry faces<br />
today is the lack of talent and the decrease<br />
in massage therapy professionals in the<br />
industry. On average, massage license<br />
applications are down 45% post COVID in<br />
the United States and even though we don’t<br />
have hard data for the rest of the world, we<br />
see the lack of talent at a global level.<br />
Can you please talk about some ideas for<br />
solving that crisis?<br />
My mission is to advocate for nationwide<br />
reforms aimed at achieving universal<br />
recognition of national massage therapy<br />
certification across all states. Currently, the<br />
process of transferring a massage therapy<br />
license between states presents significant<br />
challenges. Additionally, we are committed<br />
to forging strong partnerships with massage<br />
schools to ensure a robust pipeline of<br />
graduates who fully grasp the rewards and<br />
enriching potential of a career in massage<br />
therapy. On a global scale, we aspire to<br />
offer accessible opportunities for massage<br />
therapy education and potential career<br />
progression, particularly in the numerous<br />
leadership roles available within the field of<br />
wellness hospitality.<br />
What at Auberge specifically are you<br />
excited about?<br />
23 | <strong>Spa</strong> <strong>Executive</strong>
Featured property:<br />
Dr. Wilkinson’s Backyard Resort &<br />
Mineral Springs<br />
Dr. Wilkinson’s Backyard Resort & Mineral<br />
Springs offers mud baths, spa treatments,<br />
healing mineral pool soaks, and the best of<br />
Calistoga right outside its doors.<br />
Dr. Wilkinson’s Backyard Resort & Mineral<br />
Springs is an iconic resort and spa destination<br />
nestled in the Napa Valley. Founded in 1952<br />
by wellness experts John and Edy Wilkinson,<br />
over seven decades the Calistoga resort has<br />
become a globally recognized retreat, offering<br />
mud baths, spa treatments, healing mineral<br />
pool soaks, and the best of Calistoga right<br />
outside its doors.<br />
The resort recently underwent a<br />
multimillion-dollar overhaul with SB<br />
Architects and EDG Design to create a<br />
wellness destination that brings the past<br />
into the present, modernizing while retaining<br />
historic authenticity. The result is a new<br />
mid-century- inspired space featuring 50<br />
completely renovated guest rooms, a brandnew<br />
restaurant with vast outdoor seating, a<br />
completely reimagined spa, and the same<br />
famous mud bath treatments.<br />
Eclectic style & accessible downtown location<br />
Dr. Wilkinson’s progressive roots, accessible<br />
downtown location, and eclectic style<br />
attract a diverse tribe of enthusiasts to this<br />
wellness destination.<br />
A mix of guest room types include a<br />
standalone, one-bedroom bungalow; three<br />
<strong>Spa</strong> Cottages; a Peloton room for fitnessminded<br />
travelers; and a restored, five-room,<br />
1924-vintage Victorian bunkhouse that sleeps<br />
15. These rooms honor the original 1950’s<br />
style, with white oak floors and a warm color<br />
palette. Accents include works by local artists<br />
and one-of-a-kind handmade pottery pieces<br />
by local ceramics studio NBC Pottery.<br />
Several outdoor spaces include a<br />
“Backyard” lawn, courtyard, and pool area<br />
embracing the gorgeous surroundings.<br />
The pool area features two spring-fed<br />
geothermal mineral pools and a spa pool<br />
kept at 105 degrees Fahrenheit. At the pool<br />
area, guests can relax on padded lounge<br />
chairs, day beds, and covered cabana<br />
areas. A unique vending machine offers pie,<br />
elevated snacks, healthy drinks, and sweets,<br />
as well as practical items, like earphones, a<br />
wine key, and phone cords.<br />
<strong>Spa</strong> & Wellness at Dr. Wilkinson’s Backyard<br />
Resort & Mineral Springs<br />
The spa at Dr. Wilkinson’s remains the main<br />
attraction, offering the same mineral-rich<br />
24 | <strong>Spa</strong> <strong>Executive</strong>
mud bath treatments and secret-formula<br />
mud mixture of organic, local Calistoga<br />
volcanic ash perfected by Doc Wilkinson<br />
more than 70 years ago. The reimagined spa<br />
experience, designed by TLEE <strong>Spa</strong>s, uses<br />
natural finishes, terrazzo stone floors, cedar<br />
wood, and recycled porcelain tiles to create a<br />
relaxing and rejuvenating environment.<br />
“The unique mineral waters have been<br />
evaluated by the Balneology Association of<br />
North America (BANA), the leading authority<br />
of therapeutic bathing and medicinal<br />
springs, and are classified as distinctive,<br />
neutralizing, balancing waters with the ability<br />
to strengthen skin, balance the peripheral<br />
nervous system, reset stressed nervous<br />
systems, hydrate, and detoxify.”<br />
The spa features four massage rooms,<br />
a brand-new spa garden for outdoor<br />
treatments, four indoor mud baths, seven<br />
indoor and two outdoor mineral baths, a cold<br />
deluge shower, and a dedicated geothermal<br />
mineral pool filled with varied temperature<br />
water sourced from Calistoga’s natural<br />
healing springs.<br />
Treatment highlights include:<br />
THE WORKS<br />
“Dr. Wilkinson’s famed mud bath treatment,<br />
facial mask, aromatic mineral whirlpool<br />
bath, steam room, blanket wrap, and<br />
30-minute massage”<br />
THE BODY BREW<br />
“Mineral whirlpool bath treatment with fresh<br />
hops, dry ale yeast, malt, barley, and a local<br />
beer on the side; and a 30-minute sound<br />
therapy treatment designed to achieve a<br />
balance of relaxation and revitalization.”<br />
25 | <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