spabusiness.com – A group spa industry veterans have come together to create a new hospitality and real estate company, Civana, based around sustainable wellness through an affordable travel and lifestyle platform.
Led by Kevin Kelly – who was former Canyon Ranch president and chief branding officer, and most recently was CEO and co-owner of California’s Two Bunch Palms – Civana will bring together wellness programming, sustainable design and hotel asset and property management.
Joining Kelly is Larry Lamy, former VP of finance for Miraval and Canyon Ranch; and spa and wellness brand executive Rianna Riego, who assisted Kelly in the re-branding of Two Bunch Palms. Peter Smith, former COO of Canyon Ranch, is an advisor and senior board member of Civana.
Civana will invest US $40m to transform the 189-bedroom Carefree Resort in Scottsdale, Arizona, US, which will open in September 2018; the company hopes to have between three and five wellness resorts and communities open within the next five years.
Civana wellness resorts will focus on sustainable wellness, along with a consumer appetite for a deeper guest experience, social connection, and an affordable health and wellness environment.
“The established wellness immersion resorts target the top 10 per cent of the affluent travellers, leaving 90 per cent of this market underserved,” said Kelly, who is Civana’s chair and CEO. “Civana will bring a more attainable wellness experience to a larger target market, designed for today’s sophisticated traveler of all ages.”
