The spa industry is quite young. Over the past few decades, like any developing industry, it has been constantly changing, adapting both to certain economic conditions and customers’ new needs. And sometimes dictated the fashion itself, catching the vector of people’s desires to change lifestyles and habits.
A Short Retrospective of the Industry
If you recall the history of the spa, in the very beginning these magic three letters meant the name of a place where wellness treatments using water were provided. The spa had the reputation of something unusual, not cheap and not accessible to everyone, but very attractive. Today spa is understood as a way of life, as a set of services designed to enhance health and improve overall well-being. It includes various facial and body care procedures, healthy diet, physical exercises, and spiritual practices, i.e. spa preaches a holistic approach to human health.
The main goal is to improve the mental and physical state of the client: to help them to overcome the stress experienced in everyday life, eliminate stress factors related to work and domestic problems, and only then – to improve their body, i.e. to make them look younger, more beautiful and to solve aesthetic problems. Today spa is oriented to all categories of clients. It deals with the things that traditional medicine is not very willing to pay attention to – preventing several diseases and improving people’s health.
A serious frontier and a kind of new starting point for the spa industry were 2008-2009. Then, after years of steady growth in the number of spa clients, their number began to decline rapidly, and many businesses were forced to shut down. It was a real shock to the industry, bringing to light new trends reflecting the volatility of the modern economy, the need for additional measures to protect businesses and new approaches to health care.
The spa industry must know what is happening in this sector, catch the “winds of change” to choose the right strategic and tactical solutions, and steer their business in the right direction in time to offer each client what he or she needs most at that moment.
And Here are Some Trends to Pay Attention to
Architecture and design. Today, when creating a spa facility, investors choose cheaper architectural, design solutions, preferring the luxury of the early 2000s to functionality, environmental friendliness, and simplicity. Luxury is no longer in vogue, the more so that it all costs a lot. It is much more important that the spa facility meets the needs of the target audience. Functionality plays the most important role in the interior of the building. At the top of the list is the conceptual correspondence of the architectural style to the type of spa facility, originality of the performance, distinction from others, but not luxury.
On the other hand, the client, coming to the spa, hopes to get into a spa atmosphere, not a cheap resort. The main task of spa design is to create a cozy environment that promotes relaxation and a good mood. Space itself should affect all five senses, giving rise to a feeling of comfort. Natural materials such as wood, water, stone, clay, etc. are especially valued in the construction of the spa facility, having a harmonizing effect on the human body.
Lighting. One of the main trends in the design of spa rooms is the division of the space into separate light zones. With the help of different lighting sources and color solutions, you can create an unforgettable atmosphere that positively affects the mood of the client. It is no secret that color therapy can be an effective way to enhance the effect of spa treatments.
Equipment. The time of simple standard equipment is irrevocably passing. The new generation of machines must have options that activate all five senses of the client. The main goal is to create special physical and psycho-emotional sensations and to prevent diseases. The design of the equipment must be in harmony with the design of the entire spa.
Cosmetic product lines. Cosmetic products labeled “natural”, “organic”, “ecological” are considered a priority for use in spas. The volume of sales of such products is increasing rapidly. Nevertheless, when choosing a cosmetic line for a spa facility, it is necessary to carefully analyze the needs of customers, among them there can be many followers of traditional cosmetics.
About the Author:
Taylor Brouwer is a passionate and experienced writer, frequenter of spas. Currently works as a research writer at Writemyessay.nyc, so you may reach him when you have a “write my essay for me” emergency.
Image by René Boinski from Pixabay