Those of us lucky enough to work in the spa and wellness industry experience the pleasure of helping people day in, day out. However, from an executive perspective, there is one very common complaint: the industry doesn't get the respect it deserves. There are times when it seems like the media and the investment industry only seem to care about the growth in the technology and biotechnology industries. What excites them is another gadget, an app, a new pill, or whatever other newfangled notion is “flavor of the month.” And yet the spa and wellness industry has also grown at a clip READ MORE

One of the big shifts in the spa and wellness movement that I have seen over the past few years is in the mindset of the spa-goer. What used to be a singular spa experience to relax the body, release tension in the muscles, and perhaps elevate one's physical appearance, has now transgressed into something deeper. The spa experience is beginning to look beyond the physical body and instead, engage the mind. Spa-goers are seeking transformation focused not on changing who you are, but creating a more perfect version of yourself. READ MORE

Widespread enthusiasm for a natural hot springs experience over the last ten years has growing numbers of wellness- and recreation-oriented consumers in America building their travel and vacation plans around these scenic destinations. Places where simple enjoyment of Mother Nature, outdoor recreation, and the pleasure of total relaxation are the main attractions. Wellness and recreation-based tourism centered around hot mineral springs is estimated to be a $50 billion global industry according to the Global Wellness Institute (GWI), a Miami-based think tank that has published several research reports concerning the global hot springs market in the past few years. READ MORE

The attention span of a goldfish is eight seconds. The attention span of the average American is seven seconds. It's not surprising that we are easily distracted. There is marketing content everywhere we look. Many businesses are competing with one another to gain the attention of the consumer in order to fight for their dollar. Furthermore, the same applies to the lodging industry. It doesn't matter if you're a luxury resort, four star hotel, motel or renter on AirBnB, you're goal is to get the consumer to return; however, your consumers will make that decision within the first three to five seconds of walking through the front door. READ MORE

YouGov research found that children are “active decision makers in family economies” across a lot of decisions - including travel. They also found that young children can hold as much persuasive power as teens. From a young age, children's preferences influence where the family goes and where the family stays. The vast majority of parents give their children some say in deciding where they want to go on a trip, whether for a weekend getaway or a more traditional family vacation. Parents view kids' input as a way to ensure that their children get more out of the family's travel experiences. And, let's face it, it is also a way to reduce the nagging quotient too. In this article, you'll read about the money muscle of kids, how they influence family purchase decisions, and what your hotel can do to capitalize on this important market. READ MORE

As I mentioned here once before, in an earlier article titled Demystifying the Hotel Spa , the hotel spa business has been a bit of a roller coaster ride over the past 20 years or so. Like all good roller coaster rides, the most exciting bit is when you start rolling down from the peak, zigging and zagging, twisting and turning, screaming with a mixture of delight, adrenalin and sheer terror - but that part of the ride is also what puts many people off. It's not for everyone. In many ways, the hotel spa business today is on that same exciting part of the business cycle. READ MORE

When I was in college, my door into the spa industry opened when someone reached out to help me. Spa therapy changed my entire health and wellbeing, and it continues to do so today. As much as I love the holistic wellness and altruistic side of the spa world, I very acutely recognize this is a business. In order to do well by your clients and impact their health and in order to support our therapists in their careers, our organizations must stay healthy and profitable. Licensed in massage, esthetics, and cosmetology and holding a business management degree, I'm grateful to have knowledge and insight from all sides of the spa. READ MORE

Authentic experiences and personal well-being have become increasingly important to the modern consumer, and hotels that provide an opportunity for travelers to maintain personal wellness not only engage their leisure visitors, but group guests and locals as well. As many hotel spa and fitness facilities are seriously underutilized, a new type of spa dedicated to wellness allows a hotel to capture the growing number of health-conscious consumers searching for travel experiences that adapt to their personal needs. When executed properly, a hotel can leverage its spa/wellness offerings to reach beyond the hotel stay, extending the guest experience post-visit to create long-term loyalty. READ MORE

Over the last decade, we have seen the nation take a greater interest in health and wellness. There has been a major paradigm shift calling for higher quality, organic products and transparency with ingredients. In fact, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) now requires restaurants, retail food establishments and vending machines to list the amount of calories associated with each item. Organic grocers like Whole Foods are leading the market with their superior offerings. It's no surprise that this consumer trend has also manifested in the hospitality industry where hotel designers, owners and developers are seeing greater demand for health and wellness products than ever before. READ MORE

In the drive to increase bookings, hotel owners sometimes overlook a key component that can have a dramatic impact on their online visibility: local SEO. Search engines rely on a variety of signals when determining your hotel website's position and visibility in search results. Local SEO strategies cover three of the top web ranking signals that Google and the other search engines consider: on-page signals, citations from well-established, respected local directories, and reputable backlinks. When you correctly and proactively apply these local SEO strategies, you strengthen your hotel's business profile and help establish your website domain authority. READ MORE

I have just completed an incredible round-the-world voyage teaching on Semester at Sea, a floating university campus that visits around a dozen countries, giving students a comparative study-abroad experience that is truly global. One of the countries I visited was Morocco where, seeking to understand why the country is Africa's most popular tourist destination, I interviewed two successful entrepreneurs - one French and one British - responsible for attracting tourists to this exotic destination. Both have opened up modernized riads in the beachy-chic resort of Essaouira, on the Atlantic Coast. The Moroccan Riad is a traditional house or palace with an interior garden or courtyard. READ MORE

The evolution of the revenue management industry has been one of 2016's top trending topics. From the onslaught of big data opportunities to the drastic improvements in the life of the revenue manager, the benefits of revenue management practices and its sophisticated technology have been far-reaching in leaving virtually no revenue stone unturned. However, advanced technology has been accommodating far more in this industry's evolution than high consumptions of complex data and the bolstering of on-the-job productivity. As the industry continues to propel forward with better insights and more informed strategic opportunities, we've also seen a distinctly marked shift in how the role of revenue management is positioned within the organizational make-up of hotel(s) and hotel companies. READ MORE

Most leisure travelers in the 21st century still expect the same things out of their vacations that they wanted in years gone by: beautiful sights, convenient comfort, and unique adventures. But there is a new travel trend on the rise. With an increasing focus on wellness in our every day lives, it was inevitable that travelers and meeting planners would want to incorporate healthy, mindful experiences into vacations and events. That means personalized spa treatments, location-specific yoga sessions, refreshing eco-tourism excursions, restorative detoxes and more. A wellness-focused getaway isn't just a vacation. It is about how a destination can change a person's body, mind and soul. READ MORE

Millennials are counteracting their fight to have more free time with upping their productivity. They crave the spa because they put their well-being before work. Other demographics are also working to live rather than living to work. With that sentiment business travelers are adding on to their working business trips by adding family or significant others to the trip. Spa and wellness programs work wonderfully in the sense that they add creative fitness, healthy cooking, meditation, team and couples focused activity to the sometimes hum-drum qualities of a hotel stay. Furthermore, as a property slated to handle a company's business travel and leisure expenditure is a profitability bonus that makes numbers sing the praises of bleisure. READ MORE

It may seem to be relatively straight forward to talk about accountability and investment in spas or wellness centers. Reality however proves otherwise. Interestingly, the industry has not yet accepted a definition for spa, or for wellness centers (or different types of spas). According to the International SPA Association “Spas are places devoted to overall well-being through a variety of professional services that encourage the renewal of mind, body and spirit.” Although ISPA's relevant terminologies are often referred to, these are not global definitions. Still, at least there are some descriptions available for spas. Wellness centers represent an even less clear arena. READ MORE