Spending time in nature is the best remedy to improve your quality and outlook on life. It also provides the simplest, most cost effective and innovative opportunities to have a positive impact on our overall well-being. Global Wellness Tourism is a $3.4 trillion business as reported by the 2013 Global Wellness Report. Dr. Deepak Chopra noted in a recent speech that, “Wellness is the number one trend in the world today.” And Ophelia Yeung, senior consultant, Center for Science, Technology & Economic Development, SRI, and one of the report's lead researchers, argued that she only sees more growth ahead: “Prevention-challenged traditional healthcare systems, and an obesity and chronic disease crisis, are simply costing people and governments too much. READ MORE

Professor Gerard Bodeker has said that spas are the 'organizational face of Wellness'. What he means by this is that spas provide a safe and understandable entry point into the diverse and often confusing world of Wellness. Much like a hospital is the organizational face of illness. Patients rarely know which medical specialist is the most appropriate for their specific condition. They trust that the hospital will direct them to right doctor. Spas, according to Bodeker, offer the same for Wellness. READ MORE

In the past few years, there has been an ever-growing, very subtle feeling of insecurity, instability, craziness up to some point of panic, when it comes to people's daily life, personal growth and the overall economic growth. This feeling has forced humanity and societies to do things that have separated everyone and everything on a large scale with some very unpleasant outcomes. However, in the past 10 plus years this feeling has turned to the other side of the coin with an even deeper sense of urgency surfacing in each of us, to find out what this is all about, supported by a force that is seemingly coming from nowhere. This deep-seated feeling of unrest has been on the rise since the mid 40's, and pushed aside ever since to avoid confrontation of a possible ugly truth, the truth that the life lived up until today was an illusion. READ MORE

Looking back at the anecdotes from history books, spas were exceedingly popular in the Roman, Greek and Egyptian eras. Ancient philosophies preach the importance of cleansing the mind, body and spirit through connecting with Mother Earth and the world's energy, such as “Earthing,” which promotes direct contact with the earth's electron-rich surface. The premise of Earthing is that grounding the body to the earth's surface, most commonly done walking barefoot, stabilizes natural electrical rhythms and reduces disease-causing inflammation. The ancient Egyptians, Romans and Greeks not only practiced Earthing, but also enjoyed hot and cold water treatments, followed by aromatic massages with fragrant oils, and had herbalists and apothecaries. READ MORE

Spas and wellness are big business, but that doesn't mean they can't be even bigger. You can go about this through two general strategies: capturing more revenues from existing spa clientele or targeting new customers. While the latter is more challenging, it is nevertheless a worthwhile pursuit as the current spa users represent only a minority of the total traveling consumer base. Whether the spa is price prohibitive or consumers don't see the value, there are indeed many barriers to converting 'unenlightened' guests. Therefore, specific tactics must be undertaken to make them realize the benefits of a hotel's wellness program. READ MORE

Total hotel revenue management and guest centric revenue management are well-discussed topics, yet wide-spread progress towards actually implementing either program has been slow. One of the reasons for this could be that the industry as a whole does not really understand the full implications of these initiatives, and therefore, is having trouble executing. Actually, these two initiatives are closely related, and when properly implemented, total hotel revenue management actually IS guest-centric revenue management. In this article, I will describe how achieving the end goal of total hotel revenue management puts the guest in the center of revenue management initiatives. READ MORE

It is no surprise that hospitality businesses often experience an uptick in customer traffic and interest as the weather warms, local residents emerge from their winter shells to frequent local hot spots and drive up to their familiar weekend getaway locations, and out-of-town tourists flood popular entertainment districts for days at a time seeking great hotels, restaurants and attractions. In fact, an annual report released by Adobe in May revealed that U.S. consumers are expected to spend $65 billion online on summer travel this year. READ MORE

According to the US Census, in 2015 there are 92 million millennials in the marketplace. They range from 18-35 years-old and are presently the largest demographic age group,. Jen Usery of the Worthgroup, a leading hospitality architect and design firm, conveys that millennials are expected to represent 50 percent of all travelers in 2015 - 50 percent! . The travel industry predicts that millennials will incrementally out spend any other age group on travel services in the next 12 months. Millennials' fervor for wellness, search for novel experiences, and social media and technology, are driving hotels to create new brands or to tweak existing culture to address the unique needs of this age group. Hotel spas are strategically positioned to provide just what the millennials are looking for. When they focus on wellness, address the potential and pitfalls of a lifestyle of saturated technology, and create customized spa experiences, it can increase ROI, guest experiences and satisfaction. READ MORE

Embarking on a vacation is always such an exciting time. We enjoy seeing new places, meeting new people, experiencing different cultures and eating exotic foods. However, we also have to lug our over-packed bags, negotiate the maze that is airport security, flag down taxis and navigate our way around new cities. We go on vacation to escape the stress of work, social obligations and the demands of day to day life, but unfortunately many times we simply add to the aggravation. It is no wonder that in the most recent Spafinder survey 85 percent of travelers responded that they return from vacation feeling less rejuvenated than when they left. READ MORE

Authenticity and unique experiences continue to be important criteria to most travelers when making travel destination decisions. Along with this trend, we've seen guests also looking to maintain healthy lifestyles while on vacation. As the focus on holistic wellness and authentic travel experiences continues to grow, it is important that we as hoteliers keep these ideas front of mind as we develop new concepts for our hotel offerings. Infusing authenticity, health and wellness into all aspects of a hotel from spa to food and beverage and guest activities, is something we are very dedicated to at The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua. We are consistently planning and evaluating our hotel amenities to ensure that our guests have the opportunity to create lasting memories through unique experiences they would not be able to find elsewhere. READ MORE

The newly-redesigned Mosaic Hotel in Beverly Hills recently underwent a multi-million renovation and will now unveil its brand new look by August 1st. Currently, the hotel, which is designed by Luxlo and managed by Gemstone Hotels & Resorts. Luxlo was honored to redesign Mosaic Hotel, a luxury boutique 49-room property managed by Gemstone Hotels & Resorts and located in the heart of Beverly Hills. With a long history working in the high-end residential sphere, Luxlo's principal designer Tim King, felt he could translate the sense of belonging into the hotel experience. READ MORE

Well designed incentive programs can be one of the most powerful drivers of individual and team performance. But, like a chainsaw, used incorrectly they can do much more harm than good. A poorly designed incentive system can lead to unmotivated teams and even destructive behavior. Management must very carefully think through any incentive system before implementation to ensure that it is in fact motivating exactly the performance desired. A poorly thought out incentive system can easily end up provoking the exact opposite performance than was hoped for. READ MORE

Most of us have come in contact at some point in our careers with someone we called a natural leader. It is rare and more likely that the leadership skills were built over time, but he or she makes it look easy. Employers across all industries struggle with transitioning employees into management roles. It is often the same issue many entrepreneurs face when they become business owners. They have strong industry skills, but people management may not have been a focus. A top performer who is savvy about the industry and well-received by guests likely has valuable insight for other employees, but that does not mean the individual has the tools to easily transfer that knowledge to others and hold them accountable. READ MORE

A new upscale hotel development without a spa or wellness centre? Quite probably no. What not that long ago was a differentiating service element now is a basic, entry level service. This is not only true for resorts but also for urban and even business hotels, too. The commodification and standardisation of spas or wellness units is, however, only characterizes the top end of the hotel business. Very rarely one can find a full service spa in a three star property! READ MORE

Today's travelers not only seek wellness in their escape, but also have come to expect it. As a result, hotels and resorts—having recognized the demand for expanded and unique wellness programs—may need to take a closer look at their branding. It is critical to ensure the offerings are properly positioned in consumer-facing marketing and communications, as well as accurately reflected in the spa's design, staff, food options and treatment offerings. READ MORE