Event Preview: Hotelier Spa & Wellness Summit
The two-day Hotelier Middle East Spa and Wellness Summit, being held at Grosvenor House, Dubai from February 10-11, will address the biggest concerns facing spa directors today, from legislation and training through to adding value and securing repeat business, without falling into the trap of deals and discounting
The Hotelier Middle East Spa and Wellness Summit is back with its first ever two-day event combining an agenda jam-packed with interactive panel discussions, small-group workshops and practical training sessions alongside an exhibition of the latest must-have spa products and equipment.
Building on the success of last year’s inaugural event, which raised the need for more knowledge and training at all levels across the industry and urged spa managers to address their retail sales, this year’s summit will target corporate spa professionals and spa directors on day one and then invite spa managers and senior operations personnel to join them and attend on day two.
In total, more than 300 spa specialists from hotels and day spas are expected to attend the event, being held for the first time at Grosvenor House, Dubai from February 10-11.
The summit will open with a panel discussion featuring some of the best-known names in the Middle East spa industry, who will share their predictions for the key issues expected to shape the spa sector over the next decade.
Will medi-spas dominate? Or will spas revive ancient healing practices? Can men’s grooming overtake the female market segment? And will UAE spas ever catch on to inclusive wellness?
Panellists include Paul Hawco, group director of spa, Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts; Simon Casson, regional vice president and general manager, Four Seasons Resort Dubai and chairman, Four Seasons Gobal Spa Taskforce; Steve Harvey, director of wellness, Six Senses Zighy Bay; Shahida Siddique, chief executive officer, SpaDunya; and Dr Shylaja Pillai, spa manager, Kempinski Hotel, Mall of the Emirates.
Ahead of the event, the speakers addressed some of the key concerns expected to dominate on the day.
With regard to the debate between the future of medi-spas compared to more traditional spas, Casson, who is set to open Four Seasons Dubai later this year, said: “I see that there is ever increasing alignment between the two. Traditionally the conventional, medical approach has been problem solving, whereas the integrated wellness approach is focused on quality of life. I think there is room for both and they can be complementary”.
Hawco, who employs a medical director at Talise Spa at Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai, commented: “Wellness is our guests’ greatest asset and ultimately our spas are becoming more akin to health retreats, and are more accessible within hotel and resort spas”.
Article continues on next page ...
He predicted an increase in “a wellness everywhere hotel concept”, which “packs health related benefits into shorter stays” and will “seep into a variety of hotel aspects including activities, food, nutrition, music, scents, programmes, and how the guest spends their time”.
Dr Shylaja Pillai, an ayurvedic doctor, can be expected to offer a different perspective during the session, supporting a more rounded traditional approach. “For sure I am with traditional, natural and organic spas.
These spas not only cure, but keep us healthy by preventing ailments. Consider how to approach a specific problem — for example a lifestyle disorder — and whether to treat it for temporary relief, or address the issue from the root cause, allowing the body to cure itself naturally.
“I would like to hold on to the ayurveda concept of health. Perfect health is defined as the balance between, body, mind, spirit and social wellbeing, not the mere state of being free from illness,” she asserts.
Sarum Trading managing director Susan Gorman, who is sponsoring the Summit, said she had witnessed a growth in this arena. “In terms of specific treatment trends, we are seeing an upsurge in hammam and ayurvedic treatments and a drive towards organic and harmless products as consumers become ever more educated.”
In line with this, Sarum Trading has recently launched two new exciting skincare brands to the UAE, Ayurvedic brand Sundari, as well as a 100% chemical-free skincare brand, Elemental Herbology.
However, Pillai agrees with Hawco that spas must be further integrated into a hotel’s offering.
“Even the stay with the hotel can be converted to ‘live the spa life’,” she suggests. “Spas are here to stay. They are not a passing fad. If you want your spa to be an asset, rather than being some area in the corner of the hotel, you need to understand what the market wants then deliver it.
“You need to know what your competition is doing and then do something different and better than them, which makes your business unique. When properly planned, marketed and managed, the spa should be a viable, marketable and profitable business in and of itself, as well as an integral component of your ‘core’ business,” Pillau suggests.
Indeed, the success of Four Seasons’ spa business globally bodes well for the future, adds Casson.
“In any business sector, being the best at what you do in your market is the sure fire way to drive revenues. We turn over more than US $120 million in spa revenues worldwide and so it is a significant part of our business and is only growing.
Areas of focus to drive profitability include retail sales and marketing the low demand periods more effectively,” he says.
Article continues on next page ...
Adding Value
But how do spas drive revenues? One way is through developing a solid repeat customer base, rather than relying on last-minute business from daily deal sites.
In a session entitled ‘Providing Value Shouldn’t Mean a Compromise on Service’, panellists Galina Antoniouk, complex director of spas, Grosvenor House, A Luxury Collection Hotel and Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort + Spa; Bojan Kalodjera, director of recreation, Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort & Spa; and Beverley Spencer, spa manager, Cleopatra Spa & Wellness, Wafi Health and Leisure, will discuss the relationship between offering value and maintaining quality service — and why this should never be compromised. At Grosvenor House and Le Royal Meridien, Antoniouk reported a high level of returning customers, saying that repeat guests made up almost 40% of the total number of spa guests.
She said that remaining competitive in a market swamped with daily deal sites and spa discounts was down to understanding the spa customers’ wants and needs.
“You need to know your clients, and the motto of the success will be ‘listen to the client’s needs, be flexible and go the extra mile to make them happy,” asserted Antoniouk.
“Other key [factors] will be knowledgable, experienced and guest-oriented staff. Guests will come to your spa for the staff most of the time, not for anything else. Be reasonable with prices, surprise guests, look after them with small gifts for birthdays, anniversaries etc,” Antoniouk added.
Spencer said a similar approach was necessary for day spas.
“Being well established, Cleopatra’s Spa attracts an excellent number of repeat guests. In terms of retention, we engage fully with guests, and pay particular attention to guest preferences. It takes full team participation to ensure that the services given surpass the expectation,” asserted Spencer.
Ultimately, Antoniouk said keeping service standards high was crucial: “Check your standards all the time, have a good bond with your therapists, don’t underestimate the health and safety aspect of our industry and never compromise on the service standards,” she advised.
“Colleague retention is critical,” added Spencer. “With Dubai Health Authority (DHA) licensing regulations now in place, spa operators have an increased responsibility to retain talent, and stay abreast of legislation changes. Strive to be the employer of choice through recognising achievements, continuous learning, and rewarding high performers,” she said.
Article continues on next page ...
Maintaining Success
Yet more top names are set to take part in another panel, being moderated by Ebrahim Malekzadeh, chief executive officer, Esadore International, designed to dig further into how exactly to create — and then maintain — a successful spa.
Speakers include Neil Hewerdine, vice president of spa services, Atlantis Palm Jumeirah Hotel & Resort; Aiobheanna Bonner, director of spa, Fairmont — The Palm Jumeirah; Souhel El-Achbah, spa director, Six Senses Zighy Bay; Salina Handa, founder & managing director, SensAsia Urban Spa; and Lindsay Madden-Nadeau, regional spa director UAE, MSPA International.
Hewerdine echoes Spencer, when he asserts that one of the major factors impacting continued success will be “therapist legislation and training”. He said that investing into the “long-discussed retail and motivational techniques for spa colleagues” would pay dividends.
“Innovation, education, investment into training, empowerment and development of spa colleagues — this yields confident strong professional spa therapists who will have the ability to promote your business at a high quality level. Quality is a non-negotiable expectation of spa consumers now, and will only become stronger,” said Hewerdine, who won Hotelier Middle East’s Fitness / Spa Person of the Year Award in 2013.
Madden-Nadeau, who oversees multiple Anantara spas in the UAE, said focusing on customer service would be key going forward.
“Spas can actually be very simple — they need to provide a comfortable environment, good service and value for money. For the guest, it is about the service provided. We are lucky that the evolution of spas has brought the environment to a whole new level, however, if service is not there, guests will not return.”
For further insights and topical conversation, make sure that your spa manager attends the Spa and Wellness Summit on February 10-11 at Grosvenor House, Dubai. Attendance is free for spa professionals and you are sure to reap the rewards of the event, especially when it comes to the ongoing success at your spa.
Article continues on next page ...
Meet the Speakers
- Simon Casson, regional vice president and general manager, Four Seasons Resort, Dubai and chairman, Four Seasons Global Spa Taskforce
- Sharon Barcock, director spa operations and development, Middle East & Africa, Hilton Worldwide
- Neil Hewerdine, vice president of spa services, Atlantis The Palm, Dubai
- Paul Hawco, group director of spa, Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts
- Lindsay Madden-Nadeau, regional spa director UAE, MSPA International
- Galina Antoniouk, complex director of spas, Grosvenor House, Luxury Collection Hotels and Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort and Spa
- Michael T. Monsod, director of spa and recreation, Sofitel Dubai The Palm Resort & Spa
- Aiobheanna Bonner, director of spa, Fairmont — The Palm Jumeirah
- Bojan Kalodjera, director of recreation, Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort & Spa
- Dr Shylaja Pillai, spa manager, Kempinski Hotel, Mall of the Emirates
- Davis Karadan, chairman, Softouch Ayurveda Spa, Kempinski Hotel, Mall of the Emirates
- Beverley Spencer, spa manager, Cleopatra Spa & Wellness, Wafi Health & Leisure
- Shahida Siddique, chief executive officer, SpaDunya
- Lea Cordon Rouf, managing director, Spa Cordon, Sky Gardens DIFC
- Steve Harvey, director of wellness, Six Senses, Zighy Bay
- Souhel El-Achbah, spa director, Six Senses, Zighy Bay
- Ebrahim Malekzadeh, chief executive officer, Esadore International
- Salina Handa, founder and managing director, SensAsia Urban Spa
- Sarah Dalton, senior brand service manager, Sarum Trading