11.15: With the morning break over, its time to get back the business of the spa business. Next on stage is Janette Gladstone-Watts, Founder and Managing Director, The Product House, who is going to lead our next panel entitled ‘Providing Value Shouldn’t Mean a Compromise on Service’.
Joining her on stage will be: Galina Antoniouk, Complex Director of Spas, Grosvenor House, Luxury Collection Hotels and Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort and Spa
Beverley Spencer, Spa Manager, Cleopatra Spa & Wellness, Wafi Health & Leisure
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Hamad Aly, Spa Manager, Millennium Resort Mussanah, Oman
Sharon Barcock, Director Spa Operations & Development, Middle East & Africa, Hilton Worldwide
Lindsay Madden-Nadeau, Regional Spa Director UAE, Anantara Spas - MSPA International
In our sights for this session are the ‘Daily Deal Sites’, which has led consumers in the Middle East to continue to seek out value-added deals such as discounts on treatments and last minute deals. Therefore, how do spas develop creative ways to magnetize consumers to try the spa and return?
Galina Antoniouk starts by saying that when you have a popular spa, then your returning customers expect their loyalty to e rewarded.
Sharon Barcock at Hilton Worldwide shares her advice at balancing the brands across the Hilton portfolio, by suggesting that each hotel GM should understand what their position is in the market.
“It can be a challenge to educate them, and why they need a certain level of certain service delivery, but we ask them, if their wife came here, how would they like them to be treated,” says Barcock.
Hamad Aly at Millennium Resort Mussanah, Oman, argues that knowledge and expertise is the best way to add value.
“if you give the customer what they want, and what has the best effect on them, then they will return.”
Beverley Spencer at Cleopatra Spa, says that spas must understand what motivates clients. “Having a manager on the floor, helps you to understand the emotional journey that your customers are going from.”
Lindsay Madden-Nadeau at Anantara highlights some of the differences between the Dubai and Abu Dhabi market, with a smaller market benefiting from more discretion and a more low-key spa experience.
Hamad Aly also stresses the importance of good old fashioned customer service, following up customer complaints and issues.
Next on the table is the discount and coupon culture, with Beverley Spencer saying that while they are used worldwide, they have to be used sparingly as they will ;cheapen your brand’
Discounting can be done more effectively, with off and on peak pricing being an alternative to short term discounts.
“The time of the Groupon discount has passed, as while we have all tried it and they bring the volume, I don’t think it brings the revenue we all wanted,” she says.
“Guests are not interested in the price. They listen to our staff, and come back throughout their stay at the hotel.
“While our spa are open to everyone, it is very useful to have that hardcore group of global travellers, which we can incentivise with our hotel loyalty scheme,” says Bardock.
12.00: next up is the panel discussion entitled ‘Spa Success – The Factors Leading The Way’
Leading this discussion is moderator Ebrahim Malekzadeh, Chief Executive Officer, Esadore International who will be joined on stage by :
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
In this topic we ask, in such a competitive market, how do you create and maintain a successful spa?
Aiobheanna Bonner at The Palm Jumeirah gets us started by stressing the benefits of a strong brand such as recruiting staff, who want to join and stay with a quality brand.
As the founder of a independent spa business, Salina Handa at SensAsia Urban Spa says that brand is increasingly important, as they can not rely on tourist business like hotel scan and that repeat local business is her “bread and butter.”
Moderator Ebrahim Malekzadeh from Esadore International accuses the market of spending “$10 dollars to get a client and 1$ to retain a client.”
Neil Hewardine, from Atlantis, know a thing or too about bringing in hotel guests and reveals that the hotel tries to encourage repeat business from the same hotel stay, with guests encouraged to book multiple treatments throughout their stay, over an average length of stay is three days.
“We have a 95% spa usage of hotel guests, which does leave us vulnerable if occupancy ever went down,” he admits.
Aiobheanna Bonner says: We encourage group booking for external guests, as well as discounts for outside guests. WE also try and encourage outside guests to rebook, for different treatments, as well as booking other services throughout the hotel.”
12.30: Next up is ‘Should the Wellness Industry Embrace the Wellness of the Planet?’ which is a mew topic for this year and will be led by Lindsay Madden-Nadeau, Regional Spa Director UAE, Anantara Spas - MSPA International.
Joining her is Sharon Barcock, Director Spa Operations & Development, Middle East & Africa, Hilton Worldwide
Sarah Dalton, Senior Brand Service Manager, Sarum Trading
Leena Al Abbas, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, The Organic Glow Beauty Lounge
Madeleine Olsson Nikitopoulos, Senior Director of Spa, Middle East & Africa, Four Seasons Doha
With consumers are now expecting a more proactive approach from spas in addressing environmental concerns. The eco-spa trend isn’t likely to disappear, but is there a business case for doing well by doing good?
Is organic the future, or carbon neutral, or how about recyclable packaging and ethically sourced products? All of these questions and more are being tackled on stage.
How do you overturn the more traditional products, that may contain synthetic ingredients, that spa managers may be used to using for many years asks Sarah Dalton from Sarum Trading, and answers by stating that you can only do that by showing them the benefits of the products on their guests.
A question from the crowd identifies a gap in the market by asking how organic brands can benefit the environment when every organic product has to be shipped to the region. The panel agrees that the market here can just not supply the necessary products for this market, ensuring that suppliers have to make the best compromise with quality products and transport impact.
Madeleine Olsson Nikitopoulos at Four Seasons Doha believes the solution is local treatments, which use local products, to have the lowest environmental impact.
Spas have a long way to go to be eco-friendly the panel agrees, with steam rooms and other facilities using a lot of energy, which can be solved using timers and sensors to be sure nothing is being wasted.
13.15: And as that panel draws to a close, it is time for the Summit to break for lunch as the attendees take another opportunity to share some insider spa stories and meet again with the range of suppliers that line the foyer showcasing their latest and greatest products.
One such supplier is The Product House, which is present at today’s show showcasing their latest line of products.
Additionally, Sarum Trading, who just took part in our environmentally friendly themed panel, will be demonstrating its latest organic and ethically sourced products that allows spa to treat clients with a clear conscience.
The show will be back soon with a host of afternoon sessions covering topics such as spa revenues, customising spa packages and sustainability.
Go to the next page to find out the topics that will be covered in the Hotelier Spa & Wellnes Summit 2014 afternoon workshops, including sustainability, building brands and maximising revenue.
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14:10 After lunch its time for the days workshop, as our delegates split off into a range of expert sessions detailing some of the most key elements of the modern spa industry. They include:
‘How to Maximise Your Spas Revenue’ with Helen Merchant, Owner, International Spa Consultants
‘Developing a Lasting Brand’ by Sharon Barcock, Director Spa Operations & Development, Middle East & Africa, Hilton Worldwide
Which will be followed later by:
‘Customising Spa Packages’ by Helen Merchant, Owner, International Spa Consultant
‘How to Become a Sustainability Lea’ with Madeleine Olsson Nikitopoulos, Senior Director of Spa, Middle East & Africa, Four Seasons Doha
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