The big talking points expected at the upcoming Hotelier Middle East Spa & Wellness Forum

Increasing capture

Whether it’s opening spa treatments to guests under 16, creating poolside express treatments or working with travel agents and tour operators, spa managers are changing their mind-sets to grab a bigger piece of the pie as more and more spas come online in the Middle East.

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Express treatments

Gone are the days of spending all day in a spa, according to our experts. Instead guests, and particularly corporate travellers, are looking for treatments that last no longer than an hour. Gifting spa packages is still popular at Cleopatra’s Spa according to Spencer, however in Dubai and the GCC, guests tend to have fast-paced lifestyles and are time-poor.

Mindfulness

Mindfulness and mental health are becoming increasingly important on a global scale, and guests want to feel good inside and out. Some spas are opting for life coaching, while others are offering yoga and meditation.

Wellness

Wellness has gone global, and is no longer something people want to pay for. While nutrition, fitness and medi are on the rise, spas need to become more authentic and adapt their mind-sets to keep up with this trend.

Everlasting youth

According to Bonner, her repeat guests regard beauty not as a good Instagram shot, but waking up in the morning and feeling flexible and alive. For Bonner, this is achieved through aromatherapy, which is the key essence of treatments at Zen Spas.

Medical tourism

Residents in particular are looking for fast results, and many frequent spas that offer botox, fillers and other non-invasive treatments. With a number of “hospital spas” to arrive across the region offering surgery, spas will need to work hard to retain their repeat guests.

Medi spas

In Dubai, medi-spas offer cheaper treatments than other markets around the world, and they are particularly popular with local residents. Some spas have doctors who visit regularly from their clinics to offer botox, fillers, and teeth whitening.

Cosmeceuticals

Cosmeceuticals — or cosmetics with medical-like benefits — are on the rise and there are plenty of great brands out there, which offer rapid results.

Educated customers

While 20 years ago, retinol and acid-based cosmetics were considered unsuitable for the skin, consumers now want dramatic results and are more educated about the treatments available on the market. Customer demand for certain treatments are increasingly driving the direction of spa menus.

Back to basics

While many product suppliers recommend spas buy a whole suite of products under certain ranges, our experts warn that a long spa menu is unnecessary, and normally 16 treatments or less on a menu is enough.

To attend the Hotelier Middle East Spa & Wellness Forum, contact Amanda.Elisha@itp.com