LM: What consumer trends have you witnessed during recent months?
Cordero: Recreation and fitness demand remains high in spite of the economic downturn. In my opinion people will always invest in staying fit and living a healthy lifestyle. Campaigns by the local government and the World Health Organisation to promote a healthy lifestyle increase awareness and as a result, more people are joining health clubs.
As long as there is work and life-related stress, the fitness and spa industry will remain strong.
Weerasiriwardena: People are looking for ways to incorporate fun into their fitness routine. They’re looking to engage in activities that don’t always include a traditional gym session, such as rock climbing, kayaking, etc. People are also becoming more aware and interested in the fitness industry, so there is more interest in high-technology equipment and machines to get the most out of activity sessions.
Kenyon: The majority of trends focus on gym equipment and the latest group-exercise class. People hear or see someone using a piece of equipment that someone famous is using and automatically think it’s the best thing for them.
Brom: We’ve seen a growing demand for team-building events; small and large companies want to improve communication and team work within the group.
Recreation facilities are now required to offer a wider variety of services.
The club is increasingly used as a place to meet, bring family and enjoy full days. A lot of clubs now offer massages, swimming pools, racquet sports, a juice bar and a relaxation spot. This is what consumers want. A one-stop-shop seems to be the name of the game.
Franzen: There’s been a shift towards a holistic lifestyle approach. Spa has taken off over recent years and from a business perspective they are great revenue earners; guests and members look for a more complete approach these days.
They are asking for tips relating to nutrition and workout plans for daily, light exercise. While we had a lot of high-impact classes in our repertoire until recently, there has been more demand for classes and exercises that calm the mind and body, such as yoga.
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Top 10 recreation roundtable revelations:
1. The growth in the popularity of spa over recent years means many hotels now choose to have a dedicated spa department, independent from traditional recreational facilities.
2. While recreational managers mostly look for staff with internationally-acclaimed qualifications, these are not always available in the regional market.
3. A good membership base is crucial to the success of the recreational facility as it is a key, year-round revenue generator for the department and the hotel.
4. Additional revenue generators for recreational facilities include F&B outlets, personalised fitness services and group exercise classes.
5. Recreation and fitness demand remains high in spite of the current economic downturn.
6. Consumers are increasingly looking beyond traditional gym sessions for new, fun ways to keep fit.
7. Consumers are responding to regional and global campaigns promoting a healthy lifestyle and are generally demonstrating a greater health awareness.
8. Consumers are easily led when it comes to fitness role models so facilities are encouraged to get their fittest-looking staff to model the latest secondary spends.
9. Guests are looking for a one-stop-shop in the hotel’s recreational facilities and in response more hotels are offering a more diverse facility.
10. Meeting guests’ high expectations and retaining membership was agreed upon as the most prevailing challenges for hotel recreational managers.
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