Moore: I believe that the spa needs to go out to the people Moore: I believe that the spa needs to go out to the people

The general manager of Bliss — the spa at W Doha — has taken a number of initiatives that will not only raise awareness of her facility but of the Qatari capital’s burgeoning spa market in general.

Proactive spa advocate Liliana Matic Moore has quickly established herself as a spa ambassador in Doha since the W opened in March, having staged spa industry meetings, sponsored key sports and cultural events and also spearheaded community and charity projects.

In a bid to “work with health- and sports-related events”, the Doha outlet of Bliss, the spa brand exclusive to all W hotels worldwide, has already been involved in high-profile sponsorships of ladies golf championships and the ATP World Tournament (tennis), while a ‘Tribeca in Robes’ initiative is set for this month’s Doha Tribeca Film Festival whereby celebrities at the event and their guests attend exclusive spa sessions in a sociable environment.

Moore has also involved Bliss in community work, sending her therapists to old peoples’ homes to conduct free massages and organising a ‘Comfortably Spa’ charity day.

During November, customers are charged discounted prices for treatments and in return, they have to bring an item that the charity supported requires — from toothbrushes to blankets.

“I believe that the spa needs to go out to the people,” said Moore. “You don’t sit and wait for the customers to come.”

She has also reached out to her fellow spa professionals in Doha, having invited them to a dinner to discuss industry issues.

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“We talked about problems such as Swine Flu because if it hits, we’ll be the first ones to be closed down,” Moore explained. “We also talked about the problem of importing products into Qatar.”

Moore hopes these regular meetings will lead to the introduction of a spa association that will raise standards in the industry.

“First of all we want a standard that will certify therapists to work here,” she said.“At the moment, anyone can say that they are a therapist.”

Moore is therefore working closely with Doha’s newly-established beauty academy.

“This is the time for us to come out and work together,” she said.

“We all have our guests and it’s much better to have healthy competition.”

Top-selling products at Bliss
• Triple Oxygen Instant Energy Infusion Mask: QR 265
• Vanilla & Bergamot Body Butter: QR 155
• Lemon & Sage Body Butter: QR 155
• Fabulous Foaming Face Wash: QR 110
• L&S Super Shine Shampoo: QR 80 (QR 1 = US $0.27)