What are your business projections for 2010?

MM: For us, we’re being optimistic about next year but being careful about it as well. You don’t want to over project but I think we are entering 2010 a little bit more prepared than how 2009 started. We are entering 2010 with the mindset, let’s be careful, let’s not buy too much, let’s not project too much, so I think 2010 is going to be a good year in fact.

FA: I agree with you totally.

MT: We think it will be a slow year — 2010 will be slow but we don’t foresee a big drop in treatment revenue. What we intend to do is to go with shorter treatments that will incorporate the F&B department as well by offering a spa and lunch package. We did this is 2009 and this worked extremely well.

The other thing would be that we’ll be looking at the treatment menu, removing those that aren’t popular and adding new treatments catering not so much to the GCC community but to the expatriate resident. We’ll be introducing for ladies a brightening facial and for men, it will be the massage and back massage.

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MM: For The Palace, 2010 would be the year that we would definitely move forward with launching the spa rebrand. We were previously Sofitel [Le Spa], now it’s The Address Hotels + Resorts. We’ve changed our menu, introduced signature treatments and enhanced our oriental hammam ritual. So my focus for 2010 is to make sure we really get it out in the market and highlight the unique selling points of the spa. For The Address, like Mandy, I would like to incorporate more F&B and physical health elements into the experience of the spa clients. We have a very good opportunity to target corporate groups at The Address.

AA: My plan is marketing, new packages. It’s going to be more fitness and wellbeing oriented and I’m going to try to include nutrition. I’m going to put in express treatments because people are looking for value. A hammam is a very good idea that I want to push for. I do have the space for it. I’m going to launch the spa at Ramada Downtown Burj Dubai; it’s like a tropical cabin with a view of the pool.

And finally, have plans for a Middle East or country specific spa associations moved forward?

MM: At the moment, it needs some capital, there is the issue of what name you can attach to it, plus it is a bit of a challenge to get everyone together on a regular basis. But I foresee that it will happen.

FA: It must. It has to HR-wise. In Doha, we had one meeting in October and are planning another one. So it is just starting but at least spa managers are talking to each other.