Trends in spa world

Byline: Melinda Taschetta-Millane

It may surprise you to learn that today’s spa industry is an $11.2 billion-plus industry, which makes it the fourth largest leisure industry–falling not far behind number-one ranked golf at $19.7 billion; cruise lines at $14.7 billion; and health and racket clubs at $14.1 billion. As the fourth largest leisure industry, spas are ahead of amusement parks, box office receipts and time shares.

Today’s consumer is savvy, well-educated, and knows the benefits of total body wellness. These consumers are buying into the spa experience. Two years ago, the International SPA Association’s (ISPA) annual industry trends report touched on consumer behavior and found that people wanted “pampering” to stay healthy and look good. The report also found that people generally were knowledgeable and demanding about spa services. However, new findings conclude that there continues to be a shift in attitude. Now, the spa emphasis is on self-preservation, and spas have gained a new aura of respectability. People want to reward themselves for working so hard. De-stressing and decompressing are cited in the ISPA survey as the top two reasons for “being touched and pampered.”

The desire for relaxation and pampering has deepened over the past five years, and is broader-based. The under-35 group is willing to invest in it; the 45-plus group took a little longer. And all of this was fueled by the baby boomers when they hit 40. Baby boomers and their children will pay to look young and healthy. In the United States alone, the market for antiaging skin care products is valued at nearly $2.5 billion at the retail level and is growing at double-digit rates.

Spas now are seeing three and even four generations as clients–the baby boomers are bringing in their Generation X-ers, who are bringing in their children. There is a huge trend toward kid spas. Spas across the country are waking up to the fact that this growing market segment is their future client base, and they have disposable income. But let’s not forget about men. The number of men visiting spas is up nearly 30%–this equals the numbers for men having plastic surgery.

Indigenous ingredients–which are natural products–are all the rage on the spa menu. The list of hot ingredients currently available and used in the spa market is seemingly endless: aloe vera, lime, coconut, mint, cucumber, ginger, papaya, lemongrass, coffee and even chocolate. This leads back to the trend of mind/body wellness.

Spa retail

The trend toward indigenous ingredients has made its way into product offerings. According to the ISPA industry study, 93% of spas offer some type of retail products to their clientele. Forty-nine percent of this number consider retail to be a significant operation within their business. Approximately 42% of spas that offer retail sell branded products. Today’s spa-goer wants to continue to maintain results through a prescribed home-care regimen. The most popular retail products sold include skin care products, nail care, cosmetics, hair care and personal care. In fact, the skin care market is huge, and growing.

Positioned for growth

This is just an abbreviated preview of the trends in today’s spa industry. By keeping in tune to what chemists are currently using to create new product formulations, the spa industry is positioning itself to remain in the forefront by anticipating the future, instead of waiting for the future to come to it.

MELINDA TASCHETTA-MILLANE is the editor of Skin Inc. magazine.