Happenings
November 1, 2008 By: Nicole Palmieri American Spa
Repêchage Presents 10th International Congress
Repêchage's 10th International Congress, held at the company's headquarters in Secaucus, NJ, was attended by more than 100 spa and salon professionals and featured a panel of seven guest speakers who presented trends and health and wellness programs. Speakers at the event included Lydia Sarfati, CEO and founder of Repêchage, who discussed the evolution of the day spa concept; Hartmut Schneider, M.D., who presented his research on sleep and well-being; Shoshana Werber, a registered dietician and founder of Werber Wellness, who discussed the best foods for healthy skin; and Susan Piso, Repêchage's director of research and development, who spoke about advancements in the cosmetic industry. The International Congress concluded with Repêchage's 10th Annual Spa de Beauté Award Gala. The 2008 Repêchage Spa de Beauté of the Year Award was presented to Lois Christie of Christie & Co. Salon and Spa in Bayside, NY.
 Repêchage's Susan Vindics (far left), Shiri Sarfati (second from left), and Lydia Sarfati (middle) pose with Lois Christie and her team from Christie & Co. Salon and Spa. |
SPATALITY AND COMFORT ZONE PARTNER TOGETHER
Spatality International has been named the exclusive partner to license and manage Comfort Zone spas, a division of Davines, S.p.a., internationally. Each Comfort Zone space features Italian-style spa design and will be located in hotels, resorts, fitness clubs, and stand-alone locations. "Our experienced and scientific approach to the Comfort Zone space design and brand ideals is the perfect marriage of operations, design, and the guest experience," says Richard Dusseau, CEO of Spatality International. "Every Comfort Zone space will be rooted in beautiful style, exemplary treatments, and a truly breathtaking experience."
SpaFinder Reveals the State of Spa Travel
According to SpaFinder's 2008 State of Spa Travel survey, despite a slow economy, spa travel bookings are on the rise. The study was conducted with travel professionals who revealed that in 2007, spa bookings increased for 57 percent of surveyed agents and remained steady for an additional 29 percent. For 2008, 58 percent expect there to be growth in bookings, while 26 percent expect booking to remain steady. "Spa travel is increasingly a fundamental part of the health and wellness regimen for many Americans, young and old, and has evolved significantly from its once narrow association with pampering and the luxury class," says Susie Ellis, president of SpaFinder. "While this is helping to keep spa travel strong, the industry has also responded wisely to these challenging times by offering more special deals."
Other survey findings include:
- Generation X beats Baby Boomers as top spa travel demographic.
- Social spaing, such as traveling with friends, is the top emerging spa travel trend, followed by an increased interest in people choosing a spa destination for special occasions.
- Spa resorts are lowering rates and offering more deals than in years past.
- Access to a spa or spa facilities ranks as the top consideration for travel agents' traveling clients.
- Health and wellness is now one of the most critical considerations for today's spa traveler.
- Spa facilities and amenities are more of a priority to traveling clients than the price of the spa or its location.
- The West Coast remains the most popular region for spa travel.
- Spa travel is most often booked in the $250 to $299 per night price range.
- More travel agents are spreading the word about spa travel than in the past.
To learn more about SpaFinder's 2008 State of Spa Travel survey, visit www.spafinder.com.
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