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Now that the year is coming to an end, it is time to look back at the predictions the spa industry set up at the beginning of this 2011. In particular, we would like to review the predictions made by Susie Ellis, the President of Spa Finder<\/a>, a well known media company dedicated to the global spa market place.<\/p>\n At Spa Balance, we have used Spa Finder\u2019s trends analysis as a reliable reference source because of the attention they have devoted to the spa industry over the last decade. In a previous post, we featured a very interesting article about the top wellness travel trends<\/a> that Health and Fitness Travel<\/a> unveiled for 2012. Now, however, it is time to take a closer look at how the spa industry has evolved in 2011.\u00a0 In order to do so, we would like to visit Spa Finder\u2019s 2011 Spa Trends<\/a> Analysis to see how the 2011 trends-predictions fared out this year, and finally, share our thoughts from our experience in 2011.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ahora que el a\u00f1o est\u00e1 llegando a su fin, es hora de recordar las predicciones que la industria del spa hab\u00eda trazado al inicio de este 2011. En particular, nos gustar\u00eda repasar las predicciones hechas por Susie Ellis, Presidente de Spa Finder<\/a>, una conocida empresa de comunicaci\u00f3n dedicada al mercado global del spa.<\/p>\n En Spa Balance seguimos con atenci\u00f3n los an\u00e1lisis de las tendencias que de nuestra industria lleva a cabo Spa Finder gracias a su experiencia de m\u00e1s de una d\u00e9cada siguiendo el desarrollo del sector del spa. Por la misma v\u00eda, hace poco publicamos un art\u00edculo muy interesante sobre las tendencias de viajes de bienestar para el 2012<\/a> de acuerdo a las predicciones elaboradas por Health and Fitness Travel<\/a>.<\/p>\n Sin embargo, ahora es el momento de echar un vistazo m\u00e1s de cerca al modo en que ha evolucionado la industria del spa en el 2011. Con el fin de hacerlo, nos gustar\u00eda darle un repaso a los an\u00e1lisis de las tendencias se\u00f1aladas por Spa Finder a comienzos de este a\u00f1o<\/a> analizando el modo en el cual estas se desarrollaron. Igualmente, queremos compartir nuestras propias reflexiones con respecto al comportamiento de la industria en este 2011.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ageing, ranging and pain relief treatments<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/strong>The increasing number of ageing baby boomers has brought a new business opportunity for the spa industry in terms of pain relief treatments<\/a>. Spa Finder hit Bull\u2019s Eye on this prediction. In fact, this is something we definitely see a growing need for and will be a hot issue for the next coming years as spas will need to revise their business model and tap into new markets in order to survive and evolve. A definite A+ from Spa Balance.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n All eyes on Asia<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/strong>Considering the world economy as a whole, this was probably one of the easiest predictions to make at the beginning of 2011. This is, in fact, a trend that we agree upon.\u00a0 Asia is, and will be, undoubtedly the hot spot for the next couple of years with India and China\u2019s growing tourism sector, which includes the spa industry, leading the way.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Salt rooms and salt caves<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/strong>We feel that the increase in these kinds of therapies did not really unfold in 2011. This prediction, which was based on recent discoveries regarding the medical benefits of these treatments, did not really flourish because of the high costs and limited technology linked to these therapies. For instance, in Spain this has not been a trend that has taken off, and we think that this is something that will probably come up in the next few years. Perhaps it is still slightly early for this.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The spa brandwagon<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/strong>Although this prediction was accurate, we feel that the spa industry will need to wait longer to see this hitting off. For instance, looking at the markets Spa Balance works in (Southern Europe and Middle East), we think this trend will be on the radar for the next coming years as an inevitable step forward in the spa industry. We will be seeing more chains, brands, budget spas, mergers and acquisitions in the near future. Although we think this trend has undoubtedly started in 2011, we feel that it will take shape in 2012 and gain momentum in years to follow.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Deals gone wild<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/strong>Another Bull\u2019s Eye for Spa Finder. There is no doubt that 2011 has been a year where we have seen unprecedented deals and promotions in sites like Groupon<\/a> and Lets Bonus<\/a>, and we think this trend will continue strong into 2012 and perhaps 2013. To a large extent, this trend has been consolidated because of recent developments on e-commerce activities. With over 500 group-buying sites worldwide, spa-going has achieved massive, mainstream action.<\/p>\n Towards the future, this trend may continue to flourish thanks to further developments in different technologies such as new personalization software, spa-specific platforms able to better target the needs of the customer, a wider use of location-based powerhouses like Facebook<\/a>, Google<\/a> and Yelp<\/a>, and the development of mobile applications. Although future deals may not be as \u2018wild\u2019 as they are now, they will probably be offered in a more selected way.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The science of spa<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/strong>This prediction was realised on May of 2011 with the launch of SpaEvidence<\/a>, the world\u2019s first portal aimed at providing medical evidence for spa and wellness therapies. The elaboration of medical literature supporting the treatments offered by our sector will continue to be a hot issue in the spa industry for years to come.<\/p>\n Initiatives like SpaEvidence help put the spa industry on the map, and as more consumers and trade professionals are looking into the efficacy of spa therapies, we look forward to seeing more clinical studies coming to light.<\/p>\n As we previously discussed in our article about treatments for patients with cancer<\/a>, various players within the spa industry are moving into the health field. The more this happens, the higher the need to prove the benefits of treatments that are offered in spas and wellness centres. We feel that The Science of Spa is one of the most important trends that unfolded this year and we look forward to seeing it develop further in the coming years.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hyper-local spas<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/strong>Spot-on. From the very beginning, spas have incorporated into their structures and service offerings all kinds of indigenous treatments, local cuisine and programming. This is something that according to Spa Finder, and we agree, the industry has been doing quite well.<\/p>\n Even in a country like Spain, which is quite resilient or hesitant to change, early this year we opened the Spa at Hostal Empuries (Girona) where we implemented this concept. Taking this a step further, the art and artifacts used to decorate the spa were sourced from local craftsmen. In terms of spa treatments, products used were recycled.\u00a0 For example, one of VOYA\u2019s specialities, seaweed leaf used in the treatments are recycled for use in the vegetable garden instead of flushing them \u2018down the drain\u2019.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Extreme beauty: Spa edition<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/strong>This was also an accurate prediction from Spa Finder. To some extent, it has been consolidated around the arrival of a significant portion of ageing baby boomers into the market who want to look good and beautiful. They want to feel and look nice from the inside out and also outside in!<\/p>\n This prediction is also the result of the modern beauty seeker. Today, beauty seekers are not only taking advantage of a broader range of therapies to choose from but also pushing all known boundaries in order to achieve the results they want to obtain.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Spa in a New York minute<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/strong>At Spa Balance we find that in our markets this prediction did not really unfold this year. However, we have seen the beginning of it. We think this trend will take momentum in the next few years. We are noticing that more and more spas are developing an express menu for their clients. For instance, in Spain this has just begun, and we think this is something that will hit off in 2012 and the coming years.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Surprising special events<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Although these activities involve creativity and are very positive for the dynamism of the industry, we agree with Susie Ellis that this prediction has some way to go. We believe this will be something that takes on momentum in the next couple of years. Perhaps not as strongly as other trends that did not quite hit off in 2011.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Additional trends from Spa Balance<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/strong>We would also like to share with you some of our own findings this year. The first has to do with low-cost initiatives. Besides deals going wild, we have seen the popping up of many budget initiatives for the basic bread and butter treatments (pedicure, manicure, waxing), including massages. Thanks to cheaper labour coming from other countries, the overhead costs of spas and beauty centres have been reduced significantly allowing these new establishments to maintain very low prices.<\/p>\n Second, there has been a rise in complementary therapies. More and more clients and medical practitioners are looking into alternative therapies.\u00a0 For instance, hospitals like 12 de octubre in Madrid have Reiki volunteers visiting the oncology ward.<\/p>\n With these findings we are ready to close 2011 and move into 2012. We would like to invite you to read our upcoming post where we will be looking at 2012 trends and share our own predictions for next year.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Envejecimiento y tratamientos para aliviar el dolor<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/strong>El creciente n\u00famero en el mercado de Baby Boomers con m\u00e1s de 65 a\u00f1os ha tra\u00eddo una nueva oportunidad de negocios para la industria del spa en t\u00e9rminos de tratamientos para aliviar el dolor<\/a>. Spa Finder dio en el blanco con esta predicci\u00f3n. De hecho, vemos en esta tendencia una creciente necesidad y un tema caliente para los pr\u00f3ximos a\u00f1os en la medida que los spas necesiten revisar su modelo de negocios y acceder a nuevos mercados con el fin de sobrevivir y evolucionar. A Spa Finder le damos una calificaci\u00f3n de A+ en esta predicci\u00f3n.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Todas las miradas en Asia<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/strong>Considerando el comportamiento de la econom\u00eda mundial, esta fue probablemente una de las predicciones m\u00e1s f\u00e1ciles de realizar al inicio de este a\u00f1o. Estamos totalmente de acuerdo con esta tendencia. Asia es y ser\u00e1, sin duda alguna, el lugar de moda durante los pr\u00f3ximos dos a\u00f1os gracias al creciente sector del turismo indio y chino (que incluye la industria del spa) a la cabeza de dicha tendencia.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Salas y cuevas de sal<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/strong>La sensaci\u00f3n que nos queda es que el crecimiento de este tipo de terapias realmente no se produjo en el 2011. Esta predicci\u00f3n, basada en recientes descubrimientos sobre los beneficios m\u00e9dicos de estos tratamientos, no prosper\u00f3 debido a los altos costos y la limitada tecnolog\u00eda disponible para llevar a cabo dichos tratamientos. En Espa\u00f1a, por ejemplo, esta tendencia no ha despegado y creemos que esto podr\u00eda producirse s\u00f3lo en los pr\u00f3ximos a\u00f1os. Todav\u00eda es un poco temprano para esto.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n El desarrollo de las marcas de spa<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/strong>A pesar de que esta predicci\u00f3n fue acertada, creemos que la industria del spa tendr\u00e1 que esperar m\u00e1s tiempo para verla realmente tomar vuelo. Si consideramos los mercados en donde opera Spa Balance (Europa del Sur y Medio Oriente), creemos que esta tendencia estar\u00e1 en el radar durante los pr\u00f3ximos a\u00f1os como un paso inevitable en la evoluci\u00f3n de la industria. Seguramente veremos m\u00e1s cadenas, marcas, spas de bajo coste, fusiones y adquisiciones en el futuro cercano. Si bien creemos esta tendencia haya despegado este a\u00f1o, creemos que tomar\u00e1 forma en el 2012 y ganar\u00e1 impulso en los a\u00f1os siguientes.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n El boom de las ofertas y cupones<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/strong>Esta es otra predicci\u00f3n de Spa Finder que dio en el blanco. Sin duda alguna, el 2011 ha sido un a\u00f1o en donde hemos visto ofertas y promociones sin precedentes en sitios como Groupon<\/a> y Lets Bonus,<\/a> y creemos que esta tendencia se mantendr\u00e1 fuerte en el 2012 y quiz\u00e1s en el a\u00f1o sucesivo.<\/p>\n En gran medida, esta tendencia se ha consolidado debido a la evoluci\u00f3n reciente de las actividades de comercio electr\u00f3nico. Con m\u00e1s de 500 sitios de compras en grupo en todo el mundo, la afluencia a los spas se ha convertido en una acci\u00f3n masiva y de tendencia popular.<\/p>\n Hacia el futuro, esta tendencia puede continuar floreciendo gracias a la evoluci\u00f3n de diferentes tecnolog\u00edas como nuevos softwares de personalizaci\u00f3n, plataformas espec\u00edficas de spas capaces de satisfacer de mejor forma las necesidades de los clientes, un mayor uso de redes de localizaci\u00f3n como Facebook<\/a>, Google<\/a> y Yelp<\/a>, y el desarrollo de aplicaciones m\u00f3viles. A pesar de que las ofertas del futuro no sean tan \u2018agresivas\u2019 como lo puedan ser hoy en d\u00eda, es probable que estas se ofrezcan de una manera m\u00e1s seleccionada.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n La ciencia del spa<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/strong>Esta predicci\u00f3n se concretiz\u00f3 en mayo de este a\u00f1o con el lanzamiento de SpaEvidence<\/a>, el primer portal del mundo destinado a proporcionar evidencia m\u00e9dica con respecto a los tratamientos ofrecidos por spas y centros de bienestar. La elaboraci\u00f3n de literatura m\u00e9dica en favor de los tratamientos que ofrece nuestro sector seguir\u00e1 siendo un tema candente en la industria del spa durante los pr\u00f3ximos a\u00f1os.<\/p>\n Iniciativas como SpaEvidence ayudan a poner en el mapa a la industria del spa. Adem\u00e1s, mientras siga creciendo el n\u00famero de consumidores y profesionales del sector que contin\u00faen investigando la eficacia de las terapias que ofrecen los spas, mayor ser\u00e1 el incremento en la producci\u00f3n de estudios cl\u00ednicos relacionados.<\/p>\n Como hemos discutido previamente en nuestro art\u00edculo acerca de los tratamientos para pacientes con c\u00e1ncer<\/a>, diferentes actores dentro de la industria del spa est\u00e1n entrando en el campo de la salud. Cuanto m\u00e1s suceda esto, mayor ser\u00e1 la necesidad de demostrar los beneficios que ofrecen los tratamientos de los spas y centros de bienestar. Creemos que la ciencia del spa es una de las tendencias m\u00e1s importantes que se han desarrollado este a\u00f1o y por ende preveemos una continuidad hacia el futuro de dicha tendencia.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Spas hiperlocales<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/strong>Justo en el blanco. Desde el principio, los spas han incorporado en sus estructuras y ofertas de servicios todo tipo de tratamientos, tipos de cocina y progamas propios del lugar en el cual est\u00e1n. De acuerdo con Spa Finder, y con lo cual estamos totalmente de acuerdo, esto es algo que la industria del spa ha venido haciendo bastante bien.<\/p>\n Incluso en un pa\u00eds como Espa\u00f1a, por naturaleza reacio al cambio, a principios de este a\u00f1o abrimos el spa del Hostal Empuries<\/a> (Girona) en donde hemos implementado dicho concepto llev\u00e1ndolo un paso hacia adelante. Por ejemplo, el arte y los artefactos utilizados para decorar el spa se obtuvieron de los artesanos locales. En t\u00e9rminos de tratamientos de spa, los productos utilizados fueron reciclados. De hecho, una de las especialidades de VOYA<\/a> como las hojas de algas utilizadas en los tratamientos son recicladas para su uso en el jard\u00edn de vegetales en lugar de ser tiradas por el desag\u00fce.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n La edici\u00f3n de belleza extrema de los spas<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/strong>Esta fue tambi\u00e9n una predicci\u00f3n precisa de Spa Finder. Hasta cierto punto, dicha predicci\u00f3n se logr\u00f3 consolidar gracias a la llegada de una parte importante de Baby Boomers con m\u00e1s de 65 a\u00f1os que quiere verse y sentirse bien. Este p\u00fablico quiere verse y sentirse bien desde adentro hacia fuera y viceversa.<\/p>\n Esta predicci\u00f3n tambi\u00e9n es el resultado del nuevo perfil de aquellos que buscan tratamientos de belleza. Hoy en d\u00eda, estas personas no s\u00f3lo pueden aprovechar una amplia gama de terapias a su disposici\u00f3n, sino que tambi\u00e9n est\u00e1n dispuestos a sobrepasar sus propios l\u00edmites con tal de lograr los resultados deseados.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n