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Service Fees, Gratuities and Pricing Structures

September 5, 2023

In an ongoing trend, more spas—especially luxury resorts—are adding automatic service charges to guests’ statements. The additional proceeds largely benefit spa employees, augmenting the general compensation structure that traditionally has included commissions and an hourly rate. Since coming out of the pandemic, some spas are even seeing an increase in the service charge amount.

An ISPA Town Hall session this winter featured a great discussion about the diverse structures of service fees and gratuities that other members are implementing—focusing on what’s working or not working well. Panelists Pat[1]rick McDirmit (Trilogy Spa Holdings), Suzanne Holbrook (Marriott International) and Taylor Fields (PCH Hotels & Resorts) joined ISPA Chair Patrick Huey to share their insights and expertise.

Setting the Standard: Benchmark Data Report Reveals Key Spa Industry Insights

November 2, 2023

The spa industry entered 2022 still facing challenges from the effects of the pandemic. Though spa operating hours were no longer hugely affected by the pandemic, other issues had emerged, such as staffing difficulties and price inflation. A PwC-prepared report on the 2023 ISPA U.S. Spa Industry Study focuses on how the industry met the challenge of sustaining the momentum in the recovery from the pandemic. In the following pages, we will review some of the main findings in the 2023 report and consider its utility in predicting and informing decisions about growth of individual spa businesses and the spa industry as a whole. Note that, while the Study and related report focus on the spa industry in the U.S., many of its themes and findings are applicable to the global spa community.

Shamanic Healing

Spiritual and natural healing performed by a medicine man or Shaman.

SHEETS 101: A Crash Course in Linen Management

March 26, 2021

If you stepped into—or are currently stepping into—a role in spa management with little idea of how to manage your spa’s linens, you’re not alone.

 

Sheila Johnson: Pioneering the Tranquil Revolution in Spa Hospitality

March 7, 2024

Sheila Johnson’s driving force when creating the Salamander Middleburg resort was the desire to craft a spa experience that seamlessly merged with nature. Reflecting on her professional entry into the spa scene, Johnson shares, “I had never previously been involved in either the hospitality or spa fields, but it was my interest in health and wellness that led me into both.”

Salamander Middleburg is a 340-acre resort in the heart of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. Only 30 minutes from Dulles International Airport, Salamander Middleburg is the D.C. area’s first Forbes Five-Star destination resort and spa. Boasting equestrian programs, countryside bike tours and aerial parks, the resort is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts while also featuring gourmet dining, indulgent spa treatments and spacious, lavishly appointed guest rooms. For Johnson, Salamander Middleburg’s essence lies in its tranquility. “The spa’s carefully designed spaces draw the outdoors inside,” she notes.

Shiatsu (Massage)

Means “finger” (shi) “pressure” (atsu), a cross between acupuncture and massage developed in Japan by Tokujiro Namikoshi in the 1940s.

Shining a Light on Retail: 5 Illuminating Secrets to Spa Product Sales

November 2, 2023

Using display lighting effectively in a spa’s retail area can significantly enhance the customer experience and showcase products to be irresistibly enticing. Here are five tips to achieve great lighting:

Shirodhara

The pouring of medicated oils on the forehead, a modality used in ayurvedic medicine to eliminate ama (physical impurities).

Show and Tell: How Video Will Transform Your Marketing

July 11, 2024

The spa is an intensely personal business, so it makes sense that you should be telling your story in the most personal way—with video. No other medium is so complete, so compelling and so embedded in everyone’s daily lives. You’ve seen the statistics: 92 percent of inter[1]net users watch video, and 90 percent say video helps them make purchasing decisions. That’s why 91 percent of businesses use video for education, outreach and marketing, and 92 percent of those report a positive return on their video investment.

Showing Appreciation is Often Overlooked (Elevate Your LeadershipPart V)

December 18, 2019

There is an alarming gap in the work place. The majority of employees don’t feel apprecaited at their job, while the majority of bosses feel they show appreciation to their employees. Why is that? How can it be fixed?

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