EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE, ISPA AND THE ISPA FOUNDATION PARTNER TO PROVIDE NEW SPA-RELATED CURRICULUM TO
LANSING, Mich. and LEXINGTON, Ky. – The American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute is adding spa-related textbooks and educational resources to its line of hospitality management textbooks thanks to a collaboration with the International SPA Association and the ISPA Foundation. The curriculum will help students prepare for area of hospitality that has exploded in recent years.
“There are some 14,000 spas in the United States, and with nearly $10 billion in annual revenues, the spa industry is the fourth largest leisure industry. Today it is very difficult for a hotel to be considered a luxury property if it does not have a spa,” explained ISPA Foundation President John Korpi. “The rapid growth of spas has resulted in a significant challenge in identifying qualified professionals to lead and manage spa operations. Additionally, hotel general managers of the 21st century find themselves supervising spa operations, which they are often totally unfamiliar with. This partnership between ISPA, the ISPA Foundation and EI will result in a core of educational resources that will amend this situation.”
“Retail Management for Spas: The Art and Science of Retail” is the first ISPA and ISPA Foundation textbook within the spa curriculum that EI will offer to its academic customers. This book explores retail planning, inventory management, maximizing profits, sales and service, visual merchandising, and marketing within the spa environment. Through its exploration of the art and science of retail, the textbook provides essential business information on retail strategies, planning, management and administration. It uses a variety of case studies, stories, learning activities and quizzes to help illustrate the concepts and lessons being presented.
Additional spa-related textbooks are planned, including an introductory textbook on the spa industry, which will be published in early 2008. EI, ISPA and the ISPA Foundation will celebrate their partnership at a reception for hospitality educators during the annual conference of the Council on Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Education (CHRIE) on Thursday, July 26, in Dallas.
“The Educational Institute is pleased to work with the ISPA Foundation and ISPA to offer materials that address the education and training needs of this fast-growing segment of the hospitality industry,” said Roy Kennington, CHA, EI’s president and COO.
Academic institutions may also purchase the “Uniform System of Financial Reporting for Spas” directly from EI. This spa-specific reference book provides a financial reporting system that gives spa operators the tools to measure, compare and report on the financial health of their business. The book was developed by the ISPA Foundation in collaboration with ISPA, author Raymond Schmidgall, the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute, and Hospitality Financial & Technology Professionals.
Academic institutions that are interested in purchasing Retail Management for Spas or the Uniform System of Financial Reporting for Spas should contact EI at 1.800.344.4381 or 1.517.372.8800 (outside the U.S. and Canada, call 1.407.999.8100). Hotels and other hospitality industry organizations may purchase these books directly from the ISPA Foundation by calling 1.888.651.ISPA (4772) or by visiting http://www.experienceispa.com/.
Also of interest to students is the scholarship program created by the ISPA Foundation. Named in honor of spa industry pioneer Cornell University Associate Professor Mary H. Tabacchi, Ph.D., R.D., the $1,500USD scholarship will be awarded to an undergraduate student who has completed at least one year of college and is seeking a spa-related degree with a demonstrated interest in spa management.
In addition to the actual scholarship, the recipient will also receive a complimentary registration, airfare and accommodations to attend the ISPA Conference & Expo or ISPA International Spa & Wellness Conference and Exhibition in Asia. Scholarship applications are expected to be available in 2007. To inquire about or make contributions to the Mary Tabacchi Scholarship or endowment fund, please contact ISPA’s Director of Research and Development Stefanie Ashley at [email protected].
About EI
Established in 1953 as a nonprofit educational foundation of the American Hotel & Lodging Association, the Educational Institute’s mission is to support AH&LA by becoming the preferred provider to the lodging industry, hospitality schools, and related hospitality industries both domestically and internationally by developing and providing quality resources to train, educate, and certify hospitality professionals.
About the International SPA Association
The International SPA Association is recognized worldwide as the leading professional organization and voice of the spa industry. ISPA’s membership is comprised of more than 3,000 health and wellness facilities and providers from 75 countries. Founded in 1991, ISPA advances the spa industry by providing invaluable educational and networking opportunities, promoting the value of the spa experience and speaking as the authoritative voice to foster professionalism and growth
About the International SPA Association Foundation
he ISPA Foundation is the 501(c) 3 arm of the International SPA Association and was created in 1999 to serve the educational and research needs of the spa industry. The ISPA Foundation’s mission is to improve and enhance the value of the spa experience; its vision is to advance spa culture to sustain health and well-being. The ISPA Foundation’s objectives include being the educational source for the spa industry, establishing definitive research that validates spa industry related topics and creating an endowment that sustains the ISPA Foundation in perpetuity.