The ISPA Foundation Receives Research Donation from SpaFinder and The Global Spa Summit
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The International SPA Association Foundation is pleased to announce that a donation of $5,000 has been presented to the ISPA Foundation by SpaFinder, and an additional donation of $5,000 has been contributed from the Global Spa Summit. The donations will aid the research initiatives of the ISPA Foundation, specifically the new Consumer Snapshot Initiative. This valuable new information is part of an ongoing research program that will report on consumer trends and behaviors.
“SpaFinder and the Global Spa Summit understand the needs of today’s spa-goers, so the opportunity to work with them to help bring new information to our industry is exciting,” said ISPA Foundation President Jeff Kohl. “The ISPA Foundation is dedicated to providing high-level industry research that aids key business decisions, and the new Consumer Snapshot Initiative will deliver important takeaways for the spa community.”
The research initiative, conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers, will reveal data on consumer’s thoughts and preferences. These key elements are essential for spas while planning out treatment menus and developing new offerings. Consumer research not only provides insight into spa-goer trends, but also reveals how non-spa-goers are behaving. The initiative will shed light on why non-spa-goers aren’t visiting the spa, if they’ve ever considered visiting a spa and what misconceptions they may have about the spa.
“In a few short years, spa and wellness has grown from a cottage industry to a $60-billion-plus global market (SRI International data), embraced by major businesses that are investing in innovative new products and initiatives designed to meet exploding consumer demand,” said Pete Ellis, Chairman and CEO of SpaFinder and Chairman of the Board of the Global Spa Summit. “The ISPA Foundation is in a unique position to help shepherd this growth with quality, original research – and we’re especially pleased to support its new Consumer Snapshot Initiative, which will provide ongoing insight into spa consumer behavior and trends.”
More information regarding the release of the Consumer Snapshot Initiative will be available soon. To learn more about ISPA and the ISPA Foundation’s groundbreaking library of studies and research tools visit experienceispa.com.
About The Global Spa Summit
The Global Spa Summit (GSS) is an annual event that attracts executives and leaders from around the world with an interest in the spa and wellness industries. Delegates from diverse sectors including hospitality, tourism, finance, medicine, real estate, manufacturing, technology, consulting, product and other related industries attend this intimate, invitation-only gathering focused on advancing the spa and wellness sectors. The Summit has been responsible for some of the most important recent spa industry research, including the landmark “Global Spa Economy Report” and “Spas and the Global Wellness Market” (conducted by SRI International), as well as “Wellness Tourism and Medical Tourism: Where Do Spas Fit?” The organization recently launched the breakthrough research tool SpaEvidence.com, the world’s first online resource that provides access to the medical evidence existing for spa and wellness therapies. The GSS was honored as “Spa Event of the Year” for 2009, 2010 and 2011 by AsiaSpa magazine.
About SpaFinder
The world’s largest spa media, marketing and gifting company, SpaFinder, Inc., connects millions of wellness-focused consumers with thousands of spas, yoga, Pilates and fitness studios and wellness practitioners worldwide. SpaFinder’s media properties include the award-winning http://www.spafinder.com/, the Club Spa e-newsletter and blog and the annual NewBeauty SpaFinder Guide to Global Spa, Wellness & Beauty. SpaFinder and its spa-beauty gift division, SpaWish, offer gift certificates and cards that are redeemable at a combined network of over 9,000 spas, yoga, Pilates and fitness studios, wellness practitioners and salons worldwide, and are available at nearly 100,000 unique retail outlets in 79 countries. SpaFinder Europe and SpaFinder Japan offer regional spa marketing and gifting programs, including localized websites. Currently celebrating its 25th Anniversary, SpaFinder is a privately held company headquartered in Manhattan.
About the ISPA Foundation
Created in 1999 to serve the educational and research needs of the spa industry through endowments, curriculum development and scholarships, the ISPA Foundation is the nonprofit 501(c)3 arm of ISPA. The ISPA Foundation’s mission is to improve and enhance the value of the spa experience while supporting its vision of sustainable health and well-being through the advancement of spa culture. For more information on the ISPA Foundation and opportunities for involvement, please visit www.experienceispa.com/ISPAFoundation/.