Generational use of spas, the overall impact of spas on hotels and the increasing significance of the male spa-goer are among key topics discussed in ‘Emerging Global Spa Trends’, a new Hilton Blue Paper released by Hilton Hotels and Resorts.
The report outlines insights from a collection of industry experts, including the Hilton Worldwide spa team, founders of top spa product brands and other thought leaders in this space.
The Hilton Blue Paper also includes a survey of 6,000 respondents throughout the United States, Great Britain, Australia and China to offer additional global and regional insight.
A key finding of the research is that nearly 50 percent of the respondents said the existence of a spa is an important factor in selecting a hotel, with Chinese travelers finding it most important followed by those from Australia.
“Spa is a key differentiator for us within both the leisure and business travel segments today,” said Dave Horton, Global Head, Hilton Hotels and Resorts. “This new research emphasises the importance of spas in the decision to book a hotel stay, particularly in the rapidly expanding Chinese market.
“Of particular note, we found that 69 percent of travelers said they were at least somewhat likely to visit the spa at their hotel. Through innovative concepts like eforea: spa at Hilton we are providing unique spa experiences for our guests and best in class solutions for our owners.”
Hilton Worldwide’s Senior Director – global spa, full service and luxury brands, Tyra Lowman, added: “While we find that many of the global spa trends are consistent around the world, there are also notable and significant regional differences.
“A successful spa concept on a global scale is one that offers reliable services across its portfolio while respecting regional differences by providing locally influenced treatments and services.”
Since its October 2010 launch by Hilton Hotels and Resorts, eforea has grown to include 11 locations in seven countries, with more than 90 additional locations in development, making it one of the fastest growing spa concepts in the world.