Wellness Solutions For Hospitality

The way spas are being viewed and used has evolved over the centuries and today they are attracting both leisure and business travellers. Spas now are considered as havens for wellness and leisure experience, which provide treatments and services that promote physical and mental relaxation. Managements of high-end hotels and resorts in our country now find spa as an essential feature for their guests. The last issue discussed the main clientele of spas in India, and the diversified benefits of spa, in the context of the Indian hospitality industry. In this issue, Ashok Malkani takes a look at the space requirement for spas and the different spa services provided by the hotels and resorts. He also throws some light on the safety aspects of spas.

Over the last few years , the popularity of spas has been increasing in the Indian hospitality industry. In fact, the growing popularity of spas seems to be a global trend. a report published by allied market Research, titled Spa Services market - Global Opportunity analysis and Industry Forecast, 2014 - 2022, projects that the global spa services market would reach  154.6 billion USD by 2022. 

The tendency towards holistic wellness of mind, body and soul is not only a happening trend in India, but around the globe. No wonder, the spa treatments are becoming popular by the day. The general concept is that spas can revitalise and re-energise a person. However, the perception about the utility of spas has evolved over the years.

Today spas are no longer considered essential for healing the body, as was done centuries ago. Then, entire towns used to sprung up around mineral rich springs where people used the water to heal different ailments. In fact, the word spa is believed to have been derived from the Latin word ‘Sanitas per aquam,’ which means procurement of good health by the help of essential oils and water. For the leisure and business travellers today spa has come to mean a place for invigorating and rejuvenating them through different oils and treatments.

Today, people travelling for business or pleasure, expect and seek spa services in the hospitality properties where they check-in. The hotels in India – stand-alone as well as chains — have realised that spa can be a valuable market worth tapping into.

Space for a Spa But there are certain essential elements necessary to start a spa. One of them is the sufficient space. How much space is needed to offer different wellness treatments?