Spending time in nature is the best remedy to improve your quality and outlook on life. It also provides the simplest, most cost effective and innovative opportunities to have a positive impact on our overall well-being. Global Wellness Tourism is a $3.4 trillion business as reported by the 2013 Global Wellness Report. Dr. Deepak Chopra noted in a recent speech that, “Wellness is the number one trend in the world today.” And Ophelia Yeung, senior consultant, Center for Science, Technology & Economic Development, SRI, and one of the report's lead researchers, argued that she only sees more growth ahead: “Prevention-challenged traditional healthcare systems, and an obesity and chronic disease crisis, are simply costing people and governments too much. READ MORE

Professor Gerard Bodeker has said that spas are the 'organizational face of Wellness'. What he means by this is that spas provide a safe and understandable entry point into the diverse and often confusing world of Wellness. Much like a hospital is the organizational face of illness. Patients rarely know which medical specialist is the most appropriate for their specific condition. They trust that the hospital will direct them to right doctor. Spas, according to Bodeker, offer the same for Wellness. READ MORE

In the past few years, there has been an ever-growing, very subtle feeling of insecurity, instability, craziness up to some point of panic, when it comes to people's daily life, personal growth and the overall economic growth. This feeling has forced humanity and societies to do things that have separated everyone and everything on a large scale with some very unpleasant outcomes. However, in the past 10 plus years this feeling has turned to the other side of the coin with an even deeper sense of urgency surfacing in each of us, to find out what this is all about, supported by a force that is seemingly coming from nowhere. This deep-seated feeling of unrest has been on the rise since the mid 40's, and pushed aside ever since to avoid confrontation of a possible ugly truth, the truth that the life lived up until today was an illusion. READ MORE

Looking back at the anecdotes from history books, spas were exceedingly popular in the Roman, Greek and Egyptian eras. Ancient philosophies preach the importance of cleansing the mind, body and spirit through connecting with Mother Earth and the world's energy, such as “Earthing,” which promotes direct contact with the earth's electron-rich surface. The premise of Earthing is that grounding the body to the earth's surface, most commonly done walking barefoot, stabilizes natural electrical rhythms and reduces disease-causing inflammation. The ancient Egyptians, Romans and Greeks not only practiced Earthing, but also enjoyed hot and cold water treatments, followed by aromatic massages with fragrant oils, and had herbalists and apothecaries. READ MORE

Spas and wellness are big business, but that doesn't mean they can't be even bigger. You can go about this through two general strategies: capturing more revenues from existing spa clientele or targeting new customers. While the latter is more challenging, it is nevertheless a worthwhile pursuit as the current spa users represent only a minority of the total traveling consumer base. Whether the spa is price prohibitive or consumers don't see the value, there are indeed many barriers to converting 'unenlightened' guests. Therefore, specific tactics must be undertaken to make them realize the benefits of a hotel's wellness program. READ MORE

According to the US Census, in 2015 there are 92 million millennials in the marketplace. They range from 18-35 years-old and are presently the largest demographic age group,. Jen Usery of the Worthgroup, a leading hospitality architect and design firm, conveys that millennials are expected to represent 50 percent of all travelers in 2015 - 50 percent! . The travel industry predicts that millennials will incrementally out spend any other age group on travel services in the next 12 months. Millennials' fervor for wellness, search for novel experiences, and social media and technology, are driving hotels to create new brands or to tweak existing culture to address the unique needs of this age group. Hotel spas are strategically positioned to provide just what the millennials are looking for. When they focus on wellness, address the potential and pitfalls of a lifestyle of saturated technology, and create customized spa experiences, it can increase ROI, guest experiences and satisfaction. READ MORE

Embarking on a vacation is always such an exciting time. We enjoy seeing new places, meeting new people, experiencing different cultures and eating exotic foods. However, we also have to lug our over-packed bags, negotiate the maze that is airport security, flag down taxis and navigate our way around new cities. We go on vacation to escape the stress of work, social obligations and the demands of day to day life, but unfortunately many times we simply add to the aggravation. It is no wonder that in the most recent Spafinder survey 85 percent of travelers responded that they return from vacation feeling less rejuvenated than when they left. READ MORE

Authenticity and unique experiences continue to be important criteria to most travelers when making travel destination decisions. Along with this trend, we've seen guests also looking to maintain healthy lifestyles while on vacation. As the focus on holistic wellness and authentic travel experiences continues to grow, it is important that we as hoteliers keep these ideas front of mind as we develop new concepts for our hotel offerings. Infusing authenticity, health and wellness into all aspects of a hotel from spa to food and beverage and guest activities, is something we are very dedicated to at The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua. We are consistently planning and evaluating our hotel amenities to ensure that our guests have the opportunity to create lasting memories through unique experiences they would not be able to find elsewhere. READ MORE

A new upscale hotel development without a spa or wellness centre? Quite probably no. What not that long ago was a differentiating service element now is a basic, entry level service. This is not only true for resorts but also for urban and even business hotels, too. The commodification and standardisation of spas or wellness units is, however, only characterizes the top end of the hotel business. Very rarely one can find a full service spa in a three star property! READ MORE

Today's travelers not only seek wellness in their escape, but also have come to expect it. As a result, hotels and resorts—having recognized the demand for expanded and unique wellness programs—may need to take a closer look at their branding. It is critical to ensure the offerings are properly positioned in consumer-facing marketing and communications, as well as accurately reflected in the spa's design, staff, food options and treatment offerings. READ MORE

One of the big shifts I've seen in resort spas is the evolution of the dining experience. Spa food used to have the connotation of deprivation, a limited regime devoid of one's favorite things. Today, it's no longer bland food but a flavorful, healthy cuisine that many guests want to indulge in. We call it “intelligent cuisine” and it's not just about great-tasting, soul-satisfying food that's good for you, it's also about the provenance of the food: where it comes from, who produces it, and how it impacts the planet, our bodies and our sense of wellbeing. READ MORE

Everywhere, technology is inserting itself into the high touch world of spas and wellness. How do spas manage the world of digital, mobile, wearables, social, analytics, CRM, anti-gravity machines, gamification, or uberization and still achieve the sorely needed healing effects of human touch and personal connection? Spa leaders or wellness practitioners and hotel technology experts or digital specialists don't often live in the same realm but increasingly guests are pushing them to collaborate. READ MORE

Traditionally spas have been marketed primarily towards women and beauty. They all continually have the same goal: to help people relax, rejuvenate, relieve stress, improve self worth and look their absolute best. Nowadays, men are becoming more open-minded to the whole spa experience. They are appreciating how beneficial spa treatments can be and recognizing the importance of investing in their own health. Spas are welcoming this rising trend by including the male perspective in their marketing strategies to help draw men through the door. READ MORE

The wellness trend can't be ignored; it's a $500 billion dollar business that has taken root and continues to grow and flourish. In 2013, wellness tourism grew by a whopping 12.7 percent, surpassing 2012's growth rate of 9 percent, according to the 2014 Global Spa and Wellness Economy Monitor. Clearly, incorporating a wellness program or improving upon an existing one is an opportunity not to be missed. Courting the health and wellness-savvy consumer not only makes guests feel great, it has the potential to reinvigorate the bottom line, oftentimes without heavy capital investment. READ MORE

If we step back and review what the term “wellness” means to business or leisure travelers, we will see that many “wellness” activities involve little to no investment on the part of a hotel, in order to accommodate guests' interest. Whether the guest is a boomer or millennial, interested in philanthropic giving forward or taking care of oneself with spiritual or physical aids to the body, mind and spirit - it is only with a bit of creativity that a hotel's programming can be developed to improve its “wellness profile” with minimal cost. READ MORE

The spa industry is constantly changing. Keeping up with evolving client mindsets, and of course, trends in the marketplace can be a challenge for any business. And to top it off hotel spas have to be flexible enough to incorporate changes into every part of the business - hospitality, spa and fitness, dining - it all has to come together perfectly to make guests have an experience that will make them come back. Whether you are a hotel spa or day spa, implementing new products and services, while still maintaining the level of service guests have come to expect is key to success. READ MORE

Remember back in the day when the possibility of a hotel with a pool was enough to get customers excited about a pending stay? Fitness centers became the next "it" thing, followed by spas, which often began as "after thoughts," thanks to a little extra basement space left on the construction drawings. Then for those hoteliers savvy enough to understand the appeal, spas were marketed as amenities, begrudgingly accepted as cost centers and widely misunderstood operationally. But guests sure did enjoy a good massage. My, have things changed. Or have they? READ MORE

Wellness is seemingly everywhere. Our shampoo comes from the corner of healthy and happy; our workstations allow for standing, sitting, and walking; fast food joints are now in the healthy choices game; and even our margaritas' are skinny. The proliferation of health and wellness opportunities that have been thrust into our lives in the last few years have most of us wondering which end is up. Remember the 90's? The low-fat, no fat, low-calorie, no calorie craze had our heads spinning and guess what? We ended up fatter than ever. We need to look beyond the hype to discover what's best for our well-being. READ MORE

While many industries are notorious for employee turnover, it is particularly painful for hospitality, where guest service is such a crucial part of the product. How painful? According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the hospitality and leisure industry had the second largest number of employees voluntarily quit their jobs in 2014, with more than 6,000 people choosing to leave their current position. READ MORE