A Minute With SpaBeautySchools

The International Spa Association (ISPA), recognized worldwide as the leading professional organization and voice of the spa industry, recently identified 10 spa industry trends. Do these research-driven trends reflect your reality? Let’s check out the first five …

1. Spa visits are part of my lifestyle.
In 2005, more than two million spa-goers took part in lifestyle classes, such as healthy cooking, achieving balance and managing stress, and customizing at-home spa experiences. It’s obvious that our society is increasingly conscious of health and wellness issues (and career growth in the wellness industry is a direct result!). We may be a fast-food nation, but even the major burger chains are jumping on the wellness bandwagon by offering such healthy alternatives as salads, yogurts, and wraps.

2. Spa visits are a necessity.
The spa experience isn’t just a luxury or dream vacation package anymore. People are seeing a real need for spa visits to relieve and reduce stress, soothe sore joints and muscles, feel better about themselves, and improve their mental and emotional well-being. Certainly, if you have the means, why not use them to bring your body and soul into alignment by visiting alternative healing professionals?

3. The spa experience yields results.
More than one in 10 spa-goers treat spa visits as part of their overall healthy lifestyle, not just for pampering purposes. The American Massage Therapy Association also found that 30 percent of Americans who receive massage therapy do so for medical reasons, which include injury recovery, pain reduction, headache control, and overall wellness. This certainly isn’t the first time I’ve heard of holistic health practitioners producing results that traditional medicine could not achieve.

4. The spa industry incorporates medical components.
Medical spas are one of the fastest growing segments of the spa industry — from 2003 to 2005, the medical spa industry reported a 69 percent average annual growth. Popular medical treatments include chemical peels, microdermabrasion, body wraps, naturotherapy, and acupuncture. The spa experience has helped millions of people lose weight and feel better about themselves, all without the use of potentially harmful drugs.

5. The spa is my home.
Did you know that spa are now adding residential components, and real estate developers are building spas in gated communities and condominiums? Florida, New York, and Nevada are just a few of the states offering these spa communities. I could certainly live with a 24/7 spa experience. How ’bout you?

–Robyn Tellefsen

Last night, a friend gave me an invitation for a “relaxing spa retreat” at her house. Now, let me just state up front that I avoid home parties as a rule. You know the kind I’m talking about — the “RSVP-only” get-togethers that promise a fun night out and deliver you home with a significantly lighter wallet and an order form filled with must-have items like tealight candles, spatulas, scrapbook stickers, wall art, sequined purses, and of course, the Tupperware that started it all.

But I’ll admit I’m intrigued by the spa invitation, in that it reminds me of those fun sleepovers from the pre-teen years. I may not be the type to salivate over mixing bowls and candelabra, but I covet relaxation time as much as the next gal. The idea of spending an hour at a friend’s house to receive a “head-to-toe spa experience” certainly appeals to the tired body and soul.

And, it looks like I’m not the only one confessing major spa appeal. According to the latest research from the International Spa Association (ISPA), one in four American adults have been to a spa, and therefore, know what they want from a quality spa experience. Not surprisingly, the number one reason people go to spas is to reduce and/or relieve stress. And lest you think women are the only ones seeking the rejuvenation offered by a spa experience, ISPA research indicates that 31 percent of spa-goers are men.

Obviously, the industry is booming, which means that if you’re in the market for a new line of work, there’s never been a better time to consider a spa career. Check it out: In August 2006, ISPA reports there were 267,400 total employees in the North American spa industry: 124,500 full-time, 101,300 part-time, and 41,600 contract employees. Based on those figures, since April 2004, the spa industry has seen an average annual growth of 11 percent for total employees, 6 percent for full-time employees, 19 percent for part-time employees, and 11 percent for contract employees.

In a world filled with people who, like me, desperately need to decompress, the demand for trained spa professionals is great. If you don’t meet that need, who will host my next spa party?

–Robyn Tellefsen