2018 Spa Predictions - Andrew Gibson

In your opinion what was the biggest industry event to shape the spa industry in 2017?

There were three big industry events that spring to mind; firstly, the Global Wellness Summit in Florida, which truly embraced the full scope of the wellness world. An extensive variety of topics were covered and one of the keynotes was the integration of the medical and the wellness worlds, now celebrating a common cause. The World Spa and Wellness Convention in London, earlier in the year, was a key event that continues to attract the elite from around the world. A combination of exhibitions, product launches, networking and the wellness seminars make this a must visit attraction and it is best in class in Europe. The third event that has significance is CosmoProf in Hong Kong. It is similar in set up to the World Spa and Wellness Convention and is the most prominent event in Asia.

What do you predict will be the biggest trends to influence the spa industry in 2018?

We could dedicate a whole article to this topic! One trend that is having a massive impact is how wellness is shaping the design and operation of hotels. This will become a paradigm shift that will eventually create a whole new way of managing hotels and is, perhaps, the most important trend for spa and wellness professionals as I hope it will create new jobs for spa directors and help convince general managers and sales teams to focus on all assets within a hotel. The second focus is related to fitness. The latest trends are to integrate fitness into guest rooms, to work in conjunction with hotel nutritionists and F&B teams and to transform the fitness areas into social meeting places. Sleep continues to remain in focus with all kinds of experimentation from gadgets to rituals aimed at creating the best night’s rest. Some of these, however, are gimmicks so this trend will see a lot of trial and error before we find the best path forward. Elsewhere, virtual reality and artificial intelligence have started to infiltrate into fitness and slowly into spa. Expect to see lots of new features in this area. The rise of wellness destinations globally has increased wellness tourism and will expand into resort hotels and individually managed hotels in beautiful locations. Data collection – information on guests and possibly a true reflection on financial performance – will become more typical.

What opportunities and threats do you foresee for GCC spa operators in the year ahead.

I think the GCC has some opportunities and a lot of uncertainty ahead. The potential uncertainty rests with labour concerns, political changes, licensing and changing attitudes. There is an abundance of good quality hotel spas, day spa, medi spas and lifestyle wellness options that indicate a maturing market in some cities and increased competition for a specific market. This has benefits. It will create more sophisticated offers and a greater variety of services but it also places stress on management, labour costs, availability of labour and identity in a cluttered market. Competition breeds innovation which is a wonderful for consumers within the GCC. There are still undeveloped locations that allow for the expansion of existing brands and due to government ideas and actions there is a growing awareness of wellness.

If you could influence or change one thing about the industry in 2018, what would it be?

I would sincerely like to create a shift in the industry, and in market opinion, that wellness only relates to spas. I’d like people to accept that wellness is a movement affecting every domain of the hotel industry, the obligatory requirements for a company to provide workplace wellness and a changing demand from the public that is familiar with a wellness lifestyle.

Andrew Gibson is vice president of spa and wellness at FRHI Hotels and Resorts, responsible for the company’s spa strategy, including implementing standards globally across all of FRHI’s leading hotel and spa brands.