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BUSINESS TAKEAWAY: Use the report’ s service data as a prompt for a menu audit. Identify your top services by volume, revenue, margin, provider availability and guest satisfaction. The goal is not necessarily to cut the menu; it is to understand what each offering is doing for the business.

The 2026 study confirms what many spa leaders feel every day: Workforce pressure continues to shape operations. Total employment reached an estimated 376,900 workers in January 2026, relatively flat compared with the previous year. Full-time employment remained unchanged, parttime employment rose slightly and independent contractor positions continued to decline.

At the same time, 61 percent of spas reported actively trying to fill unstaffed service provider positions, including 64 percent of resort and hotel spas and 56 percent of day spas. Staffing concerns also ranked among the leading challenges operators identified for 2026.

This is not only an HR issue. It is a profitability issue, a

guest experience issue and a culture issue. Unfilled provider roles can limit available appointments, increase pressure on existing team members and make it harder to meet demand during peak periods. Over time, staffing strain can affect morale, retention and the consistency of the guest experience.

BUSINESS TAKEAWAY: Staffing strategy should be connected directly to utilization and revenue opportunity. Instead of asking only How many people do we need? leaders should ask, Where is unmet demand costing us revenue, guest loyalty or team energy?

KEY MOVES FOR LEADERS: l Track waitlists and denied bookings by service type. l Identify peak-period staffing gaps. l Build flexible coverage models without overloading core providers. l Use compensation, culture and scheduling practices as retention tools. l Treat team happiness as a measurable business outcome, not a soft benefit. n

The 2026 ISPA U. S. Spa Industry Study is not just something to read. It is something to use.

FOR SPA LEADERS, the report can support decisions that affect profitability, guest experience, team happiness, culture and long-term leadership legacy. It can help validate budget requests, guide pricing conversations, reveal staffing priorities, support menu decisions and strengthen strategic planning.

USE THE STUDY TO: l Benchmark your performance against industry averages. l Evaluate pricing, service mix and revenue per visit. l Identify staffing gaps and retention risks. l Plan renovations, expansions or facility investments. l Refine marketing around demand and guest behavior. l Support leadership decisions with credible data.

The full 2026 ISPA U. S. Spa Industry Study is available to ISPA members as a member benefit in the Research tab at experienceispa. com. For leaders who want to build stronger businesses— not just busier schedules— the report offers something essential: a clearer view of what is happening now, and a smarter way to decide what comes next.

About the ISPA U. S. Spa Industry Study

Each year, the ISPA U. S. Spa Industry Study provides one of the most comprehensive views of spa business performance in the United States. Commissioned by the ISPA Research Foundation and conducted in partnership with PricewaterhouseCoopers( PwC) and McIlheney Consulting, the report tracks the industry’ s Big Five statistics and offers deeper analysis of services, employment, compensation, profitability, operating practices, spa type and other key business indicators.

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