PULSE POINTS
ISPA 2018 U.S. Spa Industry Study
AS MENTIONED SEVERAL TIMES IN THIS COLUMN, the 2018 ISPA
U.S. Spa Industry Study marked record growth in 2017 for each of the Big Five financial
statistics. Looking ahead to 2019, the Industry Study will be celebrating its 20th year of
gauging the financial health of the spa industry in the United States.
In terms of their plans to continue growth in years to come, respondents aimed to
expand the range of choices available to their clients, including the addition or
creation of new treatment offerings, the introduction of new product lines and the
creation of a new spa menu.
Spas are also focused on strengthening their business through internally
focused measures. A large majority of spas said they plan to introduce new or revised
standard operating procedures. Almost one in four (24 percent) said they will
introduce new spa management software.
Staffing and employee development also loom large in spas’ plans for the future,
with many respondents intending to introduce new employee training and create
new jobs.
When asked what key issues respondents were looking to solve in the coming
year, a few themes were consistently mentioned. A lack of qualified, experienced
talent was the single most important issue. According to those respondents,
the number of qualified people is not matching the growth in the industry.
Issues around training and education were mentioned by one in eight respon-
dents (12 percent). Self-care and staying healthy for therapists and service
providers, especially as they get older, were also prominent
issues facing the industry in 2018 and beyond.
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January/February 2019