While many are open to the idea , interaction with staff is clearly still an important part of the experience for a significant proportion , with approximately half saying they would still prefer an in-person interaction when communicating treatment preferences ( 53 percent ), purchasing treatment products ( 49 percent ), or checking-in for an appointment ( 48 percent ). So the quest to find the best use for technology will continue , with spas having to find the tricky balance of maximizing the efficiency that technology can bring without detracting from the overall customer experience .
Well-Being Is Front-of-Mind The impact of the last two years on both physical and mental health has been clear for all to see . The latest data from the Consumer Snapshot shows that the pandemic has propelled the topic of well-being to the forefront of people ’ s lives , whether by doing more exercise , focusing on healthier sleep habits , or downloading a mental wellbeing app . And spa-goers are no excep- tion to the trend , with almost two thirds ( 65 percent ) saying they focus more on health and well-being now than before the pandemic began . Indeed , it seems increasingly clear that spa-going is seen by consumers as part of the well-being solution . Of those who said they visited a spa for the first time in the last two years , by far and away the most popular reason for doing so was to boost their overall wellness ( 57 percent ). This trend was driven by new male spa-goers , 65 percent of whom said they wanted to boost their wellness , compared to just 49 percent of women . Gen Xers visiting spas for the first time were driven by the same impulse , with more than two-thirds of that group doing so to improve their overall wellness .
The same sentiments resonate with the spa-going community more widely . A majority ( 59 percent ) say spas play an important role in their personal selfcare routines and , when asked for the reason behind their most recent spa visit , almost a third ( 31 percent ) said it was either to reduce stress or invest in
their overall wellness .
Yet , the focus on well-being is not a shift exclusive to spa-goers . Across all the respondents in the survey , including non-spa-goers , both mental and physical well-being has become an important part of daily life . When asked about the aspects playing an important role in their personal routines , it was mental well-being that rose to the top , with 80 percent agreeing that looking after their mental well-being is an important part of their routine . The vast majority also say they try to eat healthily ( 78 percent ) and do at least some exercise ( 75 percent ).
Spa-goers already appear to have made a link between visiting spas and enhanced well-being , but to further grow the industry , many will ask what can be done to convert more non-spagoers to sharing that belief . When asked why they had not visited a spa , almost one in five ( 19 percent ) non-spagoers said they do not see the perceived benefits — a number driven by men who haven ’ t visited a spa and those aged 45 and older . The same number said they were either not comfortable about visiting a spa or not familiar with the spa environment . That suggests there is more for the industry
JULY 2022 n PULSE 19