Julie Pankey managing Partner, JmPankey Partners
The rewards and challenges of going mainstream: my
personal and professional mission is to make spa and
wellness more accessible to all, so the more prominent spa
is in mainstream culture, the closer we are to achieving
this goal. i think there is place for different types of spa,
experiences and products. The only potential drawback is
that there are still so many non-spa-goers, and a poor
experience due to lack of regulation or standard
inconsistencies could leave a negative taste
of spa that is hard to overcome.
How the trend towards wellness has
changed her decision-making: as a
consultant, i work with hotels and
spas to incorporate more wellness-
related services rather than a sole
focus on spa services. i think as we
incorporate more wellness-related
service to promote overall well-being, it
becomes increasingly important to offer
more customized and personalized services.
When considering wellness trends, i look to the 2019
Global Wellness institute trends. i seek out more organic,
ethically-sourced and manufactured clothing, as well as
robes. i have encouraged the addition of meditation in a
variety of different ways. meditation can be as simple as
using a quick meditation app, reading a daily meditation
passage, quick breathing techniques. it
does not have to be complicated.
i think prescribing nature, and
incorporating fragrance and
nutrition to spa environ-
ments are all very
achievable and simple ways
to incorporate more wellness
related experiences
On how spa will evolve over the next
ten years: in ten years,
i see the concept of spa turning
from a perceived luxury
to something more prescriptive
and preventative. i see
the benefits of massage, meditation
and various other wellness-related spa
services being recognized as preventative
medicine and eventually covered by employee
benefit plans. i see more customized and quick-service
offerings that fit into the everyday life of the consumer. i
see more and more people taking wellness vacations, and
wellness tourism continuing to grow, which will benefit
our industry.
christine mariconti sPa director, cranWell sPa & golf resort
How the average spa-goer has evolved: over the years, i
have heard so many people
say things like, “oh, i don’t
indulge in those things”
or “i can’t afford to
pamper myself.” But
today, so many people
understand the impor-
tance of taking care of
themselves physically,
emotionally and spiritually. What
used to be a visit to get a massage or
facial has grown to much more. our
guests today are so much more educated
and savvy about wellness.
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On adapting her spa to changing consumer needs:
my focus has shifted from how we would
appeal to the masses to focusing on
the individual, seeking out ways to
bring them authentic and
relevant experiences that touch
them and speak to their needs.
it requires a great deal more
preparation and attention to
detail but it is so worth it when
you see the results, and you
provide information and tools for
them to take home and embrace a
wellness lifestyle. These connections
have built our spa and bring repeat guests
year after year.