Recent industry partnerships have begun to bring spa onto planes themselves.
P: What do you think of the spate of recent
partnerships between airlines and spas, such
as Singapore Airlines’ recent partnership with
Canyon Ranch?
B: i think it’s great. it’s a huge plus to have healthy food
in-flight, and i think the stretches are a fabulous idea.
i think it’s a win-win for both of them. Singapore airlines
is one of the best airlines i’ve ever flown on, so i think it’s
really great that canyon ranch went with them because
they’re really dedicated to service. i think it provides a big
brand boost to Singapore airlines, although i don’t know
if canyon ranch’s benefit is as big.
and i think this sort of collaboration could clearly go
mainstream and go on shorter flights, like a four-hour
flight where you get a meal. That’s still a fairly long time.
i think a lot of people would participate in that.
P: What do partnerships like these mean for
the spa industry?
B: it’s just one more step that the spa industry has
taken into a totally mainstream part of the american
culture.
Spa is a word that sometimes doesn’t have the most
positive connotation, because it’s been overused. But the
concepts of taking care of yourself, and wellness,
nutrition, mind, body…those have all become a part of
our culture. many asian cultures have known this for a
long time—i think of people doing tai chi in a park—and
we’re just now catching on.
i think eventually the word “spa” might even go away,
just because so many people have different under-
standings of what “spa” means. you could have an
amazing experience in the wilderness and have a
massage by a river; you’re getting a spa experience, but
you’re outdoors. it’s about the full wellness of the mind
and body, in whatever shape that takes, whether that’s
within four walls, outdoors or on a plane.
i think that’s really cool that we’re there now, because
we weren’t twenty years ago. i don’t think airlines saw
the value in it twenty years ago. n
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