Pulse March / April 2015 | Page 36

THE Spa-Goer BY MAE MAÑACAP-JOHNSON AND ALEXANDER MENRISKY UP CLOSE Demands and Habits While there are some differences in the habits and preferences of male and female spa-goers, when it comes to the bigger picture on why they visit the spa, they are not that different after all. “I believe that both male and female spa-goers are looking for downtime and a place to relax and check out,” says Linda Zipkin, membership and community relations manager of Epicurean Hotel – Spa Evangeline in Tampa, Florida. Zipkin adds that, in her experience at the spa, the notion that female guests primarily come to socialize while men simply want to relax is nothing more than a myth. 34 PULSE n March/April 2015