Pulse Points
By russell donaldson
recovering after the
Great recession
last month,
we saw how the spa industry
suffered during the Great recession of the late 2000s and
how it resiliently overcame it to experience strong levels of
growth in the following years. To do so, spas had to work
harder to promote their businesses and stimulate demand
for the services they offer in the immediate aftermath of
the recession. how they did that will be a valuable insight
for today’s leaders to keep in mind should the industry
face another period of economic upheaval.
16
PULSE
■
MAY 2019
attracting and retaining clients was unsurprisingly the
industry’s foremost challenge during the recession. People
had less disposable income and spent their earnings more
carefully. it follows that spas had to maintain, or even
enhance, the attractiveness of their offerings. iSPa’s
consumer Snapshot initiative consistently shows that the
primary reason people visit spas is to help combat stress.
for many, the recession was a particularly stressful time,
so intelligent marketing allowed many spas to take