READYING FOR THE HOLIDAYS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14
WHEN KELLEYE MARTIN LOOKS AT THE NUMBERS from last year , she doesn ’ t mince words .“ It ’ s soul-crushing ,” she says .
In 2019 , The Edgewater Spa in Madison , Wisconsin , had its best year in history , and Martin , the spa director , knows that 2020 won ’ t come anywhere near those numbers . It ’ s a situation to which nearly all spas can relate . In ISPA ’ s July Snapshot Survey , 70 percent of respondents indicated their revenue was down at least 16 percent from this time last year , and 36 percent of respondents had seen at least a 51 percent drop in year-over-year revenue .
“ People will still want to come out . I was working the desk recently , and I saw how much people really want to come out to the spa and get a treatment . If we can provide a safe environment to do some of the normal , there will be less apprehension . It ’ ll just look different .”
— KELLEYE MARTIN , SPA DIRECTOR , THE EDGEWATER SPA
Given the economic toll of the pandemic , this winter might be the most important holiday season in the industry ’ s history . Still , many in the industry recognize that merely getting into the black would be a victory .
“ It ’ s definitely on everyone ’ s mind right now ,” says Samika Traboulay , the director of spa at Renaissance Montgomery Hotel and Spa in Montgomery , AL .“ Even at my property , we aren ’ t looking to make a profit , we ’ re just looking to break even . Everything is in flux right now . You never know if the government will shut you down again .”
So , what are spas ’ strategies for such an important time that in all likelihood will still be impacted by the pandemic ?
CONTINUED ON PAGE 18
The Edgewater Spa clearly communicates its sanitization policies for guests .
Of course , this massive drop-off in revenue is not the fault of any spa director . The COVID-19 pandemic has crushed 2020 projections , necessitating creative solutions . As fall and winter approach , spas have an opportunity to recoup some of those losses by capitalizing on the holiday shopping season , a time when consumers typically spend abundantly on gifts for family and friends or just as a reward at the end of the year .
In keeping with the theme of meaningful merchandise , we ’ re featuring products that give back . Pure Fiji ( right ) has set up a variety of community projects that encompass promoting rural community development and sustainable industries and business practices .
16 PULSE ■ OCTOBER 2020