VERENA LASVIGNE-FOX
Spa Director • Four Seasons Hotel Marrakech – Le Spa
Marrakech, Morocco
“With a very competitive
local market, we introduced
local pricing to be attractive
to locals and draw them
to our spa.”
Portrait of a Local Guest
The guest ratio between local and
distant visitors can vary greatly among
spas and is subject to many factors,
including size, location and spa type. For
example, a resort spa such as Le Spa at
Four Seasons Hotel Marrakech in
Morocco relies heavily on the tourist
trade. Currently, local guests only make
up approximately five percent of its business—not unusual at a resort spa
located in an area where tourism is an
important part of the local economy. Le
Spa’s spa director, Verena Lasvigne-Fox,
hopes to bridge the gap to 30 and 70
percent by 2016 by offering services tailored to local taste.
“We are working on offering yoga
retreats for locals with a one-night stay
at the hotel,” Lasvigne-Fox says. “Little
breaks like these seem very much in
trend. It will give local guests an opportunity on a regular weekend to enjoy a
48-hour vacation and feel rejuvenated.”
Other spas, such as Spa Mio, see a
much higher percentage of guests from
the surrounding area and as such, tailor
their menus accordingly.
“Local guests love
to do their
research before trying new services and
products,” Wind says. “They are hungry
for active ingredients and long-term
results.”
Jennica Klemann, owner of Spa Daze
in Tucson, Arizona, notes that her local
guests are looking for hand-crafted and
sustainable ingredients and products. “I’ve
noticed that trends in my community are
leaning toward sustainability and
supporting local businesses,” she says.
“In response to this, I prefer to shop local
for my own business needs and try to use
products that are socially conscious.” Her
local guests have also become more
JENNICA KLEMANN
Owner • Spa Daze
Tucson, Arizona
“I’ve noticed that
trends in my community
are leaning toward
sustainability and
supporting local
businesses.”
September 2015
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PULSE 29