As little as a decade ago, a spa vacation was only about being pampered, spoiled and indulged. These days, spa goers are increasingly interested in the health and wellness aspects of a spa stay. The annual SpaFinder® Wellness report tracks trends in the spa and wellness industry and Susie Ellis, president of SpaFinder Wellness and industry expert, said of the 10th annual report, “We think this forecast will make it startlingly obvious just how far the industry – and consumer expectations – have evolved from pampered indulgence to personalized, functional health and wellness.”

The 10 top spa trends for 2013 as reported by SpaFinder

• Healthy Hotels – Wellness elements are becoming more mainstream in hotels of all kinds, from independents to chains. Health conscious and vegan menus are much more common, even standard, and gyms are no longer seen as a bonus amenity but are now a central branding feature. “Hospitality” is being redefined by hotels to include wellness and fitness options.
• The Mindfulness Massage – A therapist guides the client in clearing their mind of the “chatter” of the day by combining breath work with massage. Attention is brought to every part of the body for a profound experience that can help people relax more deeply and quickly.
• Earthing – This term refers specifically to having direct contact with the soil, as in walking barefoot, to help stabilize the body’s natural electrical rhythms. Expect to see more “nature grounding,” with less background nature sounds and more real nature.
• Spa Genomics – A goal of medicine is to understand the 30,000 genes and complex DNA of humans with the potential of pinpointing which diseases/issues could be forestalled by specific lifestyle changes and create predictive, personalized medicine. Studies show that some parts of DNA can be repaired by stress-reduction, exercise, sleep, healthier food and meditation.

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  Ancient Revival – Expect an increase in ancient wellness traditions such as Indian-born Ayurveda, Turkish and Roman baths and Russian banyas (birch twig thwacking), as well as an expanded menu of exotic and novel healing traditions to show up in restored historic buildings or ancient spa sites.

• Color Self-Expression – A trend born of low cost and ease of application, increased color will be showing up in hair, face and body. From neon lashes to 3D nail art to “haute tattoos,” the body will be the palette for self expression. (Off the record Travel Maestro comment: I’m envisioning The Hunger Games characters!)
• Inclusive Wellness – With a global population facing aging and disability issues, spas will shift from luxe pampering to delivering more healing, mobility and nutrition therapies for all ages and ability levels.
• Label Conscious Fitness – As new fitness products continue to enter an over-saturated market, a “designer” label distinguishes a product from the herd and gives it instant elite status. Many consumers will flock to the latest name brands, just as they shop for designer clothes labels.
• From Barbers to Brotox – More and more men are having cosmetic surgery as technologies reduce downtime and scarring, so look for spas to increase their non-invasive “beauty” options for men like waxing, threading and men’s skin treatments.
• Help Wanted – With the explosive growth worldwide in fitness, alternative medicine and spa markets, the industry just can’t find enough qualified managers and therapists. This will only increase as people and institutions realize the benefits of health and wellness.

Clearly, the spa and wellness trends have changed over the last 10 years and will, no doubt, continue to evolve as the consumer’s focus migrates and medical technologies advance. To find out more about which spas offer certain services, contact the expert advisors at Covington Travel.

Source: SpaFinder® Wellness, Inc.