The hottest trends in the world of spas

by Anitra Brown

1) McSpa – Spas like Bliss Spas, Six Senses, Golden Door become well-defined “brands.” Skin-care companies like La Prairie, Sothys, Jurlique, and Avon introduce spa settings to market their products.

2) "Spa I.Q." on the Rise - Spa-smart consumers become even savvier in 2006. More people go to the spa with a clear idea of what spa treatments to experience. Spa consumers demand information, not just mystique. "What's in the lotion? What's in the water?" Spas should be prepared with answers
Spa consumers see beyond the glamour of ambience, develop an appreciation for high-quality services, and reward skilled therapists.

3)"Home Sweet Spa" - Empty nesters re-cast unused bedrooms as spa-inspired spaces for fitness, meditation and massage.
They transform traditional bathrooms into spa bathrooms. Watch for the spa lifestyle to enter every room of the house.
Hotels are bringing massage tables and Jacuzzis into their rooms, and TVs, fireplaces into their spas, blurring the line between the spas and “home.”

4)Water, Water Everywhere (Again) - Spas return to their origins as centers for bathing and water treatments. They rediscover traditional water therapies and re-imagining them in new ways with color hydrotherapy baths, vapor caves, liquidsound, watsu, deluge showers, and spa water parks. There’s also a revival of traditional natural thermae, thalassotherapy, Japanese onsen, Russian banyas and old-world bathhouses.

5)Medical and Sanctuary Tourism - New Reasons to Travel- More Americans travel out of the country for alternative (or lower priced) medical and aesthetic treatments. Spa-goers opt for more mind/body/spirit experiences, including labyrinth walks, energy work, chakra balancing, acutonics, meditation - and good old fashioned rest and sleep, aided by plush bedding and blackout shades.
More couples, meanwhile, will opt for "spa honeymoons" and romantice spa vacations, including the traditional travel whirlwind in favor of a bonding sanctuary-style spa experience.

6)The Yin of Luxury and Yang of Discount - The spa industry will expand at both ends of the market. While luxury resort and hotel spas roll out $1,000/night suites, private yachts and 6-hand massages, corner massage parlors and discount chains will offer an hour of quality massage for as low as $39 - without an appointment.

6) Macho, Macho Spa – There are more men-only spas and grooming products , and co-ed spas cater more aggressively to men with old-school amenities like traditional barber services, boxing robes, bars, sports viewing, cigar rooms, pool tables and hardcore gyms. Destination spas offer adventure experiences and extreme boot camps.

7)The Pendulum Swings Back to a Pure Spa Experience - Genre-defining destinations spas like Miraval, Red Mountain and Cal-a-Vie, have broadened their markets by loosening up their diet, alcohol and minimum-age and length-of-stay restrictions. This year the pendulum to should start swinging back toward a more traditional spa experience where temptations are limited. On the other hand, resort spas offer more fitness, health, diet and wellness elements.

8)"Ohmmm" Online - With health-focused chat rooms, information-rich websites and e-newsletters, spas will transcend their physical walls to form virtual communities focused on healthy spa living.

9)Fun on the Spa Menu - More spas become social scenes, with group-friendly activities/programs like Tango-Zen lessons, Texas Hold'em, group mud experiences, party packages and day spa singles' nights.
Spa Buzz Words for 2006: Acutonics, Ayurveda, Contrast Shower, Spa Culinary Schools, Eco-Spa, Detox, Feng Shui'd Gyms, Hamam, Hydrotherapy, Idebenone, Indigenous Ingredients, Manaka Tapping, Multicultural Spas, Off-Menu Treatments, Peptides, Poultices, Sculptra, Skin Brightening, Stick Tiles, Thai for Two, TCM.