The popularity of spas as a meeting destination is growing by leaps and bounds
By Nancy Mann Jackson
For years, meeting and convention groups have held special events on the golf courses at resort hotels. These days, however, many resorts offer another networking option that’s often overlooked by meeting planners but is gaining in popularity: the spa. With its emphasis on relaxation and wellness, a spa can be an ideal place to bring your group together, and the choices are getting more numerous every day. According to research by PricewaterhouseCoopers, roughly 40% of high-end hotels currently in the works will include spas – more than double the number planned five years ago.
“Many of our groups come to the Hyatt Chesapeake seeking a retreat from the normal business environment,” says Patti Dail, Spa Director for Stillwater Spa at the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Resort, Spa and Marina in Cambridge, MD. “What good is a retreat without the ability to renew? That’s what spas can offer to overscheduled and under-pampered [attendees]. The person that arrives to our spa is completely different from the person who departs. Typical conference workshops usually only tackle the mind. Spas restore the mind, body and spirit. Why attend a workshop on ways to manage stress when you can experience a technique firsthand?”
A Focus on Wellness
For some groups, the spa has become the preferred networking spot – even more than the golf course. The spa’s stress-relieving ability is one of the reasons. “Golf isn’t relaxing,” said Canon Sales Director Terry Markwart, in a recent New York Times article about the growth in spa meetings. “It’s very competitive, and you have to get up early in the morning. It adds more to the stress.”
According to the Times, Markwart had an opportunity to visit the spa at a meeting held at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco, where he was able to “get the kinks out of [his] back, as well as hash out advertising strategies with colleagues.”
For many meeting attendees, visiting a spa isn’t just about relieving stress while on the road; it’s part of a widespread trend toward healthier lifestyles. Pick up almost any newspaper or magazine these days, and you’ll find an article about wellness. An umbrella term for numerous topics related to nutrition, fitness, or a healthy environment, wellness is a major buzzword and a topic of interest for growing numbers of people in all walks of life.
Professionals have realized that a focus on prevention, rather than cure, is a more beneficial approach to ensuring both healthy individuals and a healthy environment. And because healthy individuals make healthy organizations, wellness isn’t just a personal concern, but a business concern as well. And savvy meeting planners understand that offering spa treatments is an ideal way to incorporate attendees’ interest in wellness into their meetings and events – and into the corporate culture.
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The Gap is Narrowing
Of course, meeting at a spa isn’t just for groups interested in health and wellness. It’s also a great way to pamper attendees and undertake an activity in which everyone can get involved.
“People love to be pampered, and companies want to make sure they take care of their employees,” says J.J. Jaeger, Director of Sales and Marketing at the Coeur d’Alene Golf and Spa Resort in Coeur d’Alene, ID. “A spa is a great way to accomplish both these goals. Anyone can enjoy the spa with absolutely no prior experience, in contrast to something like golf or skiing where attendees might feel uncomfortable if they’re not accomplished in that sport or activity.”
And while women have traditionally been the most frequent users of spa services, the gap is narrowing as more men are discovering the restorative powers of spas, says Matt Stewart, Director of Sales and Marketing for the Desert Springs JW Marriott Resort and Spa in Palm Desert, CA.
“Men are finally starting to realize what women have always known – spa is the universal activity,” says Patti Dail. “You don’t need any special shoes, equipment, skills, or talents. All that’s required is your presence and willingness to let go of that traffic jam in your head. Because of this, we’ve seen a definite increase in our male spa-goers. In the beginning they were hesitant to partake. Now they not only come, but they’re dictating how they want to spend their time here.”
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Incorporating Spas and Meetings
Although a spa event may not be at the top of your priority list, more planners are becoming interested once they see the possibilities. For instance, since Coeur d’Alene Golf and Spa Resort completed a recent $10 million spa renovation, Jaeger says the resort has seen a large increase in the number of meeting and conference groups that are incorporating the spa into their events.
“Initially, when a group makes a site visit to our hotel, the incorporation of spa [into the meeting] isn’t always a priority,” Dail says. “But once they enter our inner sanctuary for a tour, it definitely gets their attention and has them thinking outside of the average conference agenda. If groups can offer golf as an activity option, then why not offer spa? The result is that we’ve seen an increase year after year.”
Most resort spas offer special rates and packages for meeting groups that want to take advantage of the spa, and many meeting planners contract for group spa appointments well in advanced of an event to ensure availability.
“Meeting retreats are often jam-packed and offer little leisure time,” Dail says. “When this happens, we take the spa to the meeting rooms. We have massage tables and aren’t afraid to travel. Our ‘Boardroom Breaks’ are just what every conference needs. Special options include seated chair massage and relaxation rooms in the meeting setting. If they have a restrictive time allotment to escape to the spa, we tailor our treatments to that as well. We specialize in the group spa-goer and develop a program that meets the specific needs of that group. For instance, we have a group that requires 800 spa appointments over the course of four days; we handle that demand by transforming meeting rooms into spa rooms, thereby expanding the total size of our spa.”
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What to Look For
If you’re looking to incorporate the relaxation and renewal of a spa into your next meeting, consider how much space your group will need and what kinds of packages are available. “Ask how many treatment rooms the resort has,” Stewart says. “Do they have enough to accommodate the number of attendees outside of program meeting times? And are they flexible on pricing for groups to allow for SMERF pricing?”
Even if you think you know what you’re looking for, don’t forget to be creative — and expect the same from the resort. “Flexibility of the spa is an important aspect to consider,” Dail says. “Planning a spa escape for 100 conference attendees often requires thinking outside of the box in terms of organization and planning. Make sure the spa you select is dedicated to this same vision. Attention to detail in the planning phase will ensure a spa experience that delivers what it promises.”
Want to make your next meeting a spa meeting? Take a look at http://www.BestSpasUSA.com or http://www.SpaFinder.com to find the spa that’s right for your
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