The Spa Association (SPAA) publishes the top ten trends to watch for 2005.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Fort Collins, CO

The Spa Association (SPAA) publishes the top ten trends to watch for 2005.

• Mind Renewal: Whether psychotherapy, life coaching, guided imagery or mind mapping, spas are embracing emotional renewal and enhancement as a part of spa programming.

• Mobile Spas: Even established spas and medical spas are now taking their practices on wheels. Whether it be for parties, corporate events or those in need of maximum privacy, the spa to go is ready to go.

• Customized Treatments: No longer is the spa-goer content with treatments off of the menu. Spa clients are craving longer personal consultations that target lifestyle programming and suit their needs and style to a tee. Express treatments, concurrent treatments, or a combination of both are played out in a series of treatments that are prescribed along with a homecare remedy for maximum results.

• Hammam Me: Water is back in force. The misunderstood Vichy shower of the nineties is back and it is among friends. Plunge pools, deep sea immersion pools, therapeutic saline tanks, walking pools, saunas, hydrotherapy baths and Swiss showers are among the various water treatments being seen on spa menus of late.

• World Spa-ification: Spas are everywhere in every possible form. Meditation pods are making their way into inner city haunts. Airports and airlines are offering spa treatments as are upscale passenger trains. Medical spa kiosks are popping up in malls. Spas in other unique venues include: showboats, sailboats, caves, zoos and botanical gardens, castles, corporations and subway stations.

• Ultra Lux to Econo Spas: As the market expands so will the consumer’s options. While some spas will opt to offer treatments at discount prices others will offer the very best performed by top technicians in the business for higher than standard luxury rates at exclusive and opulent venues.

• Members Only Spas: More spas will offer VIP memberships to their facilities. For some spas this will be a way of honoring members who pay an annual premium fee for perks and amenities. Other spas will offer memberships to add value offering water treatments and self-serve treatments as a complimentary addition to visiting the spa when a reasonable monthly or annual fee is paid. More exclusive spas will make any type of visit to their facility a members-only proposition commanding a fee simply to be admitted to reserve high end treatments at pay by the service upper end prices.

• Medical Spas: Medical Spas will become more closely watched and regulated. Savvy medical spa owners will expand their services to make spa therapies more medical and to integrate new treatments like: mesotherapy, various forms of pressotherapy, Accupunture, traditional Chinese medicine, electromagnetic therapies and newer forms of injectables like Hylaform and Restylane. Non-invasive Botox alternatives like Dysport will create a new form of spa treatments and packages while a new breed of chemical peels for at home use will hit the consumer market.

• Consumers: Won’t settle for big and pretty anymore. Big and pretty might allow a first visit from a spa-goer but not repeat business. The future of spas that do well will rest on operations, management and the skill level of their technicians. Spa-goers will seek out off the beaten path spas as they do great (but hidden) restaurants.

• Wellness: As spas and medical spas become more popular wellness centers will become the norm offering preventative and alternative care, healthful aging and integrating lifestyle management with nutrition, exercise, mind/body therapies and spa treatments all with balanced living as the end goal.

The Spa Association is your one stop professional association for information, resources, education, and community in the spa industry. No other organization unites medical spas, day spas, stay spas, fitness and wellness centers. Moreover, SPAA offers member benefits such as free educational materials, group insurance rates, an online virtual marketplace, national directory, business tools and marketing assistance.

The Spa Association assists with consumer and professional standards, while helping vendors, spa owners and technicians run a more profitable business and enjoy robust career options. SPAA is taking the professional beauty industry to the next level with innovative strategies to make our members more successful. Find out more about The Spa Association by going to our website at www.thespaassociation.com or by calling our membership director at 970-207-4293.