While it's hardly surprising that the 2009 economy has had an impact on spa travel, the good news for travel agents is that, compared with other travel sectors, it continues to show resilience.
According to SpaFinder's third-annual “State of Spa Travel” survey, travel agents experienced a strong year for spa travel in a tough 2008, but report the industry was measurably impacted in the first half of 2009 as the economy's downward spiral quickened. But agents also indicated that they see a light at the end of the tunnel, and forecast strengthening for the sector across the remainder of the year.
It makes sense: After all, as SpaFinder president Susie Ellis notes, “the number-one reason people go to spas is to de-stress, and today people are more stressed than ever. With consumers increasingly perceiving their health and wellness as a “need” rather than a mere “want”—combined with this historic year for spa deals—agents have a recipe for relative industry strength going into the end of the year.
Also in the study, agents report that “social spa-ing” (groups/friends traveling to the spa together), an increase in travelers seeking health/wellness elements and people choosing spas as destinations for special occasions like honeymoons, weddings, etc. rank as the top three emerging 2009 trends.
So now is the time to look through your data base, and find those clients who have taken spa vacations in the past. The time is right for them to take one again.
According to SpaFinder's third-annual “State of Spa Travel” survey, travel agents experienced a strong year for spa travel in a tough 2008, but report the industry was measurably impacted in the first half of 2009 as the economy's downward spiral quickened. But agents also indicated that they see a light at the end of the tunnel, and forecast strengthening for the sector across the remainder of the year.
It makes sense: After all, as SpaFinder president Susie Ellis notes, “the number-one reason people go to spas is to de-stress, and today people are more stressed than ever. With consumers increasingly perceiving their health and wellness as a “need” rather than a mere “want”—combined with this historic year for spa deals—agents have a recipe for relative industry strength going into the end of the year.
Also in the study, agents report that “social spa-ing” (groups/friends traveling to the spa together), an increase in travelers seeking health/wellness elements and people choosing spas as destinations for special occasions like honeymoons, weddings, etc. rank as the top three emerging 2009 trends.
So now is the time to look through your data base, and find those clients who have taken spa vacations in the past. The time is right for them to take one again.