It’s not hard to surmise the correlation between the pandemic and the rising demand for spa services. Since they were able to reopen, resort spas have been a reprieve for business and leisure travelers alike looking to treat unprecedented stress, detach from their devices and invest in their physical and mental wellness.
“A positive thing that has come out of COVID is that people have had that minute to pause and reflect and realize what is important, and I think self-care has come to the forefront for a lot of people,” said Penny Kriel, spa director at the Salamander Resort & Spa in Middleburg, Virginia.
Jerilyn Leavell, spa director at South Carolina’s Kiawah Island Golf Resort, echoes that sentiment: “Spa is very mainstream now,” she said. “People take an interest in their wellness and they will budget for their spa treatments. They see it as a necessity and a part of life, which obviously we love because we fully believe in that.”
As groups begin to meet in person again, incorporating wellness and spa activities into meetings and events are likely to not only be a boon for drawing attendance, but also for expressing to attendees that their health is of the utmost importance.
And while booking a block of spa time for your group is always an option—where they can enjoy water amenities and sauna rooms post- or pre-meeting—there are also many ways to incorporate spa activities beyond the treatment rooms. We highlight some tips below on working with onsite spas.
Quick Tips
1. Incorporate breakout wellness sessions. Schedule time in between meetings for a spa representative or therapist from the resort to lead a session on meditation, breathing or stretching. Kriel, who previously worked as a corporate spa director overseeing 15 different spas in the Mid-Atlantic region, said that these have always been popular for groups.
Power breaks might also be an option, where spas can set up massage chairs for attendees to receive a five- to 10-minute massage for their neck, back or hands in between meetings, waiting for registration, etc. “People will line up for that,” Leavell said.
This could also be as simple as offering a healthy snack or a guided walk around the property for some fresh air during a break.
“It doesn’t have to be overcomplicated,” Kriel said.
2. Build your own body scrub. Something Kriel says the Salamander’s spa is working toward right now is being able to offer groups the option of creating their own body scrubs and body butters. This year the spa plans to work with organic aromatherapy company Body Bliss. With this partnership, planners would be able to book an activity where attendees can take home body scrubs or butters that they’ve made themselves from ingredients on a Body Bliss cart.
Work with your resort’s spa director to see if a similar create-your-own-scrub activity might be available to groups. Attendees can leave the event with something to remember it by.
[Related: How Resort Spa Services Have Changed Amid the Pandemic]
3. Set the scene. To make attendees feel relaxed and welcome before the meeting even gets underway, try using uplifting essential oils, which are associated with improving focus and motivation and boosting energy. Kiel said she’s implemented this in the past with groups.
“We’ve infused the room with specific aromatherapy oils to keep the meeting very upbeat and to give them that sense of focus,” she said. “There’s definitely many different options [with essential oils].”
4. Leave something at turndown service. Work with the resort’s spa to leave some kind of small wellness tip or product in attendees’ rooms in the evening during turndown service. It’s something small but memorable that they can take away from the event.
5. Give attendees time to recharge. Depending on the meeting, following a full agenda can be exhausting for an attendee, especially if there’s no on-your-own time. Some attendees might be meeting in person for the first time since the onset of the pandemic and would appreciate a slower pace onsite.
“We are seeing more groups, even if they’re meeting-focused and not incentive-focused, that are allowing for that time pre, post and even on the day, for their attendees to have some time to relax, unwind and either go to the pool or the beach or come have spa treatments,” Leavell said. “Be flexible with the schedule.”
Working in Wellness
If planners are looking to build more wellness activities or elements into their programs at resorts, a good place to start is working with the onsite spa. Especially at the luxury level, spas are often willing to customize offerings for groups. Just be sure to plan as far in advance as you can so the spas can allocate their staff accordingly.
“Stretch their creativity—challenge that and see what customized things they can come up with that can get people out of their seats, get them up and moving and expose them to some other wellness opportunities,” Kriel said.
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