PHOTO
03 April 2016
What makes the perfect spa treatment? Most people imagine an elegantly decorated room with soothing music, invigorating aromas and a big relaxing bed.
That said, no matter how warm and thick the towels may be or how refreshing the drinks and the oils are, an inexperienced therapist can ruin the whole experience and will do nothing for those rising stress levels.
With Dubai aiming to attract 20 million visitors by 2020 and official government figures showing its resident population is rising by five percent a year, demand for spa treatments is on the rise, putting increased pressure on operators to find and retain experienced therapists.
"There are more than 1,000 spas in the Middle East region and the UAE has more than 500 spas divided between hotel spas, medical spas and stand-alone establishments, so there is huge potential for the spa business," Sayed Salem, spa manager at The Palace Downtown Dubai, said in a recent statement.
The spa sector in the United Arab Emirates continues to report strong demand, with revenue having doubled since 2012 and the Global Wellness Institute (GWI) forecasting it will be worth $2.26 billion by the end of 2017.
A survey of 25 Dubai spa operators, carried out by real estate consultancy firm Colliers in January and February this year, found that recruitment is the sector's number one concern.
Home-grown solutions
"It is not surprising that recruitment of therapists was identified as the biggest challenge that the market faced last year. At present, operators rely on external training which is both time consuming and costly," Filippo Sona, head of hotels at Colliers International, said in a statement. "Changes are on track, however, as spa courses are being introduced into curriculums."
The industry is already looking for a home-grown solution, according to Paul Hawco, director of Talise Spa Operations, which manages the spa facilities at the Burj al Arab and Madinat Jumeirah.
Talise Spa Operations has partnered with the Emirates Academy of Hospitality, which is accredited by the United Kingdom's Institute of Hospitality and is also part of the Jumeirah Group.
"We have already initiated with the dean of the academy and we have a syllabus developed and are starting sometime this year," Hawco told Zawya. "It will be a phased approach. For the current students registered and enrolled, it will be an eight week course offering knowledge about spa operations, so when they go to work in a hotel they already have a footprint in the sector."
"We will also develop therapist courses and leadership courses, even certification courses. It is the next step and it is all underway," he added.
Competition fierce
Eleven new operators entered the Dubai hotel spa market in 2015, but Hawco was confident the market can accommodate them, despite the recruitment issues.
"Competition is high... it is one step away from saturation. The new entrants in the last three years, I have not been too worried about as most of the operators who have opened are hotel operators so they are only going to capture the guests who come to their hotels. It would be saturated if more city spas opened."
Despite the increased competition for staff and clients, the Colliers report found that the average number of treatments sold per day in Dubai has increased 7 percent since 2013; supporting the belief of 76 percent of respondents that revenues would continue to grow in 2016.
The annual Arabian Travel Market (ATM) conference in Dubai will this year unveil a dedicated 'Wellness & Spa Lounge' with 25 exhibitors when the event is held later this month.
With seminars and industry players gathering for the ATM event, no doubt recruitment will be at the top the agenda as well as how operators can continue to deliver that perfect spa session, just as their clients imagine it to be.
© Zawya 2016
What makes the perfect spa treatment? Most people imagine an elegantly decorated room with soothing music, invigorating aromas and a big relaxing bed.
That said, no matter how warm and thick the towels may be or how refreshing the drinks and the oils are, an inexperienced therapist can ruin the whole experience and will do nothing for those rising stress levels.
With Dubai aiming to attract 20 million visitors by 2020 and official government figures showing its resident population is rising by five percent a year, demand for spa treatments is on the rise, putting increased pressure on operators to find and retain experienced therapists.
"There are more than 1,000 spas in the Middle East region and the UAE has more than 500 spas divided between hotel spas, medical spas and stand-alone establishments, so there is huge potential for the spa business," Sayed Salem, spa manager at The Palace Downtown Dubai, said in a recent statement.
The spa sector in the United Arab Emirates continues to report strong demand, with revenue having doubled since 2012 and the Global Wellness Institute (GWI) forecasting it will be worth $2.26 billion by the end of 2017.
A survey of 25 Dubai spa operators, carried out by real estate consultancy firm Colliers in January and February this year, found that recruitment is the sector's number one concern.
Home-grown solutions
"It is not surprising that recruitment of therapists was identified as the biggest challenge that the market faced last year. At present, operators rely on external training which is both time consuming and costly," Filippo Sona, head of hotels at Colliers International, said in a statement. "Changes are on track, however, as spa courses are being introduced into curriculums."
The industry is already looking for a home-grown solution, according to Paul Hawco, director of Talise Spa Operations, which manages the spa facilities at the Burj al Arab and Madinat Jumeirah.
Talise Spa Operations has partnered with the Emirates Academy of Hospitality, which is accredited by the United Kingdom's Institute of Hospitality and is also part of the Jumeirah Group.
"We have already initiated with the dean of the academy and we have a syllabus developed and are starting sometime this year," Hawco told Zawya. "It will be a phased approach. For the current students registered and enrolled, it will be an eight week course offering knowledge about spa operations, so when they go to work in a hotel they already have a footprint in the sector."
"We will also develop therapist courses and leadership courses, even certification courses. It is the next step and it is all underway," he added.
Competition fierce
Eleven new operators entered the Dubai hotel spa market in 2015, but Hawco was confident the market can accommodate them, despite the recruitment issues.
"Competition is high... it is one step away from saturation. The new entrants in the last three years, I have not been too worried about as most of the operators who have opened are hotel operators so they are only going to capture the guests who come to their hotels. It would be saturated if more city spas opened."
Despite the increased competition for staff and clients, the Colliers report found that the average number of treatments sold per day in Dubai has increased 7 percent since 2013; supporting the belief of 76 percent of respondents that revenues would continue to grow in 2016.
The annual Arabian Travel Market (ATM) conference in Dubai will this year unveil a dedicated 'Wellness & Spa Lounge' with 25 exhibitors when the event is held later this month.
With seminars and industry players gathering for the ATM event, no doubt recruitment will be at the top the agenda as well as how operators can continue to deliver that perfect spa session, just as their clients imagine it to be.
© Zawya 2016
