Generational use of spas, the overall impact of spas on hotels and the increasing significance of the male spa-goer are among key topics discussed in “Emerging Global Spa Trends,” a new Hilton Blue Paper released today by Hilton Hotels & Resorts, the flagship brand of Hilton Worldwide.

The report outlines insights from a collection of industry experts, including the Hilton Worldwide spa team, founders of top spa product brands and other thought leaders in this space. The Hilton Blue Paper also includes a survey of 6,000 respondents throughout the United States, Great Britain, Australia and China to offer additional global and regional insight. A key finding of the research is that nearly 50 percent of the respondents said the existence of a spa is an important factor in selecting a hotel, with Chinese travelers finding it most important followed by those from
Australia.

“Spa is a key differentiator for us within both the leisure and business travel segments today,” said Dave Horton, global head, Hilton Hotels & Resorts. “This new research emphasizes the importance of spas in the decision to book a hotel stay, particularly in the rapidly expanding Chinese market. Of particular note, we found that 69 percent of travelers said they were at least somewhat likely to visit the spa at their hotel. Through innovative concepts like eforea: spa at Hilton we are providing unique spa experiences for our guests and best in class solutions for our owners.”

In summary, the Hilton Blue Paper:

  Identifies spa-goers and spa behavior based on generation, highlighting key differentiators and motivators for each age group
  Discusses the increasingly savvy modern spa guest, who is more enlightened about the overall efficacy of spa treatments and related products
  Highlights the growing importance of men to the global spa industry and how a successful spa should tailor its offerings for this audience
  Touches on the need for global spa concepts to offer consistent services across their portfolios while also allowing for local flexibility
  Underscores the overall importance of spas to the hotel industry, which are offering properties a distinct competitive advantage in booking, driving revenue and attracting local customers beyond the overnight guest
  Notes the significance of business travelers, who are increasingly looking for relevant ways to decompress between meetings, as well as extend their visits as part of the “blended travel” experience
  Offers additional insight on regional trends being seen by experts throughout the Americas, Middle East and Africa, Europe and Asia Pacific

“While we find that many of the global spa trends are consistent around the world, there are also notable and significant regional differences,” said Tyra Lowman, senior director, global spa, full service and luxury brands, Hilton Worldwide. “A successful spa concept on a global scale is one that offers reliable services across its portfolio while respecting regional differences by providing locally influenced treatments and services.”

This Hilton Blue Paper is released as eforea: spa at Hilton, the global spa concept created by Hilton Worldwide, continues to expand its global footprint. Since its October 2010 launch by Hilton Hotels & Resorts, eforea has grown to include 11 locations in seven countries, with more than 90 additional locations in development, making it one of the fastest growing spa concepts in the world. The concept is currently available to properties across Hilton Worldwide’s Hilton Hotels & Resorts, DoubleTree by Hilton and Embassy Suites Hotels brands. Hilton Worldwide is one of the world’s largest spa operators today, with more than 250 spas across the company’s ten market leading brands.