SpaFinder Wellness Previews Top 10 Spa and Wellness Trends for 2013

Dec 12, 12 | 12:01 am

SpaFinder Wellness  released a preview of its 10th annual Trends Report, which forecasts top trends that will impact the spa and wellness industries, and shape consumer experiences around the globe. The full 60+-page report, including an analysis of factors influencing each trend and examples of early trend adopters, will be released on January 15, 2013.

Susie Ellis, president of SpaFinder Wellness and industry expert, noted that when the company's first trend report was issued a decade ago, the industry was in a different era. "A lot has happened in the world of spa and wellness these past 10 years," says Ellis. "We think this forecast will make it startlingly obvious just how far the industry - and consumer expectations - have evolved from pampered indulgence to personalized, functional health and wellness."

1. Healthy Hotels

In 2013 and beyond, what constitutes a true "vacation" will be redefined and "hospitality" will be rewritten. We'll see an explosion of new "wellness everywhere" hotel chains and environments becoming more mainstream. In the past, gyms and spas have been positioned as mere amenities, but now these walls are being conceptually (and literally) broken down. Established hotel chains are re-branding around wellness and it's not just about fitness. Customized food and beverage offerings (gluten-free and vegan menus) are becoming standard fare, and hotels are jumping into the juice-themed vacation frenzy.

2. The Mindfulness Massage

A creative blend of two effective approaches, mindfulness and bodywork, the "Mindfulness Massage" is a more profound experience that can help people relax more deeply and quickly. Rather than lying on the massage table with a mind full of chatter from the stresses of the day, the Mindfulness Massage uses breath work and techniques such as "body scans," where attention is brought to every part of the body and the action of the therapists' hands. This two-way symphony, directed by a therapist who understands mindfulness, offers guidance on how to take the massage to a new "mindful" level.

3. Earthing

As modern-day humans become more cut off from nature, "earthing" specifically refers to the movement promoting direct contact with the earth's electron-rich surface (walking barefoot, etc.). The premise is that "grounding" the body to the earth's surface stabilizes natural electrical rhythms and reduces disease-causing inflammation. While we expect to see more of this formal "earthing" at spas, we expect to see far more "nature grounding" in a wider sense. Think less background music with nature sounds and more real nature to help combat "Nature Deficit Disorder."

4. Spa-Genomics...Telomeres and Beyond

Click Here to read entire press release: Skin Inc.