SAVE | EMAIL | PRINT | MOST POPULAR |  RSS | | REPRINT
|
Pure Bliss: Memorable Spa Incentives
July 07, 2008
Brand-name spas let winners take home more than just their memories
By Jeanie Casison
When the Florida Association of Wholesale Distributors met at the Naples Grande Resort & Club last June, Executive Director David Sharp made sure to organize compelling group activities to promote greater camaraderie among attendees. While deep-sea fishing excursions, golf tournaments and educational sessions gave the dealers of tobacco, candy, food and general merchandise plenty of opportunity to network and strengthen key relationships, for many participants, the chance to check out the new Golden Door Spa on property proved to be the big draw of the program.
"The Golden Door Spa is the first one in Florida, and participants were familiar with the brand, so they were really excited to try it," says Sharp. "I have only heard positive feedback from the group who thoroughly enjoyed the experience."
Around the world, from Florida to the Far East, full-service facilities from such well-known brands as Bliss, CHI, Golden Door, Mandara, Willow Stream, and luxury goods purveyor LVMH's Acqua di Parma and Guerlain are setting new standards for savvy spa-goers who want more than just the standard mani, pedi and back massage. As new places for pampering emerge on the scene, the spa experience is also becoming an integral part of incentive programs, according to experts.
"Just as people become loyal to a hotel brand, or one particular type of shampoo, they are becoming loyal to spas. We are creatures of habit, and stick with what we know and what we are comfortable with," says Lynne McNees, president of the International Spa Association (ISPA) in Lexington, Ky. "Spas are no longer a luxury, but an expectation, a prerequisite to staying healthy and living a healthy lifestyle. We are seeing spa treatments overtake golf during corporate meetings and events. Employees are also spa-goers, and when given a choice, they are taking care of themselves and taking a break first."
"Choosing the products for our new Spa Oceana was important because our main concern was for the benefits of the guests," says Gigi Wiegman, executive spa director of Spa Oceana at the Don CeSar Beach Resort in St. Petersburg, Fla. "For example, I chose Kérastase, L'Oréal's high-end hair care product for our salon, because I saw great results for customers at previous spas. We also have Phytocéane products for the body, OKA b. slippers in the spa to promote reflexology and vegan nail products. These products all have an at-home component. Guests can take a bit of the spa home with them," adds Wiegman.
Serene Scene
 Tranquil spa environments provide high achievers with not only a retreat for total relaxation, but essential rejuvenation for tackling their goals in the year ahead.
"Spas have always been popular with incentives because those programs are about recognition and reward, and spa experiences are considered an indulgence, which is the ultimate reward," says Mark Komine, executive vice president of sales and marketing for LXR Luxury Resorts & Hotels, whose collection includes the Naples Grande Resort & Club as well as the El Conquistador Resort in Puerto Rico, among others. "Spas are becoming more of a mainstay for people concerned about their personal health and well-being, and are more prevalent, especially at the type of resorts and hotels that cater to the incentive market."
At the Golden Door Spa in Naples, guests encounter an elegant oasis similar to that of the original outpost in Escondido, Calif., where the architecture, gardens and other features are modeled after ancient Japanese Honjin inns. However, signature services set the spa apart, by providing patrons with a sense of place, integrating influences from South Florida like the Tsah-tee Oho-nee Restorative Facial—a nod to the Native American Seminole tribe. In Orlando, the Buena Vista Palace at the Walt Disney World Resort plans to offer the Golden Door Spa Experience, which will feature treatments and fitness programs that also align with the Golden Door philosophy.
Great Expectations
 The proliferation of brand-name spas is providing incentive planners with a sense of calm in the planning process. "As time passes, Willow Stream, Mandara and other spas will be more familiar to the average spa-goers. But for me, certain spa brands mean consistency and comfort," says Scott Siewert, divisional vice president of sales for USMotivation, a full-service incentive company in Atlanta. "For example, Atlantis in the Bahamas has a Mandara spa, and that is important because there is consistency in the service levels and attention to detail."
Siewert also credits the spa staff for helping execute hassle-free incentive programs. During a trip for security delivery company Diebold at the Fairmont Orchid on the Big Island of Hawaii in March 2007, Willow Stream staffers graciously met with participants at the hospitality desk to explain the different services and treatments available and answer questions.
At the Fairmont Banff Springs in Canada, Pam Ouellet, a spa director at the Willow Stream Spa, regularly works with incentive groups. "We can do many things for incentive programs, such as assign a dedicated individual to assist with booking services, provide brochures, offer mini-treatments at registration desks, create personalized itineraries and organize spa gifts," she says.
Planners can expect the same high levels of service in the near future at Willow Stream spas slated to open at the Fairmont Roco Ki in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, later this year; the Fairmont Palm Hotel & Resort in Dubai in 2009; and at Fairmont Seaside Resort, Monterey Bay in California, Fairmont Anguilla and Fairmont Macao in 2010.
Charles Coleman, director of events planning for Stamford, Conn.–based Pitney Bowes, agrees that well-known spas bring peace of mind to incentive programs. "Brand spas offer a more consistent product. You can go from one location to another, and you know what to expect in terms of the experience."
Even more important for Coleman are the residual benefits that spas offer to participants of the Pitney Bowes Asia Sales Leadership program, which includes education, team-building events, an awards ceremony and recreation. This year took the group to Shangri-La's Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa in Penang, Malaysia, where they restored balance during downtime at CHI Spa.
"I try to tie in spas, when I can, to events. It is always a major part of reward and recognition for our salespeople," Coleman says. "Top salespeople constantly achieve their goals. This is a way to give back to them by letting them unwind, reflect on the year, and reinvigorate themselves body and soul, so they can go back with a new vigor and go out and earn that trip again."
 Another major development that incentive planners should keep on their radar is Hilton Hotels Corporation's partnership with LVMH to open new Guerlain and Acqua di Parma spas at properties that are part of The Waldorf=Astoria Collection, Conrad Hotels & Resorts and select Hilton hotels. The move entails approximately $200 million in investment by Hilton Hotels Corporation and hotel owners to develop 70 new spas, pushing the company's total to 135 by the end of 2009. Since making the announcement last year, the Beverly Hills, Calif., lodging company is on track to open a luxurious 15,000-square-foot Guerlain Spa at The Waldorf=Astoria in New York later this year.
Corporate incentive programs will be a big part of that push. "We plan on putting together spa packages for incentive programs, and take that to another level by making packages more individualized for each group," says Alex Mirza, senior vice president of corporate development for Hilton Hotels Corporation.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts is following suit, leveraging its partnership with Bliss Spa by launching new locations at the W Scottsdale and W Fort Lauderdale this fall.
Planners such as USMotivation's Siewert expect interest in spas to grow. "Spas will continue to be a huge part of the incentive experience. In the nineties, golf was the huge deal," he says. "Now spas are the number-one activity in all the incentive programs that I'm involved in. The reason is that it appeals to everyone, and as stress rises in the workplace, there will only be an uptick in visits."
Send comments to feedback@incentivemag.com.
|
SAVE | EMAIL | PRINT | MOST POPULAR | RSS |
|
|
| Back to Marketing Index |
|
|
