Spas and the Global Wellness Market: Synergies and Opportunities

Spas and the Global

Wellness Market:

Synergies and Opportunities

M a y 2 0 1 0

Spas and the

Global Wellness Market:

Synergies and Opportunities

The Global Spa Summit gratefully acknowledges the support of our exclusive

sponsor who made the research and this report possible.

About Global Spa Summit

The Global Spa Summit (GSS) is an international organization that brings together leaders

and visionaries to positively impact and shape the future of the global spa and wellness

industry. Founded in 2006, the organization hosts an annual Global Spa Summit where

top industry executives gather to exchange ideas and advance industry goals. For more

information on the Global Spa Summit, please visit: www.globalspasummit.org.

About SRI International

Founded in 1946 as Stanford Research Institute, SRI International is an independent, non-

profit organization that performs a broad spectrum of problem-solving consulting and

research and development services for business and government clients around the world.

More information on SRI is available at: www.sri.com.

The Spas and the Global Wellness Market report is the property of the Global Spa Summit

LLC. None of its content – in part or in whole – may be copied or reproduced without the

express written permission from the Global Spa Summit. Quotation of, citation from, and

reference to any of the data, findings, and research methodology from the report must be

credited to ―Global Spa Summit, Spas and the Global Wellness Market: Synergies and

Opportunities, prepared by SRI International, May 2010.‖ To obtain permission for

copying and reproduction, or to obtain a copy of the report, please contact the Global

Spa Summit by email: [email protected] or through:

www.globalspasummit.org.

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Executive Summary ............................................................................................................ i

I. Overview .................................................................................................................... 1

A. Why GSS Is Studying the Wellness Market .......................................................................... 1

B. Research Methodology for This Study .................................................................................... 2

II. Wellness as a Concept ................................................................................................ 3

A. History of Wellness .................................................................................................................... 3

B. Defining Wellness ....................................................................................................................... 6

III. Wellness as an Industry .............................................................................................. 9

A. Drivers of the Growing Wellness Market ............................................................................ 10

B. Defining the Wellness Industry............................................................................................... 17

C. Measuring the Wellness Industry ........................................................................................... 23

IV. The Wellness Consumer............................................................................................ 25

A. Wellness Consumer Segments ................................................................................................ 25

B. Baby Boomer-Driven Market ................................................................................................. 28

C. A Large, Growing Set of Consumers .................................................................................... 30

D. Strong Consumer Interest in CAM Therapies ....................................................................... 32

V. Survey of Industry and Consumer Views on Wellness ............................................. 34

A. Survey Background and Methodology ................................................................................ 34

B. Industry and Consumer Awareness and Definitions of Wellness ..................................... 36

C. Industry Interest in Wellness as a Business Opportunity ................................................... 43

VI. Opportunities for Spas in the Wellness Industry ....................................................... 48

A. Tapping into Reactive/Treatment-Oriented Opportunities and Resources ................... 51

B. Tapping into Proactive/Wellness-Oriented Opportunities and Resources ................... 53

C. Tapping into Workplace Wellness Opportunities and Resources................................... 57

VII. Recommendations for Moving the Industry Forward ............................................... 59

Appendix A: Details on the History and Definitions of Wellness ................................... 68

A. A Timeline of the Evolution of Wellness ............................................................................... 68

B. Definitions of Wellness ............................................................................................................ 73

Appendix B: Estimates of the Size of Wellness-Related Markets .................................... 80

Appendix C: Research Framework ................................................................................. 82

A. Modes of Research and Levels of Rigor .............................................................................. 82

B. Different Audiences and Goals for Research in the Spa Industry ................................... 84

Appendix D: Bibliography .............................................................................................. 87

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Around the world, there is growing interest in changing the way we take care of

ourselves – not just our bodies, but also our minds, spirit, society, and planet. There is a

growing impetus for a paradigm shift, a switch from mere reactivity – trying to treat

or fix our problems – to a proactive and holistic approach to addressing and prevent

the root causes of our personal and societal ills. This is what the wellness movement is

all about.

Recognizing the opportunities that wellness presents for the spa industry, the Global

Spa Summit has commissioned SRI International to conduct an in-depth analysis of the

emerging global wellness market. The objectives of this study are:

 To provide a rigorous investigation of the market and consumer forces driving the

growth of wellness services and products.

 To collect some of the first ever primary data from industry and consumers about

their views on wellness.

 To highlight key areas of opportunity and intersection where the spa industry can

take advantage of growth and partnership opportunities in myriad wellness-

related sectors.

 To provide recommendations on how spas – both as a collective industry and as

individual business owners – can position themselves strategically to capitalize on

growing wellness lifestyle trends.

Wellness: The Concept, the Industry, and the Consumer

Wellness as a concept has a long, ancient tradition and body of knowledge behind it

Wellness is a modern word with ancient roots. As a modern concept, wellness has

gained currency since the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. Starting with a seminal, but little

known, book published by Dr. Halbert Dunn in 1961 (called High-Level Wellness), the

writings and leadership of an informal network of physicians and thinkers in the United

States have largely shaped the way we conceptualize and talk about wellness today.

The origins of wellness, however, are much older – even ancient. Aspects of the

wellness concept are firmly rooted in several intellectual, religious, and medical

movements in the 19

century United States and Europe. The tenets of wellness can

also be traced to the ancient civilizations of Greece, Rome, and Asia.

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

Defining Wellness

There are a number of rigorous and well-thought-out definitions of wellness, developed over

time by the leading thinkers in the field. In fact, it was the process of attempting to define,

understand, and measure wellness during the 1950s-1970s that initially led to the

propagation of the concept in the modern era. However, like the term ―spa,‖ there is still no

universally accepted definition of the word ―wellness.‖

The World Health Organization’s definition of ―health‖ is a convenient, internationally

recognized description that captures the broad tenets of wellness. This definition – adopted by

the WHO in 1948 – was significant in the fact that it went beyond just the physical state of

freedom from disease and emphasized a positive state of being that includes mental and

social dimensions. It also laid the groundwork for much of the ongoing thinking about wellness

in the mid-20

century.

Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely

the absence of disease or infirmity. ~Preamble to the Constitution of the WHO

While recognizing that there are regional variations in the concept of wellness, several

common threads stand out across the various definitions of wellness:

 Wellness is multi-dimensional.

 Wellness is holistic.

 Wellness changes over time and along a continuum.

 Wellness is individual, but also influenced by the environment.

 Wellness is a self-responsibility.

The decision of whether or how to use the word ―wellness‖ in marketing is probably best left to

individual businesses to decide, based on their own business strategy and customer base.

However, it would also be beneficial for the spa industry to start thinking and talking about

wellness in a more coherent and harmonized manner. In the recommendations section of this

report, we provide guidance on some core principles of wellness that could be adopted by the

spa industry.

The burgeoning wellness industry includes proactive approaches to feeling better and

preventing sickness from developing

In the fields of economics and business, there is no clearly defined wellness industry,

although there is an emerging sense that such an industry does exist and is growing

rapidly. An easy way to understand the wellness industry is to view it on a continuum.

On the left-hand side of the continuum are reactive approaches to health and wellness

– that is, mechanisms to treat or address existing illnesses or conditions. Conventional

medicine (which is sometimes called the ―sickness industry‖) would fall on the left-hand

side of the continuum. Addressing problems and curing diseases brings a person only

to the middle, or neutral point, of the continuum. To the right-hand side are proactive

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

approaches to health and wellness – that is, things that enhance quality of life,

improve health, and bring a person to increasingly optimum levels of well-being.

SRI has developed for this study a

model of the wellness industry that

includes nine industry sectors, and

each sector is depicted along the

wellness continuum.

SRI estimates

conservatively that the wellness

industry cluster represents a market of

nearly $2 trillion dollars globally. All

of the wellness sectors have direct

market interactions with the core spa

industry, and they present high-

potential opportunities for the spa

industry to pursue new wellness-oriented business ventures, investments, and

partnerships beyond the menu of products and services traditionally offered at spas.

Estimated Global Market Size of the Wellness Industry Cluster

The continuum concept used in this model of the wellness cluster is adapted from Dr. John W. Travis’ wellness-

illness continuum, detailed in Appendix A.

Drivers of the Growing Wellness Industry

Several major trends are driving the growth of

wellness as an industry. These trends not only

directly impact the spa industry and its customers,

but also are opening new opportunities for spas to

play a leading role in a paradigm shift toward

more proactive ways of taking care of ourselves.

 Increasingly older, unhealthy people

 Failing medical systems

 Globalization and connection

Conventional,

Medically-Oriented

Approaches

(to solve problems)

Integrated,

Wellness-Oriented

Approaches

(to improve quality of life)

Fitness & Mind-Body

Spa

Healthy Eating/Nutrition & Weight Loss

Preventive/Personalized

Health

Complementary & Alternative Medicine

Beauty & Anti-Aging

Treatment Paradigm

Wellness Paradigm

Reactive Proactive

The Wellness Cluster

Workplace Wellness

Medical Tourism Wellness Tourism

$276.5

$390.1

$679.1

$113.0

$243.0

$50.0 $106.0

$60.3

$30.7

(US$ billions)

A $1.9 trillion global market

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

The consumer market for wellness is large and growing, and the potential market is even

larger

Anecdotal evidence – from leading stakeholders and thinkers in the spa industry and

the broader wellness cluster – suggests that the ―Baby Boomer‖ generation has been

and is currently the core consumer group driving the growth of the wellness industry.

However, there is also a large and growing younger generation of consumers

interested in wellness products and services, as well as a large, as-yet unstudied and

untapped local market for wellness in Asia, Latin America, and other regions around

the world.

Wellness consumers are not a niche market – their number is already large and

growing. In fact, SRI estimates that there are already about 289 million wellness

consumers in the world’s 30 most industrialized and wealthiest countries. Like the wellness

industry, wellness consumer segments can also be viewed on a continuum:

Health and Wellness Consumer Segments

Sickness reactors,

not active spa-goers

Wellness focused, moderate-to-active spa-goers

Periphery

Mid-level

Core

 ―Entry level‖ health and

wellness consumers

 Aspire to be more

involved in health and

wellness, but their

behaviors do not yet

follow their aspirations

 Are mostly ―reactive‖

rather than ―proactive‖

when it comes to matters

of health and wellness

 Moderately involved in a

health and wellness

lifestyle

 Tend to follow some of

the trends set by the Core

 Purchase large amounts

of both conventional and

health and wellness-

specific products

 Still somewhat concerned

with price and

convenience, but also

driven by knowledge and

experience

 Most involved in a health

and wellness lifestyle

 Serve as trendsetters for

other consumers

 Health and wellness is a

major life focus for them

 Driven by sustainability,

authenticity, and local

sources

Source: GMDC and The Hartman Group, Consumer Shopping Habits for Wellness and Environmentally Conscious Lifestyles Study:

Insights for Health, Beauty and Wellness, September 12, 2009, http://www.pacific.edu/Documents/ school-

pharmacy/acrobat/Consumer%20Shopping%20Habits%20for%20Wellness%20-%20Presentation.pdf.

Survey of Industry and Consumer Views on Wellness

SRI and GSS developed two short surveys that were distributed to spa stakeholders

and consumers around the world. These surveys queried industry members (319

respondents) and consumers (1,077 respondents) about their views on wellness – both

as a concept and as a trend – in relationship to business planning, purchasing patterns,

and lifestyle.

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

Industry and Consumer Awareness and Definitions of Wellness

 Eighty-three percent of industry respondents are using the term ―wellness‖ in their

businesses, and almost all consumer respondents are aware of the term.

 Industry and consumers tend to define wellness in similar ways, and both groups

relate the following words and phrases most closely with wellness: quality of life,

physical fitness, happiness, balance, relaxation, emotional balance, stress

reduction, and spa. However, consumers rank ―mental health‖ and ―medical health‖

among their top ten terms associated with wellness, while industry members rank

―holistic health‖ and ―spiritual health‖ in their top ten.

 Eighty-one percent of consumer respondents stated that they are ―extremely‖ or

―very interested‖ in improving their personal wellness. When seeking to enhance

their wellness, consumer respondents said they are most likely to exercise, eat

better, and visit a spa. The placement of exercise and eating better at the top of

the list indicates an opportunity for spas to add or enhance their service offerings

in the areas of fitness and nutrition.

 Seventy-one percent of consumer respondents said they would be ―much more

likely‖ or ―somewhat more likely‖ to visit a spa if they learned that a series of

research studies demonstrated that spa treatments deliver measurable health

benefits.

Industry Interest in Wellness as a Business Opportunity

 Eighty-nine percent of industry respondents see wellness as an important future

driver for the spa industry.

 Eighty-two percent of industry respondents indicated that they have taken steps to

respond to the wellness movement over the last five years, and among this group,

91% also reported that these changes have yielded growth in revenues.

 Nine out of 10 industry respondents plan to make wellness-related investments in

the next 5-10 years. Almost all of them believe their business will see growth from

these investments, and 70% expect their wellness-related investments to lead to

more than 10% revenue growth.

Opportunities for Spas in the Wellness Industry

Spas are already providing wellness, even if they don’t recognize it or claim it. The

tradition of spa as a place for healing, renewal, relaxation, and ―feeling well,‖

positions the spa industry as one of the most logical sectors to take advantage of (and

help lead) the wellness movement. Wellness also provides an opportunity to reshape

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

the image of spa, to regroup after the global recession, and to position spa as an

investment or an essential element in maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

There are a number of

business opportunities for the

spa industry to pursue along

the wellness continuum.

While some opportunities

will require long-term effort

and investment, others

simply require spa owners

and investors to make small

adjustments to their service

offerings and reexamine

their marketing approaches

and customers with a new,

wellness-oriented viewpoint.

Tapping into Reactive/Treatment-Oriented Opportunities and Resources

1. Partner with conventional medical establishments to deliver complementary

and integrated healing services to medical patients (such as massage,

hydrotherapy, etc.), delivered at medical centers or through referral networks.

Spas can also develop specialized treatment packages tailored for specific

patient profiles (such as cancer, diabetes patients, etc.) or package appearance

and confidence-enhancing spa and beauty services/products for seriously ill

patients, to boost their mood, self-image, and positivity about recovery.

2. Partner with the medical industry to encourage and conduct evidence-based

research, and explore ways for individual spas to support specific research

studies.

3. Partner with the medical tourism industry to create complementary services for

medical tourists in the pre-op, post-op, and recovery phases; deliver medical

tourism services at spas; and create integrated spa, beauty, and wellness

packages for the companions traveling with medical tourists.

Tapping into Proactive/Wellness-Oriented Opportunities and Resources

1. Repackage existing offerings and develop new offerings to define and market

spas as a wellness necessity, especially by drawing upon traditional/culturally-

based healing therapies; educating consumers on the therapeutic benefits of these

treatments; and placing greater emphasis on partnering services with products that

Conventional,

Treatment-Oriented

Approaches

(to solve problems)

Integrated,

Wellness-Oriented

Approaches

(to improve quality of life)

Treatment Paradigm

Wellness Paradigm

Reactive Proactive

Wellness Opportunities

Reactive/Treatment-Oriented

Opportunities for Spa:

 Partner with conventional medical

establishments to deliver

complementary and integrated

healing services

 Partner with the medical industry to

conduct evidence-based research

 Partner with the medical tourism

industry to create complementary

services

Proactive/Wellness-Oriented

Opportunities for Spa:

 Repackage and develop new

offerings to define and market

spas as a wellness necessity

 Help consumers understand and

select the spa’s wellness offerings

 Position spas as the center of

integrated/holistic approaches to

wellness

 Provide continuity of care to

customers

Workplace Wellness Opportunities for Spa:

 Deliver executive health services

 Manage general wellness of employees

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

have therapeutic value, that promote healthy aging and self image, and that can

help a client continue to feel and look well after leaving the spa.

2. Help consumers understand and select the spa’s wellness offerings by utilizing

wellness assessment tools to create individually tailored packages of

services/products and by reframing spa offerings within the context of the

different dimensions of wellness.

3. Position spas as the center of integrated/holistic approaches to wellness by

creating integrated wellness packages that include spa services, personal training,

mind-body services, nutrition counseling, life coaching, healthy aging and self-

image-boosting beauty services/products, and so on. Take spa out of its usual

―box‖ or niche – bring spa services into new physical locations, make spa and

wellness services accessible to different consumer segments, and develop

specialized services that target specific consumer markets.

4. Provide continuity of care to customers by building long-term relationships

through wellness membership programs or wellness/life coaching services.

Tapping into Workplace Wellness Opportunities and Resources

1. Deliver executive health services, such as executive health assessments or

executive retreats, and package wellness services and lifestyle counseling with

these programs.

2. Manage general wellness of employees by developing corporate membership

programs or by delivering wellness-related spa services at the workplace.

Recommendations for Moving the Industry Forward

1. Develop a harmonized understanding of wellness terminology and concepts in

relation to the spa industry, to reduce consumer confusion. Although it is not

necessary for all spa stakeholders to define wellness in exactly the same way, we

recommend that the industry begin thinking and talking about wellness organized

around a few core principles:

 Wellness is multi-dimensional and holistic, incorporating dimensions of physical,

mental, emotional, spiritual, social, and environmental wellness.

 Wellness can be envisioned and explained by the illness-wellness continuum.

 Wellness is consumer-driven.

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

2. Promote and support ongoing conversations on wellness in the spa industry (and

with other wellness sectors) to keep abreast of a rapidly growing and changing

wellness market. The Global Spa Summit and/or other regional/international

associations present ideal platforms and can organize ongoing wellness symposiums;

invite leading thinkers and organizations in the wellness industry to educate the spa

industry; take dialogue and discussion to the regional level; and facilitate dialogue

with the beauty/anti-aging, fitness, and conventional medical sectors.

3. Build a body of evidence-based consumer research that connects spa to wellness.

Consumer research sponsored by regional or country industry associations and

focusing on wellness consumers within specific markets and regions would be of benefit

to many spa stakeholders.

4. Facilitate and publicize evidence-based/scientific research on wellness

approaches. For the conventional medical community to widely accept, recommend,

and prescribe spa-based treatments, they will need to ―see the data‖ delivered by

rigorously designed clinical trials, and then see the data duplicated in additional,

similar trials. With the medical community on board, employers, insurers, and public

health officials are likely to follow suit, which will offer spas increased access to

insurance reimbursement and wellness programs funded by employers and

governments. The spa industry can facilitate more scientific research by:

 Making more accessible the existing evidence-based research studies on the

benefits of spa and alternative therapies.

 Encouraging more clinical studies by reaching out to the medical and research

community.

 Offering a global research award for original research on the health

benefits/effects of spa-related treatments.

5. Support new industry research to raise awareness of and attract investment in

wellness opportunities. Industry research areas that could be supported or facilitated

by GSS or other organizations include:

 Financial benchmarks and metrics for spa and wellness-related sectors.

 Case studies of successful wellness-oriented business models.

 Spa industry size and economic impact studies at the regional and country

levels.

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

6. Connect with wellness-related public sector tourism and public health

organizations to leverage their resources. The spa industry would be well served by

seeking to forge a closer connection and dialogue with government agencies that are

overseeing key wellness segments:

 Building an ongoing dialogue, at the industry level, with global tourism

organizations (e.g., WTO, WTTC) about the role of spas in the medical and

wellness tourism markets.

 Reaching out to regional tourism organizations and ministries, to leverage the

promotion and brand-building that has been done at the country/regional

levels.

 Making connections with public health authorities, such as government-funded

medical research institutions.

7. Teach spa therapists to understand and promote wellness. The GSS and other

industry organizations could work with major spa therapist training schools to provide

guidance on new curriculum that would address wellness concepts and teach spa

therapists how to educate their customers in holistic wellness principles and behaviors.

8. Educate spa management on wellness concepts and business savvy. Industry

leaders could work more closely with the handful of spa management training

programs/universities that exist to help shape the curriculum to reflect future market

needs – for example, incorporating a ―wellness theory‖ component into the

coursework; providing additional education on trends and operational approaches in

other wellness-related sectors (e.g., fitness, medicine, corporate wellness, healthy

aging/beauty, etc.); and providing more extensive coursework on business

development, promotion, and marketing.

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

I. OVERVIEW

Around the world, there is growing interest in changing the way we take care of

ourselves – not just our bodies, but also our minds, spirit, society, and planet. In fact,

experts urge that such a paradigm shift needs to occur if we are to successfully

address major problems facing our world in the coming years. They call for a switch

from mere reactivity – trying to treat or fix our problems – to a proactive and holistic

approach to address and prevent the root causes of our personal and societal ills.

That is what the wellness movement is all about. However, despite growing popularity,

wellness concepts have not yet reached mainstream recognition and acceptance. And

ironically, as wellness practices are spreading, fundamentally preventable problems

like obesity, poor nutrition, and other chronic diseases like heart disease and cancer

are growing even more rapidly.

Many in the spa industry dismiss ―wellness‖ as merely a passing fad confined to a

small market of Western, affluent consumers. That is not the case. First, wellness as a

concept has a long and ancient tradition and body of knowledge behind it. Second,

the consumer market for wellness is large and growing, and the potential market is

even larger. Third, a paradigm shift in our economy and society toward wellness-

oriented approaches will be imperative to the future health and longevity of our

population and our planet. Hopefully, this shift is inevitable.

A. Why GSS Is Studying the Wellness Market

At recent Global Spa Summits, the theme of wellness has emerged as one of the most

talked-about and important trends shaping the spa industry’s future. The importance

of wellness for the industry was underscored in the 2009 GSS Delegate Survey, which

found that delegates perceive the preventive health segment as offering the biggest

opportunity for their future business, and that preventive healthcare ranks as one of

the two greatest forces influencing their spa businesses moving forward. In this survey,

46% of delegates also reported that, among potential partners, they are most

interested in collaborating with the healthcare industry.

The 2010 Global Spa Summit has a theme of ―bridges worth building,‖ focusing on

nurturing and capitalizing on the growing linkages across the spa, beauty, medical,

and other sectors. In support of this theme, SRI International was commissioned by the

Global Spa Summit to conduct an in-depth analysis of the emerging global wellness

market and the opportunities it presents for the spa industry. The objectives of this

study are:

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

 To aggregate and synthesize the fragmented and emergent body of research

studies and data that currently exists on wellness-related topics, and to present this

information in an easy-to-read and usable format for busy spa industry leaders.

 To collect some of the first ever primary data from industry and consumers about

their views on wellness – both as a concept and as a trend – with the goal of

identifying areas where ongoing research is needed.

 To help spa industry leaders collect and synthesize their own, collective body of

experience and knowledge on the topic of wellness, and, through discussion at the

industry level, to transform these disparate opinions into a consensus-based set of

opportunities and recommendations.

 To provide a rigorous investigation of the market and consumer forces driving the

growth of wellness services and products, with the goal of exploring how the spa

industry ―fits‖ in relation to the broader wellness market.

 To highlight key areas of opportunity and intersection where the spa industry can

take advantage of growth and partnership opportunities in myriad wellness-

related sectors.

 To provide recommendations on how spas – both as a collective industry and as

individual business owners – can position themselves strategically to capitalize on

growing wellness lifestyle trends.

B. Research Methodology for This Study

To develop the analysis for this study, SRI conducted extensive primary and secondary

research. We first conducted an extensive literature review of the major studies,

reports, data, and qualitative assessments available on market trends in key wellness

lifestyle sectors (such as health/medicine, beauty, fitness, etc.), as well as on the

broader wellness industry and concept.

Desk research was supplemented by over 30 interviews conducted with industry

leaders in the spa industry, industry leaders in other wellness lifestyle sectors, related

industry associations and organizations, and leading organizations and ―thinkers‖ on

the concept of wellness.

In addition to the interviews, the SRI team, in partnership with GSS, developed two

short surveys that were distributed more broadly to spa stakeholders and consumers

around the world. The questionnaires queried industry and consumers about their views

on wellness – both as a concept and as a trend – in relationship to business planning,

purchasing patterns, and lifestyle.

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

II. WELLNESS AS A CONCEPT

A. History of Wellness

Wellness is a modern word with ancient roots. As a modern concept, wellness has

gained currency since the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. The writings and leadership of

an informal network of physicians and thinkers in the United States have largely

shaped the way we conceptualize and talk about wellness today.

The origins of wellness, however, are much

older – even ancient. Aspects of the wellness

concept are firmly rooted in several

intellectual, religious, and medical movements

in 19

century United States and Europe. The

tenets of wellness can also be traced to the

ancient civilizations of Greece, Rome, and Asia. Historical traditions have indelibly

influenced the modern wellness movement, and details regarding the history of

wellness as a concept and as a term are provided in Appendix A.

Ancient Antecedents of Wellness

Modern definitions of wellness typically focus on holistic or integrated approaches to

health; staying well (or the prevention of sickness); self-responsibility for one’s health

and well-being; and the idea that a person’s physical, mental, and spiritual aspects

should work in harmony. These tenets are clearly not new, and in fact have their

According to the Oxford English

Dictionary, the first written appearance

of the word wellness in the English

language was in 1654.

3,000-

2,000

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), one of the oldest systems of medicine in the world, develops.

Influenced by ancient philosophies of Taoism and Buddhism, it applies a holistic perspective to

achieving health and well-being through the cultivation of harmony within one’s life. Therapies that

evolve out of TCM – such as acupuncture, herbal medicine, qi gong, tai chi – are not only still in

practice, but are also increasingly being integrated into Western medical practices.

3,000-

1,500

Ayurveda originated as an oral tradition and was recorded in the Vedas, four sacred Hindu texts.

Ayurveda is holistic and strives to create harmony between the body, mind, and spirit, maintaining a

balance that prevents illness and contributes to a long, healthy life. Ayurveda’s regimens are tailored

to each person's unique constitution, taking into account his or her needs for nutrition, exercise, personal

hygiene, social interaction, and other lifestyle elements. From India also originated mind-body-spirit

traditions such as yoga and meditation, which are increasingly practiced in modern, Western cultures.

500-

300

Ancient Greek physician Hippocrates – considered to be the father of Western medicine – is

possibly the first physician to focus on preventing sickness instead of just treating disease, and also

argued that disease is product of diet, lifestyle, and environmental factors.

Ancient Roman medicine emphasized the prevention of disease over curing disease and adopted

the Greek belief that disease was a product of diet and lifestyle. Ancient Rome had a highly

developed public health system, and the extensive system of aqueducts, sewers, and public baths

helped prevent the spread of germs and maintain the health of the population.

Timeline of Wellness

Ancient Antecedents of Wellness

Note: A more extensive version of this timeline, including sources, is provided in Appendix A.

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

origins in ancient healing practices and medical traditions that date back thousands of

years. The ancient cultures of China, India, Greece, and Rome (among others) had a

very sophisticated understanding of how to maintain health, and they tended to

emphasize a ―whole person‖ or ―harmonious‖ approach to staying well. Today, the

concept of wellness appears to be coming full-circle, with modern iterations of ancient

practices – such as ayurveda, acupuncture, yoga, meditation, and so on – growing

increasingly popular around the world and becoming central components of wellness-

oriented approaches to health.

Century Intellectual and Medical Movements

In the 19

century, new intellectual movements, spiritual philosophies, and medical

practices proliferated in the United States and Europe. A number of alternative

healthcare methods that focus on self-healing, holistic approaches, and preventive

care – including homeopathy, osteopathy, chiropractic, and naturopathy – were

founded during this era and gained widespread popularity in both Europe and the

United States. Other new philosophies were more spiritually oriented (such as the

―mind-cure movements,‖ including New Thought and Christian Science) and were

instrumental in the modern era in propagating the idea that one of the primary

sources of physical health is one’s mental and spiritual state of being.

1790s Homeopathy was developed by German physician Samuel Christian Hahnemann and uses natural

substances to promote the body’s self-healing response.

Timeline of Wellness

Century Intellectual & Medical Movements

1860s German priest Sebastian Kneipp promoted his own healing system (―Kneipp Cure‖), combining

hydrotherapy with herbalism, exercise, nutrition, and spirituality.

1870s Mary Baker Eddy, founder of Christian Science, began practicing spiritual healing.

Osteopathy was founded by Andrew Taylor Still, emphasizing a noninvasive, holistic approach.

1890s Horace Fletcher, a health food faddist, emphasized proper chewing of food and a low-protein diet.

1900s John Harvey Kellogg directed the Battle Creek Sanitorium in Michigan (U.S.) and espoused a healthy

diet, exercise, fresh air, hydrotherapy, and ―learning to stay well.‖

1910 Carnegie Foundation’s Flexner Report sets the stage for the rise of modern, evidence-based, disease-

oriented medicine.

Chiropractic was founded by Daniel David Palmer, focusing on the body’s structure and functioning.

Naturopathy, originating in Europe and then spreading to the U.S., emphasizes the body’s ability to

heal itself through dietary and lifestyle changes, herbs, massage, and joint manipulation.

The New Thought Movement emerged, and Phineas Quimby developed theories about mentally-

aided healing.

Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner developed the spiritual movement of anthroposophy along with a

holistic and wellness-focused system of anthroposophical medicine.

1880s Swiss physician Maximilian Bircher-Benner, ran a Swiss sanitorium, pioneered nutritional research

and advocated a balanced diet of fruit and vegetables.

YMCA, one of the world’s oldest wellness organizations, adopted its triangle logo and the principle

of developing body, mind, and spirit.

Austrian F.X. Mayr developed his own detoxification and therapeutic dietary modification program

(―Mayr Therapy‖).

Note: A more extensive version of this timeline, including sources, is provided in Appendix A.

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

While a few of the beliefs espoused by the thinkers behind these movements have

been discredited or would seem ―wacky‖ today, these movements did popularize

ideas about regaining or maintaining one’s health through diet, exercise, and other

lifestyle measures. The philosophies embodied in these 19

century movements – that

a healthy body is a product of a healthy mind and spirit – are now considered to be

precursors to today’s popular wellness and self-help movements. In addition, although

these medical approaches fell out of favor with the rise of modern, evidence-based

medicine in the mid-20

century, several of them are now regaining favor within the

mainstream medical community and the general public.

Century Popularization of Wellness

Our modern use of the word ―wellness‖ dates to the 1950s and a seminal – but little

known – work by physician Halbert L. Dunn, called High-Level Wellness (published in

1961). Although Dunn’s work received little attention at the time, his ideas were later

embraced and expanded upon in the 1970s by an informal network of individuals in

the United States, including Dr. John W. Travis, Don Ardell, Dr. Bill Hettler, and others.

These ―fathers of the wellness movement‖ created their own comprehensive definitions

and models of wellness, developed new wellness assessment tools, and wrote and

spoke actively on the concept of wellness. Travis, Ardell, Hettler, and their associates

were responsible for creating the world’s first wellness center, developing the first

1950s-

1960s

Physician Halbert L. Dunn presented his idea of ―high level wellness‖ in a series of 29 lectures, and

then published these talks in a book called High Level Wellness. Dunn is known as the ―father of the

wellness movement,‖ and his work subsequently caught the attention of – and was further

developed by – several other physicians and intellectuals.

Timeline of Wellness

Century Popularization of Wellness

Note: A more extensive version of this timeline, including sources, is provided in Appendix A.

1970s Dr. John W. Travis, who was influenced by Dunn’s writings, founded the world’s first wellness center

in California, developed a 12-dimension wellness assessment tool (the Wellness Inventory, 1975), and

wrote and published The Wellness Workbook (1977). These are still in use today as foundational tools

for wellness development.

Don Ardell, also influenced by Dunn’s work, published in 1977 his book High Level Wellness: An

Alternative to Doctors, Drugs, and Disease, borrowing the title and concepts from Dunn. Ardell wrote 12

other books on wellness has been a leading figure in the wellness movement for over three

decades, speaks at numerous health and wellness conferences, and publishes a weekly newsletter, the

Ardell Wellness Report.

The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UWSP) drew upon wellness materials from John W.

Travis started the first university-based campus wellness center. Campus wellness programs

became popular and spread throughout the United States in the 1970s and 1980s, and these were

influential in the spread of the wellness movement.

Dr. Bill Hettler of UWSP built on John W. Travis’ materials and created his own Lifestyle Assessment

Questionnaire, as well as a six-dimensional model of wellness. Along with his colleagues at UWSP,

Hettler organized the National Wellness Institute in 1977 and the first National Wellness

Conference in 1978.

1980s-

2000s

As the wellness movement spread, businesses in the United States began developing workplace

wellness programs, the spa and fitness industries experienced rapid growth, and a number of

celebrities and self-help experts started bringing wellness concepts to a mainstream audience;

however, these developments have not yet coalesced under the banner of the wellness industry.

1950s J.I. Rodale is one of the first advocates of organic farming in the U.S. and begins publishing

Prevention magazine, a pioneering publication in promoting alternative/preventive health.

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

university campus wellness center, and establishing the National Wellness Institute and

National Wellness Conference in the United States.

The popularization of the wellness concept during the 1970s and 1980s led to the

spread of worksite wellness programs at major corporations, as well as to the

development of government-sponsored programs to promote healthier lifestyles in a

number of U.S. states and cities. The modern concept of wellness also spread to

Europe, where the German Wellness Association (Deutscher Wellness Verband, DWV)

and the European Wellness Union (Europäischen Wellness Union, EWU) were founded

in 1990. Although the ideas of the true wellness pioneers (Dunn, Travis, Ardell, Hettler,

and so on) still have not reached the mainstream or achieved mass recognition, new

theories about healthy-living, self-help, well-being, fitness, diet, and spirituality

continue to proliferate today. Many of the medical and self-help experts who promote

these ideas in today’s popular media (largely in the United States) – ranging from

Michael Roizen

, Mehmet Oz

, and Andrew Weil

to Deepak Chopra

Stephen

Covey

, and Wayne Dyer

– can be linked to the wellness movement.

B. Defining Wellness

There are a number of rigorous and well-

thought-out definitions of wellness,

developed over time by the leading

thinkers in the field. In particular, each of

the ―founding fathers of wellness‖ has

developed his own wellness definition and

model (see Appendix A for details). In fact, it was the process of attempting to define,

understand, and measure wellness during the 1950s-1970s that initially led to the

propagation of the concept in the modern era. As such, this report will not attempt to

craft a new definition of wellness for the spa industry, but will instead briefly

summarize several of the best-known and most respected definitions, as well as the

varying views on wellness across different regions of the world. While recognizing that

there are regional variations in the concept of wellness (discussed in Appendix A),

American physician, chief wellness officer at the Cleveland Clinic, developer of the ―Real Age‖ concept, and

award-winning author.

Turkish-American surgeon and promoter of alternative medicine, author of a number of award-winning books

on health topics, frequent contributor to the Oprah Winfrey Show, and host of his own television talk show.

American physician known for establishing and popularizing the field of integrative medicine and author of

several best-selling books on healthy eating, aging, and related topics.

Indian-American physician, promoter of alternative and mind-body medicine, and author of over 45 books on

New Age spirituality and alternative medicine.

Author of the best-selling book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.

American self-help ―guru,‖ lecturer, and author of over 30 books (such as The Power of Intention).

Wellness is:

The state of being well or in good health.

(Oxford English Dictionary)

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

several common threads stand out across the various definitions of wellness. These

include:

 Wellness is multidimensional: Most of the

leading definitions of wellness include a

model that presents anywhere from 2 to

14 or more dimensions, which frequently

include physical, mental, spiritual, and

social dimensions.

 Wellness is holistic: Wellness is a broader concept than physical health or fitness,

focusing on the well-being of the whole person. It is not simply the absence of

physical disease, but an approach that emphasizes all aspects of a person – body,

mind, and spirit – working in harmony.

 Wellness changes over time and along a continuum: Wellness is not a static state or

an end-point, but rather is often depicted on a continuum representing the optimum

levels of wellness that an individual attempts to achieve and maximize throughout

his or her life.

 Wellness is individual, but also influenced by the environment: Wellness is a process

pursued on the individual level, by engaging in healthy behaviors and practices

that promote personal well-being. However, personal wellness is also influenced

by the conditions or environment in which one lives. With the increasing emphasis

today on environmental problems, there is also increasing attention on the

environmental, external, cultural, and global aspects of wellness.

 Wellness is a self-responsibility: Although sick people typically rely on medical

doctors for treatment to fix a problem and return to good health, most advocates

of wellness philosophies emphasize each individual’s responsibility to take charge

of one’s own health and to engage in behaviors that will proactively prevent illness

and promote a higher level of health and well-being.

Health is:

A state of complete physical, mental and

social well-being and not merely the

absence of disease or infirmity.

(World Health Organization)

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

There are a number of terms and concepts that are associated or equated with the

wellness movement, but which are in fact distinct ideas. These related terms, and brief

definitions, are encapsulated in the following box.

Wellness-Related Terms

Health: Is commonly defined as the presence or absence of disease, or the soundness/vigor of body or

mind. The World Health Organization’s definition (adopted in 1948) – ―Health is a state of complete

physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity‖

– is

significant in the fact that it goes beyond just the physical state of freedom from disease and

emphasizes a positive state of being that includes mental and social dimensions.

Preventive Medicine: The goal of preventive medicine ―is to protect, promote, and maintain health and

well-being and to prevent disease, disability, and death. Preventive medicine specialists [are

specialists who] have core competencies in biostatistics, epidemiology, environmental and occupational

medicine, planning and evaluation of health services, management of health care organizations,

research into causes of disease and injury in population groups, and the practice of prevention in

clinical medicine.‖

Integrative (or Integrated) Medicine: Combines treatments from conventional/mainstream medicine and

complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for which there is high-quality scientific evidence of

safety and effectiveness.

Holistic Health: Is ―an approach to life. Rather than focusing on illness or specific parts of the body, [it]

considers the whole person and … emphasizes the connection of mind, body, and spirit. The goal is to

achieve maximum well-being … [and] people accept responsibility for their own level of well-

being.‖

Holistic Medicine: Is ―the art and science of healing that addresses care of the whole person – body,

mind, and spirit. The practice of holistic medicine integrates conventional and complementary therapies

to promote optimal health, and prevent and treat disease by addressing contributing factors.‖

Personalized Medicine: Involves the systematic use of information about individual patients – especially

genetic and molecular analysis – to optimize the treatment or prevention of disease. The aim is ―to

achieve optimal medical outcomes by helping physicians and patients choose the disease management

approaches likely to work best in the context of a patient’s genetic and environmental profile.‖

World Health Organization, Preamble to the Constitution of the World Health Organization as adopted by the

International Health Conference, New York, 19-22 June, 1946; signed on 22 July 1946 by the representatives of

61 States (Official Records of the World Health Organization, no. 2, p. 100) and entered into force on 7 April

1948, http://www.who.int/about/definition/en/print.html, accessed March 28, 2010.

―What Is Preventive Medicine?‖ American Board of Preventive Medicine Website, https://www.theabpm.org/

aboutus.cfm, accessed March 31, 2010.

―What Is CAM?‖ National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, National Institutes of Health

Website, http://nccam.nih.gov/health/whatiscam/overview.htm, accessed March 31, 2010.

Suzan Walter, ―Holistic Health,‖ The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Body-Mind Disciplines, Ed. Nancy Allison, The

Rosen Publishing Group, 1999, http://ahha.org/articles.asp?Id=85, accessed March 28, 2010.

―Frequently Asked Questions,‖ American Holistic Medicine Association Website,

http://www.holisticmedicine.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=5, accessed March 28, 2010.

―Personalized Medicine 101,‖ Personalized Medicine Coalition Website, http://www.

personalizedmedicinecoalition.org/sciencepolicy/personalmed-101_overview.php, accessed April 10, 2010.

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

Wellness-Related Terms (continued)

Public Health: Is ―the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life, and promoting health

through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private,

communities, and individuals."

Public health efforts typically focus on prevention of disease, health

education, and reduction of risk factors at the societal (not individual) level.

Health Promotion: The WHO defines health promotion as ―the process of enabling people to increase

control over their health and its determinants, and thereby improve their health.‖

The concept is most

commonly applied in the public health or public policy context, but is also now linked with worksite-

based health and wellness programs.

Health Education: ―Comprises consciously constructed opportunities for learning involving some form of

communication designed to improve health literacy, including improving knowledge, and developing

life skills which are conducive to individual and community health.‖

C.E.A. Winslow, ―The Untilled Fields of Public Health,‖ Science, n.s. 51 (1920), p. 23 (as cited in Wikipedia

entry on ―Public Health,‖ accessed April 10, 2010).

World Health Organization, The Bangkok Charter for Health Promotion in a Globalized World, Geneva,

Switzerland: WHO, 2005, http://www.who.int/healthpromotion/conferences/6gchp/

hpr_050829_%20BCHP.pdf.

World Health Organization, Health Promotion Glossary, Geneva, Switzerland: WHO, 1998,

http://www.who.int/hpr/NPH/docs/hp_glossary_en.pdf.

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

III. WELLNESS AS AN INDUSTRY

A. Drivers of the Growing Wellness Market

Much like the word ―spa,‖ the word ―wellness‖ has seen increasing usage, especially

for marketing and advertising purposes, without regard for its deeper meaning. This

has led many spa, health, and other professionals to dismiss it as just another passing

fad. However, like the word spa, wellness is grounded in a solid historical tradition

and body of knowledge, and trends indicate that it is becoming a major societal force.

In many ways, the thinkers behind the wellness theories and models developed in the

and 20

centuries were merely ahead of their time.

While wellness, as a word and a concept, is only hazily understood by most

mainstream consumers, the many challenges society faces today are driving people to

explore new wellness-related products and services as they realize a need to find a

better way to take care of themselves. Recognition and acceptance of wellness-

related theories and practices is growing rapidly, even if these are not formally

labeled under the wellness banner.

Below, we summarize three megatrends driving the growth of wellness as an industry.

These trends not only directly impact the spa industry and its customers, but are also

opening new opportunities for spas to play a leading role in the paradigm shift that

the leaders of the wellness movement have recommended over the last several

decades.

Megatrends Driving Growth of the Wellness Industry Cluster

Growing

Wellness

Market

Failing

medical

systems

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

Increasingly older, unhealthy people

The United Nations describes the aging of

our population as ―unprecedented.‖

In the

populations of the more developed

countries, older people (60 and older)

began to outnumber children (under 15) in 1998. Worldwide, older people are

expected to outnumber children for the first time in 2047. By 2050, the United Nations

predict that 22% of the world’s population will be over 60, double the percentage in

2007.

Within this population of 60 and over, the fastest growing group is that of 80

and over. With age typically comes decreasing physical health and mounting medical

costs.

The increasing number and proportion of the aged within the world’s population

foreshadows greater numbers of older and, potentially, sicker people in need of care,

as well as fewer younger, able-bodied family members and/or workers available to

care for them. Indications are that these numbers and proportions will also start to

grow faster in less developed regions, forcing these countries to deal with increased

demand for care without the economic resources of the more developed regions.

Leading the wave of the aging in the North America, Europe, Japan, and other

countries are the famous Baby Boomers,

who vocally demand to have their needs

met and are willing to experiment with new ways to solve their problems.

It is also a sicker world. Although people are

living longer, they are more likely to be

living with and dying from a chronic illness,

frequently caused, in part, by their own

behaviors and lifestyles. According to the

World Health Organization, in 2005, these

chronic diseases were the major cause of

death and disability worldwide.

Conditions

such as cardiovascular diseases (mostly heart attack and stroke), diabetes, obesity,

cancer, and respiratory diseases accounted for almost 60% of the 57 million deaths

annually and 46% of the global burden of disease.

Deaths from these diseases are

United Nations, World Population Ageing 2007, http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/WPA2007/

wpp2007.htm, p. xxvi.

Ibid.

Baby Boomers are persons born in the post-World War II ―baby boom‖ in both North America and Europe, as

well as Japan, Australia, and New Zealand, roughly 1946-1964.

World Health Organization, Information sheet: Facts related to chronic diseases and the WHO global strategy

on diet, physical activity and health, 2003, http://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/media/en/gsfs_general.pdf.

The WHO global burden of disease (GBD) measures burden of disease using the ―disability-adjusted life

year‖ or DALY. This measure combines years of life lost due to premature death and years of life lost due to

“It is an older world.”

(Halbert L. Dunn)

“The world has a problem: It is getting hot,

flat, and crowded … How we address these

interwoven global trends will determine a

lot about the quality of life on earth in the

twenty-first century.”

(Thomas L. Friedman)

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

expected to increase by 17% over the next 10 years, largely because of the aging

population and an increased exposure to risk factors.

As the world has become more industrial and more urbanized, and as food markets

have become more global, diets have become less healthy, lifestyles less active, and

smoking more prevalent. These behaviors often lead to obesity, high blood pressure,

high glucose levels, and high cholesterol, which, either alone or in combination, are the

major causes of chronic diseases such as those listed in the table below.

Causes of Chronic Diseases

Modifiable Risk Factors

Intermediate Risk Factors

Major Chronic

Diseases

Smoking

Physical

activity

Diet

Stress

Alcohol

High blood

pressure

High glucose

levels

High

cholesterol

Obesity



Chronic heart disease,

stroke



Cancer



Diabetes



Respiratory disease

Source: Adapted from WEF/PWC, Working Towards Wellness, 2007, http://www.weforum.org/pdf/Wellness/report.pdf, Figure 4.

Obesity, which contributes to cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and respiratory disease,

is a worldwide problem. More than half the adults in Brazil, the United Kingdom, and

the United States are overweight or obese, and rates are expected to increase (see

the graph below).

The burden of disease for a chronic illness can be high and long-lasting, as people live

for many years in ill-health, requiring extensive medical services, before finally dying.

The mind-boggling point, though, is that a well-established body of research

demonstrates that these diseases and their costs in suffering and dollars are largely

preventable with changes in diet, increased levels of physical activity, and abstinence

from smoking. Up to 80% of cases of coronary heart disease, 90% of type 2 (adult-

onset) diabetes cases, and one-third of cancers can be avoided by changing to a

healthier diet, increasing physical activity, and stopping smoking.

time lived in states of less than full health. The DALY metric was developed in the original GBD 1990 study to

assess the burden of disease consistently across diseases, risk factors, and regions.

WHO, Information sheet: Facts related to chronic diseases.

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

In addition to broader health issues, concerns about ―the limits to growth‖ with regards

to energy resources and environmental sustainability have become mainstream, and, in

many instances, governments, businesses, and consumers are changing their behaviors

to address these. A snapshot of this reaction is captured by the rise of the LOHAS

market and the LOHAS consumer.

In addition to growing environmental concerns, today’s consumers are also suffering

from the mounting pressures of our modern society: increasingly hectic schedules; a

lack of true leisure time; the pressures of being in constant contact with the office,

family, and friends by email, mobile phone, or PDA (even while on vacation); a

constant barrage of information and external stimulation through multiple media

(television, radio, Internet, and so on). These kinds of pressures not only increase stress,

but also contribute to unhealthy behaviors, such as poor eating habits, lack of sleep,

and lack of exercise – ultimately contributing to the rise of chronic, preventable

conditions like obesity. In response, some people are starting to take a step back,

reassess how they live their lives, and look for more inner fulfillment and deeper

meaning in their lives.

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

2005

2015

2005

2015

2005

2015

2005

2015

2005

2015

2005

2015

% of population ages 15 and over

Percent of population (ages 15 and over) who are overweight or obese

(BMI ≥ 25 kg/m

)

Obese

Overweight

Brazil

China India

South Africa

Source: WHO data, adapted from WEF/PWC, Working Towards Wellness, Figure 6.

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

Failing medical systems

Globally, health systems are failing to meet

the challenges of caring for a growing

number of aging and chronically ill patients.

From region to region, specific problems vary

but mainly involve widespread problems with

cost, availability, and quality of care, as well

as an ongoing emphasis on treating rather

than preventing sickness. As the world’s

population grows older and sicker over the long term, medical systems seem less and

less able to care for them. Consumers, healthcare providers, and governments are

increasingly looking for a better way.

The current healthcare industry model,

based on the paradigm of conventional

Western medicine, is increasingly seen to be

broken – a model that costs too much and

delivers too little. A 2007 survey by the

Kaiser Family Foundation and Pew Global

Attitudes Project, conducted in 47 countries

around the world, found that people ranked

concerns about health a close second, behind financial issues, when asked to name the

most important problems that they and their families currently face. In one country out

of two, personal illness, health-care costs, poor quality care, or other health issues

were the top personal concerns of over one-third of the population surveyed.

And

yet, spending on health is increasing. In 2002, the cumulative health spending of 24

OECD countries was $2.7 trillion; this is expected to more than triple to $10 trillion by

2020.

The World Health Organization’s World Health Report 2008 describes three trends

that contribute to problems in what it calls ―conventional healthcare,‖ and what others

have dubbed the ―sickness industry‖

1. Hospital-centrism: An excessive focus on care delivered in hospitals and by

specialists, which is expensive. While high-income countries are most likely to face

this issue, middle- and low-income countries are following in their footsteps, with

the numbers of medical specialists increasing rapidly.

Kaiser Family Foundation and Pew Global Attitudes Project, A Global Look at Public Perceptions of Health

Problems, Priorities, and Donors: The Kaiser/Pew Global Health Survey, 2007, http://www.kff.org/kaiserpolls/

upload/7716.pdf, p. 14.

PWC, HealthCast 2020, p. 3.

Paul Zane Pilzer in The Wellness Revolution, and others.

“Conventional approaches are failing,

even in the most advanced nations of

the world – throughout Europe, Asia,

the Middle East, Australia, Canada and

the United States.”

(PricewaterhouseCoopers)

“At the current rate of consumption and at

the current level of thinking, the healthcare

organizations of today will be unable to

meet demand in the future. Our health

systems will be unsustainable.”

(PricewaterhouseCoopers)

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

2. Fragmented and fragmenting care: Medical specialists are more likely to focus on a

narrow section of a patient’s health rather than taking a holistic approach to the

patient, his or her family, and environment. Public or private programs aimed at

preventing or controlling a condition – such as obesity, diabetes, cancer, or heart

disease – also focus solely on the issue of choice, to the exclusion of other factors

that may contribute to wellness or illness.

3. Commercialization: As patients are frustrated with the inability of ―official‖ health

systems (i.e., services and facilities provided by governments or reimbursed by

insurance), other providers enter the less regulated market for out-of-the-patient’s-

pocket services. While some providers offer valuable, needed services, others take

advantage of less regulation and desperate situations to provide less than

effective care at less than fair prices.

In describing these trends, the WHO states, ―At the same time, the health sector lacks

the expertise to mitigate the adverse effects on health from other sectors and make

the most of what these other sectors can contribute to health.‖

Perhaps in reaction to

these widespread problems, many industry and thought leaders interviewed for this

study referred to a growing sense of ―self-responsibility‖ among individuals with

regard to maintaining their own health, stemming from a realization that the current

healthcare system is failing them and cannot be trusted to take care of them. This may

be driving people to engage in proactive healthy behaviors and to investigate

alternative forms of healthcare.

For instance, in the United States, many

prominent medical experts, frustrated by

the shortcomings of their tools and training,

have begun to investigate alternative

treatments and preventive techniques and

are submitting these methods to the

rigorous investigation of the scientific method. Meanwhile, in 1991 the U.S. National

Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine was established (as part of the

government-funded National Institutes of Health) and in 2010 will spend $129 million

to study the effectiveness of complementary and alternative treatments, including, but

not limited to: acupuncture, osteopathy, traditional Chinese medicine and other herbal

medicines, massage, tai chi, yoga, meditation, and mindfulness-based interventions.

Globally, as witnessed by the focus of recent WHO reports mentioned above,

governments and public health officials are also seeking better solutions and seeking

WHO, World Health Report 2008, p. xiv.

―About NCCAM,‖ National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, National Institutes of Health

Website, http://nccam.nih.gov/about/, accessed April 9, 2010.

“Few would disagree that health systems

need to respond better – and faster – to

the challenges of a changing world.”

(World Health Organization)

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

to tap into prevention. Employers are also entering the fray, mainly in response to

three factors:

 The looming cost increases presented by aging, sedentary, and chronically-ill

employees, both in terms of healthcare expenses and lost productivity, threaten to

undermine profits.

 The active workforce, especially in the OECD countries, accounts for 54% of the

global population and are easier to target, given the amount of time they spend in

the workplace.

 Well-documented evidence indicates, conservatively, that workplace wellness

programs – if implemented correctly – yield a return on investment of as much as

3:1 or more.

Globalization and connection

As the costs and time needed to move

people, products, and information continue

to shrink, we are all exposed to more of

everything. With regards to health and

wellness, this contraction of the globe has

both negative and positive effects.

On the negative side, the World Health Organization talks about a worldwide

―nutrition transition,‖ whereby more people around the world are eating diets high in

total energy, fats, salt, and sugar, brought about, in part, by increased production,

promotion, and marketing of processed foods.

In developed countries, a growing

number of consumers – who tend to be highly educated and wealthy – have begun to

reject this transition and to return to healthier ways of eating. These consumers’ habits

are not mainstream, although they may presage a coming global trend.

Immigration and migration to cities is leading to more urban lifestyles, accompanied

by fewer opportunities for exercise and less time to prepare healthy food. For the

educated elite, these transitions can lead to increased business travel and the endless

business day, where the worker is expected to be ―on call,‖ in multiple time zones,

accessible by cell phone and PDA.

On a more positive note, the contraction of time and space inherent in more connection

opportunities leads to a greater exposure for different approaches to healthcare and

to wellness. Aspiring scientists, physicians, and nurses from less-developed countries

WEF/PWC, Working towards Wellness, p. 16.

WHO, Information sheet: Facts related to chronic diseases.

“It is a shrinking world.”

(Halbert L. Dunn)

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

come to more developed countries to study, bringing about a cross-pollination as they

bring their health and wellness traditions with them, and returning to their home

countries with Western knowledge and expertise. Travelers are exposed to local

practices, and immigrants living in new countries bring the healing tools of their culture.

Moreover, a patient may travel to India from the West to receive cheaper

―traditional‖ cardiac care, perhaps from an Indian physician trained in the United

States, and be introduced to ayurveda and yoga while there.

It is also easier than ever to find and share information via the media, especially over

the internet. When a person is diagnosed with a health condition, copious information

– both legitimate and questionable (or even false) – is at one’s fingertips. Unbounded

by geographical boundaries, individuals who share medical conditions can easily join

digital communities to exchange information on treatments and providers and to

provide mutual support and coping techniques. For those considering elective surgery,

in many countries the success rates of various hospitals are easy to find, if not prices.

And information on surgeons and hospitals in foreign medical tourism destinations are

also available at the click of a mouse.

Added to this mix is the all-pervasive media. There are a growing number of

television celebrities and self-help experts – people like Oprah, Dr. Phil, Mehmet Oz,

Stephen Covey, Deepak Chopra, Tony Robbins, Jack Canfield, Jamie Oliver, and

many others – who tout concepts like self-actualization, living your best life, improving

your self-image, living and eating better, and the like. Although these figures have

emerged largely in the American market, the American media undoubtedly has a

pervasive influence globally, and many of these personalities enjoy widespread

popularity not only in North America, but in countries around the world. Their impact

on spreading wellness-related concepts among the mainstream public is significant.

B. Defining the Wellness Industry

In the fields of economics and business, there is no clearly defined wellness industry,

although there is an emerging sense that such an industry does exist and is growing

rapidly. One of the first – and only – people to talk and write specifically about

wellness as an industry, rather than a concept, is economist and entrepreneur Paul

Zane Pilzer, who in 2002 published the first edition of his book, The Wellness

Revolution. Pilzer presents a simple and easy way to understand what the wellness

industry is and to differentiate it from the conventional healthcare sector (which he

calls the ―sickness industry‖):

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

 The wellness industry is proactive. It provides products and services to healthy

people, with the goal of making them feel even healthier and look better, slowing

the effects of aging, and/or preventing sickness from developing. People

voluntarily become customers of the wellness industry.

 The sickness industry (conventional medicine) is reactive. It provides products

and services to people with an existing disease, to either treat the symptoms or

eliminate the disease. People become customers of the sickness industry by

necessity, not choice.

Pilzer also suggests that the wellness industry encompasses the following sectors:

Vitamins, nutritional supplements, skin care products and services, cosmetic plastic

surgery, voluntary eye surgery (LASIK, radial keratotomy), cosmetic dermatology,

genetic engineering (sex selection and fertility enhancement), cosmetic and

reconstructive dentistry (caps, implants), preventative medicine, health savings

accounts, high-deductible (wellness) health insurance, fitness clubs (including

trainers), fitness and athletic equipment, voluntary pharmacy (Viagra, Rogaine),

health food products, health food restaurants, [and] weight loss products.

With the goal of helping the spa industry understand the scope and size of wellness

market opportunities, SRI has developed specifically for this study a model of the

wellness industry cluster.

The industry model depicted here may vary slightly from

the industry definition of Pilzer or others working in this field, mainly because the goal

here is to develop a model of the wellness industry cluster that shows the position of the

spa industry vis-à-vis other wellness sectors. The sectors included in the wellness cluster

are those that have direct market interactions with – or that collaborate or compete

with – the core spa industry. These sectors present high-potential opportunities for the

spa industry to pursue new wellness-oriented business ventures, investments, and

partnerships beyond the menu of products and services traditionally offered at spas

(to be discussed in greater detail in Section VI of this report).

Paul Zane Pilzer, The New Wellness Revolution, Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2007, p. 4-5.

Ibid, p. 30.

The industry cluster methodology has been widely used since the 1980s by industry and government leaders

around the world. The industry cluster concept is recognized as a useful analytical and organizing mechanism for

high-level strategic planning, advocacy, and investment resource planning. The cluster concept is powerful

because it links together a broad cross-section of businesses and organizations that are interconnected

economically to relate to each other within a coherent framework. Such an approach allows industries to

organize resources, structure their collaboration, speak as one voice to policymakers and consumers, and conduct

advocacy and public relations efforts more effectively and efficiently.

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

The Wellness Industry Cluster

We have depicted the wellness cluster on a continuum (which is adapted from Dr. John

W. Travis’ wellness-illness continuum, detailed in Appendix A) because this model

provides an easy way to understand how and why various sectors fit within the

wellness cluster. On the left-hand side of the continuum are reactive approaches to

health and wellness – that is, mechanisms to treat or address existing illnesses or

conditions. Conventional medicine would fall on the left-hand side of the continuum

(although it is not specifically included within the wellness cluster, as explained further

below). Addressing problems and curing diseases brings a person only to the middle,

or neutral point, of the continuum. To the right-hand side are proactive approaches to

health and wellness – that is, things that enhance quality of life, improve health, and

bring a person to increasingly optimum levels of well-being.

Each sector within the wellness cluster is positioned in the diagram according to where

it falls along the continuum. The sub-sectors of wellness are defined and explained

below.

Conventional,

Medically-Oriented

Approaches

(to solve problems)

Integrated,

Wellness-Oriented

Approaches

(to improve quality of life)

Fitness & Mind-Body

Spa

Healthy Eating/Nutrition & Weight Loss

Preventive/Personalized

Health

Complementary & Alternative Medicine

Beauty & Anti-Aging

Treatment Paradigm

Wellness Paradigm

Reactive Proactive

The Wellness Cluster

Workplace Wellness

Medical Tourism Wellness Tourism

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

 Spa: Includes all parts of the core spa industry, as defined in the Global Spa

Economy 2007 report – i.e., all types of spa operations, as well as spa-related

education; spa-branded products; spa consulting; spa media, associations, and

events; and spa capital investment. The spa sub-cluster falls mostly on the right-

hand side of the continuum, as it generally provides proactive services to help

healthy people feel even better. However, some spas (such as medical spas) do

serve patients with specific skin problems or other conditions, and some spa

treatments are therapeutic, so spa does also overlap the left-hand, reactive side of

the continuum.

 Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM): Encompasses diverse medical,

health care, holistic, and mentally or spiritually-based systems, practices, and

products that are not generally considered to be part of conventional medicine or

the dominant health care system (e.g., homeopathic, naturopathic, chiropractic,

traditional Chinese medicine, ayurveda, energy healing, meditation, herbal

remedies, etc.). CAM is used for both treatment and wellness-enhancing goals, so it

covers both sides of the wellness continuum.

 Preventive/personalized health: Includes medical services that focus on treating

―well‖ people, preventing disease, or detecting risk factors – for example, routine

physical exams, diagnostic/screening tests, and so on. We also include here

approaches that fall outside of what has typically been done by conventional

medical providers. In particular, personalized health is a key part of this sector,

which focuses on using sophisticated information and data for individual patients

(including genetic/molecular/environmental screening, analysis, and diagnostics;

disease management services; electronic health records; and remote patient

monitoring) to provide tailored approaches for preventing disease, managing risk

factors, or treating conditions.

 Medical tourism: Refers to persons traveling to another country (or another

city/region within their country) in order to receive medical, surgical, or dental

care, including invasive, diagnostic, and therapeutic procedures – primarily

because the care is more affordable, of higher quality, or more accessible. The

medical tourism sector includes any providers of services to medical tourists during

their trips – such as the hospital/clinic/doctor, the hotel or place where they stay

during the trip, food, shopping, and so on. Medical tourism falls on the reactive,

treatment-oriented side of the continuum.

 Wellness tourism: Comprises healthy persons traveling to another country (or

another city/region within their country) to pursue holistic, preventive, or lifestyle-

based services that enhance their personal well-being. This sector includes

providers of a wide range of services to wellness tourists – essentially, anything

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

included in the definition of the wellness cluster, but specifically targeting wellness

tourists, along with the lodging, food, shopping, and other services supporting

these tourists. In contrast to medical tourism, wellness tourism is on the proactive side

of the continuum.

 Healthy eating/nutrition and weight loss: Includes vitamins and supplements;

functional foods/nutraceuticals; health foods; natural and organic foods; weight-

loss and diet service providers and advisory services; diet and weight-loss foods

and meal services; and anti-obesity prescription and over-the-counter drugs.

Healthy eating/nutrition is primarily a proactive approach to health and wellness

(on the right side of the continuum), but since changes in eating habits and nutrition

are also pursued in response to specific diseases and physical conditions (e.g., high

blood pressure, diabetes), it also crosses over to the left-hand, reactive portion of

the continuum. In addition, weight-loss and dieting fall on the reactive side of the

continuum, as they address the chronic health problem of obesity.

 Fitness and mind-body exercise: Includes gyms/health clubs; personal training; yoga,

pilates, tai chi, and other mind-body practices; fitness and exercise clothing; fitness

and exercise equipment. Like nutrition, fitness is primarily a proactive activity, but

can also be pursued reactively, in response to physical ailments.

 Beauty and anti-aging: Includes beauty/salon services; skin/hair/nail care services

and products; cosmetics, toiletries, and other personal care products; dermatology;

prescription pharmaceuticals for skin care; as well as products and services that

specifically address age-related health and appearance issues, such

cosmetics/cosmeceuticals for skin/face/body care, hair care/growth, and

pharmaceuticals/supplements that treat age-related health conditions. This sector

crosses both sides of the continuum, because it is partly reactive (i.e., done to

address or cover up perceived flaws in appearance or to respond to and treat

perceived or real problems related to getting older), but can also be pursued in a

wellness-oriented way to enhance self-image.

 Workplace wellness: Includes programs offered by companies and businesses

aimed at improving the health and wellness of employees, in order to reduce costs

and enhance productivity and performance. These programs raise awareness,

provide education, and offer incentives that address specific health risk factors

and behaviors (e.g., lack of exercise, poor eating habits, stress, obesity, smoking)

and encourage employees to adopt healthier lifestyles.

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

It should be noted that several health-related concepts are not included in the wellness

industry cluster. These areas and the reasons they are not included are:

 Conventional medicine is not included here as part of the wellness cluster. This is

because the wellness industry is typically differentiated from the conventional

medical industry (or ―sickness industry‖) as being a complement or reaction to the

deficiencies in conventional medicine as it is practiced today. In many ways, the

wellness cluster has emerged as an alternative, proactive way of living, in direct

contrast to the reactive, sickness-focused nature of conventional medicine. A couple

of ―niche‖ areas within the field of medicine – including preventive/personalized

health and complementary and alternative medicine – are included in the wellness

cluster because they encompass the kinds of holistic, individualized, prevention-

focused approaches that fit with the central tenets of wellness.

 Public health and health education could easily be considered part of the

wellness cluster. However, they are not included here because they are primarily

public sector-funded and managed activities. While they may not provide

traditional marketing opportunities for the spa industry, they may be of increasing

interest to the industry in terms of philanthropic endeavors.

 The terminology ―mind-body-spirit‖ is used widely and is often equated with the

concept of wellness. However, the “spirit” part of this equation is for the most part

left out of the wellness cluster in this report. We have included spirit-based

activities that may or do have connection with spas (such as yoga and meditation)

under the headings of other sectors (such as fitness/mind-body and CAM).

Although these practices are rooted in deep spiritual traditions, they have grown

increasingly secularized and physically/mentally-oriented as they have grown

increasingly popular in the West. Truly spirit-based approaches – such as religion

– are not a logical ―fit‖ or collaborative opportunity for the spa industry, so are

not included here in the cluster.

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

Some Key Characteristics of the Wellness Industry

 The wellness movement began in the United States but has been expanding

rapidly internationally.

 Wellness is primarily a grass-roots movement, driven by individuals, entrepreneurs,

and small businesses.

 The aging ―Baby Boomer‖ generation has played a major role in driving the

growth of wellness products and services.

 Some companies that have been traditionally associated with the ―sickness

industry‖ (e.g., food companies, retailers, restaurants) are ―switching sides‖ and

are starting to sell and promote wellness goods and services – or at least present

some of their products as part of wellness.

 The conventional medical industry (or ―sickness industry‖) has not yet fully joined

the wellness movement, but some parts of it are taking preliminary steps to

embrace certain concepts or adopt certain practices.

 Given that many of the world’s leading health problems (obesity, cardiovascular

disease, etc.) are on the rise globally, the untapped market of persons who need

wellness-related products and services will continue to grow rapidly.

C. Measuring the Wellness Industry

The only widely available and frequently cited statistic for the size of the overall

wellness industry is from Pilzer’s book. Pilzer estimates that the wellness industry in the

United States was valued at $200 billion in 2002 and $500 billion in 2007, and he

predicts that the industry will grow to $1 trillion in 2012 (a growth rate of 15%

annually over five years). The figure presumably covers the sectors listed in the

previous section; however, Pilzer does not provide a breakdown of industry size by

sector, nor does he provide any information about how he arrived at this estimate.

SRI estimates conservatively that the wellness industry cluster (as defined in the previous

section) represents a market of nearly $2 trillion dollars globally.

The sizes of each of

the sectors that comprise the wellness cluster are presented in the diagram below.

Adapted from Pilzer, pp. xiii-xviii.

Overall cluster and sub-sector market sizes were estimated by SRI by extrapolating from consumer spending

and industry size data from a wide variety of secondary reports and sources across the sub-components of each

sector, as defined above. Key data sources include: Nutrition Business Journal, IHRSA, Markets and Markets,

Euromonitor, Global Industry Analysts, LOHAS/NMI, Kaiser Family Foundation, PWC, and Deloitte, and others.

Where market data was only available for selected countries and regions, or where the data did not match the

sector definitions outlined above, the SRI team made estimations and adjustments using standard economic

parameters.

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

Estimated Global Market Size of the Wellness Industry Cluster

Sector

Estimated Global Market Size

(US$ billions)

Spa

$60.3

Complementary & Alternative Medicine

$113.0

Healthy Eating/Nutrition & Weight Loss

$276.5

Preventive/Personalized Health

$243.0

Medical Tourism

$50.0

Wellness Tourism

$106.0

Workplace Wellness

$30.7

Fitness & Mind-Body Exercise

$390.1

Beauty & Anti-Aging

$679.1

Total Wellness Industry Cluster

$1,948.7

Conventional,

Medically-Oriented

Approaches

(to solve problems)

Integrated,

Wellness-Oriented

Approaches

(to improve quality of life)

Fitness & Mind-Body

Spa

Healthy Eating/Nutrition & Weight Loss

Preventive/Personalized

Health

Complementary & Alternative Medicine

Beauty & Anti-Aging

Treatment Paradigm

Wellness Paradigm

Reactive Proactive

The Wellness Cluster

Workplace Wellness

Medical Tourism Wellness Tourism

$276.5

$390.1

$679.1

$113.0

$243.0

$50.0 $106.0

$60.3

$30.7

(US$ billions)

A $1.9 trillion global market

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

IV. THE WELLNESS CONSUMER

As compared to more well-established industry segments and markets, research

focusing on wellness consumer trends and behaviors is both relatively new and

relatively scarce. The consumer research that does exist tends to be focused primarily

on health- and wellness-related packaged products and goods (e.g.,

healthy/functional/natural/organic foods, vitamins, etc.), and not on wellness-related

services. This fact alone is a good indication that there is not yet a clearly-defined

sense of the wellness industry within the business/economic research field or within the

market itself. In addition, the wellness consumer research that does exist tends to focus

exclusively on the U.S. market. Additional research in this area is much needed, to

understand in greater depth the profiles and motivations of wellness consumers, and

especially to develop a better understanding of wellness consumers globally.

Existing studies on wellness consumers (and consumers in related/crossover sectors) do

provide us with a base-level understanding of key segments, behaviors, and trends.

Characteristics of wellness consumers are elaborated below.

A. Wellness Consumer Segments

Like the wellness industry, wellness consumer segments can also be depicted on a

continuum

Broadly speaking, the wellness consumer tends to fall into one of two profiles, when

viewed from the perspective of the spa industry:

 Wellness-focused, moderate-to-active spa goers: Includes people who have a

genuine interest in living a healthy lifestyle and enhancing/maintaining their level

of personal fitness, health, or wellness. These consumers tend to be relatively

affluent and educated, and their profile in many ways parallels that of the typical

spa-goer. They are open to new and different approaches to health, exercise, and

beauty; they have the time and disposable income to spend on such things; they do

not necessarily view spa and other wellness services as ―luxuries;‖ and many are

also motivated by the effects of aging (both on their appearance and their

health).

 Sickness reactors, not active spa-goers: Includes people who are suffering from a

disease or health condition and who are seeking new and alternative approaches

to treat their condition or relieve their symptoms. These consumers may be

Consumer profiles adapted by SRI from information gathered through extensive industry interviews, as well as

from: Barnes, Patricia M., et al, ―Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use Among Adults and Children:

United States, 2007,‖ CDC National Health Statistics Reports No. 12 (December 10, 2008),

http://nccam.nih.gov/news/2008/nhsr12.pdf.

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

frustrated with the inability of the conventional medical system to fix their problem

and, as a result, explore alternative, non-mainstream approaches. This segment

represents a potentially much larger segment of the population, and it also

represents a large base of people who are not necessarily dedicated or even

casual spa-goers. In fact, going to a spa for a massage or facial (or using another

more mainstream wellness service such as a gym or personal trainer) may provide

these consumers an entree into other less mainstream wellness approaches and

forms of complementary and alternative medicine.

The Global Market Development Center (GMDC), a trade association representing

health, beauty, wellness, and general merchandise industries, has conducted one of the

most comprehensive market surveys of consumer behaviors related to health and

wellness (focusing on the U.S. market). GMDC defined three segments of health and

wellness consumers, which overlap with the consumer profiles presented above.

Health and Wellness Consumer Segments

Sickness reactors, not active

spa-goers

Wellness focused, moderate-to-active spa-goers

Periphery

Mid-level

Core

 ―Entry level‖ health and

wellness consumers

 Aspire to be more

involved in health and

wellness, but their

behaviors do not yet

follow their aspirations

 Are mostly ―reactive‖

rather than ―proactive‖

when it comes to matters

of health and wellness

 Moderately involved in a

health and wellness

lifestyle

 Tend to follow some of

the trends set by the Core

 Purchase large amounts

of both conventional and

health and wellness-

specific products

 Still somewhat concerned

with price and

convenience, but also

driven by knowledge and

experience

 Most involved in a health

and wellness lifestyle

 Serve as trendsetters for

other consumers

 Health and wellness is a

major life focus for them

 Driven by sustainability,

authenticity, and local

sources

Source: GMDC and The Hartman Group, Consumer Shopping Habits for Wellness and Environmentally Conscious

Lifestyles Study: Insights for Health, Beauty and Wellness, September 12, 2009, http://www.pacific.edu/Documents/

school-pharmacy/acrobat/Consumer%20Shopping%20Habits%20for%20Wellness%20-%20Presentation.pdf.

GMDC also presents the three health and wellness consumer segments on a continuum,

evolving from reactive, sickness-oriented approaches to health (the Periphery

consumers) to a proactive, highly prevention-focused approach to health (Mid-level

and Core consumers). On the left-hand side of the continuum, the Periphery consumers

tend to be self-focused – they are oriented toward their own specific health problems

and do not necessarily draw connections among different aspects of staying well (e.g.,

how exercise, natural products, and good nutrition can all work together to promote

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

well-being). On the right-hand side of the continuum are the Core wellness consumers,

who embrace holistic and integrated approaches to health, as well as environmental

and sustainability issues, recognizing that personal, social, and planetary well-being

are all interconnected. Over time, many consumers in the Periphery group will evolve

toward more proactive, holistic approaches, moving into the Mid-level and Core health

and wellness segments.

Periphery Consumer Mid-Level Consumer Core Consumer

• Focus on more acute medical

conditions – reactive

approach to health

• Exercise for weight

management

• Avoid personal care

products only if they cause

sensitivies/allergies

• Focus on avoiding ―bad‖

food/ingredients

• Somewhat preventative

approach to health

conditions

• Exercise for health benefits

• Avoid ―toxic‖ personal care

products in the home for

health reasons

• Focus on avoiding some

―bad‖ foods but also seeking

whole, real foods

• Highly preventative

approach, often quite broad

(e.g., meditation, yoga, and

diet to reduce stress)

• Exercise for health and

mental/spiritual balance

• Avoid personal care

products they believe are

harmful to the environment

• Focus on ―local‖ foods and

social/environmental issues

relating to food production

(e.g., farming, labor, etc.)

REACTIVE &

Self-Focused

PROACTIVE &

Holistic Focus

Consumers Evolve Toward a Holistic Concept of Wellness

Source: GMDC and The Hartman Group, Consumer Shopping Habits for Wellness and Environmentally Conscious Lifestyles Study:

Insights for Health, Beauty and Wellness, September 12, 2009.

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

B. Baby Boomer-Driven Market

“Baby Boomers” from Western/Industrialized countries currently represent the core

consumer segment for wellness, but this is changing

Anecdotal evidence – from leading stakeholders and thinkers in the spa industry and

the broader wellness cluster – suggests that the ―Baby Boomer‖ generation has been

and is currently the core consumer group driving the growth of the wellness industry.

Starting in the 1960s and 1970s, the Baby Boomers were the first generation to

become more open to alternative, complementary, and non-Western modalities of

health, wellness, energy, mind-body systems, and so on, and it was during this time

that practices such as yoga and traditional Chinese medicine were introduced into the

mainstream culture in the United States and Europe. The birth and growth of the

modern wellness movement (as elaborated in Section II) also dates from this era.

During the growth of the wellness industry over the last ten years or so, Baby Boomers

have continued to be among the largest purchasers of health- and wellness-related

products and services, and this trend is expected to continue to increase. As this

generation grows older and seeks to mitigate the effects of aging, they are also

driving the exponential growth of the beauty and anti-aging markets, in such areas as

cosmetic surgery and dentistry, dermatology, and voluntary eye surgery. This same

demographic has traditionally represented – and will continue to represent – a major

customer base for the spa industry, the health club industry, and other similar sectors.

The importance of the Baby Boomer generation among wellness consumer segments is

corroborated by data collected on the use of complementary and alternative

medicine (CAM) in the United States by the 2007 National Health Interview Survey. This

survey shows that persons in the 40-49, 50-59, and 60-69 year old age brackets –

those corresponding to the Baby Boomer generation – are more likely than other age

groups to use CAM approaches (such as mind-body therapies, alternative medicine,

massage, chiropractic, herbal remedies, energy healing, and so on). However, those in

the younger age brackets (18-29 years and 30-39 years) are also significant users of

CAM, indicating that there is also a large and growing younger generation of

consumers interested in wellness products and services.

Patricia M. Barnes, et al, ―Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use Among Adults and Children: United

States, 2007,‖ National Health Statistics Reports No. 12 (December 10, 2008),

http://nccam.nih.gov/news/2008/nhsr12.pdf. The statistics in this report were drawn from 2007 survey of a

nationally representative sample of the U.S. population (23,393 interviews completed with sample adults aged

18 years and older). This study represents largest and most reliable representative study available for consumer

usage of complementary and alternative approaches to health and wellness. Although the study focuses on a

specific set of 36 types of CAM therapies, and it does not include all of the sectors defined in this report as part

of the wellness cluster, conclusions from this study can be reasonably inferred to represent the best available

assessment of consumer trends in the broader wellness market.

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

Percent of U.S. adults in each age group who used CAM in the past 12 months

2007 and 2002

Age Bracket

% who used CAM

% change from

2002-2007

2007

2002

Total U.S. adult

population

38.3%

35.1%

9.1%

18-29 years

36.3%

32.9%

10.3%

30-39 years

39.6%

37.8%

4.8%

40-49 years

40.1%

39.4%

1.8%

50-59 years

44.1%

39.6%

11.4%

60-69 years

41.0%

32.6%

25.8%

70-84 years

32.1%

25.1%

27.9%

85 years and over

24.2%

14.9%

62.4%

Source: Barnes, et al (2008), Table 7, p. 14 and Barnes, et al (2004), Table 4, p. 10.

This analysis does not imply that there is not a large consumer base for wellness in

other countries and regions of the world, but rather that consumers in other countries

have not been well-studied or -documented, and that these consumers have not yet

been identified under the label of ―wellness consumers.‖ Throughout Asia, for example,

there is clearly a long tradition of wellness-focused and holistic practices and

therapies that are practiced by a large share of the population within each country

and that are closely integrated into each country’s culture and mindset – things such as

ayurveda in India, reiki in Japan, traditional Chinese medicine, and many others. Just

as traditional, culturally-based spa-like establishments in Asia (such as Japanese

onsen, Indian ayurvedic centers, and Korean bathhouses) have not typically been

defined as part of or integrated into the modern spa industry

, in the same way these

practices in Asia have also not been integrated into a broader wellness industry (even

though they are already considered to be part of the burgeoning wellness industry in

the West).

There is, without question, a large local/regional market for health- and wellness-

related services and products in countries throughout Asia, Latin America, and other

regions, even though that market has not yet been incorporated under the wellness

banner. As a definition and understanding of a true wellness industry becomes more

solidified – and as providers of traditional and culturally-based therapies modernize

and upgrade their offerings to serve increasingly savvy and sophisticated regional

customers – it is likely that a better understanding of the wellness consumers in these

regions will also develop.

The Global Spa Summit’s Global Spa Economy 2007 study was the first attempt to measure and incorporate

these types of establishments within the broader spa industry.

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

C. A Large, Growing Set of Consumers

Wellness consumers are not a niche market – their number is already large and growing

SRI estimates conservatively that there are about 76 million wellness consumers in the

United States, representing about 25% of the adult U.S. population.

These consumers

include people who have a strong or moderately strong interest in and motivation to

purchase wellness goods and services. If we apply the wellness consumer segmentation

ratio for the United States to other developed countries around the world (which could

safely be assumed to follow consumption patterns similar to those of the United

States), we estimate that there are about 289 million wellness consumers in the world’s

30 most industrialized and wealthiest countries.

These figures represent an educated, but necessarily preliminary, estimate by SRI of

the size of the wellness consumer market, based on extrapolation from U.S. consumer

data collected for segments that are similar to or overlap with the wellness market.

As a comparison (or counter) to the SRI estimates presented above, below are some

additional estimates by other researchers and organizations for consumers segments

that are related to wellness:

 GDMC and The Hartman Group estimate that in the United States there are 40

million core health and wellness consumers and 190 million mid-level health and

wellness consumers.

 LOHAS and the Natural Marketing Institute estimate that there are 54 million

―Naturalite‖ consumers in the United States who have a serious interest in personal

health, natural/organic products, and related environmental issues. There are also

36 million LOHAS consumers in the United States who are dedicated to

environmentally friendly and healthy products and services. An estimated 17

million adults in Japan are also LOHAS consumers.

SRI’s estimate of the number of wellness consumers in the United States is based on close study of consumer

market data for other, overlapping consumer segments. Specifically, we reviewed estimates of the

health/wellness market, the LOHAS market, CAM users, spa-goers, and health club members and extrapolated

from these figures to arrive at a ―best guess‖ estimate of the U.S. wellness consumer market (some of the specific

data we reviewed are provided in Appendix B). We then applied the estimated wellness consumer-to-population

ratio for the United States (25%) to 30 other countries that are either OECD members or have a high GDP per

capita (over $30,000).

GMDC and The Hartman Group, Consumer Shopping Habits for Wellness and Environmentally Conscious

Lifestyles Study: Insights for Health, Beauty and Wellness, September 12, 2009, http://www.pacific.edu/

Documents/school-pharmacy/acrobat/Consumer%20Shopping%20Habits%20for%20 Wellness%20-

%20Presentation.pdf.

Steve French and Gwynne Rogers, ―Understanding the LOHAS Consumer: The Rise of Ethical Consumerism - A

Strategic Market Research Update from The Natural Marketing Institute (NMI),‖ LOHAS Journal,

http://www.lohas.com/journal/consumertrends.htm, accessed April 1, 2010.

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

 The U.S. Center for Health Statistics estimates that 96 million U.S. adults and

children used complementary and alternative therapies/medicine in 2007

(representing about 32% of the total U.S. population). Comparable CAM data is

not available for other regions, but the rate of CAM usage in the population is

likely to be higher in places where such approaches are more widely accepted or

are part of cultural traditions (such as in Asia). The World Health Organization

estimates that 70-80% of the population in industrialized countries has used some

form of CAM.

Other international studies suggest that 20%-65% of the

population in European countries, 49% of the population in Australia, and 66% of

adults in Japan have used CAM (however, most of these studies are somewhat out-

of-date).

 An International Spa Association (ISPA) survey of consumers in 11 countries around

the world

estimated that there are about 200 million active spa-goers just within

these 11 countries – indicating that, on average, active spa-goers represent about

25% of the population in these countries.

 The International Health, Racquet, and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) estimates

that there were 117.5 million health club members worldwide in 2008 (about

1.8% of the world’s population). This figure, of course, captures only people with

the disposable income to spend on ongoing health club memberships, and not the

broader rate of interest and participation in exercise through other mechanisms

(e.g., non-gym exercise classes and facilities, exercising at home, etc.). For

example, an estimated 33% of adults in the United States (or 100 million

Americans) participate in regular physical activity or exercise.

Tables with additional information about these estimates are provided in Appendix B.

―Traditional Medicine,‖ Fact Sheet No. 134, World Health Organization Website, 2008,

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs134/en/, accessed April 12, 2010. WHO also estimates that in

some Asian and African countries, 80% of the population depends on traditional medicine for primary health

care – but these people do not necessarily represent a core market for health and wellness because they are

primarily poor and underserved populations who lack access to conventional medicine and high-quality medical

care.

Europe data based on studies from 1994, 1997, and 2000, as cited in: E. Ernst and A. Fugh-Berman,

―Complementary and Alternative Medicine: What Is It All About?‖ Occupational and Environmental Medicine 59

(2002): p. 140. Australia data from a 1996 study, Japan data from a 2002 study, as cited in: Nobutaka Suzuki,

―Complementary and Alternative Medicine: A Japanese Perspective,‖ Evidenced-based Complementary and

Alternative Medicine 1.2 (2004), http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC516460/ pdf/neh029.pdf, p.

117.

Australia, Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Singapore, Spain, United Kingdom, United States.

ISPA, 2008 Global Consumer Study, p. 4; calculations by SRI using population data from the World Bank.

Pleis, J.R., J.W. Lucas, and B.W. Ward. Summary health statistics for U.S. adults: National Health Interview

Survey, 2008. National Center for Health Statistics. Vital Health Statistics 10.242 (2009), p. 11.

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

D. Strong Consumer Interest in CAM Therapies

Consumer use of many CAM therapies – including massage, acupuncture, naturopathy,

and ayurveda – has been growing rapidly

The U.S. 2007 National Health Interview Survey provides additional data about

consumer profiles of CAM users, as well as about the types of therapies that are most

used or that are experiencing the greatest rates of growth in the United States. Again,

while this data does not extend to all wellness cluster segments (such as fitness or

beauty/anti-aging), and while it covers only American consumers, it does provide some

useful insights into wellness consumer behaviors.

 CAM use is most prevalent among:

 Women,

 Adults ages 30-69,

 Adults with higher levels of education,

 Adults who are not poor,

 Former smokers, and

 Adults who were hospitalized in the last year.

 CAM usage is positively associated with a person’s number of health conditions

and number of doctor visits over the past 12 months. However, about 20% of U.S.

adults with no health condition, and 25% of U.S. adults with no doctor visits in the

last year, use CAM therapies.

 People are more likely to use CAM when their worries about the costs delayed

their accessing conventional medical care.

 In 2007, the CAM therapies most commonly used by U.S. adults were natural

products, deep breathing exercises, and meditation.

The most commonly-used CAM therapies accessed in the United States are described

in the following table.

Barnes (2008), p. 4.

Barnes (2008), p. 5.

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

Most Commonly-Used CAM Therapies by U.S. Adults

(2007)

U.S. adults ages 18 years and older who

used this therapy in the last 12 months

Percent

Number

Nonvitamin, nonmineral, natural products

17.7%

39 million

Deep breathing exercises

12.7%

28 million

Meditation

9.5%

21 million

Chiropractic or osteopathic manipulation

8.6%

19 million

Massage

8.3%

18 million

Yoga

6.1%

13 million

Diet-based therapies

3.6%

8 million

Progressive relaxation

2.9%

6 million

Source: Barnes, et al (2008), Table 1 (p. 10).

The CAM therapies that experienced the highest growth rates of use in the United

States from 2002 to 2007 included massage, acupuncture, naturopathy, ayurveda,

and meditation, as shown in the table below.

Fastest-Growing CAM Therapies Used by U.S. Adults

(2002-2007)

Number of U.S. adults ages 18 years

and older who used this therapy in

the last 12 months

Average

Annual

Growth Rate

2002-2007

2002

2007

Massage

10,052

18,068

12.4%

Acupuncture

2,136

3,141

8.0%

Naturopathy

498

729

7.9%

Ayurveda

154

214

6.8%

Meditation

15,336

20,541

6.0%

Biofeedback

278

362

5.4%

Yoga

10,386

13,172

4.9%

Qigong

527

625

3.5%

Deep breathing exercises

23,457

27,794

3.5%

Guided imagery

4,194

4,866

3.0%

Source: Barnes, et al (2008), Table 1 (p. 10).

It is interesting to note that massage (a core spa offering) was among the top 5 CAM

therapies most used by U.S. adults in this survey, and massage also experienced the

highest rate of growth from 2002-2007. The list of other fast-growing CAM therapies

– including acupuncture, naturopathy, ayurveda, meditation, biofeedback, yoga, and

so on – may be of interest to spa businesses that are looking to expand their wellness

offerings into new types of services.

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

V. SURVEY OF INDUSTRY AND CONSUMER VIEWS ON WELLNESS

A. Survey Background and Methodology

The SRI team, in partnership with GSS, developed two short surveys that were

distributed to spa stakeholders and consumers around the world. These surveys

queried industry and consumers about their views on wellness – both as a concept and

as a trend – in relationship to business planning, purchasing patterns, and lifestyle.

Wellness Survey Methodology

Consumers and spa-/wellness-related businesses were invited to participate in the

two online surveys through an email invitation that was distributed via the business

and consumer databases of GSS board members and other spa industry

stakeholders, as well as through related industry association databases. Due to the

nature of the distribution mechanisms the research team had access to, these surveys

were not designed to be scientific or representative surveys – they utilized a

convenience sampling technique and the results cannot be assumed to be

representative of the entire industry or consumer population. This kind of sampling

technique is useful and valid in conducting an exploratory or pilot study, with the

goal of collecting basic data and trends information. However, its drawback is that

certain populations are underrepresented in the survey sample – for example, the

responses were heavily weighted toward North America, Europe, and to a lesser

extent, Asia, while responses from Latin America, Middle East, and Africa were

underrepresented. Additional survey work is certainly needed to collect more

detailed information – especially from consumers – about wellness preferences and

trends; however, such surveys should be conducted on a more narrow scale (e.g.,

focusing on just one country or region) in order to employ a more scientific approach.

The industry survey collected 319 responses, with North America (136), Europe (101),

and Asia-Pacific (49) accounting for the vast majority of results. With few exceptions,

there was little evident variation across responses from different regions or from

different types of businesses. For this reason, all survey results in this section will be

presented for the aggregate set of responses and will not be broken down by region

or type of business.

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

Table 1.

Industry Survey Respondents

Region

Responses

Business Type

Reponses

North America

136

Spa Industry Services /

Products

148

Europe

101

Spa Facilities

140

Asia-Pacific

Other (non-spa)

Latin America-Caribbean

Middle East

Africa

Did not specify

Total – Industry Survey

319

Total – Industry Survey

319

One thousand seventy-seven responses were collected for the consumer survey. The

majority (63%) were from North America, with Europe trailing at 20% and Asia-

Pacific at 15%. While the number of respondents is not large enough to provide a

representative sample of consumers of spa services, it is large enough to provide

useful insights into how spa consumers are thinking and acting with regard to wellness.

We can also assume, given the distribution methods used, that respondents fall within

the core, mid-level, and periphery of spa customers. For that reason, answers may be

indicative of this population, but the responses are also probably more positive and

interested than would be a group of respondents who were selected from the

population at random.

Table 2.

Consumer Survey Respondents

Region

Responses

North America

680

Europe

210

Asia-Pacific

160

Latin America-Caribbean

Middle East

Africa

Did not specify

Total – Consumer Survey

1,077

―Spa Industry Services / Products‖ includes persons working in spa consulting, spa media, spa products, spa

equipment and supplies, spa education, spa associations, and spa management.

―Spa facilities‖ includes persons working in any type of spa, including hotel/resort spas, day/club spas,

medical spas, or other spas.

―Other (non-spa)‖ respondents include persons working in massage, salons, wellness centers, medicine,

investment, tourism, and wellness-related education.

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

B. Industry and Consumer Awareness and Definitions of

Wellness

Almost all industry respondents are using the term wellness, and almost all consumer

respondents are aware of it

More than 96% of spa industry respondents reported they have heard the term

―wellness‖ and nearly 90% reported they use the term in relation to their business.

Figure 1 illustrates the significant growth of both awareness of and use of the word

―wellness‖ within the spa industry, as well as growing consumer awareness of the

word. As of 10-15 years ago, a majority of respondents had heard the term, and 5-

10 years ago, a majority of respondents had begun to use the term in relation to their

business. It is interesting to note that growing consumer awareness of the word

―wellness‖ over time almost identically tracks the increasing use of the word in business.

It is possible that use of the word in marketing and business contexts is having an

awareness-building impact among consumers about wellness (although it is not possible

to infer a direct cause-and-effect relationship from these surveys alone).

Figure 1.

When did you first hear the word “wellness” used? When did you first start using the word

“wellness” in your business?

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

< 1 year ago

1-2 years ago

3-5 years ago

5-10 years

ago

10-15 years

ago

15-20 years

ago

> 20 years

ago

Industry and Consumer Awareness and Use of the Term "Wellness"

Industry Heard Wellness Used

Industry Used Wellness in Business

Consumers Heard Wellness Used

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

Industry and consumers define wellness in similar ways, but with some minor differences

Both industry and consumer respondents were asked to define wellness in an open-

ended question, using their own words. To synthesize and interpret the responses, we

compiled the answers from each group and ran them through visualization software to

create a ―word cloud.‖ In the graphic, the size of a word indicates the frequency with

which it was used in the survey responses. As a result, commonly used words float to

the front of one’s field of vision.

In the industry graphic (shown on the following page), note that ―health,‖ ―mind,‖ and

―body‖ jump out, but that ―spirit‖ is harder to find. Both ―health‖ and ―healthy‖ are

quite large. Each word is similar, but with slightly different implications. ―Balance‖ and

―physical‖ are also prominent, as well as ―life,‖ ―state,‖ and ―well.‖

For consumers, ―health‖ and ―body‖ jump out, but ―mind‖ is slightly less prominent and

―spirit‖ is much smaller than in the industry cloud. Both ―health‖ and ―healthy‖ are

again quite large, as well as ―physical‖ and ―good.‖ The words ―mental,‖ ―feeling,‖

and ―well‖ also show up a bit smaller, but still prominent.

In a separate question, the surveys asked both industry and consumer respondents to

choose five words or phrases (from a list of 25) that they most associate with wellness.

Both sets of responses are presented together in Figure 4 (ranked according to

consumer responses). Some interesting similarities and differences emerge.

When looking at the ten most frequently cited phrases for both industry and

consumers, there is significant overlap, with eight terms appearing for both groups.

Both industry and consumers rate ―quality of life‖ first, and ―balance‖ also appears at

the top of both lists. Consumers tend to rate ―physical fitness‖ and ―happiness‖ higher

than industry; on the other hand, industry tends to rate ―emotional balance‖ higher

than consumers. It is also interesting to note that ―spa‖ appears on both lists.

Table 3.

Top 10 terms most frequently associated with “wellness”

By Consumers

By Industry

Quality of life

Physical fitness

Balance

Happiness

Emotional balance

Balance

Holistic health

Relaxation

Physical fitness

Emotional balance

Spa

Mental health

Relaxation

Stress reduction

Spiritual health

Spa

Happiness

Medical health

Stress reduction

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

Figure 2.

How do you define wellness? – Tag cloud generated from industry respondents’ open-ended

answers

Industry Definitions of “Wellness”

Figure 3.

How do you define wellness? – Tag cloud generated from consumer respondents’ open-ended

answers

Consumer Definitions of “Wellness”

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

There are two significant differences across the two groups. For consumers, ―mental

health‖ and ―medical health‖ rank among the top ten terms associated with wellness,

while these rank significantly lower for industry. On the other hand, industry ranks

―holistic health‖ and ―spiritual health‖ significantly higher than do consumers. In

particular, the difference in perception of ―holistic health‖ may indicate that consumers

have less of a grasp of this concept.

The similarities and differences in use of terminology across the two groups may point

to opportunities for aligning marketing language and business development

approaches with consumer interests and perceptions.

Figure 4.

Which of the following words do you most closely associate with wellness (top 5)?

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

Retreat

Self responsibility

Attractive appearance

Healing

Gym

Mindfulness

Anti-aging

Pampering

Me-time

Holistic health

Holiday/Vacation

Wholeness

Illness prevention

Stress prevention

Spiritual health

Medical health

Spa

Stress reduction

Mental health

Emotional balance

Relaxation

Balance

Happiness

Physical fitness

Quality of life

Words Most Closely Associated With "Wellness"

Consumer

Industry

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

Both industry and consumers emphasize the physical and emotional dimensions of wellness,

but emphasis on other wellness dimensions varies

A question addressed only to spa directors or managers (107 respondents) asked

them to list the dimensions of wellness that their spa currently addresses through its

services and products. Figure 5 demonstrates that most spas in the survey respondent

group address the physical and emotional elements of wellness through their service

and product offerings. Only about half of respondents stated that their businesses

address the spiritual, environmental, or mental dimensions of wellness. Most spas focus

less on the social or occupational dimensions.

Figure 5.

Industry: Which of these dimensions of wellness does your spa currently address through its

services and products?

Figure 6.

Consumers: Rate the following types of wellness in terms of their importance to you personally

As a comparison, a question in the consumer survey asked respondents to rank each

dimension of wellness on a five-step scale in terms of personal importance, ranging

from ―extremely important‖ to ―not important‖ (see Figure 6). Two of the top-ranking

dimensions by consumers – physical wellness and emotional wellness – correspond with

the dimensions emphasized by spa industry respondents. However, consumers placed a

82%

Physical

60%

Emotional

52%

Spiritual

48%

Mental

36%

Social

36%

Occupational

50%

Environmental

Addressed through spa services and products

Not addressed through spa services and products

Extremely/Very Important

Moderately/Somewhat Important

Not Important

90%

Physical

91%

Emotional

66%

28%

Spiritual

94%

Mental

67%

32%

Social

70%

29%

Occupational

69%

29%

Environmental

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

significantly higher importance on mental wellness and occupational wellness as

compared to the extent to which these dimensions are addressed by spas. On the

other hand, spas tend to emphasize spiritual wellness offerings to a greater extent

than consumers’ ranking of spiritual wellness in terms of its personal importance.

Consumers seeking to enhance their wellness are most likely to exercise, eat better, and

visit a spa

When asked what activities they do when looking to enhance or improve their

wellness, consumers most frequently mentioned exercise and eating better, followed

by visiting a spa. Obviously, spa’s high ranking indicates good news for the spa

industry. Close behind visiting a spa, consumers also emphasized taking a holiday,

vacation or retreat, which has positive implications for resort and hotel spas. The

placement of exercise and eating better at the top of the list indicates an opportunity

for spas to add or enhance their service offerings in the areas of fitness and nutrition.

Figure 7.

When you are looking to enhance or maintain your personal wellness, what are you most likely

to do (top 5)?

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Other

Visit a religious place

Spend time with pets

Visit a beauty salon

Get a preventive physical exam

Meditate

Visit a bath house, sauna, or mineral springs

Pray

Participate in a favorite hobby

Spend time alone

Use traditional/alternative therapies

Take vitamins

Read

Listen to music

Lose weight

Sleep more

Be out in nature

Spend time with family or friends

Take a holiday/vacation/retreat

Visit a spa

Eat better

Exercise

What Consumers Do To Enhance Or Maintain Wellness

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

Industry respondents already have a good perception of the wellness-related offerings that

most interest consumers at spas

The industry survey asked spa managers and directors to list the top five spa services,

treatments, or facilities they think their customers are most interested in when looking to

enhance or maintain wellness. We then compared the industry answers to consumer

responses on a similar question – asking consumers to select the top five spa offerings

they would consider when looking to enhance or maintain wellness. The answers given

by spa managers and directors were strikingly in line with what consumers listed, and

the top three selections were the same across both groups.

Not surprisingly, ―massage‖ was the most frequently selected response by both

consumer and industry respondents. Next in frequency were ―exercise

facilities/programs,‖ ―body treatments,‖ and ―facial treatments.‖ ―Healthy foods‖

rounded out the top five for consumers, while ―meditation/spiritual/mind-body

programs‖ rounded out the top five for industry perception of consumers. Note that

exercise and healthy food were both associated with spa by consumers in the context

of this question.

Figure 8.

Consumers (Industry): When you (your customers) are looking to enhance or maintain your

personal wellness, what specific spa services, products, and/or facilities, if any, are you (they)

most interested in (top 5)?

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

DNA testing

Plastic surgery

Other

Medical testing

Life coaching

Educational programs

Dermatology services

Nutrition programs

Health assessments & consultations

Salon services

Water-based treatments

Vitamins & supplements

Dedicated relaxation areas

Meditation/spiritual/mind-body programs

Manicures/pedicures

Facial treatments

Healthy foods

Body treatments

Exercise facilities/programs

Massage

Consumer Interest in Spa Offerings for Wellness

Consumer Demand

Industry Perception

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

C. Industry Interest in Wellness as a Business Opportunity

Most industry respondents see wellness as an important future driver and as good for

business

As shown in Figure 9, nearly all industry respondents feel that the concept of wellness

is and will continue to be very important for the spa industry. Eighty-two percent have

made changes in the last five years in response to the wellness trend. Ninety-five

percent expect growing interest in wellness to impact their businesses over the next ten

years, and 83% use the word ―wellness‖ when talking to clients or the media or in

marketing materials.

Figure 9.

Importance of wellness to the spa industry

Figure 10 demonstrates the expected impact of wellness trends on respondents’

businesses over the next ten years. While 71% of respondents stated that they

believed the wellness trend would generate new customers, 57% expect more repeat

visits, and 51% believe that it would translate into higher revenues, a large majority

of them also believed that much of the revenue generated would be needed to

support better quality services and more employee training. Indeed, only 23% of

respondents believed the wellness trend would create higher profit margins. However,

respondents seemed optimistic, with only 4% reporting they believed it would

decrease their profit margins or create more uncertainty.

Extremely /

Very

Important,

89%

Moderately /

Somewhat

important,

Not

important,

How important is the concept of wellness

for the future of the spa industry?

83%

95%

82%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%100%

Do you use the term

"wellness" when you talk

to clients or the media, or

in marketing materials?

Over the next 10 years, do

you expect growing

interest in wellness to

affect your business?

In the past 5 years, have

you made changes in

response to the wellness

trend?

Yes

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

Figure 10.

What kind of effect do you expect the growing interest in wellness will have on your business

over the next ten years?

Most industry respondents have responded to wellness and seen revenues increase

Eighty-two percent of industry respondents indicated they have taken steps to respond

to the wellness movement over the last five years, and among this group, 91% also

reported that these changes have yielded growth in revenues. The majority of these

businesses reported a 5-10% or 10-20% impact on revenue growth (see Figure 12).

Figure 11 illustrates the various changes that have been made by industry respondents

in response to the wellness trend. Three out of four respondents said they had

introduced new services or products in response to the wellness trend, and a little more

than half reported a change in their marketing strategy. Almost half the respondents

said they had developed new partnerships, targeted new customers, and/or trained

employees in response to the wellness trend. A smaller, but substantial portion of

respondents indicated they had made capital investments as a result of the wellness

trend – around one-third built new facilities (34%) or renovated existing facilities

(28%).

11%

23%

28%

34%

39%

51%

55%

56%

57%

60%

71%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

Lower profit margins

More uncertainty

Other

Higher profit margins

Higher spending per visit

More competition

Need for new investments

Higher revenues

Demand for more services

Need for more employee training

More repeat visits

Larger customer base

Demand for higher quality

New customers

What Kind Of Effect Do You Expect Wellness

To Have On Your Business?

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

Figure 11.

What changes have you made in the last five years in response to the wellness trend?

Figure 12.

Impact on revenue of changes that businesses have made in response to wellness

91%

Effect Of Changes Made Due

To The Wellness Trend

Increasing Revenues

Declining revenues

No change

17%

27%

25%

15%

1-5% growth

5-10% growth

10-20% growth

20-40% growth

>40% growth

Declining

revenues

No change

Impact On Revenues

22%

28%

31%

34%

35%

38%

48%

49%

54%

76%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

Other

Opened new locations or new

business ventures

Renovated or upgraded existing

facilities

Hired new employees

Added new facilities

Increased customer service

Repackaged existing services/products

or promoted them differently

Trained employees

Targeted new customer segments

Developed new partnerships

Used different marketing/advertising

terminology, techniques, or channels

Introduced new services/products

Changes Made In Response To Wellness

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

Industry respondents plan further responses to wellness, in anticipation of further revenue

growth

As shown in Figure 13, most industry respondents expect to increase investments in

wellness-related services, products, partnerships, or ventures over time, with 9 out of

10 respondents stating they plan to make investments in the next 5-10 years.

Respondents seem optimistic about their plans – almost all of them believing their

business will see growth – and 70% expect their wellness-related investments to lead

to more than 10% revenue growth.

Figure 13.

Expected effect of future investments to address the wellness market

Future investments by the respondents are likely to consist primarily of adding new

services or products, developing partnerships, and targeting new customer segments

(see Figure 14). Similarly to Figure 11, many of the changes are related to business

strategy and not structural. Only one-third of the respondents reported plans to add

new facilities or employees.

Yes

89%

11%

Do you plan to invest in any new wellness-

related services, products, partnerships, or

ventures in the next 5-10 years?

21%

37%

24%

1-5% growth

5-10% growth

10-20% growth

20-40% growth

>40% growth

No change

Declining revenues

Expected Revenue Growth From Future

New Wellness-Related Offerings

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

Figure 14.

What new wellness-related services, products, partnerships, or ventures are you most likely to

invest in during the next 5-10 years?

32%

34%

35%

38%

45%

50%

56%

63%

72%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

Other

Repackage existing services/products or

promote them differently

Hire new employees

Add new facilities

Renovate or upgrade existing facilities

Increase customer service

Open new locations or new business

ventures

Train employees

Use different marketing/advertising

terminology, techniques, or channels

Target new customer segments

Develop new partnerships

Introduce new services/products

What Future Changes Are You Likely To Make In Response To Wellness?

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

VI. OPPORTUNITIES FOR SPAS IN THE WELLNESS INDUSTRY

This section highlights the business opportunities for the spa industry along the wellness

continuum. While some opportunities will require long-term effort and investment,

others simply require spa owners and investors to make small adjustments to their

service offerings and to reexamine their marketing approaches and customers with a

new, wellness-oriented viewpoint.

Spas provide wellness, even if they don’t recognize or claim it

The spa industry already sits solidly within the burgeoning wellness industry. The

tradition of spa as a place for healing, renewal, relaxation, and ―feeling well,‖

positions the spa industry as one of the most logical sectors to take advantage of (and

help lead) the wellness movement. In addition, the core customer base for wellness

almost directly overlaps with the primary customer market for spas. Thus, it is not

surprising that in the survey of over 1,000 consumers conducted for this study, 81%

stated that they are extremely or very interested in improving their personal wellness.

In spite of the logical fit between the spa sector and broader wellness industry, most

spa stakeholders have not yet successfully articulated a concept of wellness or its

meaning within the context of spa, and, thus, have not realized its full potential for

their business. There are diverse opinions in the spa industry about the value of the

actual word ―wellness‖ as a marketing technique, a selling point, or a label for spa

offerings. Many in the industry feel that the term is amorphous, overused, and

misunderstood by most consumers. In particular, this concern arises from the fact that,

as it has become popularized, the term ―wellness‖ is frequently used (and misused) in a

casual way – to label anything from true wellness services and products to cleaning

products and pet food. At the same time, in the industry survey conducted for this

study, 83% of industry respondents stated that they currently use the term ―wellness‖

when talking to clients or the media, or in their marketing materials. The decision of

whether or how to use the word ―wellness‖ in marketing is probably best left to

individual businesses to decide, based on their own business strategy and customer

base.

Wellness is an opportunity to reshape the perception of spa

Many in the spa industry see wellness as an opportunity for spa to re-shape its image,

to regroup after the global recession, and to move away from the perception of spa

as merely a provider of luxurious pampering and beauty services for the wealthy. This

thought bears special attraction in today’s economy, when many consumers have less

disposable income to spend on luxury or non-essential products and services, and those

who still do are reluctant to consume conspicuously. In our interviews, we heard

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

repeated concern over the ―anti-AIG‖ backlash, and a sense that consumers are re-

centering and focusing inward to reestablish their values, a transition from mindless

spending to mindful spending.

Placing spa within the context of wellness can raise awareness that massage and other

spa services offer real therapeutic benefits beyond pampering. Educating consumers

about how spa can enhance a person’s overall health and quality of life – or how it

can effectively treat real ailments and conditions – will help consumers to view their

spa spending as an investment or an essential element in maintaining their health. To

illustrate this idea, we found, in the consumer survey conducted for this study, 71% of

respondents said they would be “much more likely” or “somewhat more likely” to visit a

spa if they learned that a series of research studies demonstrated that spa treatments

deliver measurable health benefits.

On the other hand, focusing on wellness opportunities does not, by definition, exclude

pampering and indulgence. In fact, pampering can be a healthy thing and is

considered by many thinkers in the wellness movement to be an important component

of wellness. Most offerings across the range of typical spas services – massages, body

treatments, hydrotherapy, facials, beauty services, anti-aging services, and so on –

would be considered wellness services if provided with the intent of helping a person

feel more well (physically or mentally) via curative touch, addressing a specific ailment

or condition, or improving a person’s self image and sense of well-being.

Opportunities for spa in wellness cluster span the entire wellness spectrum

The opportunities for spa in the wellness industry cluster span the range of the many

types of consumers and sectors that fall within the cluster.

 On the reactive/treatment-oriented side of the wellness continuum, spas can bring

new, wellness-oriented, and more holistic approaches to the conventional medical

sector. In essence, the areas in which the conventional medical industry is struggling

have created opportunities for spas.

 On the proactive/wellness-oriented side, spas can link with other sectors to help

enhance people’s health and quality of life. By forging partnerships and

collaboration across these sectors and by bringing new, complementary services

There is considerable debate among experts concerning the role in the wellness industry for beauty-related

services and procedures in the medical/cosmetic/dermatologic/dentistry area, such as botox and laser

treatments. Some feel that these services do not fall within the wellness arena and may, in fact, undermine

development of a wellness outlook and natural aging. Others argue that any service or procedure that improves

appearance and self-confidence falls within the wellness arena. What is clear is that there is a strong and

growing consumer demand for these services, and their role in the wellness industry may come down to the

purpose for or intent with which they are performed.

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

into the spa arena, spas can facilitate a movement toward more proactive and

integrated approaches toward health and wellness.

 Within the realm of workplace health and wellness, the spa industry can

capitalize on the trend of employers taking seriously the need to improve the

health and wellness of their senior executives and their employees in general.

Many services and products developed by the spa industry in the two previous

arenas can be delivered in the workplace context.

These opportunities are elaborated in the following sections and summarized in the

graphic below.

Opportunities for Spa in the Wellness Industry

Conventional,

Treatment-Oriented

Approaches

(to solve problems)

Integrated,

Wellness-Oriented

Approaches

(to improve quality of life)

Treatment Paradigm

Wellness Paradigm

Reactive Proactive

Wellness Opportunities

Reactive/Treatment-Oriented

Opportunities for Spa:

 Partner with conventional medical

establishments to deliver

complementary and integrated

healing services

 Partner with the medical industry to

conduct evidence-based research

 Partner with the medical tourism

industry to create complementary

services

Proactive/Wellness-Oriented

Opportunities for Spa:

 Repackage and develop new

offerings to define and market

spas as a wellness necessity

 Help consumers understand and

select the spa’s wellness offerings

 Position spas as the center of

integrated/holistic approaches to

wellness

 Provide continuity of care to

customers

Workplace Wellness Opportunities for Spa:

 Deliver executive health services

 Manage general wellness of employees

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

A. Tapping into Reactive/Treatment-Oriented Opportunities and

Resources

1. Partner with conventional medical establishments to deliver complementary and

integrated healing services

In a number of countries, leading medical establishments are seizing the opportunity to

provide additional services to their patients. As mentioned previously, a growing

number of patients suffer from chronic diseases and are increasingly disenchanted with

their medical treatment. A common complaint is that they are not treated as a whole

person. The Baby Boomers, especially, are complaining loudly and trying to change

the system. A significant group of these patients are cardiac and cancer patients, who

face great stress, a series of difficult and invasive medical procedures, and, post-

treatment, a life that will require significantly changed behaviors. As a result, a

number of medical centers that treat cancer and heart disease are in the forefront of

experimenting with alternative therapies to support conventional ones. In the United

States, for example, the Cleveland Clinic, Harvard, Stanford, and Duke Universities,

and about 20 others have also started alternative or complementary medicine

programs that, in some combination, provide alternative care services to patients and

conduct research on the efficacy of these treatments.

In Asia, major hospitals that are

medical tourism destinations are also adding on wellness centers. In Bangkok, for

example, Bumrungrad International Hospital features the VitalLife Wellness Center,

and Piyavate Hospital features Tria Integrative Wellness.

Spas interested in developing services that help treat the seriously and chronically ill

should look for opportunities to collaborate with complementary health centers.

Individual spa business actors could reach out to medical providers experimenting with

complementary and alternative treatments to explore the provision of services, the

most obvious being massage and hydrotherapy. Other alternative and complementary

services offered include acupuncture, meditation, life and health and nutrition

coaching, which many spas are either providing already or experimenting with as

well. Appearance and confidence-enhancing beauty-related services and products

could also be packaged for medical patients to boost their mood, self-image, and

positivity about recovery. Delivery mechanisms could be various. For example, the

Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, and other centers have massage therapists, nutritionists,

and acupuncturists on staff. Many medical centers and physicians offices maintain lists

of additional service providers (such as psychotherapists, herbalists, acupuncturists, or

nutritionists) to whom they refer patients.

Spas may also want to consider developing packages of treatments for specific

patient profiles. Massage, personal fitness, and nutrition counseling for women

Consortium of Academic Health Centers for Integrative Medicine, http://www.imconsortium.org/members/

home.html.

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

undergoing and recovering from breast or other cancers, or for men and women

recovering from heart surgery – if designed appropriately, perhaps in collaboration

with local medical or advocacy experts – would, at the very least, be targeting a

growing demographic. Other health conditions to address could include pregnancy,

infertility, and stroke, or perhaps a series of treatments designed to relax anxiety

before a given surgery and to speed recovery post-surgery. Diabetes patients could

perhaps benefit from a package designed, with medical input, for maintenance of

foot health.

Many stakeholders interviewed for this study, especially those in the hotel and

hospitality industry, expressed concern about the impact of very sick patients having a

negative impact on the spa environment, which is designed to be relaxing and

carefree. Outside of the medical tourism industry, this is unlikely to be an appropriate

market for hotel spas. The sickest patients could perhaps be cared for in the hospital,

or, perhaps by a business in which specially trained therapists make home visits.

2. Partner with the medical industry to conduct evidence-based research

Conventional medical providers rely on data – results from medical studies – to

convince them of the value of procedures and medications for their patients. This

model of medical research is elaborate, hierarchical, and slow-moving, but can have

powerful influences on medical practice. When the Mayo Clinic began to experiment

with massage for cardiac patients, they designed (and are still designing) trials to

measure the impacts of massage and other therapies and submitted them for

publication in peer-reviewed medical journals, as is the common practice with new

methods and treatments. After more than 100 studies published in peer-reviewed

journals documented the effectiveness of the Pritikin weight loss program, the U.S.

Congress recently passed legislation allowing Medicare to reimburse patients’

participation in the program.

Research of this type is unlikely to be within the realm

of possibility for an individual spa, but the conventional medical community is

increasingly interested in conducting clinical (i.e., involving patients) research on the

impacts of complementary and alternative treatments. Individual spas may find they

can provide therapists for research efforts.

3. Partner with the medical tourism industry to create complementary services

Spas can leverage the growing medical tourism sector by developing complementary

services and products that target the same client base. There are significant

opportunities for the spa industry to work with medical establishments to provide

therapeutic spa services for hospital patients during both the pre-op and post-op

phases. Spa-based packages that provide recuperation, recovery, and relaxation to

The Nathan Pritikin Research Foundation, http://www.pritikinresearchfoundation.org/, accessed April 23,

2010.

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

patients after a procedure can be a value-added service that complements the

patient’s medical treatment and also extends the patient’s stay and spending in the

country.

Some elective and less-invasive procedures could potentially be provided within a spa

itself (most likely a medi-spa or dental spa with an on-site physician). The European

medi-spa model presents an interesting potential model for spas in other regions that

are interested in serving medical tourists. There are also opportunities to create

integrated spa, beauty, and wellness packages – especially aimed at relaxation and

stress relief – for the caregivers who accompany their loved ones to seek medical

treatment in another country.

B. Tapping into Proactive/Wellness-Oriented Opportunities and

Resources

1. Repackage and develop new offerings to define and market spas as a wellness

necessity

Existing spa services – such as massage, body treatments, and even facials and some

beauty services – do contribute to personal wellness by helping people feel better,

unwind and de-stress, and develop a better self image. The easiest way for spas to

target wellness consumers is to adjust the marketing language and packaging they use

to promote these services, focusing on the ways in which these services can provide

more than just pampering, but also positive benefits for one’s physical, mental, and

emotional well-being.

Spas are increasingly tapping into ancient, culturally-based healing and wellness

traditions to develop new services and products – and especially to develop unique

offerings that reflect the country or region in which they operate. There is rapidly

growing consumer interest in many therapies that typically fall under the heading of

complementary and alternative medicine – including ayurveda, traditional Chinese

medicine, energy healing/reiki, homeopathy, and so on – and there is a small, but

growing, body of scientific evidence demonstrating that such approaches do have real

therapeutic value. Other related opportunities include developing specialized types of

massages or treatments that target the needs of specific consumer segments (e.g.,

sports massage; anti-stress treatments for business executives; facial, body, and

beauty treatments that enhance the self esteem of aging women; and so on), and

placing greater emphasis on partnering services with products that have therapeutic

value, that promote healthy aging and self image, and that can help a client continue

to feel and look well after leaving the spa.

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

Spas can increasingly repackage and/or develop new kinds of specialized,

therapeutic treatments – especially those that draw upon traditional/culturally-based

therapies and approaches – but also should focus on educating consumers about the

tangible value these kinds of treatments can have for one’s health and wellness.

Developing a strong body of customer testimonials and evidence – for example,

expert/scientific testimonials or evidence showing how spa contributed to customers’

wellness in specific ways – can be a powerful tool in this context.

2. Help consumers understand and select the spa’s wellness offerings

In parallel, spas should provide guidance to consumers on how spa services contribute

to wellness and healing in general, as well as to each consumer’s individual concerns.

Sometimes, a large list of spa services can be confusing and intimidating, especially to

those who are not regular spa-goers. The customer may wonder, how is a shiatsu

massage different from a Swedish or Thai massage? If I am experiencing neck and

shoulder tension, which will provide me with the greatest relief? What other services

could I combine with a massage to alleviate stress or combat the symptoms of aging?

To address customer confusion and provide a higher level of guidance, spas could

employ wellness assessment tools to help customers better understand the areas of

their life in which they are ―out of balance‖ (for example, specific aspects of physical

wellness, mental wellness or stress, emotional wellness, self image, and so on). After

taking a wellness personal inventory or assessment, the customer could then be guided

to a personally-tailored package of services and products that would address their

individual needs and concerns.

As an accompaniment to this approach, spas could also rethink and reframe their

offerings within specific dimensions of wellness. For example, which services and

products will address specific areas of physical wellness? Which would help a

customer address emotional or mental or spiritual wellness? How can the spa’s beauty-

related offerings (e.g., facials, skin care products, etc.) support different aspects of

wellness? This approach could then help spas guide customers to the specific services

that will meet their individual needs. In addition, looking at the spa menu in this context

could highlight opportunities for spas to develop new service offerings. For example, a

spa may discover that it is not currently providing services to address the emotional

dimension of wellness, and then add meditation sessions or related services to provide

a more well-rounded package of wellness services to its customers.

There are a number of wellness assessment tools that have already been developed and that could be

adapted by spas for this purpose. There are also a handful of spas already utilizing this kind of approach – for

example, a few destination spas are utilizing the Wellness Inventory, one of the first and oldest assessment tools

developed by Dr. John W. Travis (one of the founders of the wellness movement). The Murad Inclusive Health

Centers have developed an Inclusive Health Evaluation tool that evaluates various aspects of a customer’s health

and well-being. There are certainly other spas out there using this kind of approach, but it is not yet common

practice in the industry.

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

3. Position spas as the center of integrated/holistic approaches to wellness

While many different industry sectors offer services and products aimed at elevating

health and well-being, there is still little collaboration or partnering across the core

wellness sectors. In many ways, wellness providers are competing with one another for

a share of the consumer wellness dollar. For example, an especially wellness-oriented

consumer may belong to a gym, go to a separate studio for weekly yoga or pilates

classes, occasionally visit a spa for a massage, and visit a separate beauty salon

every couple of months for hair services. He or she may also seek out an acupuncturist

or chiropractor to address an issue with back pain (which may or may not be

coordinated through a health plan or insurance) and may seek guidance on healthy

eating over the Internet.

This is a very fragmented and piecemeal approach to personal wellness and health,

and it requires a relatively high level of interest and time on the part of the consumer

to seek out and schedule each of these services. A less motivated or ―peripheral‖

wellness consumer is unlikely to spend the time and money on all of these separate

services. There are opportunities to bridge the gaps across these sectors and deliver a

more integrated package of wellness services to a broader range of customers. In

fact, this kind of comprehensive approach is starting to appear in some gyms and

health clubs, and also in some medically-based wellness centers, but these facilities do

not typically include anything more than basic spa services (such as massage) in their

offerings. In the spa arena, only destination spas and some medi-spas (mostly in

Europe) have really pursued this kind of integrated approach – it has not yet been

pursued by the broader spa industry.

The challenge for the spa industry is to take spa out of its usual ―box‖ or niche - taking

spa services into new physical locations; making spa and wellness services accessible

to different consumer segments; and developing specialized services that target

specific consumer markets. This will be especially critical to capture the interest of the

large and growing number of ―peripheral‖ wellness consumers.

Using wellness as a business development and marketing concept, spas can start with

incremental steps (such as adding a nutritionist to the spa’s staff, or offering mind-

body therapies like yoga, qigong, or pilates within the spa facility). They could evolve

toward the development of an integrated or holistic spa/wellness facility that

combines spa services, personal training, mind-body services, nutrition counseling, life

coaching, healthy aging and self-image-boosting beauty services/products, and other

compatible wellness services, all under one roof. They could also evolve toward the

development of increasingly specialized spa/wellness centers that provide holistic

services targeting the needs of specific consumer segments (e.g., middle-aged women,

sports-oriented young adults and teens, cancer survivors, and so on). These kinds of

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

integrated and specialized approaches could be pursued by any type of spa (day

spas, club spas, medical spas, etc.) and could serve both a local customer base as well

as wellness tourists.

4. Provide continuity of care to customers

Whether spas are repackaging existing services, developing new types of spa

treatments that focus on various aspects of wellness, or developing integrated

offerings and collaborations with related sectors, they will need to communicate the

concept of wellness to the customer – why it is important; and how specific treatments,

therapies, and approaches can contribute to each consumer’s personal health and

wellness. The most effective person to communicate this message is the spa therapist,

who can discuss with customers before and after treatments various ways to improve

their wellness, how the treatment at hand fits in a broader context of wellness lifestyle

approaches, and/or possibly cross-sell other spa services and products that can

complement the treatment. To ensure that the message is communicated effectively

would require a stepped-up level of education for the spa therapist.

Another opportunity is to build longer-term customer relationships and provide

continuity of care through ongoing wellness membership or coaching programs at the

spa. For example:

 A spa/wellness membership program could enroll customers on a monthly or

annual basis in a wellness lifestyle program that would package spa treatments

with other wellness-enhancing programs and services. For a monthly fee, a

customer might receive regular group seminars or webinars on wellness-related

topics, periodic newsletters or educational materials, and other related services. A

package of regular massage or body treatments, a set number of personal

training or individualized fitness sessions, access to spa facilities (e.g., steam

room/Jacuzzi/hydrotherapy areas, relaxation areas, etc.), and other services

could also be packaged or discounted along with the wellness membership.

 Wellness and lifestyle coaching is another service that spas can add in order to

build longer-term customer relationships (and that is already being recognized by

a growing number of spas as an opportunity). Regular coaching – either

individually or in group settings – could be provided in person, by phone, or even

as an extension service, bringing coaching (and spa services) to people’s homes or

the workplace.

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

C. Tapping into Workplace Wellness Opportunities and

Resources

With healthcare costs rising in the double digits, there is a growing movement among

corporations to promote employee wellness and disease prevention in order to

improve productivity and lower costs. One study conducted by Harvard economists

found that medical costs fall by about $3.27 for every dollar spent on workplace

wellness programs, while absenteeism costs fall by about $2.73 for every dollar

spent.

Many large employers now offer some type of wellness program to cut costs

and improve worker productivity. While larger corporations may build their wellness

programs and services into their company infrastructure, smaller companies often look

to service providers or corporate memberships for assistance.

Programs tend to take two main tracks. The first focuses on the management of specific

diseases of high prevalence among the company’s workforce, such as diabetes or

heart disease. A company with a high proportion of women of child-bearing age

might focus on healthy pregnancy. The program would help employees understand

and manage their risk factors. A second, more general, program focuses on managing

behaviors that may lead to ill health (known as risk factor reduction). Topics are

usually smoking, lack of exercise, and diet. Many companies also have an executive

program tailored to the specific risk factors of senior management (which has

spawned the market for executive physicals and executive health retreats at large

medical centers and select destination spas), along with a broader approach for other

employees. Few employers need convincing about the need to reduce smoking or to

encourage weight loss – it is merely a matter of choosing the most cost-effective

services to change employee behavior. A study by PricewaterhouseCoopers found that

most companies focus on healthy eating and physical exercise.

1. Deliver executive health services

Many major medical centers and a few spas (such as Canyon Ranch and Cooper Clinic

in the United States, Lanserhof in Austria, and the Kurotel in Brazil) offer executive

physicals. These are typically one- to three-day sessions where high-level company

executives (and, increasingly, anyone willing to pay out-of-pocket) are run through a

series of medical consultations and tests. Executive physicals in spa settings are still

carried out with fully-accredited medical physicians, but tend to include a larger

assortment of wellness consultations and services, which can range from massage to

nutrition and personal fitness training to psychotherapy and meditation classes.

Katherine Baicker, et al, ―Workplace Wellness Programs Can Generate Savings,‖ Health Affairs 29.2 (2010):

304-311, http://content.healthaffairs.org/cgi/content/abstract/hlthaff.2009.0626.

WEF/PWC, Working Towards Wellness, p. 15.

Neal Santelmann, ―How the Wealthy Get Healthy,‖ Forbes, http://www.forbes.com/2004/07/21/

cx_ns_0721feat.html, accessed April 13, 2010.

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

Recently, executive physicals have come under fire for submitting patients to costly

tests that do not have a proven track record of preventing disease. This may provide

an opportunity for increased focus on some of the lifestyle counseling and wellness

services that could be offered by spas.

Some experts interviewed for this study also

foresee a trend toward using spa settings for more cost-effective executive retreats,

which would combine corporate planning with wellness counseling.

2. Manage general wellness of employees

There are opportunities for spas to provide wellness-related services and

programming to companies that are interested in offering wellness programs for

employees but do not have in-house capability to deliver them. The U.S. franchise,

Massage Envy, for example, offers corporate memberships and claims to have

thousands of employers enrolled to provide discounted access to massage, working off

the model of a corporate gym membership.

Other opportunities might be delivered

by spas at the work-site, ranging from sessions on meditation, yoga, pilates, nutrition

counseling or life coaching, to chair or full-body massage.

Scott Hensley, ―Doctor Says Executive Physicals Are Bad Medicine,‖ WSJ Health Blog, October 1, 2008,

http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2008/10/01/doctor-says-executive-physicals-are-bad-medicine/tab/article/,

accessed April 13, 2010.

Massage Envy Corporate Massage Therapy Wellness Program, http://www.massageenvy.com/corporate-

wellness-program.aspx, accessed April 13, 2010.

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

VII. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MOVING THE INDUSTRY FORWARD

This section outlines a number of industry-level initiatives that could be pursued by the

Global Spa Summit, regional industry associations, and other industry organizations in

order to launch spas toward the forefront of the wellness movement.

1. Develop a harmonized understanding of wellness terminology and concepts in relation

to the industry

Although it is not necessary for all spa stakeholders to define wellness in exactly the

same way, it would help reduce consumer confusion if, at the industry level, spas

started thinking about and talking about wellness in a more coherent and harmonized

manner. We recommend a few core principles:

 We recommend embracing the idea of wellness as being multi-dimensional and

holistic, incorporating dimensions of physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, social,

and environmental wellness. This interpretation resonates with both the traditional

and modern intellectual thinking regarding wellness; provides flexibility to various

segments of the spa industry to pursue ventures under the wellness banner; and

supports regional variations and interpretations.

 We recommend embracing the concept of the illness-wellness continuum,

developed by wellness pioneer Dr. John W. Travis.

This model has been used as

a framing concept for the wellness industry in this report, and it can be an

effective tool in helping people ―get‖ wellness. It also allows individual spa

entrepreneurs to map their customers and their product and service offerings along

the continuum. One spa might decide to target healthy core wellness users, while

another might find a niche in providing healing services to breast cancer survivors.

Each customer is at a very different place on the spectrum, but the goal of any

See the more detailed explanation of Dr. John W. Travis’ definition and models of wellness in Appendix A,

Section B.

the-illnesswellness-continuum.cfm

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

wellness provider will be to move that client to the right, to the highest level of

wellness that customer can achieve.

 Recognize that wellness will be consumer-driven. The theoretical wellness leaders

emphasize self-responsibility as a core component of wellness – that each

individual must take charge of his or her own health, wellness, and behaviors. This

aspect, combined with the growing trend for conventional healthcare to be

consumer-driven, indicates that entrepreneurs within the spa industry would do well

to approach wellness with enough flexibility to allow their customers to personalize

their treatments.

2. Promote and support ongoing conversations on wellness in the spa industry, as well as

with other wellness sectors

Wellness opportunities are growing rapidly and will continue to change as they are

shaped by societal and economic forces. This study is only a starting point in terms of

helping the spa industry understand and position itself in relation to these

opportunities. Ongoing discussion, education, and awareness-building throughout the

industry will be important to help spa stakeholders understand and take ownership of

the wellness concept, and also to keep abreast of wellness-related trends. These kinds

of activities are best pursued in a forum provided by industry-wide organizations like

the Global Spa Summit.

 The GSS or other regional/international industry associations could sponsor

ongoing wellness symposiums for the spa industry – even perhaps forming a ―global

wellness institute‖ – which might include periodic seminars, working groups, or

education courses to facilitate conversation and learning about the various facets

of wellness, as well as how different spas (or businesses in other wellness sectors)

are interpreting the concept and bringing it to life.

 These events will provide the forum to bring in leading thinkers and organizations in

the wellness movement. To name a few, Dr. John W. Travis, Don Ardell, Dr. Bill

Hettler, the National Wellness Institute, and the German Wellness Association,

among others, have all dedicated significant efforts to thinking and talking about

wellness, and they have a wealth of knowledge and insights on the topic that the

spa industry could – and should – tap into. The GSS and other industry associations

could bring these thought-leading people and organizations to speak at key

events or even to lead symposiums and workshops for industry members, with the

objective of building the industry’s understanding of what wellness is and what role

spa should play in the wellness movement.

 Wellness events and symposiums could be especially effective if taken to the

regional level (e.g., Europe, Asia, Latin America, etc.), providing the opportunity to

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

spotlight regionally-based wellness traditions and explore regional/cultural

variations in wellness practices and consumer interests. For example, Asian experts

could inform Western audiences on ancient healing traditions such as ayurveda

and traditional Chinese medicine, while Western experts could inform non-Western

audiences on advances in diagnostic techniques and genomic testing.

 Another valuable area of ongoing debate will be opportunities for the spa

industry to collaborate with the beauty and anti-aging industry around wellness. In

our interviews, we found wide disagreement about which elements of beauty and

anti-aging should be considered as ―wellness.‖ Perhaps efforts could focus on the

areas where all can agree. All else equal, a ―well‖ person is more beautiful, and

effectively younger. Regardless of whether cosmetic dermatology products and

services, or cosmetic surgery, fall under the ―wellness banner,‖ they will be more

effective and longer-lasting if the consumer is practicing other wellness lifestyle

behaviors. Eating well and exercising will enhance the effects of liposuction.

Adequate hydration and sunscreen use will prolong the effects of anti-aging skin

treatments. Following this rationale, beauty and anti-aging products and services

can also serve as a point of entry for peripheral consumers into the wellness

industry.

 Yet another opportunity is to facilitate dialogue with the conventional medical

industry by inviting medical doctors to experience spa facilities and programs, with

the goal of introducing them to the idea of how these kinds of establishments can

support consumers in making the lifestyle changes that doctors often recommend.

3. Build a body of evidence-based consumer research that connects spa to wellness

There is a dearth of research on consumer segments, interests, and preferences for

purchasing wellness-related offerings, and much of the research that does exist tends

to focus only on the United States. In-depth consumer and marketing research – such as

consumer surveys, focus groups, and so on – can be expensive and difficult for all but

very large spa businesses to pursue. A critical mass of public sentiment and customer

testimonials stating that an approach or treatment ―works‖ – or makes consumers feel

better, feel younger, or look better – can send a powerful message for potential new

wellness consumers, especially if partnered with scientific studies (see below).

Consumer research could be sponsored by regional/country industry associations,

focusing on wellness consumers within specific markets and regions, and would be of

benefit to many spa stakeholders, both within the region and beyond.

Further elaboration on how this and other research-oriented recommendations fit within the broader context of

the various types of research that could be useful in the spa industry can be found in Appendix C.

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

4. Facilitate and publicize evidence-based/scientific research on wellness approaches

Research in the conventional, Western medical and bioscience community follows well-

established protocols and procedures, focused around what is known as the ―scientific

method.‖ For the conventional medical community to widely accept, recommend, and

prescribe spa-based treatments, they will need to ―see the data‖ delivered by

rigorously designed clinical trials, and then see the data duplicated in additional,

similar trials. With the medical community on board, employers, insurers, and public

health officials are likely to follow suit, which will offer spas increased access to

insurance reimbursement and wellness programs funded by employers and

governments. Recognition by any and all of these opinion-leaders, in turn, has a

positive influence on consumers.

This type of research is high-priced, moves very slowly, and must be driven by the

conventional medical community. However, there is growing interest by the medical

community, and efforts are beginning. Some research of this nature is already taking

place, but only on a limited scale.

Organizations like GSS can support increased evidence-based scientific research on

wellness-related and complementary/alternative therapies in several ways:

 First, GSS could serve as a conduit for compiling, summarizing, and making

accessible the existing evidence-based research studies that have been conducted on

the benefits of spa and alternative therapies. A GSS-hosted digital clearinghouse

that lists existing reputable studies, and summarizes study findings in language that

is accessible to a mainstream consumer and spa professionals, would help

consumers inform themselves and help spa professionals market their therapies. An

example of a similar clearinghouse for higher level clinical studies on a broad

range of conditions, the Cochrane Reviews, was cited by several medical

experts.

Funding for such an initiative could be sought from major corporations in

the spa, hospitality, beauty/products, fitness, and other wellness sectors that could

benefit from publicizing such research.

 Second, GSS could reach out to the medical and research community to encourage

more clinical studies that investigate the modalities used most widely by consumers.

 Finally, GSS could consider offering a global research award or prize for original

research on the health benefits/effects of massage and other spa treatments

(perhaps with prize monies gathered through GSS member organizations). Such an

award could help expand the body of peer-reviewed research available and also

http://www2.cochrane.org/reviews/en/subtopics/. Search by the subtopic of Complementary Medicine Field to

see summaries of high level, systematic reviews of complementary medicine.

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

generate increased research momentum on such topics at universities, hospitals, and

other public/private research organizations.

There is a lack of scientific, evidence-based studies

on complementary and alternative therapies

The U.S. National Library of Medicine’s journal database, PubMed

, identified only 40

systematic scientific reviews (the highest level of medical study) of acupuncture, massage

therapy, naturopathy, or yoga published from 2002 to 2007. Only 10 of these reviews

found sufficient evidence to conclude that the therapy was effective for a specific condition,

such as the following: acupuncture, yoga, and massage therapy for back pain; acupuncture

for knee pain (including osteoarthritis); and acupuncture for nausea or vomiting (including

postoperative, chemotherapy-induced, and pregnancy-induced).

In addition, the attention paid by the scientific community to certain CAM modalities does not

necessarily correspond with their prevalence of use among the general public. For example,

the U.S. Institute of Medicine identified 79 systematic reviews of acupuncture and 38 studies

of homeopathy (making them the 3

and 4

most studied modalities), but the 2007 U.S.

National Health Interview Survey found that less that 1.5% of the adult U.S. public uses these

therapies in a given year. The CAM therapies that tend to be less frequently used by the

public (e.g., biofeedback, hypnotherapy, acupuncture) tend to have the highest level of

acceptance and referral by physician groups, including pediatricians. Additional

communication is needed between the scientific community and the public to encourage more

research focus in CAM modalities that are most attractive to mainstream public users of them.

PubMed comprises more than 19 million citations for biomedical articles in the fields of medicine,

nursing, dentistry, veterinary medicine, the health care system, the preclinical sciences, and other life

sciences.

Source: Patricia M. Barnes, et al, ―Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use Among Adults and

Children: United States, 2007,‖ National Health Statistics Reports No. 12 (December 10, 2008),

http://nccam.nih.gov/news/2008/nhsr12.pdf.

5. Support new industry research to raise awareness of and attract investment in

wellness opportunities

Additional research is needed at the industry level to help spa business owners,

investors, and others understand and pursue wellness industry opportunities. It can also

help the spa industry tap into larger pools of investment dollars, tap into government

and public sector programs and funding, and become more confident in taking

advantage of wellness trends.

Industry research areas that could be supported or facilitated by an organization like

GSS include the following:

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

 Establish better benchmarks and metrics to report and track the financial

performance of spa (and other wellness-related sectors and businesses like yoga,

CAM, and so on). It continues to be difficult to attract institutional investors to

wellness-related sectors because of the lack of data, the difficulties in establishing

standardized performance indicators, and the resulting challenges in

demonstrating what the opportunities are. Establishing better metrics for spa and

other wellness sectors would facilitate higher levels of investment and attention,

leading to increased consolidation and specialization in the wellness industry.

 Sponsor the development of Harvard-style case studies that explore examples of

successful approaches and business models for developing, marketing, and selling

wellness offerings through spas. This kind of research could raise awareness among

spa business owners and investors about how the spa industry is already tapping

into wellness trends, what kinds of financial returns or other results are being

achieved, and also encourage creativity in exploring new wellness-oriented

business models for the spa industry. Such case studies could also be employed as

educational tools within spa management and hospitality management educational

programs.

 Sponsor studies on spa industry size and economic impact at the regional and country

levels. Country-based and regional spa industry associations will find that they

have better traction in talking with public sector agencies (e.g., for potential

collaboration with tourism boards, health departments, and so on) if they can

articulate clearly the size and importance of the spa industry in their

region/country, as well as its impact on the regional economy and society (e.g.,

creating jobs, improving health outcomes for consumers, and so on).

6. Connect with wellness-related public sector organizations to leverage their resources

Several key sectors within the wellness cluster – including tourism as well as segments

related to health and medicine – are actively promoted and managed by public

sector agencies at the regional and national level. The spa industry has not

traditionally had close connections with the public sector, and it often suffers from a

lack of recognition by the public sector as an industry that provides valuable jobs and

services. The spa industry would be well served by seeking to forge a closer

connection and dialogue with government agencies that are overseeing key wellness

segments. For example:

 At the industry level, leading stakeholders from the GSS could meet with and

develop ongoing connections with global tourism organizations, such as the World

Tourism Organization (WTO) and World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), with

the goal of sharing information about the spa industry and exchanging ideas

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

about the role that spas play within the wellness and medical tourism markets. Such

exchanges would help raise the profile of spa among tourism industry leaders and

present ongoing opportunities for collaboration.

 At the country/regional level, spa industry leaders could reach out to tourism and

medical tourism organizations to better understand their own region’s

wellness/medical tourism promotion/branding strategies, customer segments being

targeted, and marketing channels and techniques being used, so they can

effectively leverage the promotion and brand-building that has been done at the

country/regional levels. Spa associations and businesses should also participate in

group delegations to major tourism trade fairs and promotional events as a cluster

of wellness tourism providers.

 Opportunities to make connections with public health authorities in various countries

will vary according to the structure of the country’s healthcare delivery system.

Beneficial relationships can be made with government-funded medical research

institutions, such as the National Center for Complementary and Alternative

Medicine in the United States. In making these connections, the spa industry should

increasingly draw on all available research and studies that address questions such

as the following: What is the impact of the spa industry – on the economy, on

people’s health and wellness, on treatment of specific conditions? How can spa

treatments and wellness approaches facilitate better quality of life? What

evidence-based research supports these claims? These kinds of studies tend to

resonate well with the public sector, and more studies of this nature should not only

be facilitated by the spa industry, but also should be put to use proactively by spa

industry leaders in communicating with governments.

7. Teach spa therapists to understand and promote wellness

Spas that seek to develop more holistic and wellness-oriented service offerings for

their customers will most likely require a stepped-up level of education and awareness

on the part of their spa therapists. Essentially, spa therapists will need to learn to ―talk

the talk‖ – that is, they must understand the deeper principles and broader context of

wellness beyond the spa industry, as well as how spa fits within wellness-enhancing

approaches, and then be able to communicate these ideas to their clients. The GSS

and other industry organizations could work with major spa therapist training schools

to provide guidance on new curriculum that would address wellness concepts and

teach spa therapists how to educate their customers in holistic wellness principles and

behaviors.

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

8. Educate spa management on wellness concepts and business savvy

According to many spa stakeholders, one reason the spa industry has not yet actively

pursued wellness market opportunities is that spa management, business owners, and

investors are not necessarily well-attuned to wellness trends and/or do not yet have

the business savvy to grow their business into these kinds of opportunities. Since spa is

still a relatively new industry, it has not yet reached the level of

managerial/entrepreneurial professionalization that exists in other, more mature

industries (such as the hotel/hospitality sector), and many spa managers come from a

therapeutic background and not a business background. Industry leaders, working

through GSS or other channels, could work more closely with the handful of spa

management training programs/universities that exist to help shape the curriculum to

reflect future market needs – for example, incorporating a ―wellness theory‖

component into the coursework; providing additional education on trends and

operational approaches in other wellness-related sectors (e.g., fitness, medicine,

corporate wellness, etc.); and providing more extensive coursework on business

development, promotion, and marketing.

Recognizing that wellness is a vast and multi-faceted concept and market, we present the

preceding recommendations as activities that could be executed by the Global Spa

Summit or by regional groups and associations for the greater good of the spa industry

as a whole. We hope that this study will generate ongoing and productive discussion to

propel the industry forward.

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

Appendices

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

APPENDIX A: DETAILS ON THE HISTORY AND DEFINITIONS OF

WELLNESS

A. A Timeline of the Evolution of Wellness

Ancient Antecedents of Wellness

3,000-

1,500

Ayurveda – possibly the world’s oldest healthcare system – originated as an oral tradition and

was originally recorded 2,000-4,000 years ago in the Vedas, four sacred Hindu texts. Ayurveda

―is entirely holistic. Its adherents strive to create harmony between the body, mind, and spirit,

maintaining that this balance prevents illness, treats acute conditions, and contributes to a long and

healthy life.‖ Ayurveda’s ―regimens are tailored to each person's unique prakriti (Ayurvedic

constitution), taking into account his or her needs for nutrition, exercise, personal hygiene, social

interaction, and other lifestyle elements.‖

From India also originated mind-body-spirit traditions

such as yoga and meditation, which are increasingly practiced in modern, Western cultures.

3,000-

2,000

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), as it is practiced today, has evolved from one of the oldest

systems of medicine in the world. Influenced by the ancient philosophies of Taoism and Buddhism,

TCM ―focuses on achieving health and well-being through the cultivation of harmony within our

lives… TCM not only identifies and treats illness and prevents disease but, just as importantly,

optimizes health, well-being, and sustainability in our lives and in our world.‖ TCM’s holistic

perspective ―is applied to everything affecting our health and well-being; from our diet, exercise,

and how we handle stress; to how we interact with our family and friends, our community, and our

environment.‖

TCM emphasizes individualized treatment, and therapies that have evolved from

this tradition – such as acupuncture, herbal medicine, qi gong, tai chi – are not only still in practice

but are also increasingly being integrated into Western medical practices.

500 BC

Ancient Greek physician Hippocrates – considered to be the father of Western medicine – is

possibly the first physician to focus on preventing sickness instead of just treating disease (this

concept is captured in the modern Hippocratic Oath: ―I will prevent disease whenever I can, for

prevention is preferable to cure.‖). Hippocrates argued that disease is a product of diet, lifestyle,

and environmental factors, not ―a punishment inflicted by the gods.‖

The principles espoused in

Hippocrates’ many famous aphorisms (―Walking is man's best medicine.‖ ―Let your food be your

medicine, and your medicine be your food.‖

) resonate closely with modern principles of staying

well.

50 BC

Ancient Roman medicine emphasized the prevention of disease over curing disease. Adopting the

practices of Greek medicine, the Romans believed that disease is a product of diet and lifestyle.

Ancient Rome had a highly developed public health system, and the extensive system of aqueducts,

sewers, and public baths helped prevent the spread of germs and maintain the health of the

population.

Amala Guha, ―Explore Healing Practices: Ayurvedic Medicine,‖ Taking Charge of Your Health, University of

Minnesota’s Center for Spirituality and Healing and the Life Science Foundation Website,

http://takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/explore-healing-practices/ayurvedic-medicine, accessed March 21, 2010.

Christopher Hafner, ―Explore Healing Practices: Traditional Chinese Medicine,‖ University of Minnesota Center

for Spirituality and Healing and the Life Science Foundation Website, http://takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/explore-

healing-practices/what-traditional-chinese-medicine, accessed March 21, 2010.

―Hippocrates," Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia, Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/

Hippocrates, accessed March 21, 2010.

James Strohecker, ―A Brief History of Wellness,‖ Wellness Inventory Website, 2006,

http://www.mywellnesstest.com/certResFile/BriefHistoryofWellness.pdf.

―Medicine in Ancient Rome," Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia, Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_medicine, accessed March 21, 2010.

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

Century Intellectual and Medical Movements

1790s

Homeopathy was developed by German physician Samuel Christian Hahnemann (1755-1843)

in the 1790s, partly out of frustration with the failures of the mainstream medicine of the day. It

treats patients by giving them very small doses of highly diluted substances that produce similar

symptoms in healthy people, to stimulate the body’s self-healing response. Homeopathic remedies

are derived from natural substances (plants, animals, minerals), and treatments are individualized

based on a person’s health history, body type, and symptoms. Homeopathy was later introduced

in the United States in the 1820s and 1830s, and homeopathic schools and practitioners

proliferated throughout the U.S. and Europe through the mid- to late-19

century. In fact, by

1900 the United States had 22 homeopathic colleges and 15,000 practitioners (representing one-

sixth of the U.S. medical profession).

1860s

German Priest Sebastian Kneipp (1821-1897) founded his own holistic healing system, known as

the ―Kneipp Cure,‖ which combined a form of hydrotherapy with other practices such as herbal

medicines, exercise, nutrition (a healthy, low-protein diet of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables),

and spirituality (emphasizing that a healthy mind leads to a healthy person). Kneipp was especially

known for his system of preventive and curative hydrotherapy, which involved systematic

application of water through various methods, temperatures, and pressures. Kneipp is also

recognized as one of the founders of naturopathic medicine.

The New Thought Movement – a spiritual movement that arose in the 19

century United States

and drew upon the ideas of Ralph Waldo Emerson and the transcendentalists – emphasized the

relationship between spirituality and health, and that disease is mental in origin. The ―father‖ of the

New Thought movement, Phineas Quimby (1802-1866), developed his own theories about

mentally-aided healing and in 1859 opened a clinic in Portland, Maine, that treated over 12,000

patients/

1870s

Mary Baker Eddy (1821-1910), founder of Christian Science, was a patient of Phineas Quimby

and explored his ideas within the context of her own study and understanding of the healing

ministry of Jesus Christ. Eddy began practicing spiritual healing and published a book entitled

Science and Health in 1875, and she spent the remainder of her life to establishing her church and

promoting her spiritually-based healing methods.

Osteopathy, a medical approach that emphasizes the role of the musculoskeletal system in health

and disease, was founded in the United States in 1874 by Andrew Taylor Still (1828-1917).

Osteopathy is a noninvasive, holistic approach that uses manual techniques to balance all the systems

of the body and provide overall health and well-being. Still’s philosophy of medicine was based

on ideas that date back to Hippocrates, focusing on the unity of all body parts. Still also

recognized the body's self-healing capabilities and stressed preventive medicine, eating properly,

and keeping fit.

1880s

Swiss physician Maximilian Bircher-Benner was a pioneer in nutritional research and is best

known as the inventor of muesli cereal. At the sanatorium he operated in Zurich, Bircher-Benner

advocated a healthy diet of fruits, vegetables, and nuts as a means for healing, along with

physical exercise, and active gardening work – espousing harmony between man and nature.

The Young Men’s Christian Organization (YMCA), originally founded in 1844 in London, may

be one of the world’s oldest wellness organizations. Originally founded as a Christian

organization, the YMCA increasingly began to promote physical health and sports as it spread

throughout the United States in the mid- to late-19

century. In the 1880s, the YMCA adopted its

triangle logo inscribed with the words ―spirit,‖ ―mind,‖ and ―body‖ (a logo still used to this day).

1890s

Horace Fletcher (1849-1919) was a Victorian-era health-food faddist who believed that disease

could be avoided by ―proper mastication‖ – that is, chewing food until it turned to liquid before

swallowing would prevent overeating and improve a person’s overall health. Fletcher also

advocated a low-protein diet. Although the ―Fletcherism‖ doctrine lost popularity, Fletcher’s concept

that health is a consequence of one’s own actions has evolved and endured. Fletcher’s ideas about

mastication also endure today in the macrobiotic diet, which espouses chewing food thoroughly

before swallowing (at least 50 times) for good digestion and absorption of nutrients.

Chiropractic, which focuses on the relationship between the body’s structure (especially the spine)

and its functioning, was founded in the 1890s in the United States by Daniel David Palmer

(1845-1913). Palmer believed that the body has a natural healing ability. Chiropractic was

developed and popularized in the United States through the early-20

century by Palmer’s son,

B.J. Palmer (1881-1961).

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

Century Intellectual and Medical Movements

1900s

John Harvey Kellogg (1852-1943) was raised as a Seventh Day Adventist, believing in a

religious obligation to lead a healthy lifestyle. In 1876, Kellogg was appointed director of a

small medical facility run by the Seventh Day Adventists Church in Battle Creek, Michigan, which

he later enlarged and renamed the Battle Creek Sanitarium in 1903. Under Kellogg, Battle Creek

Sanitarium grew to be one of the most famous medical facilities of its time – famous patients

included Will Mayo (founder of the Mayo Clinic), George Bernard Shaw, Henry Ford, and

Theodore Roosevelt. The sanitarium’s treatments encouraged a low-fat, low-protein diet with an

emphasis on vegetables, whole grains, and fiber-rich foods, along with daily exercise, fresh air,

hydrotherapy, and abstinence from tobacco and alcohol. It was known as a ―place where people

learn to stay well.‖ Many of Kellogg’s views on diet and fitness have influenced the modern-day

wellness movement. Kellogg also experimented with food processing techniques, and with his

brother W.K. Kellogg, developed corn flakes, peanut butter, granola, soymilk, and soy-based

meat substitutes.

Naturopathy is a holistic medical approach that originated in Europe (especially Germany) in the

century and has its roots in Europe’s ―Nature Cure‖ movement (which promoted a wholesome

diet, exercise, and fresh air). It promotes the body’s ability to heal itself through use of dietary and

lifestyle changes along with herbs, massage, and joint manipulation. The emphasis is on supporting

health rather than combating disease. Naturopathy was introduced and popularized in the United

States by Benedict Lust, who advocated hydrotherapy treatments, homeopathy, herbal medicine,

and also introduced in America the Indian practices of ayurveda and yoga.

Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner developed the spiritual movement of anthroposophy, which

grew partly out of the European transcendentalism movement. Starting in the early-1900s, Steiner

developed his holistic and wellness-focused system of anthroposophical medicine, which focuses on

self-determination, autonomy and dignity of patients, and enhancing a patient’s capacity to heal

(working in combination with conventional medical approaches). Steiner also developed a

pharmaceutical company called Weleda, which still sells natural medical and personal care

products around the world.

Austrian F.X. Mayr, as a medical student, decided to specialize in treatment of the abdomen and

digestive system. Mayr developed his own detoxification and therapeutic dietary modification

program (known as ―Mayr Therapy‖), which is still practiced (especially in Europe) today.

1910

In 1910, the Carnegie Foundation published the Flexner Report, a study of North America’s

system of medical education. The report – which criticized medical schools for their lack of

scientific rigor, low standards, and poor instructional quality – had a wide impact on the practice

of medicine in North America and shaped the medical education system and profession to this

day. Flexner also questioned the scientific validity of all forms of medicine other than biomedicine,

resulting in the decline of many forms of alternative medicine in the United States (including

homeopathy, naturopathy, and so on), and courses in these fields were dropped from mainstream

medical education. Interestingly, only osteopathy was able to maintain its place in mainstream

medicine by adapting its medical schools to Flexner’s recommendations for a scientific, evidence-

based approach.

The Flexner Report, combined with the advent and growth of the pharmaceutical industry in the

mid-20

century, were largely responsible for the decline of holistic, alternative, and wellness

based health approaches and the rise of disease-oriented, drug-based medicine in the 20

century.

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

Century Intellectual and Medical Movements

Table Sources:

Beck, Andrew H. ―The Flexner Report and the Standardization of American Medical Education.‖ JAMA 291 (2004): 2139-

2140. http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/291/17/2139.

―Biography of Andrew Taylor Still.‖ American Osteopathic Association Website.

http://www.osteopathic.org/index.cfm?PageID=ost_still.

―Health Topics A-Z.‖ National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, National Institutes of Health Website.

http://nccam.nih.gov/health/atoz.htm.

Miller, James William. ―Wellness: The History and Development of a Concept.‖ Spektrum Freizeit 27 (2005): 84-106.

http://www.fh-joanneum.at/global/show_document.asp? id=aaaaaaaaaabdjus&download=1.

Strohecker, James. ―A Brief History of Wellness.‖ Wellness Inventory Website. 2006.

http://www.mywellnesstest.com/certResFile/BriefHistoryofWellness.pdf.

―Sebastian Kneipp.‖ Kneipp Website. http://kneippus.com/sebastian-kneipp.html.

Toufexis, Anastasia, et al, ―Is Homeopathy Good Medicine?‖ Time. September 25, 1995.

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,983466-2,00.html.

Wikipedia articles for specific persons, organizations, and movements. Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia

Foundation, Inc.

Century Popularization of Wellness

1950s

Author and publisher J.I. Rodale was one of the first advocates of organic farming in the United

States. In 1950, he began publishing Prevention magazine, a pioneering publication in promoting

alternative/preventive health. Prevention presented systematic ways people could try to prevent

illness and disease, rather than wait for the need to cure it – a concept that went against the

conventional thinking of the time. Rodale, Inc. is still a leading publisher of health and wellness

books, magazines, and websites.

1950s-

1960s

Physician Halbert L. Dunn (1896-1975) served as head of the U.S. National Office of Vital

Statistics from 1935-1961 and spent much of his career documenting health trends. Dunn first

presented his idea of ―high level wellness‖ in a series of 29 lectures held at a Unitarian

Universalist Church in Arlington, VA, in the 1950s. Dunn’s talks were published in 1961 in a book

called High-Level Wellness, in which Dunn defined wellness as: ―an integrated method of

functioning which is oriented to maximizing the potential of which an individual is capable, within

the environment where he is functioning.‖ Dunn is known as the ―father of the wellness

movement,‖ and he emphasized the mental and spiritual dimensions of wellness in addition to the

physical dimension. His work subsequently caught the attention of – and was further developed by

– several other physicians and intellectuals.

1970s

Dr. John W. Travis, who was enrolled in a preventive medicine residency program at Johns

Hopkins University, was influenced by Dunn’s writings. Based on Dunn’s work, in 1975 Travis

founded the world’s first wellness center, the Wellness Resource Center, in Mill Valley, CA.

Travis emphasized individual responsibility for one’s own wellness. He developed a 12-dimension

wellness assessment tool (the Wellness Inventory, 1975), and he wrote and published The Wellness

Workbook in 1977. Both are still in use today as foundational tools for wellness development. The

Wellness Resource Center was later closed in 1979 (due to financial difficulties), Ironically, the

same year, a high profile television interview with Dan Rather made Travis a national figure in the

U.S. and heightening public awareness of the wellness concept. Travis has since established a non-

profit and is leading efforts dedicated to transforming the medical culture, focusing on parenting

and infant wellness, and promoting full-spectrum wellness (which encompasses adult and child

wellness along with global and environmental wellness issues).

Also influenced by Dunn’s work around this time was Don Ardell, who was a Ph.D. candidate in a

self-directed doctoral program focusing on positive health. In 1977, Ardell published High Level

Wellness: An Alternative to Doctors, Drugs, and Disease, borrowing the title and concepts from

Dunn. Ardell’s book was a best seller, and he later wrote 12 other books, including 14 Days to a

Wellness Lifestyle and Die Healthy. Like Travis, Ardell emphasizes self-responsibility for wellness,

but he focuses on the physical and mental aspects of wellness (while downplaying or rejecting the

spiritual aspect). He has been a leading figure in the wellness movement for over three

decades, speaks at numerous health and wellness conferences, and publishes a weekly newsletter,

the Ardell Wellness Report.

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

Century Popularization of Wellness

1970s

In the early-1970s, the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UWSP) began focusing on

helping students live their lives as well as prepare for a career. Mary Fleishauer, a nurse in the

student health services center at UWSP, attended a workshop by Dr. John W. Travis at the

Wellness Resource Center. She then initiated the university purchasing and utilizing wellness

materials from Travis, including the Wellness Inventory, and UWSP started the first university-

based campus wellness center. Campus wellness programs became popular and spread

throughout the United States in the 1970s and 1980s, and these were influential in the spread of

the wellness movement.

Dr. Bill Hettler, one of the staff physicians at (and later director of) the USWP health services

center, built on Dr. John W. Travis’ materials and created his own Lifestyle Assessment

Questionnaire, as well as a six-dimensional model of wellness. Hettler’s wellness assessment tool

has been widely used for campus wellness programs and is now marketed as TestWell. Along with

his colleagues at UWSP, Hettler organized the National Wellness Institute in 1977 and the first

National Wellness Conference in 1978. Over 250 people attended the conference in 1978, and

it has been held annually since then, with typically over 1,000 attendees from around the world

each year.

Late-

1970s &

Early-

1980s

As the wellness movement spread, businesses in the United States began developing workplace

wellness programs, which support services aimed at enhancing employees’ health. One of the

pioneers of workplace wellness was Sentry Insurance, which is headquartered in Stevens Point,

Wisconsin, near UWSP. Sentry Insurance began using Don Ardell’s book 14 Days to a Wellness

Lifestyle as part of its employee wellness program. Workplace wellness program continued to

expand throughout the 1980s and 1990s, and leaders in this arena have included: Kimberly

Clark, Xerox, Conoco, Johnson & Johnson, Tenneco, Johnson Wax, Pepsi, and General Foods.

1990

Wellness concepts began to spread to Europe, and the German Wellness Association (Deutscher

Wellness Verband, DWV) and the European Wellness Union (Europäischen Wellness Union, EWU)

were the first organizations founded in Europe to officially represent and promote the wellness

movement.

1990s-

2000s

Most of the foundational thinking about (and defining of) wellness took place in the 1950s-1970s;

however, the movement has continued to evolve and spread in recent decades. As chronic health

problems have proliferated, and as the failings of our medical system have become evident,

greater attention is being paid to proactive approaches to health and well-being. For example,

the fitness and health club industry began expanding rapidly in the 1990s, and the spa

industry saw significant growth beginning in the early-2000s. Adoption of workplace wellness

programs has continued to grow rapidly in recent years, expanding outside the United States and

also expanding among smaller companies. Numerous television celebrities and self-help experts

have arisen over the last decade or two, touting concepts like self-actualization, living your best

life, improving your self-image, living and eating better – and helping bring wellness-related

concepts to a more mainstream audience. However, all of these developments have occurred in a

relatively fragmented manner and have not yet coalesced under the banner of the wellness

movement or wellness industry.

Table Sources:

Ardell, Donald B. ―A (Very) Brief History of the Wellness Concept.‖ SeekWellness. December 29, 2000.

http://www.seekwellness.com/wellness/reports/2000-12-29.htm.

Hettler, Bill. ―The Past of Wellness.‖September 25, 1998. http://www.hettler.com/History/hettler.htm.

Miller, James William. ―Wellness: The History and Development of a Concept.‖ Spektrum Freizeit 27 (2005): 84-106.

http://www.fh-joanneum.at/global/show_document.asp? id=aaaaaaaaaabdjus&download=1.

Wikipedia articles for specific persons and organizations. Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

B. Definitions of Wellness

1. Definitions from the Founding Fathers of the Wellness Movement

Halbert Dunn’s Definition and Model of Wellness (1961)

In his book, High-Level Wellness, Halbert Dunn defined wellness as: ―an integrated

method of functioning which is oriented to maximizing the potential of which an

individual is capable. It requires that the individual maintain a continuum of

balance and purposeful direction within the environment where he is

functioning.

Dunn viewed wellness not as a static state of being ―unsick,‖ but rather

as an ongoing process or a ―direction in progress toward an ever higher potential of

functioning.‖

Dunn’s model of wellness is summarized in his health grid (shown on the following

page), which depicts health on the horizontal axis (ranging from death and severe

illness on the left to ―peak wellness‖ on the right) and environment on the vertical axis

(depicting physical and socioeconomic factors). The four quadrants in the grid

represent different levels of wellness along these two continuums: (A) poor health in an

unfavorable environment; (B) ―protected poor health‖ in a favorable environment; (C)

―emergent high-level wellness‖ in an unfavorable environment; and (D) ―high-level

wellness‖ in a favorable environment.

Halbert L. Dunn, High Level Wellness, Arlington, VA: Beatty Press, 1961, pp. 4-5.

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

Halbert Dunn’s Health Grid

Halbert Dunn, “High-Level Wellness for Man and Society.” American Journal of Public Health 49.6 (1959): 788.

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

Dr. John W. Travis’ Definition and Model of Wellness (late-1970s)

John W. Travis drew upon Hal

Dunn’s work to create his own

definition and model of wellness,

and he altered Dunn’s health grid,

changing it to a two dimensional

wellness continuum. Left of center

(or the ―neutral point‖) is a

progressively worsening state of

health, resulting in premature

death, while to the right of center

are increasing levels of health and

well-being. The ―treatment

paradigm‖ (e.g., drugs, surgery,

psychotherapy, etc.) brings one

only to the neutral point (being disease-free), while the ―wellness paradigm‖ helps one

move beyond neutral to higher levels of wellness.

Travis has also developed the ―Iceberg Model of Health and Disease,‖ which posits the

illness and health are only the ―tip of the iceberg‖ – to understand their causes, one

must look below the surface at lifestyle/behavioral, psychological/motivational, and

spiritual factors. Travis’ ―Wellness Energy System‖ model depicts 12 dimensions of

wellness and emphasizes that ―efficient flow of energy is essential to wellness.‖

Like Dunn, Travis emphasizes that wellness is a process, and not a static state, and that

it is not simply the absence of disease: ―Wellness extends the definition of health to

encompass a process of integration characterized by awareness, education, and

growth.‖

John W. Travis and Regina Sara Ryan, The Wellness Workbook, 3

edition, Celestial Arts, 2004. Available

online at: http://www.thewellspring.com/.

For more information on Travis’ models and theories of wellness, see: http://www.thewellspring.com/flex/

articles/2430/personal-wellness.cfm.

John W. Travis’ Definitions of Wellness:

 Wellness is a choice—a decision you make to move

toward optimal health.

 Wellness is a way of life—a lifestyle you design to

achieve your highest potential for wellbeing.

 Wellness is a process—a developing awareness that

there is no endpoint, but that health and happiness are

possible in each moment, here and now.

 Wellness is a balanced channeling of energy—energy

received from the environment, transformed within

you, and returned to affect the world around you.

 Wellness is the integration of body, mind, and spirit—

the appreciation that everything you do, and think,

and feel, and believe has an impact on your state of

health and the health of the world.

 Wellness is the loving acceptance of yourself.

the-illnesswellness-continuum.cfm

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

Don Ardell’s Definition and Model of Wellness (late-1970s)

Don Ardell states that ―Wellness is first and

foremost a choice to assume responsibility

for the quality of your life. It begins with a

conscious decision to shape a healthy

lifestyle. Wellness is a mindset, a

predisposition to adopt a series of key

principles in varied life areas that lead to

high levels of well-being and life

satisfaction.‖

Ardell’s circular model of

wellness has evolved several times since it

was first introduced in 1977, and the

current version of the model depicts three

domains and 14 dimensions of wellness.

Unlike some of the other predominant

models, Ardell does not include a spiritual

dimension to wellness, and instead focuses

on the mental, physical, and social aspects.

National Wellness Institute / Dr. Bill Hettler’s Definition and Model of Wellness (late-1970s)

The National Wellness Institute (NWI)

utilizes a definition of wellness that was

developed by founder Bill Hettler:

―Wellness is an active process through

which people become aware of, and

make choices toward, a more successful

existence.‖

NWI has one of the most

widely-recognized and applied models of

wellness, with six interdependent dimensions:

physical (the combination of good exercise

and eating habits), spiritual (our search for

meaning and purpose in human existence),

intellectual (one’s creative, stimulating mental

activities), social (contributing to one’s

environment and community), emotional (awareness and acceptance of one’s feelings),

and occupational (personal satisfaction and enrichment in one’s life through work).

Donald B. Ardell, ―What is Wellness?‖ SeekWellness, October 2000, http://www.seekwellness.com/wellness/

articles/what_is_wellness.htm, accessed March 28, 2010.

―Defining Wellness,‖ National Wellness Institute Website, http://www.nationalwellness.org/

index.php?id_tier=2&id_c=26, accessed March 28, 2010.

wellness/articles/wellness_models.htm

index.php?id_tier=2&id_c=25

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

2. The Evolving Definitions and Use of the Word “Wellness” Today

Over the last decade or so, as the concept of wellness has started to gain popular

recognition, use of the term has evolved and fragmented. On the one hand, the word

has moved away from the holistic approach suggested by Dunn, Travis, Hettler, and

other ―founding fathers,‖ with a growing focus on just the physical aspects of wellness.

In many contexts today, wellness is associated only with good health or physical

fitness. On the other hand, wellness has also come to be associated with popular New

Age, self-help, and spiritual philosophies. With its popularization, the word wellness

has also been co-opted as marketing lingo, used to sell products and services that

bear little relationship to the origins of the word. As an illustration of this phenomenon,

when searching for the word ―wellness‖ in the Google search engine, the first search

result to appear is a wellness-branded pet food company.

The increasingly widespread use of the word wellness in a fragmented and

meaningless way has led to a level of confusion among both consumers and

professionals in wellness-related fields. In response, some professionals in the health

field have started to distance themselves from the term. In a 2001 article for the

Research Digest of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, noted

academics Charles Corbin

and Robert Pangrazi

proposed the development of a

uniform definition of wellness, stating that ―lack of a clear definition makes it all but

impossible to develop a sound body of scientific knowledge related to wellness‖ and

that ―the lack of a sound body of knowledge can result in quackery and

misinformation concerning wellness.‖

Corbin and Pangrazi have proposed the

following definition of wellness: ―a multidimensional state of being describing the

existence of positive health in an individual as exemplified by quality of life and a

sense of well-being.‖ They encourage professional organizations that represent

wellness-related activities to develop and endorse their own uniform definition of

wellness, in the hope that such organizations will eventually work together to create a

harmonized definition across different wellness sectors and activities.

3. Wellness Definitions in a Regional Context

The use and understanding of the word wellness varies across different regions of the

world, based on the varying cultural and historic traditions of each region. In many

Charles B. Corbin is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Exercise and Wellness at Arizona State University

and is author of some of the most widely adopted college and secondary school texts in the area of fitness and

wellness.

Robert P. Pangrazi is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Exercise Science and Physical Education at

Arizona State University and is a best-selling author of numerous books on physical fitness and physical

education.

Charles B. Corbin and Robert P. Pangrazi, ―Toward a Uniform Definition of Wellness: A Commentary,‖

President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports Research Digest 3.15 (December 2001): 1-8,

http://www.fitness.gov/publications/digests/pcpfsdigest1201.pdf.

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

countries, there is no good translation of the word ―wellness‖ into the local language,

and many countries have simply adopted the English word ―wellness‖ into common

usage.

In Europe, the word ―wellness‖ and the theories and models behind it have largely

been borrowed from the United States. However, the Europeans also have a much

longer cultural tradition of spa-going, bathing, ―taking the cure,‖ and visiting

sanatoriums and health resorts for both preventive and curative purposes. In Europe,

the word wellness also tends to be associated more directly with these kinds of

activities, including spas, health resorts, thalassotherapy, and the types of non-medical

treatments offered at such facilities.

As compared to the United States, wellness in

Europe also tends to be more associated with beauty, spas, and physical activities,

rather than with alternative medicine and health.

The German Wellness Association (Deutscher Wellness Verband, DWV) and the

European Wellness Union (Europäischen Wellness Union, EWU) were the first

organizations founded in Europe (in 1990) to officially represent and promote the

wellness movement. These organizations define wellness as follows:

Wellness describes an active and self responsible strategy towards complete health

that enables the subject to live healthy and productive as a result of scientifically

proven actions, methods, and techniques thus being widely immune against chronic

illness and disease as well as living in the pursuit of happiness. ~German Wellness

Association

Wellness…stands for a practical philosophy of life, whose goal is the greatest possible

physical and mental/spiritual well-being of the individual. A carefully cultivated

environment is one of the major conditions: harmonious personal relations, personal

integration in the economic and social life, and careful ecological behavior. ~European

Wellness Union

In Asia, many ancient spiritual traditions and healing practices – including yoga,

ayurveda, traditional Chinese medicine, reiki, meditation, and so on – are deeply

ingrained in the culture and integrated into everyday life. However, although these

practices tend to be associated with the wellness movement in the West, there is not

necessarily a mainstream recognition and use of the word ―wellness‖ in Asia as

James William Miller, ―Wellness: The History and Development of a Concept,‖ Spektrum Freizeit 27 (2005):

84-106, http://www.fh-joanneum.at/global/show_document.asp?id=aaaaaaaaaabdjus&download=1.

―The Origins of Wellness: Spa Guests Attracted by Shorter Breaks,‖ Tourism-Review.com, March 29, 2010,

http://www.tourism-review.com/article/2119-history-of-wellness-shorter-breaks-now-more-popular-in-europe,

accessed April 1, 2010.

German Wellness Association, http://www.wellnessverband.de/download/english_text.pdf.

European Wellness Union, http://www.optipage.de/ewu/html/methode.html, translated using Google

Translate and Yahoo Babel Fish.

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

compared to the United States and Europe. In fact, the modern word ―wellness‖ is still

a relatively new concept in Asia, although the theories behind it are not.

In Latin America, use of the word ―wellness‖ is also a relatively recent phenomenon

and not yet a mainstream concept. The region also does not have the ancient wellness

traditions that can be found in Asia (the spiritual focus of ancient civilizations in Latin

America tended to be directed toward construction of elaborate edifices and periodic

sacrifices in honor of various gods as a means to promote the health, welfare, and

longevity of individuals and society as a whole). However, parts of Latin America do

have a bathing tradition – similar to the ―cure‖ tradition in Central and Eastern Europe

– with many hot springs (or ―termas‖) in the Andes region developed into sanatoriums

and public bathing centers during the 19

century. Similar to the development of the

spa industry in the region, the development of wellness in Latin America has tended to

be associated more with beauty and medical esthetics rather that a broader sense of

health and well-being.

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

APPENDIX B: ESTIMATES OF THE SIZE OF WELLNESS-RELATED

MARKETS

GDMC and The Hartman Group Estimates of

Health and Wellness Consumer Segments in the United States

(2009)

Number of U.S. Health and

Wellness Consumers

U.S. Health and Wellness

Consumers as a

% of Population

Periphery

77 million consumers

25%

Mid-level

190 million consumers

62%

Core

40 million consumers

13%

TOTAL

307 million consumers

100%

Source: GMDC and The Hartman Group, Consumer Shopping Habits for Wellness and Environmentally Conscious Lifestyles

Study: Insights for Health, Beauty and Wellness, September 12, 2009, http://www.pacific.edu/Documents/school-

pharmacy/acrobat/Consumer%20Shopping%20Habits%20for%20 Wellness%20-%20Presentation.pdf. See tables above

for definitions and explanation of each segment.

Note: In Section IV.C. of this report, we have presented our own estimates of the number of wellness consumers in the United

States and globally. We have used these estimates from GDMC/The Hartman Group as a reference point; however, we

believe these figures are too large (given that they characterize the entire population of the United States as ―wellness

consumers‖). We have also incorporated estimates of other, related consumer segments (as presented in tables below) in

coming up with our own wellness consumer estimates for this study.

Natural Marketing Institute Estimates of

LOHAS and Naturalite Consumer Segments in the United States

(2007)

Number of

U.S. Consumers

Description of Consumer Segment

LOHAS segment

36 million consumers

(12% of population)

LOHAS stands for ―lifestyles of health and

sustainability.‖ These consumers tend to be

dedicated to personal and planetary health,

make environmentally friendly purchases, and

they also take action – they buy green products,

support advocacy programs, and are active

stewards of the environment.

Naturalite segment

54 million consumers

(18% of population)

These consumers are zealous about their own

personal health, and they focus on natural and

organic consumer packaged goods. They tend to

be more into personal health related motives

rather than environmental issues when making

purchase decisions, and they are also highly

attracted to mind/body/spirit philosophies. They

are the most likely segment to pray (three-

quarters do regularly), and the second most

likely segment to meditate (27 percent).

Source: Steve French and Gwynne Rogers, ―Understanding the LOHAS Consumer: The Rise of Ethical Consumerism - A

Strategic Market Research Update from The Natural Marketing Institute (NMI),‖ LOHAS Journal,

http://www.lohas.com/journal/consumertrends.htm, accessed April 1, 2010.

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

U.S. National Center for Health Statistics Estimates of

U.S. Users of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM)

(2007)

Number of

U.S. CAM Users

U.S. CAM Users as a %

of Population

Adults ages 18 years and older who used

CAM therapies in the last 12 months

87 million consumers

29%

Children under 18 years of age who used

CAM therapies in the last 12 months

9 million consumers

Source: Barnes, et al (2008), Table 7 (p. 14) and Table 8 (p. 16) and U.S. Census Bureau population estimates.

ISPA Estimates of the Active Spa-Going Population in 11 Countries

(2008)

Country

Active Spa-Goers as a

% of Population

Number of

Active Spa-Goers

Australia

21%

4.5 million

Austria

42%

3.5 million

Canada

23%

7.7 million

France

10%

6.2 million

Germany

30%

24.6 million

Italy

39%

23.3 million

Japan

19%

24.3 million

Singapore

68%

3.3 million

Spain

37%

16.9 million

United Kingdom

25%

15.3 million

United States

23%

70.0 million

Source: ISPA, 2008 Global Consumer Study, p. 4; calculations by SRI using population data from World Bank World

Development Indicators.

IHRSA Estimates of Health Club Members Around the World

(2008)

Region

Health Club Members as a %

of Population

Number of

Health Club Members

Europe

5.6%

40.7 million

North America

10.1%

53.4 million

Asia

0.3%

13.0 million

Australia

9.4%

3.0 million

South America

1.6%

6.0 million

Africa

0.1%

1.4 million

Total

1.8%

117.5 million

Source: IHRSA, Global Report 2009: The State of the Health Club Industry, p. 26; calculations by SRI using population data

from World Bank World Development Indicators.

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

APPENDIX C: RESEARCH FRAMEWORK

Section VII provides several recommendations for different types of research that

could be facilitated by the spa industry to facilitate businesses pursuing wellness-

related opportunities. As a guide to understanding how those research

recommendations fit within the broader research context, this appendix provides an

overall framework for different modes of research and how they can be used by the

spa industry

A. Modes of Research and Levels of Rigor

At the broadest levels, there are a few different angles through which to look at

different modes of research, based on what type of information an effort seeks to

gather and how. Some basic distinctions are laid out below.

1. Quantitative Versus Qualitative Research

Quantitative studies are numbers-based, aimed at measuring what has happened in

the past, what is happening in the present, or forecasting what will happen in the

future. Quantitative/data-based studies are important for businesses and investors in

making decisions, for policy makers developing laws and regulations, and for

researchers/academics studying trends and historical patterns.

Qualitative studies, while not ―factual,‖ are as important because they allow

researchers to go beyond the numbers and explore trends, relationships, opinions,

experiences, and lessons learned. For example, qualitative case studies may explore

various businesses models and approaches. Quantitative studies may show what is

happening in the market, but qualitative studies help explain why and how things are

happening.

2. Primary Versus Secondary Studies

Primary studies gather new and original information.

 Quantitative primary studies will gather new/original data and statistics, often

through a formal survey or structured interview.

 Qualitative primary studies gather new information that is not numerical. For

example, surveys, interviews, or focus groups may gather information about

people’s opinions or experiences related to a business/industry matter.

Primary, or original, research is obviously critical for any industry. However, it is time-

consuming and costly, especially if trying to conduct a statistically representative

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

survey. For this reason, most primary industry data (as well as economic data,

demographic data, etc.) is collected by governments or by industry associations or

companies who have significant resources or who specialize in selling such data.

Association- and company-sponsored primary research is very important because it

fills in major gaps that exist in government data collection efforts; however, these

studies do tend to be less comprehensive because of lack of sufficient resources and

time, or due to the challenge of getting study participants to share information that

may be sensitive or confidential. Less costly and time-consuming (but still very

important) primary research methods include focus groups and unstructured interviews,

which may focus on gathering qualitative information rather than data.

Secondary studies collate and summarize existing data and research studies that have

already been conducted by others.

 Quantitative secondary studies gather and synthesize data and statistics that

already exist, often using existing government/industry databases or

surveys/studies already conducted by other people.

 Qualitative secondary studies gather and synthesize existing information about

trends in the market, business/industry experiences, case studies, and so on. They

involve analysis of existing documents/materials/studies or a literature review.

Many business owners and industry members simply do not have the time to collect

and review the multitudes of data and research studies that are available for their

industry. For this reason, secondary studies that review and analyze the information

that is already out there – and that highlight key information, data points,

opportunities, and so on – are frequently employed for industry-based and market

research.

3. Statistically Representative Populations

The most rigorous research would examine an each person or entity of interest

individually – for instance, counting every single spa in a country, or interviewing

every spa customer. In practice, this exercise ranges from difficult to impossible, for

reasons of definition, budget, and time. A next level of rigor is a statistically

representative sample, one that can reliably be predicted to represent the

characteristics of the population in question. As the number of research subjects in the

study shrinks, the ability of the researcher to claim that the research findings reliably

represent a larger group falls. That being said, especially in the realm of qualitative

research, small sample sizes that may not be statistically representative – such as focus

groups and interviews – can still be extremely useful and valid in exploring opinions,

reactions, forecasts, and how things work.

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

B. Different Audiences and Goals for Research in the Spa

Industry

Among the myriad research efforts conducted by actors in the spa industry (as well as

in related industries), different forms of research are aimed at answering different

research questions, with different audiences, and different goals. Below are three

main groupings of research studies.

1. Industry/Business-Oriented Research

Audience: Business owners, investors, governments/regulators, associations

Purpose: Facilitate business development/investment, provide market/competitive

intelligence, understand market trends, inform business decisions, promote/raise

awareness of a business/industry/market opportunity

Types of research/levels of rigor:

 Quantitative primary studies: gather new/original data and statistics; often done

through a formal/representative survey or structured interview. Many of the

survey-based and data-focused studies conducted by ISPA, Intelligent Spas, PKF,

Smith Travel Research, and similar companies would fall into this category. There is

clearly a gap in this kind of study for the spa industry, especially since most

government data collection agencies do not classify the spa industry in such a way

that facilitates them collecting industry data through their standard

business/economic censuses.

 Quantitative secondary studies: gather and synthesize data and statistics that

already exist, often using existing government/industry databases or

surveys/studies already conducted by other people. Many of the companies that

sell industry trends reports (such as Mintel, Diagonal Reports, etc.) conduct this kind

of study, mainly collating and analyzing data that have been gathered by others.

 Qualitative secondary studies: gather and synthesize existing information about

trends in the market, business/industry experiences, case studies, and so on. Many

of the industry trends reports (Mintel, Diagonal Reports, etc.) would also fall into

this category.

 Qualitative primary studies: gather new/original information that is not quantitative

– for example, using a survey, interviews, or focus groups to gather information

about people’s opinions or experiences related to a business/industry matter.

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

It can often be difficult to classify a study into just one of the categories above,

because many studies use a hybrid approach, cutting across the different modes of

research. For example, SRI’s Global Spa Economy study was partly a quantitative

primary study, but it also gathered a lot of qualitative primary information from

interviews and relied on synthesis of extensive secondary information (both qualitative

and quantitative).

2. Consumer-Focused Research

Audience: Business owners, investors, spa professionals

Purpose: Determine customer interests, understand consumer behaviors and patterns,

forecast demand, market test new products/services

Types of research/levels of rigor:

 Informal polling of associates

 Observation of consumers – for example, watching how a customer behaves in a

store or selects a product

 Focus groups

 Unstructured interview – questions are flexible and open

 Structured interview – questions are standardized and rigid

 Surveys with non-representative samples

 Surveys with representative samples

 Collection of online or scanner data – for example, a website tracking a user’s

browsing and purchasing history or a store/club card that tracks spending

3. Evidence-Based (Medical/Scientific) Research

Research in the conventional, Western medical and bioscience community has well-

established protocols and procedures, focused around what is known as the ―scientific

method.‖ Below, we lay out a rough ranking of different types of research in that

arena.

Audience: Western-trained medical professionals, insurance companies, public

policymakers, consumers

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

Purpose: To demonstrate the safety and effectiveness of medical treatments,

drugs/pharmaceuticals, alternative therapies, or other practices that relate to the

human body (e.g., exercise, nutrition, etc.), often with the goal of achieving

government permission to market a product or to receive insurance reimbursement

Levels of evidence/rigor:

Ranking the Quality of Evidence

Level of

Rigor

Methodology

Description

Anecdote

A conversation

Expert opinion

A consensus of experience from experts

Case reports or case series

A report based on a single patient or subject;

sometimes collected together into a short series

Cross sectional surveys

Survey or interview of a sample of the

population of interest at one point in time

Case control studies

―Cases‖ with the condition are matched with

―controls,‖ and a retrospective analysis is used

to look for differences between the two groups.

Cohort studies

Groups of people are selected on the basis of

their exposure to a particular agent and

followed up for specific outcomes.

Randomized control trials

(RCT)

Individuals are randomly allocated to a control

group and a group who receive a specific

intervention. Otherwise the two groups are

identical for any significant variables. They are

followed up for specific end points.

Meta-analysis

A statistical analysis that combines or integrates

the results of several independent clinical trials

considered by the analyst to be ―combinable,‖

usually to the level of re-analyzing the original

data.

Systematic reviews

(e.g., Cochrane Collaboration)

Review of a body of data that uses explicit

methods to locate primary studies, and explicit

criteria to assess their quality.

Sources:

―U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Ratings: Grade Definitions.‖ Guide to Clinical Preventive Services, Third Edition: Periodic

Updates, 2000-2003. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/

3rduspstf/ratings.htm. Accessed March 15, 2010.

―Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine – Levels of Evidence (March 2009)‖ Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine,

University of Oxford. http://www.cebm.net/index.aspx?o=1025. Accessed March 15, 2010.

Spas and the Global Wellness Market Synergies and Opportunities

APPENDIX D: BIBLIOGRAPHY

―About NCCAM.‖ National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, National

Institutes of Health Website. http://nccam.nih.gov/about/. Accessed April 9, 2010.

―About Us.‖ Asia Pacific LOHAS Website. http://www.lohas-asia.org/about-us/. Accessed

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