The challenges we face due to our current economy will continue to a have a significant impact on all of us. Furthermore, the lifestyles of active-minded Americans continue to be action-packed, making time a luxury that most of us can not afford to waste. These two themes will play prominent roles, influencing the business of fitness and the choices that hospitality-based fitness center owners and managers make throughout the year. So with that, let's take a deeper dive into the specific fitness trends the hospitality industry needs to be reckoning with in 2010.

Too many spas are financial under-performers. They do not know what to do or how to do it. HFD has created a "GPS approach" for spas. There is a starting point and destination with clear directions and a coaching message that tells you when it is time to "re-calculate" and change direction if you go off-course. HFD's program is called Spa Profit Maximization - Spa ProMaxT. It consists of very sensible and sound business principles and best practices. The following is an overview of 18 common sense, simplistic principles or P's within the Spa ProMaxT program. When you follow the P's, the ultimate destination is Profitability.

Every year The International Spa Association releases the spa industry trends for the coming year. The report is valued by the spa industry and looked at as a tool for marketing individual spas. Our overview of the 2010 trends focuses on the shift the spa industry is seeing and provides ideas for proactively working toward making our Spa businesses more efficient.

If there is one thing that has been constant over the last twenty months, it is change. Changes are all over the map in the hospitality industry and, in the spa industry, most changes are categorically the same as hospitality and other businesses driven by world economy. Using the understanding of these changes as springboards for repositioning and renovating current spas or developing new spas; we can pay attention to the changes and be prepared for the return swing of the pendulum and placement in the compelling forefront. The five major changes included in the article may not be big surprises, however, they are notable. These changes are not passing trends or fads that will soon be past tense. These are changes that are indicative of the future.

Spa Benchmarking is one of the “hottest” topics in the spa and hospitality industries. It is a relatively new discipline; therefore, it is filled with challenges and opportunities. While spa benchmarking studies are very much needed, not all studies are useful... some can actually be quite damaging and harmful. There are too many studies that lack credibility, integrity, quality and reliability, yet they receive significant press coverage. Poor information, conclusions and recommendations can be very detrimental when a spa relies on this information to make operational, personnel, marketing and investment decisions.

With exercise, balance is an all-important factor to getting the results you seek. This is also the case with managing a successful fitness facility. A well-balanced fitness amenity is critical to keeping your guests happy and realizing your property's business goals. Too much strength equipment and not enough cardio? Too much noise or too little breathing room? These areas and more are things that must be considered and addressed to create and maintain balance in your facility. This article will teach you about the factors most-critical to a well-balanced fitness amenity.

Hotel and resort spas have been under financial duress this past year as more consumers are seeking value for their dollars spent. The cost of typical spa treatments and products is such that spas are perceived to fit into the “luxury” set of services for consumption. Thus, it has become more critical for spas to be creative in their marketing approach while, at the same time, making certain that their promotions are cost effective. This article will focus on the results of a recent spa consumer survey and on offering a few pertinent recommendations for driving revenue to your spa.

Spa is definitely not recession proof. This article will help you understand what yield management in spa is about and why it is a tool more and more spas are utilizing for revenue management. Yield Management for Spas outlines the principles, benefits challenges and opportunities of Yield Management in the Spa Industry. As a nation we have grown used to yield management for airlines and hotel rooms why not Spa? Implementation of these proven practices could give you the lift in revenue you are looking for

The add-on sale is a simple way to enhance your guest’s spa experience while adding to your spa’s profit margins. Adding a service or retail package onto your guest’s standard listing of treatments will enhance their experience and create a sense of competency among your staff that is not likely to emerge under any other circumstances. Most of all the add-on sale contributes to your bottom line, client retention and the guest’s overall spa experience. Learn how to easily implement an add-on strategy to your spa’s operations in a few easy steps.

Whether managing the front desk, or the fitness center, every hospitality professional strives to provide a satisfying guest experience and exceed expectations. The challenge is the fact that guests may vary in the level of quality and service they expect, but several non-negotiables exist in relation to the fitness amenity. In this article I break down the practical measures anyone tasked with the management of a fitness facility should take to ensure a fitness experience that's satisfactory across the board. Check it out. You may be surprised at how cost-effective customer satisfaction can be.

Many hotel spa operators are facing their first significant economic downturn. The first because many hotel spas are new, and hotel spas were among the pioneers of the new spa industry that has developed in the past decade around the world. How is the spa industry faring? The newness of this industry means there is no directly comparable historical data. Further in a fragmented spa market data is scarce. This article looks at the performance of a mixed bag of broadly comparable businesses, that is beauty and personal care, to give a flavor of the disparate industry.

Hotels and spas share many attributes, perhaps none more salient than that both are in the service industry. Whether we're selling rooms for the night or massages for the hour, what differentiates one service provider from the next is the overall guest experience. Frontline employees shape guests' perceptions and make the difference between a "Wow!" experience and just an average one.

Reduced occupancies.apprehensive associates.concerned creditors.all hallmarks of turbulent economic times and issues that we have each been facing during the past year. As business leaders, we directly affect how well our organizations weather the storm through our interactions with the various constituent groups that we rely on, namely our associates, our guests, and our vendors/capital providers. In people-intensive industries like ours, communication and accountability are inevitably critical to our success, and never is this more important than in today's economic climate.

Spa treatments are at the heart of your spa. Do you know which treatments really sell? Have you integrated flexible, classic standard treatments into your spa's menu that will please guests, generate revenue and achieve measurable results? Take a look at our top 5 treatments and re-think your spa's menu.

Haven't spas been around long enough that we know what they are? Why is it important to answer the question? And, even more emphatically, "Why do we care what a spa is"? The understanding can help properties develop, renovate or evaluate their spas or spa plans to produce a more successful spa business. The pasteighteen months have certainly had the hospitality industry scrambling, and at the same time; scrutinizing, evaluating and reflecting on what is valued by our guests. Don't stop here - read further to gain an understanding of 'spa'