Hilton finds spas are key factor for travelers making booking decisions

July 30, 2012 | Hotel Marketing

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Generational use of spas, the overall impact of spas on hotels and the increasing significance of the male spa-goer are among key topics discussed in "Emerging Global Spa Trends," a new whitepaper released by Hilton Hotels & Resorts.

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

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

In summary, the Blue Paper:

- Identifies spa-goers and spa behavior based on generation, highlighting key differentiators and motivators for each age group

- Discusses the increasingly savvy modern spa guest, who is more enlightened about the overall efficacy of spa treatments and related products

- Highlights the growing importance of men to the global spa industry and how a successful spa should tailor its offerings for this audience

- Touches on the need for global spa concepts to offer consistent services across their portfolios while also allowing for local flexibility

- Underscores the overall importance of spas to the hotel industry, which are offering properties a distinct competitive advantage in booking, driving revenue and attracting local customers beyond the overnight guest

- Notes the significance of business travelers, who are increasingly looking for relevant ways to decompress between meetings, as well as extend their visits as part of the "blended travel" experience

- Offers additional insight on regional trends being seen by experts throughout the Americas, Middle East and Africa, Europe and Asia Pacific

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

Download the full report at Hilton