NY Times Reports on Spa Industry

The New York Times reported on the growth of the spa industry, lack of oversight of the industry, and how clients can find good spa treatments, in "Beyond the Body Wrap: What Makes a Spa Stand Out?" on July 15.

Author Susan Stellin quoted Spa Finder President Susie Ellis as saying there are now more spas in the U.S. than there are Starbucks, and added that Spa Finder is "an industry group whose database counts more than 15,500 spas in the United States. (Starbucks has about 10,000 stores across the country.)"

Other points made in the article include:

• The spa industry currently has very little regulation or oversight of spas or treatments, and some spa leaders feel there should be more of both;

• Spa guests should search for reviews of spas before booking treatments, or get word-of-mouth spa referrals;

• Spa guests should give therapists feedback during sessions;

• An increasing number of hotels are getting in the spa game, to compete with resort spas; and

• Clients can have high-quality experiences and lower-cost spas, rather than paying more for resort experiences.