Travel To Wellness Inc.

When I was introduced to Gary Henkin at an ISPA cocktail party his company – WTS International - was sponsoring, I was in the middle of sending a Tweet and I asked him if he was on Twitter. “Don’t get me started,” he said with a tone of voice that firmly announced he was not a Twitter fan. 

When I met with him again the following morning, I learned that he was not a fan of any of the pervading technologies that may cause one to be standing at a cocktail party with a smart phone at the ready.    “The speed of the world (technology primarily) is beginning to have a negative impact on the human condition, and it’s only going to increase in the coming years.”

“The way we relax is negatively impacted by technology,” he said. “Even if we’re not texting or e-mailing today, we’re thinking about it.”  He’s got a point. Earlier in the day, while enjoying a mini spa treatment in the Relaxation Lounge, I couldn’t help but ponder how I was going to capture the experience for my Twitter followers in 140 characters.  Here’s what else Henkin has to say about spa trends.

The company behind some of your favourite spas

For the consumer, WTS International is not a name often associated with spas. But the Maryland-based company - operating since 1973 and described as “a multi-facility leisure company with an emphasis on spas” -  manages close to 50 luxury spas in the U.S., China, the Middle East and Europe. 

Their spa division portfolio includes Kapalua Resort Spa in Maui; the Spa at Colonial Williamsburg; Eau Spa at the Ritz Carlton, Palm Beach, Florida; Fern Tree, at Half Moon Resort Rose Hall, Jamaica; and many others.  In January, they are opening a luxury spa in Daofu India.

The WTS collection embraces a variety of spa brands but, president Gary Henkin says, that there is one common defining attribute and that is: “From the time consumers pick up the phone, throughout their treatment, to leaving the spa, consumers will feel a sense of friendliness.”

He points out that one of the biggest challenges in today’s increasingly competitive environment is to “provide consistency and quality of service and create delineative features for a value proposition for the consumer.”    Here’s his take on spa trends.   

Another story from the ISPA Conference