Just how does COVID-19 continue to affect the attitudes, expectations and habits of consumers relative to their physical and mental well-being is the focus of a study entitled “New Era, New Consumer.” [1] Recently released by The International SPA Association (ISPA) Foundation, the study was conducted in partnership with PriceWaterhouseCoopers.
The ISPA Foundation is the 501(c)3 arm of ISPA created in 1999 to serve the educational and research needs of the industry. The ISPA Foundation’s mission is to improve and enhance the value of the spa experience; their vision is to advance spa culture to sustain health and well-being
Study focus
“New Era, New Consumer,” is Volume XI of ISPA Foundation’s ongoing Consumer Snapshot Initiative. This latest edition evaluates input from both spa goers and non-spa-goers in the context of their income levels, age and gender.
The study covers respondents’ attitudes toward self-care activities, the factors that influence their decision to visit or not visit a spa, their spa-going habits, their purchasing trends, their outlook on the future and how they make decisions in the age of high demand for spa services and low staffing levels.
The last two years has seen a shift in consumer attitudes, according to ISPA President Lynne McNee. “This research provides insight into those shifts and will allow our members to make data-driven decisions for their businesses as they seek to bring the benefits of spa to more people and continue the industry’s robust recovery,” she said.
Key Study findings
- The largest portion of respondents (47 percent) said they use a hybrid approach to receiving spa services, which includes receiving some services at a spa location and supplementing those with at-home service options.
- More than half of current spa-goers (58 percent) said they visited a spa for the first time in the past two years, and 39 percent said they visit the spa more often now than before the pandemic.
- 65 percent of spa-goers noted they will focus more on their health and well-being now. The figures suggest that the industry is in a strong position
The data indicates that the spa industry is well-positioned to meet the needs of consumers now and going forward. To check out more insights, ISPA members can access the full “New Era, New Consumer” report online. Go to ISPA’s official website to learn more.
[1] “New ISPA Research Measure’s Consumers Spa-Going Habits and Approaches to Self-Care,” ISPA, May 24,2022. https://experienceispa.com/ispamedia/news/item/new-ispa-research-measures-consumers-spa-going-habits-and-approaches-to-self-care