Tourist destinations like Las Vegas and Hawaii aren’t the only places seeing a decline during an economic downturn. Spas are also feeling the pinch because not as many people go for massages and facials.
At a meeting of the International Spa Association in New York, representatives are trying to make it easier for visitor’s to indulge without using up gas money or dipping into their savings.
Veronica Cole of the Ojai Valley Inn & Spa tells the Associated Press that visitors “can still go and have a spa experience without spending a ton of money.” She says that many spas like hers offer one-day packages so you can spend hours relaxing. Booking one massage or scrub at these spas usually entitles you to use the facilities like the steam room and the pool for the day. Spa operators say that it’s an alternative to going to Europe.
Cole said that they would love for visitors to stay for several days but “if it’s a choice between thinking it’s too expensive and skipping it altogether, we’d rather you just come for something small.”
Jamie Huffman of the Grove Park Inn, Resort & Spa in Asheville, NC said that they are offering 50-minute massages instead of the their typical 80-minute massages. 80-minute massages range in price from $190 to $235 while 50-minute massages range from $140 to $170.
Despite the economy, the International Spa Association said that spas are still popular and growing. In 2007, 138 million people visited spas. Revenue grew from $9 billion in 2006 to $10 billion in 2007.
While complete spa packages can be pricey, its possible to cut costs by going to a nearby spa. The Lodge at Wooloch in Hawley, Penn., for example, is about a two-hour drive from New York. Visitors can take the train or the bus instead of taking a plane and they can stay for just two nights rather than a whole week.
