Spa Products

France Although there are no exact figures for the French spa market in 2010, it is the view of many insiders that there has been a definite return to form in the past year. Many companies have reported a good year and the increase in spa business in hotels in particular has seen a sharp uptake.

Germany Although Symphony IRI Germany does not track data for this section of the market, the German Wellness Association reports that spa travel in Germany has increased by 9% in 2010 to total 4.9m spa trips taken and a turnover of €1.1bn in pre-booked services. Many people in Germany who visit spas for leisure purposes stay at 5 star establishments although recent data suggests that stays at 3 and 4 star spa hotels are also on the rise.

Italy According to data from Euromonitor International, the value of the Italian spa market fell by 6% in the past year, to be worth a total of €655.6m. However Italy boasts many spa sites that are popular worldwide including in Saturnia, Salsomaggiore and Ischia. Many wellness centres are located in the northern and central areas of the country and offer specific treatments with innovative techniques and cutting edge spa products.

Spain Spain’s C&T market has felt the pinch of economic recession more than most in Europe and it was inevitable that this would also affect the country’s spa market eventually with research firm DBK showing a 7% slump in market value in the past year to total €260m when it came to traditional spa centres.

UK According to Diagonal Reports the UK spa market is now worth more than £1bn and has been getting increasingly innovative. In terms of market development, super salon Urban Retreat has taken the home spa concept a step further with Urban Retreat at Home which is a franchise package harmonised under the Urban Retreat brand.