Spa and Hotel news from SpaCast.com. Part of Spa Index Media Network.

Recession hasn't decreased demand for #massage therapists

It’s one of the ironies of the Great Recession. Even as Michigan’s long and deep economic downturn generates plenty of stress, many laid-off workers are finding new careers as massage therapists.  Despite the poor economy, demand for massage therapists is still holding strong, thanks to hiring by hospitals, chiropractic offices, nursing homes and others.

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#SpaCast: US medical spas facing state legislation

Medical spas in the US and elsewhere have increased in numbers and are popular as medical tourism destinations. Several countries have reported problems of medical spas undertaking medical procedures which neither the spa nor the staff are qualified to do. Unfortunately, this reflects badly on the majority who are professional. They have tended to fall between the gaps in legislation, but one of the first countries seeking to remedy that is the USA. Nationally, the number of medical spas around the country has grown from 500 in 2004 to 2,500 today. If this growth rate continues, more states will follow the four who are preparing regulations, and almost every sate has discussed the idea.

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Are medical spas a fast-growing but undefined industry?

...[A]s the medical spa industry continues to expand at a breakneck pace, oversight of these facilities is lagging behind. New cosmetic procedures and devices are increasingly blurring the line between the practice of medicine and the field of cosmetology — and putting some patients in the hands of less-qualified individuals.

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Massage Therapy Foundation Conference Registration Opens

Researchers around the world are initiating studies into the health benefits of massage therapy. Today, the leading U.S. massage-research organization announced registration had opened for its next conference on massage in complementary and integrative medicine (CIM) research.

The Massage Therapy Foundation announced on Nov. 16, that people may begin to register for its second conference, "Highlighting Massage Therapy in CIM Research," at www.massagetherapyfoundation.org. The conference will present current research related to massage and manual therapies, with a focus on translational research and public health.The three-day conference will bring together massage and manual therapy practitioners, educators, CIM researchers, allied health professionals and others interested in massage research.

Full Information at: http://www.massagetherapyfoundation.org/researchconference2010.html

via www.massagemag.com

Twitter Reference Guide to ISPA Conference Expo 2009 (#ISPA09)

SpaIndex.com: Guide to Day Spas and Stay Spas (@SpaIndex) has compiled a Twitter Users Quick Reference Guide to the International Spa Association 2009  Conference & Expo underway in Austin Texas  (October 5 through October 8 2009).

All things #ISPA09:
@ISpaDoYou @LynneMcNees @livespa @spagal2009 @melissajriley @PulseMagazine

#ISPA09 Hotels:
@lakeaustinspa @TheCrossingsATX @FSAustin @bartoncreekstay @HiltonAustin

#ISPA09: Speakers:
@GuyKawasaki @Bertice_Berry @Lancearmstrong @zappos @jeremygutsche

#ISPA09: Austin Spas:
@VisitLostPines @milkandhoneyspa @BartonCreekSpa @lakeaustinspa @SpaReveil

#ISPA09: Guides:
@CenterdinAustin @VisitAustinTX @Austin_Monthly @austin360music and lastly: @dfiske

No checks and balances in India's Spa and Wellness Industry

In India, the license required to open a ‘spa’ is issued under ‘Shops & Establishments’ and all it requires is Rs 3,500, a copy of lease pact or ownership and possibly within a week or two you can open your own spa. Renewable on an annual basis, the license applies to spas within five-star hotels as well. No checks, no balances. There are close to 3,000 day spas and 1,200 resort spas spread across India and is estimated to grow by 31%, according to the study. Yet there is no definition, no standardization, no regulation and no watchdog.

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Cornell Study Results: Hotel Revenue Management in an Economic Downturn

The sudden reversal in the lodging industry’s fortunes from 2008 to 2009 has brought a renewed focus on revenue and profitability for revenue managers. In a survey conducted in 2009, 291 revenue managers cited concerns about customer rate resistance, contract renegotiations, competition, and price wars as their top considerations. This contrasts with a 2008 study, where human resources and technology issues were ahead of economic concerns. Participants in the 2009 Revenue Management Roundtable, produced by the Cornell-Nanyang Institute of Hospitality Management, concurred with the study’s findings.

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Spa STAR mid-2009 performance figures for Hotel Spas

Continuing economic headwinds have not spared the luxury hotel spa industry. According to the latest figures of Spa STAR, the spa benchmarking program published by STR, performance metrics were either on par or declined for the first six months of 2009. 

“The luxury hotel industry is facing a very tough operating environment,” commented Jan D. Freitag, vice president at STR. “The luxury spas in those hotels have not been immune to the effects. It stands to reason that operators are now giving renewed attention to locals business, which seems to have the desired effect on utilization rates.”

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Hotels, Spas Enjoy Big Savings from Green Projects

By implementing energy- and water-saving initiatives, hotels and spas are illustrating how businesses across all industries can reduce their operational costs while cutting their environmental footprint. As an example, the Embassy Suites Lake Tahoe Hotel & Ski Resort has spent $250,000 less than it had expected to spend on energy so far this year after rolling out a series of energy-saving improvements that cost about $200,000, reports Green Lodging News.

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Make it a Mammogram and Spa Day in Michigan

St. Joseph Mercy Hospital and its Mercy Women’s Health Center is pleased to host a special day just for women 35 years of age and older. Local women are invited to have their baseline mammogram completed at the Mercy Women’s Health Center. Prepare to be pampered! In addition to obtaining the mammogram via the most advanced digital mammography system in Port Huron, participants also will be treated to complimentary teas and coffees, paraffin hand wax treatments, and free bone density testing. No appointments are necessary and mammograms will be read immediately on site.

Baseline Mammogram Spa Day will be held from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday, August 6, at Mercy Women’s Health Center, located at 2601 Electric Avenue, in Port Huron, Michigan

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