Democratic Wellness: The Case for Accessible Spa Services
In this post, when we talk about accessible spa services, what we’re advocating for are spa services that more people are able to benefit from.
The pandemic made it clear; health is wealth! Should the spa industry, as part of the health and wellness industry, look after everyone? Should part of their mission, or purpose, be to create accessible offers and space for people from different backgrounds and socioeconomic groups? We believe that we can and should democratize wellness and that it’s possible for spas to adapt, if they want to.
The “Wellth” Gap
In response to COVID, we saw wellness take its place as a top priority, and rightfully so. As the disease now moves from pandemic to endemic, wellness will continue to be one of our biggest concerns and demand will continue to grow. The industry knows this and has been crowding the market with new products and services. Despite this saturation of new offers, consumers still feel that their needs aren’t being met. So, what’s going on?
Since 2020, an unfortunate trend has been accelerating; the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer, creating a bigger gap between the have and have-nots… And it’s being reflected in the wellness industry. The wealthy are spending like crazy, creating a boom in luxury wellness, while the rest of us are seeing our budgets shrink as inflation rises. Spas are competing to grab the attention of these super-rich clients, pumping out more and more exclusive offerings and creating a more polarized wellness market.
Wellness Tunnel Vision
Exclusive wellness isn’t a new concept. The industry is renowned for its elitist attitude; a definitely outdated approach in 2023, where diversity and inclusion now reign. Leading up to COVID, we were already seeing some pushback to this restrictive targeting strategy with more people asking for accessible wellness. Calls for essential, affordable services have multiplied since then. However, post-pandemic supply has not caught up, with suppliers still focused on a tired business model that bends over backward for the fortunate few and continues to ignore the rest of us.
Communication around wellness needs a glow up. Marketing tends to be aspirational rather than actually focused on improving health outcomes. The messages we see today still fit into the Gwyneth Paltrow ‘Goop’ stereotype far too often; to be well is to be thin, and you can be well too, if you just spend enough. This narrow take creates the false narrative that living well is not attainable for those of us who don’t fit a certain mold, alienating potential guests.
Coming Together
One of the biggest challenges faced by this willing clientele is the lack of accessible spa services. As long as spas continue to create offers tailored to the super-wealthy, a large under-served market will exist. Not only is this frustrating for customers trying to meet their needs, it’s a loss for the spas that are missing out on tapping into a new market. Here are some ideas to help spas create new offers:
- Group sessions: Group sessions are a great way to lower prices and bring in more people. Experiencing spa services in a group setting is also a fun way to encourage connection and community, something that we’re all looking for since the pandemic, which benefits customers and spa owners!
- Sliding scale pricing: Sliding scale pricing is worth experimenting with as well. This pricing strategy allows for spa owners to adjust pricing depending on an individual’s income. It’s another interesting way to invite new people, who may not have a lot of disposable income but could benefit from a health break, into the spa, like single parents for example.
- Partnerships: Partnering with other health and wellness groups, for-profit or non-profit, can show a spa in another light and attract the attention of new people. Plus, collaborating usually leads to exciting ideas or innovations that we wouldn’t think of on our own!
- Government programs: There are lots of ways that government could be more involved in preventative health programs, including education and subsidies. This type of investment would remove strain from already overloaded healthcare systems.
Creating Safe Spaces
The pandemic showed us the importance of taking care of ourselves. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and lowering stress are essential in preventing illness. As more people turned to the wellness industry during this difficult time, they were hard-pressed to find themselves represented and welcomed in this space. The exclusive marketing around spas makes them intimidating places, especially for those who haven’t visited one before. Spas can pivot and become more welcoming by:
- Changing culture: Spa owners can benefit from revisiting their values in more than one way. Doing this exercise is a chance to redefine the customer journey and ensure clients are getting exceptional service, and also a chance to create a workplace that employees want to come to; a win-win situation.
- Creating community: Social relationships are an important part of health, as is sense of belonging to a community. Getting involved in local initiatives is another way for spa owners to engage with the community they’re located in and bring attention to their business.
- Overhauling marketing: Reworking the spa space and marketing materials to feature more inclusive colors, images and text sends a message to guests that they’re welcome. People of every shape, color and background deserve to experience wellness and spa owners need to keep that front of mind.
- Educating: Truthful and easy to understand information is key in supporting people to make the right choices for their health. Using their platform to share knowledge is a simple and effective way for spas to make wellness more accessible and to show they care about their visitors inside and outside of their spa.
What Can You Do As A Spa Guest?
Keep an eye out for spas that are making an effort to provide more accessible services in the ways we mentioned above or in other ways. Patronize spas that you feel are welcoming and inclusive and talk to people in your circle about them. Engage in conversation with staff and owners, or leave feedback, to let them know what you appreciate, or to politely suggest services you'd like to see.
We believe that spa services have an important role to play in preventative care. We’re committed to helping make spa services more accessible by advocating for the ideas listed above and more. If accessible wellness is important to you too, or to learn more about it, don’t hesitate to reach out to us by email or via any of our social links listed below.
