Creating a Spa, a unique place for healing where a certain art of living is cultivated around the trilogy of "Calmness, luxury and sensual pleasure", and making it a profitable enterprise, this is the challenge that every operator, who wishes to invest in this branch of well-being, has to face. What are the keys to success? Of course, there is no magic recipe, the projects are so different from one another, but we consider it useful to offer you some yardsticks before you launch in this marvellous enterprise i.e. the Creation of a Spa!

The Spa, a concept, not an end in itself
First of all, I take the risk of shaking the Spa planet by admitting what I have observed in the course of my experiences, an observation that is more and more evident: Spa does not exist, in terms in which one understands an economical model. More and more professionals are bored by a terminology that does not find its legitimate place, surfing between the concepts that must always be path breaking and there is a risk that the public, in general, does not understand these. After the day Spas, urban Spas, hotel Spas, destination Spas, mediSpas®, now is the time for eco Spas, organic Spas, Retirement Spas, etc. This unlimited segmentation continuously finely mincing the concept that is still looking for its place in household consumptions. In this context, it is not surprising that the Professionals of the field prefer, now, to speak of well-being establishments. Today, massages are offered on the service areas; the chemist's shops open the cabins for body-treatments, Chefs of the best restaurants cook Spa food, the Hotels offer spa rooms and there is no longer a beauty parlour that does not offer all the modellings of the World. On the more conventional front, the Thalassa is now Spa and the public baths leaders with spa fun are not an obligation in this regard.  The large-scale distributors has taken over the movement, following the chain of shops like Résonances, which moved brilliantly with the marketing concept of "chic countryside" of the end of 90s to the "Spa" well being in our bathrooms. *


So, what is a Spa? A polysensorial "cocooning" ambience in a refined presentation, a lot of customized services, an overall approach of taking over and… well-being treatments? Yes, of course, if we hold on to the most common definition of the Spa… and at the same time if we move our thoughts further, the answer is: no … No, because we observe everyday that a well-being treatment can be provided in the contexts and places that are quite different from each other, developed by a continuously increasing number of operators who want to own the market. First idea that one must integrate in one's thoughts: the Spa does not exist as a "place"; it is a cross-cutting concept that develops in different types of places dedicated to well-being. After the entry of "history" (thermalism and thalassotherapy) in this market that has its roots in the XIXth century in France, hotels and massage parlours, beauticians and massage therapist, chemist's and hair-dressers, big shops and masseurs who provide their services at one's home, all are trying to find their place in a very buoyant market from the point of view of growth of consumer expenditures on beauty treatments and body care of the households (+6.6% between 1997 and 2006). The demand is increasing, the offer multiplies, but does not profit establishments most of whom have less than five years of existence. In fact, the fact that more and more new people are entering the market has increased the competition and this has harmed the stakeholders who have themselves been harmed by the absence of regulation.  This has resulted in the lack of a long-term legibility for the operators. Also, a creator who is tempted by the adventure must first go over, and this in a very professional manner, several points before implementing his project in order to have maximum competitive advantages on his side. Here are some of these.


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