New Consumer Research Released at Global Spa Summit

Coyle Hospitality updated their 2010 study Priorities of Today’s Spa Consumers for the 2011 Global Spa Summit. Coyle sought to answer critical questions such as: What makes a consumer choose a spa for the first time? What spa ‘deals’ are worth promoting? What marketing efforts are effective? How is social networking affecting business? What is the best way to retain clients after a spa visit? The study also examined effective marketing strategies and the effect of discounting on the spa industry.

The study shows that some took drastic measures such as deep discounting and cuts while others tried to remain true by offering added value and/or creating alternative marketing messages and strategies to attract and retain new business.

Here are some tidbits on where consumers seek info on spas:

  •   Search engines became the new most widely used resource to source spa information at 56%.
  • Use of  Groupon more than doubled: “Perhaps alarming, was the tremendous increase in Groupon as a site to seek spa information (52% in 2011 up from 22% in 2010).
  •  SpaFinder remained strong at 45%, perhaps largely due to mobile applications available as well.
  • New additions this year included deal site Living Social, which had as many responses as the fourth strongest site, Facebook, at 28%. Also notable were a 4% point increase in Yelp (up to 19% this year)
  •   A 5% point decline decline in Citysearch (down to 14% this year).

The Global Spa Summit has generously made all the research and presentations available from the 2011 Summit. Click here to check it out!