Raison d'Etre Celebrates 20 Years in the Industry

This year, Raison d’Etre is celebrating 20 successful years in the spa and wellness industry. The global spa consultancy opened its first spa in 1999 and has spent the last two decades becoming a global leader in spa design, wellness business, and spa education. The firm is responsible for creating some of the most iconic spa brands in the industry, including Aman Spas, Shiva for Taj Hotels, Kempinski Spa, and LivNordic, as well as its spa training academy Spa Business Education.

“The journey we have been on as Raison d’Etre has been thrilling,” says Anna Bjurstam, managing partner of Raison d’Etre. “We have spent 20 years designing, educating, and advising, making great connections and forming our own brands along the way.”

Alexander Arnewid and Rosamund Freeman-Attwood founded Raison d’Etre and opened its first spa, Soneva Fushi, which later rebranded to become a Six Senses Spa. Bjurstam joined the company in 2000, just before Arnewid suddenly passed away in 2001. During their tragic time, Bjurstam and Freeman-Attwood focused their energies into building Raison d’Etre into the empire it would soon become. That year, the pair acquired the contract to manage all Aman resort spas, launching the first property in 2001 in Thailand.

Bjurstam took her work with Raison d’Etre across the globe before settling back into her home country of Sweden, where she fell in love with the Nordic approach to wellness. In 2010,  Bjurstam helped Raison d’Etre form its own spa brand, LivNordic Spa & Wellness, which can be found today on Ocean Cruise Ships. Most recently Raison d’Etre formed Spa Business Education, an online training provider that offers management programs for spa and wellness students.

“We have led the spa industry in new, exciting ways and responded to changing demands for spa guests and spa businesses alike,” continues Bjurstam. “These continue to change year on year, so we cannot wait to see what the next two decades bring!”


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