Men are often
attracted to
services that
include work,
such as sports
or deep tissue
massage,
rather than a
relaxing body
treatment.
The Day Suite at The Borgata is purposefully gender-neutral so both sexes feel comfortable.
sional responsibility, but may also be
driven by the fact that the male spa-goer
reports higher levels of physically
strenuous activity both in and outside of
work.”
So, what are spas doing to meet the
needs of today’s stressed-out man?
Making Men Comfortable
with Spa
“Men have different needs than women,”
Jennifer Aarons, director of spa operations
at Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic
City, New Jersey, points out. “Men are
often more attracted to services that
include work, such as a sports or deep
tissue massage, rather than a relaxing
body treatment. The descriptions of male-
targeted services should indicate effective
results.”
As massage remains the most popular
treatment for male spa-goers, this is the
perfect place to start when attracting new
male customers. From there, you can
strive to educate male guests on the
wellness benefits of your other treatment
varieties.
Lia Wout, assistant spa manager at
The Ritz-Carlton Spa in Palm Beach,
Aruba, suggests incorporating an entirely
male-focused menu. “Having a section
directed specifically to gentlemen allows
for a space to educate men about the
health benefits of the different services we
have to offer as well as make them feel
like they belong in a spa.”
And a sense of belonging is important.
ISPA’s 2016 Consumer Snapshot Initiative,
which focused on spa-going habits of
millennials, found that a major reason
millennial men aren’t visiting the spa is
because they are either not familiar or not
comfortable in the spa environment.
Creating a separate menu or space for
men to feel comfortable and learn about
your spa could help break down the
barriers and misconceptions some men
feel about the spa and potentially open an
untapped spring of new patrons.
“We are currently designing a new
menu that includes a section entirely
dedicated to the gentlemen visiting our
spa,” adds Wout. “Men respond to
different terminology and this should be
reflected in the descriptions of our
services. Having promotions on packages
that are specifically for men also
contributes to getting gentlemen to see
spas in a different light. We basically need
to teach our gentlemen how to spa.”
Aarons agrees: “The wording used in
the names of services and the descrip-
tions are key to attracting male customers.
They should be concise and clearly define
expectations of the service. We have also
found that including descriptions of the
spa lounge amenities is a great attractor
for men.”
If creating a separate menu or space
for men isn’t in the cards, try making your
treatment options unisex, so men don’t
feel alienated. At Sabila Spa, the golfers’
massage can be experienced by either
male or female guests as it focuses on the
specific areas of the body stressed during
golf. The activity, not the sex, is empha-
sized, which allows men to feel less
separated from the traditional spa
experience.
Targeting the Male Market
To increase the percentage of men in your
spa, you need to catch their interest. For
June 2017
■
PULSE
43