BROADLY SPEAKING , that goal has been achieved . Most spas are open , and guests have returned . Despite limitations on occupancy , many spas are even hiring therapists and service providers to keep up with demand . After lockdown periods ended , avid spa-goers were eager to receive the services and treatments that they had been forced to go without .
But what about the portion of the population that doesn ’ t already have an established spa-going routine ? What about those who are enduring the strain and stress of life during the pandemic but haven ’ t yet sought relief in the form of a spa visit ? Attracting the uninitiated and transforming them into repeat spa-goers may be a critical component of the spa industry ’ s road to recovery . Thankfully , those firsttimers are a group that is never very far from the minds of spa leaders and their marketing teams .
“ Yes , [ first-time spa-goers ] are always on our radar ,” says Mark Kennedy Smith , spa director at the
Spa of Colonial Williamsburg in Williamsburg , Virginia . Smith notes that though his spa is part of a larger resort that draws tourists from around the world , reaching first-timers requires a combination of tactics , some of which would be par for the course at many day spas around the country . This is largely due to the combination of out-of-towners and locals that Spa of Colonial Williamsburg serves , which includes students from nearby university William & Mary , as well as residents of Richmond and Virginia Beach , the two nearest metropolitan areas .“ We find that working with third
The Spa of Colonial Williamsburg works with third parties , like Groupon , to attract first-time spa-goers .
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