the 2019 isPa visionary aWard
By J a m i s o n s to i k e
Jeremy McCarthy
IN 2019, SOCIETY’S GROWING ENCHANTMENT with technology can
often feel like entrapment. As technology has grown increasingly
“I spent the first
half of my career
trying to convince
hoteliers that
wellness was
important.”
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present in our lives, the spa industry has grown alongside it, providing
a technology-free, human-centered space where spa-goers can detox
from the digital world.
While the rise of digital detox is the result of ISPA members
worldwide voicing their concerns, some voices stand out as particularly
ardent advocates. Count JEREMY MCCARTHY, the recipient of the 2019
ISPA Visionary Award, among their ranks.
McCarthy, group director of spa & wellness for Mandarin Oriental,
first realized the importance of digital wellbeing while studying for his
master’s degree in applied positive psychology. “My research led me to
believe that a big part of the value of the spa experience,” says
McCarthy, “comes from the psychological aspects of being separated
from technology.” In the decade since, McCarthy has placed digital
detox center stage in his spas. This includes his time at Mandarin
Oriental, which has become a leader in the space thanks to its Silent
Night, Mindful Meetings and Digital Wellness Initiatives.
McCarthy has always taken a big-picture approach to wellness, in
part due to his prior experience as an athlete and trainer. “I was a
personal trainer, a triathlete and a swimming coach,” says McCarthy,
who began his career in hospitality as a pool and recreation manager
for a Four Seasons property. McCarthy continues, “When they decided
to add a spa, I was excited because it included a small fitness center,
but I didn’t know anything about spas at the time.
“That first spa turned into fourteen years with Four Seasons. I
moved from Santa Barbara, to Los Angeles, to Beverly Hills, to Maui, to
Mexico and back to Maui.” After a stint with Starwood Hotels &
Resorts—where he developed the Heavenly Spa by Westin concept—
McCarthy moved to Mandarin Oriental in 2014.
In his early days in spa, ISPA proved an invaluable resource to
connect with other spa operators at a time when hospitality colleagues
didn’t fully understand what spas were, according to McCarthy: “Going
to [the ISPA Conference & Expo] was always a great chance to connect
with other people who understood the spa business and could provide
support or mentoring along the way.” McCarthy quickly became
involved in ISPA committees, such as the ISPA Volunteer Committee,
and eventually joined the ISPA Board of Directors. “The six years I
spent on the board,” says McCarthy, who later became vice chairman,
“really opened my eyes to a different perspective on the industry.”
Seeking out a different perspective on spa has been the through-line