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Male grooming products market to hit $25bn

Dubai, May 18, 2008

The global market for male grooming products is set to jump 18 per cent to Dh91.8 billion ($25 billion) between 2006 and 2011, according to a survey conducted by Euromonitor International.

The research by the world's leading independent provider of business intelligence on industries, countries and consumers, also revealed that a total of 31 per cent of spa visitors last year were men.

“This worldwide trend is reflected in the Middle East where the numbers of spas have increased and with each of the 200 new hotels planned for construction in Dubai alone incorporating a spa,” said Eckhard Pruy, CEO of Epoc Messe Frankfurt GmbH.

“As 31 per cent of spa-goers are men, the demand for products and services designed specifically with men in mind is at an all time high,” said Elaine O'Connell, senior show manager of Wellness & Spas.

Research by the International Spa Association (ISPA) showed that two million spa goers took part in lifestyle classes.

Examples of lifestyle offerings include healthy cooking classes, seminars on achieving balance and managing stress.

She added that as more people embrace the spa experience, the concept is being increasingly linked to lifestyle decisions based on health and wellness.

“With issues including obesity, stress and environmental toxins being serious concerns, many spas are incorporating lifestyle elements, including fitness, diet and overall health into the traditional treatment based spa concept,” she explained.

“The new man is not just signing up for sports massages and manicures. They're getting facials, Vichy shower rituals and body scrubs,” said  O’Connell.

“This is partly because spas have learned how to create a gender-neutral atmosphere where both men and women feel comfortable, with treatments that are named specifically for men like the ‘Gentleman's Facial’."

According to Spa Finder Inc. media partner of Wellness and Spas Middle East in 2008; a top spa information and research company, the next spa trend will be less focused on relaxation and more focused on rehabilitation.

From the days of simple massage and facials, increased competition among spas has raised expectations among spa goers. Specialised services such as intensive detox spas to purge the body of toxins are gaining in popularity.

Predominantly 3 categories: the day spa, the destination spa, the resort spa and more recently, the medical spa are strong visible trends.

Also the demand patterns and trends in the spa industry are illustrated by the financial performance of the various types of spas.  Looking at revenues by spa type - day spas lead here with Dh14.6 billion ($4 billion) followed by resort/hotel and club spas.

O’Connell said the number of tourists and business visitors to Dubai was targeted to grow to 15 million by 2010.

"The new hotels coming up until the year 2015 will feature the latest in wellness and spa facilities, helping Dubai become the world's No.1 spa destination," she added.

"Dubai now has a wide selection of spa centres, a recent survey by the Leading Hotels of the World group identified the Middle East region as having four ‘World Class’ spas, of which no less than three are located in Dubai."

She pointed out that the emirate was embarking on a major promotional drive to position itself as a wellness destination by 2010.

"To cope with the expected increase in demand an unprecedented number of luxury hotels are being built; many appointed with luxury spa complexes,” she added.-TradeArabia News Service




Tags: Spa | market | Male | grooming | Wellness & Spas |

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