The Good Spa Guide (GSG) has revealed the findings from its latest consumer survey called the State of Spa Report 2023.

Based on feedback from 8,827 UK respondents (almost 90 per cent of which were female), the survey looked to study the behaviour and opinions of spa-goers.

Spa Business has rounded up the report’s key findings.

Cost

Respondents were first asked about whether they would spend less, more or about the same when booking a spa day in the current economic climate.

Sixty-eight per cent said they’d spend the same and 26 per cent said they'd spend less. Meanwhile, only four per cent said they’re not going to spas at the moment and the remaining two per cent said they would spend more.

GSG asked respondents the same question about a spa break and found a similar response.

Nearly two-thirds (63 per cent) would spend the same on a spa break, 29 per cent said they’d spend less, four per cent said they'd spend more and five per cent said they’re not going to spas right now.

What matters most?Thermal rooms were deemed the most important factor when booking a spa (58 per cent), followed by the right treatment selection (13 per cent), relaxation rooms (10 per cent), outdoor spa space (10 per cent) and a pool (six per cent).

Across all age groups, the majority of consumers (47 per cent) indicated that wellness options – such as holistic treatments and mindfulness classes – weren't a main priority when booking spa trips.

Only four per cent of respondents said they “wouldn’t book a spa unless there are wellness options”.

Changing priorities

The majority of consumers (80 per cent) said a couple’s treatment room wasn’t a priority for them when booking time at a spa.

Forty-five per cent of people stated they preferred to arrive at a time that suits them rather than have the spa provide an arrival time while 53 per cent said they were happy for the spa to offer an arrival time.

Thirty per cent of respondents said they also still consider Covid safety measures when visiting a spa.

In addition, most people (59 per cent) wanted traditional gendered changing rooms, 35 per cent wanted individual changing rooms and three per cent wanted unisex changing rooms.

SustainabilityGSG asked respondents about how much sustainability matters to them when booking time at a spa. Surprisingly, only 42 per cent said that it mattered to them “a little - it’s nice to have but I don’t actively look at sustainability”.

Only five per cent said it matters so much they “wouldn’t consider booking a spa unless it had great eco-credentials”.

Consumer confidence

More than two-thirds of respondents (70 per cent) said they were confident a spa would treat them well in any situation.

However, 18 per cent said they're worried about going to a spa because they didn’t feel body confident. A further nine per cent said they’re concerned because of another reason – these included pregnancy, disabilities, cancer and major illness, as well as gender and sexuality.

“The best news within this report is that two-thirds of people expect to pay the same or more for their spa time despite the current economic climate, this is really heartening in a time of financial instability,” concluded Caitlin Dalton, GSG director, speaking exclusively to Spa Business.

“However, the more surprising news comes from the wellness and sustainability sections. Both are key to the spa industry but aren’t so keenly felt by spa-goers with most consumers saying they’re nice to have, but not part of their booking decisions.”