Hotelier Middle East is to host its first Spa & Wellness Forum on 18 March at Ritz-Carlton DIFC in Dubai.

Key speakers at the event include: Paul Hawco, spa director, Talise Ottoman Spa, Jumeirah Zabeel Saray; Sharon Barcock, director of spa operations MEA, Hilton Worldwide; and Neil Hewerdine, vice president spa services, Atlantis The Palm.

The one-day event, which aims to address the opportunities and challenges facing spa managers and directors from hotels and day spas, will comprise a series of interactive panel sessions and workshops.

Daniella Russell, director at spa solutions company dR Global, will speak on a panel with Lindsay Madden-Nadeau, spa operations director of Anantara Spas UAE, titled 'Becoming a world class spa destination - is the UAE up to the challenge?'.