A panel of global spa professionals at the London Health Show last week said modern technology is rapidly changing the way spas operate.

“If I look at technology today, it certainly is taking over,” said Andrew Gibson, vice president of spa & wellness for FRHI, the parent company of Swissotel, Raffles and Fairmont. “...We always wanted to be low-tech, high-touch – Now, we’re high-tech, high-touch.”

Communication systems mean that it’s easier than ever to better know what guests need, the spa check-in process has been revolutionised by technology capabilities available on the iPad, physio face-mapping means we can show clients detailed analysis of their skin, and things like oxygen facials and non-invasive surgery mean spas can now offer more instant-results treatments.

“There are all kinds of equipment that beauty spas use that spas can use,” said Gibson. “It’s infiltrating every aspect of what we do.”

That said, Gibson continued, “Tech is important, but it won’t take away the high-touch.”

Lisa Barden, general manager of the UK Spa Association, said she sees a “resurgence of high-touch.”

Barden pointed towards a growing number of therapists who are willing and interested in treating patients with cancer, adding that there’s a huge movement towards helping the spa industry change its practices when it comes to cancer.

“Spa doors and salon doors are going to be open to those among us who need us the most,” said Barden.

Envisioning the spa of the future, Anna Bjurstam, vice president of spa and wellness for Six Senses Resorts and owner of Raison d’Etre Spas, said, “Tech will have taken over.”

Customers will book treatments online, choose what kind of music they like, inform therapists what sort of pressure they need, and they’ll even pay with their phones, said Bjurstam. Eventually, she envisions a machine that will do whole-body scans to give a complete wellness picture before you step foot in a spa.

Bjurstam also said online training is already changing the way therapists work, and will be key to its future.

“It’s something I see is going to shift a lot,” said Bjurstam. “Everyone will be doing (training) online.”