Today Norm Goldman, Editor of Sketchandtravel.com & Bookpleasures.com interviews Susie Ellis, President of Spa Finder Inc.
Norm:
Could you tell us a little about yourself and your expertise in spas, and why you became interested in them?
Susie:
I was athletic in my youth and naturally gravitated toward being as healthy as possible. After college in the mid 70’s, I began working at the Golden Door Spa which, unbeknownst to me at the time, was the top spa in the country. After spending many years on staff, I became enthralled with how people’s lives were transformed after just a one-week stay at this famous place. I decided to make spa my life’s work, and the combination of movement, good nutrition, spa therapies and a mind/body/spirit approach to wellness became a passion. And lucky for me, the spa industry, which was just emerging at the time, was poised for explosive growth.
Norm:
Why have spas continued to grow and have become popular over the past several years?
Susie:
I see three general trends that have come together to precipitate the popularity of spas.
1. The aging baby boomer. This demographic wants to maintain youth and vigor. Spas are a perfect place to achieve these goals.
2. Stress. The non-stop bombardment of information and connectivity is creating a need for people to have places to decompress, de-stress, slow down and pay attention to their body, mind and spirit.
3. A troubled health care system means people of all ages must become more responsible for their wellness and health.
Norm:
How do you go about identifying top-notch romantic spas in terms of quality of treatment, fitness, relaxation, location, atmosphere, and staff?
Susie:
Truly the best way to identify romantic spas is to consult the romantic/honeymoon spa category on www.spafinder.com. There are almost 50 romantic spas listed. Spa Finder’s mission is to connect people with their ideal spa experience, and we also present spas in 20 other categories such as: weight loss spas, spas for horseback riding, hiking spas, spas for yoga, etc. spa hotels lake garda