ABSTRACT
Twenty years ago, the term ‘spa industry’ did not exist in North America. The word ‘spa’ has been in existence since the Roman era; however, it has been the ageing of the largest percentage of the North American population (otherwise referred to by marketers as baby boomers) along with advances in science and technology that has created a US$14.7 billion spa industry (International Spa Association, 2014) focused on beauty, wellness and preserving youth. The skin care and hair salon business model oering aesthetic services such as facials, manicures and pedicures has evolved into multiple business models that include day spas, hotel/resort spas, wellness spas and medical spas, i.e. a signicant percentage of skin care and hair salon treatments are very much linked to travel demand. In addition, the range of services oered has proliferated from traditional beauty treatments and massage services to holistic and medical treatments.
