SPA (Salus Per Aquam)

A spa is a location where mineral-rich spring water or sea water is used to give medicinal baths. The belief in the curative powers of mineral waters goes back to prehistoric times. Such practices have been popular worldwide, but are especially widespread in Europe and Japan. Day Spas are also quite popular, and offer various personal care treatments.

SPA, BELGIUM

The term is derived from the name of the town of Spa, Belgium, whose name is known back to Roman times, when the location was called Aquae Spadanae, sometimes incorrectly connected to the Latin word "spargere" meaning to scatter, sprinkle or moisten. Since medieval times, illnesses caused by iron deficiency were treated by drinking chalybeate (iron-bearing) spring water, then the spring was called Espa, a Walloon word for "fountain".

HARROGATE

In 16th century England, the old Roman ideas of medicinal bathing were revived at towns like Bath and in 1596 William Slingsby who had been to the Belgian town (which he called Spaw) discovered a chalybeate spring in Yorkshire. He built an enclosed well at what became known as Harrogate, the first resort in England for drinking medicinal waters, then in 1596 Dr. Timothy Bright after discovering a second well called the resort "The English Spaw", beginning the use of the word Spa as a generic description.

TRADITIONAL SPA

It is commonly claimed, in a commercial context, that the word is an acronym of various Latin phrases such as "SALUS PER AQUAM" or "SANITAS PER AQUAM" meaning health through water. 

In the Philippines there is no specific data when the spa started. It just spread throughout our country which offer a variety of services of body massage like Swedish, shiatsu, reflexology, aromatherapy and the authentic Filipino style "Hilot," a highly intuitive touch therapy customized to the needs of each client in order to remove energy imbalance and thereby achieve a renewed state of wellness. What makes it more unique are the use of coconut oil, particularly the virgin coconut oil (VCO) and warm strips of banana leaves before and after treatment.

HILOT

Intelligent Spas has conducted the inaugural survey of spa facilities in the Philippines and found the industry has grown 74% since 2003, with 87 spas currently open and operating. The research achieved an excellent response rate of 54% of all spas in the Philippines, enabling very reliable industry benchmarks to be calculated. The report, entitled Spa Industry Profile Philippines 2003-2007, features 500 quantitative statistics on the Philippines spa market as well as supporting qualitative trends and observations from spa owners and managers.

Some key industry totals and averages extracted from the report include:

1. Intelligent Spas identified 87 spa facilities located in the Philippines.
2. 76% of spas are stand-alone day spas and 20% are spas located in hotels and resorts.
3. The average indoor area of spa facilities was 609 square meters.
4. 52% of the total spa was allocated to treatment rooms.
5. Spas contained 10.9 treatment rooms on average, making them the largest across the Asia Pacific region.
6. 70% of spas provided a relaxation room.
7. Aromatherapy was practiced by 97% of spas.
8. Baths with water and/or air jets were offered by 54% of respondents.
9. One hour body wraps were priced from PHP 1418, on average.
10. Herbal tea was the most common complimentary food or beverage item provided by spas, with 62% offering it to visitors.
11. 35% of spas surveyed noticed there are more spas opening in hotels and resorts.

"The excellent response rate enabled the survey results to be broken down by stand-alone day spas versus spas located in hotels, resorts and retreats (destination spas) for more accurate benchmarking and analysis" explained by Julie Garrow, Managing Director of Intelligent Spas (the only 100% independent research company specializing in the spa industry).

Source: Intelligent Spas, Spa Industry Profile Philippines 2003-2007