In This Issue..

• Welcome
• Training Calendar 2008
• Back to the roots - A true Eco-Spa
• Spa College Costa Rica Recap
• A spa for a boutique resort
• Webdesign
• Captivating a captive audience
• Reader Announcements

Welcome

to the November and December Newsletter. For those of you could not make it to any of the courses, a recap with some pictures of the Costa Rica workshops and for those who are looking at next year, a full calendar of events.

Back issues of this newsletter can be found at: Spa College Eletter.

To all our readers, Happy Holidays and all the success you wish for the coming season and the New Year. Hopefully you will be able to take a day or two off to breathe and relax. For many this will be the busiest time of the year and the time to harvest what has been sown in the last months. Good Luck with that.

News Cast: More classes to be held in tropical destinations! We have added Antigua to our Costa Rican agenda as well as additional class modules for the next year including Massage Intensives and an expanded spa manager training. Contact us soon if you want to be part of these workshops:

2008 events: Workshop Calendar.

TAKE ACTION NOW. (917) 922.5829 or email director@spa-college.com

Costa Rican Sunset

Enjoy the newsletter. Nicolay - editor at large

Whether seasoned specialist or novice you can find the right course for yourself here. Continuing education and training is especially indicated if you are working in the spa industry. All over the world opportunities are opening up for practitioners to participate in the health, wellness and beauty business.

Now more than ever before resorts and hotels are required to have spa facilities because travel agents and guests require them as standard amenity.

If you are an operator, consider customizing a spa training to suit your personal needs. If you are a practitioner, consider widening your horizon and giving yourself a new perspective.

2008 events: Workshop Calendar.

Back to the Roots - A true Eco Spa Experience

At a time where cookie-cutter concepts have often become the norm of day spas and resort spas on every corner, there are some ideas that stand out for their originality, inventiveness or location.

Here is one that incorporates all three elements. Recent Spa College graduate Vanessa Jensen showcases her talents and intuition in providing treatments designed from the inside out. Authenticity is key and compromise the exception.

Click here for the article: Tierra de Milagros

Spa College Costa Rica workshop recap

Element I and II and a 2-day spa manager seminar. All held at the Hotel Parador in Manual Antonio, Costa Rico. Attendants: Practitioners, spa managers and directors. The course: jam-packed with information, sharing, hands-on practice and all the goodies that come along with sharing time and space with your peers; a wealth of information, connections and new friends.

Pictures say a lot more than words. Enjoy a few snapshots from the course.

Check out the pictures: Manual Antonio 2007.

A spa for a boutique resort
Small but beautiful

Size is a key question when designing a spa. But what if you are catering to a only a few guests at a time, are seasonally challenged and still need to cultivate a culture of service and availability while keeping tabs on costs?

A little insight into the process for opening spa director Konrad Esquivel of The Spa at Xandari by the Pacific that is launching services this week.

To view this article click here: Spa Xandari

Webdesign
Everyone needs one but not everyone has one. Especially a web site that paves the way to your spa without sending your clients through hoops and loops to get what they want while at the same time being pleasing to eye and visually representing your philosophy and approach.

We're going to start a flow of information on select sources. Not that the web is not full of good advice, but sometimes it helps to see something that works for us.

Webdesign.

Captivating a captive audience

A resort without a spa is becoming unthinkable. Travel agents inquire about them, marketing needs them, guests won't come without them - even if they never set foot in the spa during their visit. Resorts everywher are hustling to install such a facility and no new operation comes online without a spa in place. THe magical ..."and spa" is becoming one of the key deciding factorssignalling a facility that takes trends and guests seriously. But even in a resort spa setting where clients don't really have the choice to visit another spa withought a significant effort and where opportunities for onsite recreation are limited, operators need to actively market to hotel guests. Running a resort spa is often a financial challenge. Operating costs are high and profit margins slim if at all.

Here are some ideas harvested from resort spas around the world enhanced with some direct experience drawn from the exploding resort spa industry: Captivating

Reader's Bulletin Board

Sacred Stone Bodywork Education and Therapy: Karyn Brower

Watsu Training Program : Basia Szpak