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Inbound Travelers' Selection Criteria for Hotel Spas inHong KongDeniz Kucukusta a , Loretta Pang b & Sherry Chui ba School of Hotel and Tourism Management at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University , 17Science Museum Road, TST East, Kowloon , Hong Kong SAR , Chinab School of Hotel and Tourism Management at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University inKowloon , Hong Kong SAR , ChinaPublished online: 07 Aug 2013.

To cite this article: Deniz Kucukusta , Loretta Pang & Sherry Chui (2013) Inbound Travelers' Selection Criteria for Hotel Spas inHong Kong, Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, 30:6, 557-576, DOI: 10.1080/10548408.2013.810995

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Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, 30:557–576, 2013Copyright © Taylor & Francis Group, LLCISSN: 1054-8408 print / 1540-7306 onlineDOI: 10.1080/10548408.2013.810995

INBOUND TRAVELERS’ SELECTION CRITERIAFOR HOTEL SPAS IN HONG KONG

Deniz KucukustaLoretta PangSherry Chui

ABSTRACT. With a growing number of travelers enjoying spa experiences, it is vital that hotelsunderstand their preferences. As Hong Kong has a high visitor inflow and is in the preliminary stages ofhotel spa development, an examination of the selection criteria used by inbound travelers when choos-ing hotel spas should provide Hong Kong hoteliers with the information needed to further develop andrefine their facilities. This study examines the selection criteria that inbound travelers use to gain insightinto how demographic factors and travel characteristics affect their spa-related decisions. A measuringinstrument was developed based on in-depth interviews of spa industry professionals and secondarydata. The results reveal that relaxation, pampering, and beautification were the main reasons that peo-ple visited hotel spas; with the three most important major selection dimensions being therapists, price,and product and treatment types. Of the 28 selection criteria studied, professional skills, product andservice knowledge, sense of privacy, range of facilities, and product branding were the most importantattributes. The implications of these findings and directions for future research are discussed here.

KEYWORDS. Hotel spas, selection criteria, Hong Kong

INTRODUCTION

Today’s high-pressure lifestyles and theincreasingly challenging nature of many profes-sions have begun to decrease people’s immunityto the extent that they are more susceptible tothe rampant rise in many stress-related ailmentssuch as anxiety, depression, and insomnia.Fortunately, an increasing emphasis on healthand wellness is helping people become morehealth conscious as they realize that physical,

Deniz Kucukusta is Assistant Professor in the School of Hotel and Tourism Management at TheHong Kong Polytechnic University, 17 Science Museum Road, TST East, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China(E-mail: hmdeniz@polyu.edu.hk).

Loretta Pang is an Instructor in the School of Hotel and Tourism Management at The Hong KongPolytechnic University in Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China (E-mail: hmlpang@polyu.edu.hk).

Sherry Chui is a student in the School of Hotel and Tourism Management at The Hong Kong PolytechnicUniversity in Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China (E-mail: yuyuchui@hotmail.com).

Address correspondence to: Deniz Kucukusta at the above address.

mental, and spiritual balance are essential tomaintaining well-being. A shift in emphasisfrom passive cures for ailments to the proactivemaintenance of one’s well-being has developedinto a trend.

The spa industry has bloomed globally inrecent years, a phenomenon attributable to theworldwide interest in health and a willing-ness to spend resources on health maintenance(Thorsteinsdottir, 2005). Spa visits are now con-sidered a popular activity that helps people

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unwind, retreat from stress, and achieve optimalhealth and longevity. Such visits have actuallybecome a kind of fashionable leisure activity inaddition to being part of a societal trend towardimproved wellness and healthier lifestyles. It hasbeen found that a growing number of people aredemanding spa experiences, particularly whiletraveling (Tabacchi, 2010).

Increasing numbers of hoteliers have cometo recognize the growth and popularity of thespa market. They are eager to add spa facili-ties to their hotels, with some even investing inupgrades and refinements to meet the increas-ing guest demand (Cademartori, 2006). Hotelspas have undoubtedly become the fastest grow-ing area of tourism (Freeman, 1998; McNeil &Ragins, 2005). Over 90% of the world’s lux-ury resort hotels now featuring spas. Accordingto the Global Spa Economy Report 2007,Hong Kong is among the world’s top 20 largestspa-going countries in terms of revenue (GlobalSpa Summit, 2008). Provisional visitor arrivalsto Hong Kong had reached a new record of41.92 million in 2011, including 28.10 millionChinese visitors (Hong Kong Tourism Board[HKTB], 2012). The results of market researchconducted by Intelligent Spas (2008) revealedthat of visitors to hotel spas, 59% were hotelguests and the rest were leisure guests.

Although spas have become an increasinglylucrative segment of the hotel industry, thisarea of research has been largely overlooked.Few studies have concentrated on spa user pro-files and none have analyzed the spa market inHong Kong to date (e.g., Mak, Wong, & Chang,2009; Koh, Yoo, & Boger, 2010; Kim, Kim,Huh, & Knutson, 2010). Travelers’ changingspa expectations have begun to challenge thehotel industry, prompting hoteliers to add andrefine the spa facilities and services offered bytheir hotels, which has created keen competi-tion within the market. To become a preferredhotel spa provider in Hong Kong, hoteliers mustunderstand consumer needs and the underlyingselection criteria they use to choose hotel spas.

Therefore, this study examines the prefer-ences of inbound travelers to better understandthe decision-making process that they applywhen choosing Hong Kong hotel spas. Thespecific aims of the study are as follows:

1. to investigate inbound travelers’ reasonsfor visiting hotel spas;

2. to identify and rank the selection criteriaused by inbound travelers when choosingfrom among Hong Kong’s hotel spas;

3. to investigate the relationships betweenselection attributes, demographic profiles,and travel characteristics.

The results will help hotels to allocateresources more economically and efficiently tomeet and satisfy the needs of their targetedmarkets.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Hotel Spas

The International Spa Association (ISPA)defined hotel spas as “spas owned by andlocated within resorts or hotels providing pro-fessionally administered spa services, fitnessand wellness components and spa cuisine menuchoices” (ISPA, 2012, para. 7). In addition toaccommodating leisure guests, hotel spas serveas a great opportunity for business travelers whowish to take advantage of the spa experiencewhile away from home (ISPA, 2004a). Studieshave shown that a spa is a significant part of ahotel’s overall business because the revenue itgenerates is considerable. Gibson (2008) notedthat spa-goers were willing to spend an addi-tional US$234 per day on their stay, whichextended their length of stay and increasedthe consumption of suites. Keri, Ottenbacher,and Harrington (2007) revealed that spas havebecome one of a hotel’s profit centers ratherthan being a support center. Madanoglu andBrezina (2008) concluded that spas are addi-tional revenue generators that can contributemore than hotel rooms because they occupyless space. Anderson (2001) stated that spasalso provide specialized treatments for hotelguests who expect a high level of personalservice.

Hotel spas have typically been part of ahotel’s strategy to fill rooms and attract guests.Tabacchi (2010) anticipated that business andvacation travelers would expect to find spas in

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their hotels, which would make it very importantfor hotels to provide spa facilities as a way ofmaking the hotel services more holistic, enhanc-ing the guests’ experience, increasing the hotel’scompetitive advantage, and boosting the hotel’soverall financial performance.

Hotel spa services have traditionally beenwellness-based despite being delivered throughthe hospitality industry rather than the healthcare industry. This has turned wellness into acommodity marketplace that appeals to con-sumers who value their wellness, a healthyenvironment, social justice, personal develop-ment, and sustainable living (Cohen, 2008).Hotel spas normally provide high-touch servicessuch as massages, body treatments, reflexol-ogy, and facial treatments in addition to otherhealth and fitness services and facilities. A suc-cessful hotel spa must understand the existingand potential consumers and develop a market-ing plan that listens to, promotes, and respondsto the targeted market segment. However, thepresent-day culture and lifestyle have made theprofiles of spa-goers more diversified. McNeiland Ragins (2005) showed that the spa marketis no longer dominated by high-society femaleconsumers with one-third of spa-goers belong-ing to the male market. Studies have shownthat an increasing number of men are goingto spas to socialize, relax, and reward them-selves for their hard work (Mak et al., 2009).In addition, due to the promotion of health-based education, the age range of spa-goershas expanded from the middle-aged to includeteenagers. The current wave of consciousnessabout health and wellness has changed the spamarket considerably.

The Spa Industry in Hong Kong

The Asia-Pacific region has shown tremen-dous potential for spa market growth, par-ticularly in hotel and resort spas (Jonkman,2008). For instance, Thailand, Australia, andChina were listed as the top three largestspa markets after an investigation of approxi-mately 1,278 spas worldwide (Intelligent Spas,2009). As the China and Hong Kong SpaBenchmark Report 2002–2010 (Intelligent Spas,2008) revealed, the Chinese spa market grew

533%, from 30 to 190 spas, between 2002 and2008.

Hotel spas constitute 30% of the total spamarket in Hong Kong (Yung, 2010). Becausethere is a good variety of hotel spas inHong Kong, inbound travelers can select the onethat best fits their needs and desires. Hence, itis important for hoteliers to understand whatthese travelers consider when choosing a hotelspa because it will allow them to develop corre-sponding marketing strategies.

As the spa industry has expanded, spa facili-ties have evolved into diverse categories includ-ing day spas, club spas, cruise spas, andhotel spas. In Hong Kong, 100% of high tar-iff A hotels have incorporated spa facilities(Hong Kong Hotel Association, 2008). The per-formance of Hong Kong hotel spas has beenidentified as quite outstanding throughout thespa industry. Spa Asia reported that five ofHong Kong’s hotel spas—specifically the FourSeasons Hotel Hong Kong, the IntercontinentalHong Kong, the Landmark Mandarin Oriental,the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, and the PeninsulaHong Kong—were listed in the “Top 150 World-Class Spas” (2006), which denoted significantrecognition within the spa industry.

Hong Kong has been identified as one ofthe largest tourist generated cities in the AsiaPacific region. The Global Spa Economy Report2007 named Hong Kong among the world’stop 20 largest spa-going countries in termsof revenue (Global Spa Summit, 2008). Theprovisional visitor arrivals to Hong Kong hadreached a new record of 41.92 million, including28.10 million Chinese visitors, in 2011 (HKTB,2012). As the Hong Kong Visitor Profile Report(HKTB, 2010a) stated, about 2% of overnightvisitors to Hong Kong hotels used the spa ormassage services in 2010 and the spa or healthclub revenue per available hotel room for allhotels reached HK$3,553 (HKTB, 2010b). Thisdemand from inbound visitors has extendedthe hotel spa market, with significant revenueobtained from hotel spa operation and greatpotential for further spa development within theHong Kong hotel industry. This large pool ofprospects and the increasing number of competi-tors within the Hong Kong hotel spa industryhas made it necessary for marketers to provide

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spa services in response to increasing demand ifthey wish to obtain a larger market share.

Decision-Making Process of Spa-Goers

The contrast between the growing interestin Asia within the spa industry and the lackof knowledge about hotel spa users emphasizesthe importance of understanding the preferencesand considerations involved in the decision-making processes of spa-goers. Studies haveshown that decision making is a complexand multistage process (Sirakaya & Woodside,2005; Jeng & Fesenmeier, 2002) and under-standing how tourists make decisions gives spaservice providers the information they need tosatisfy their target markets. There have beenvarious models for understanding the decision-making processes of tourists (e.g. Crompton,1992; Gursoy & McCleary, 2004; Sirakaya,McLellan, & Uysal, 1996; Schiffman & Kanuk,2007). Consumer decision making has beendivided into five major stages: problem (need)recognition, information search, evaluation ofthe alternatives and selection, purchase pro-cesses, and post-purchase processes (Engel,Blackwell, & Miniard, 1990; Hawkins, Best, &Coney, 1995; Howard & Sheth, 1969; Schiffman& Kanuk, 2007; Solomon, 2006).

The model developed by Schiffman andKanuk (2007) identified three distinct stages inthe decision-making process and all of them areinterrelated: the input stage, the process stage,and the output stage. Due to the increasing num-ber of hotel spas to choose from, consumersmust make decisions when selecting a spa or aservice. During the input stage, external inputssuch as sociocultural influences and hotel mar-keting efforts affect the decision-making pro-cess. Sociocultural influences internally affectconsumers’ purchase decisions while hotels’marketing efforts affect consumers by com-municating the benefits of visiting a certainhotel spa. During the process stage, the processcomponents address how consumers make deci-sions. Psychological factors such as perceptionand motivation are inherent in each individualconsumer and they affect the ways in whichdecision are made. Finally, during the outputstage, consumers make a purchase action and

engage in a post-purchase evaluation. This studyfocuses on the process stage to determine con-sumers’ motivations when choosing spas andto evaluate the criteria that influence hotel spaselection. The process stage includes three sub-stages: need recognition, pre-purchase searchfor information, and the evaluation of alterna-tives (Schiffman & Kanuk, 2007).

In the need recognition stage, the recognitionoccurs when a consumer faces a health problemor notes the desire to achieve well-being andidentifies the resultant need to visit a spa. Thisneed becomes a motive when it is aroused to asufficient level of intensity. Motivation can bedescribed as a driving force within an individualthat urges them to action. However, the motiva-tions that compel spa visits vary from personto person. Spa experiences provide differentadvantages to different consumers. Studies haveshown that spas are no longer only thoughtto heal illness or serve a medicinal purposebecause people have developed an increaseddesire for longevity and a higher awarenessof the importance of good health, which hasshifted the focus from curative purposes (actualneed) to preventive ones (desired need; Benge,2003; Williams, Andestad, Pollock, & Dossa,1996). This phenomenon has changed the buy-ing behavior of consumers.

Moreover, people are now looking for some-thing new. Snoj and Mumel (2002) highlightedthe fact that growing concerns with one’sappearance have become one of the reasonsfor the growing demand for spas. Improvedphysical flexibility, weight loss, better digestionand circulation, mental and physical relaxation,reshaping or cosmetic surgery, and stress man-agement have all been identified as sources ofmotivation for spa-goers seeking to improvetheir lives (Hall, 1992). Furthermore, Montesonand Singer (2004) found that the majority spa-goers visited spas for emotional reasons overphysical reasons. They wanted to “feel better”and reward themselves with a small “indul-gence” while enjoying the “pampering” aspectsof the spa. Because the reasons and motiva-tion behind spa visits differ, marketers mustunderstand the consumers’ perceived needs andreasons for visiting spas to create the desiredexperience. Although they did not concentrate

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on Hong Kong’s inbound spa market, Maket al. (2009) examined the motivation factors ofHong Kong spa-goers and identified 21 moti-vating items that are grouped into four under-lying factors: relaxation and relief, escape, self-reward or indulgence, and health and beauty.Mak et al. (2009) also found that Hong Kongspa-goers visit spas regularly and that one-fourth of the spa respondents were male. Kohet al. (2010) analyzed the factors underlying thebenefits sought by spa-goers in the United Statesand their findings revealed four major benefitdimensions: social, relaxation, health, and reju-venation. These benefits were sought by threebasic segments of spa-goers: escapists, natu-ralists, and hedonists. Koh et al. (2010) alsoasserted that spa-goers seek a variety of benefitsfrom their spa visits. Kim et al. (2010) exam-ined consumers’ behavioral intentions for vis-iting spas and found that perceived behavioralcontrol, past experiences, and spiritual wellnesswere significant predictors. To identify the moti-vations experienced by hotel spa visitors, therespondents in this study were asked to rate sev-eral pre-identified purposes for visiting a hotelspa in Hong Kong.

The pre-purchase search stage depends on theconsumers’ ability to perceive and process theinformation related to the product (Dimara &Skuras, 2005). When consumers perceive a needthat might be satisfied by the consumption of aspa service, they experience the need for addi-tional information on spa services. People typi-cally search their own memories before seekingexternal sources of information. The recollec-tion of past spa experiences is considered aninternal source of information while searchingoutside information such as service categories isan external source of information.

Studies have shown that the evaluation ofalternatives is the most critical stage duringthe decision-making process because it is thestage in which consumers consider differentproduct criteria and it is usually followed byproduct choices and the resultant outcomes(Solomon, 2006). In this evaluation stage, deci-sion rules have been used to evaluate and choosea final product or service. The initiation of anew search for alternatives between the estab-lished steps has been shown to occur when

the evaluation is incomplete or unsuccessful, orwhen the information has been updated (Butler& Peppard, 1998)

The Relationships Between SelectionCriteria, Sociodemographic, and TravelCharacteristics

The majority of consumers make decisionsbased on evaluations of products’ performancein one or more dimensions. These dimensionsare the evaluation criteria, which often con-sist of the product features or benefits that theconsumer looks for in response to a specificproblem (Hawkins, 2007). The types and num-bers of evaluation criteria, in addition to eachcriterion’s level of importance, has been shownto be different for each individual consumer,even when they are evaluating the same serviceor product. The type of criteria a consumer useshas been shown to vary from tangible costs andperformance features to intangible factors suchas style, taste, prestige, the feelings generated,and brand image (Hawkins, 2007). In addition,the perceived import of consumers’ evaluationcriteria has been of great interest to marketersbecause it allows them to efficiently put theirlimited resources to use in the most suitableareas.

Research on the selection criteria for tourismproducts (e.g., destination, hotel, restaurant, andtravel agency selections) has been widespread(e.g., Callan, 1998; Chan & Wong, 2006; Chu& Choi, 2000; Heung & Chu, 2000; McCleary,Choi, & Weaver, 1998; McCleary, Weaver, &Hutchinson, 1993; Weaver, McCleary, Lepisto,& Damonte, 1994; Yavas & Babakus, 2005),but no set of selection criteria has been identi-fied for choosing a hotel spa. Spas are typicallyconsidered a total experience that combineshardware and software rather than a single prod-uct, service, or environment (J. Shek, personalcommunication, November 9, 2008). Thus, theselection attributes applied to spa choice shouldinclude the services provided by the therapistsand the products and equipment used. In-depthinterviews were conducted with industry pro-fessionals in this study to explore hotel spaselection criteria.

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A number of studies related to the spa indus-try have revealed sociodemographic, travel, andspa usage characteristics. For instance, Kohet al. (2010) noted that significant differencesexisted between the male and female con-sumers in the three market segments: hedonists,escapists, and naturalists. Socialization was notan important motivation for men compared towomen, and the men wanted to be separatedfrom other users. They also found that peoplewho had obtained a higher level of educationtended to be in the escapist market segment.Tabacchi (2010) found that young adults, incontrast, wanted more social interaction anddid not want to be isolated in the spas. Maket al. (2009) found that escape was one ofthe main motivations for different respondentgroups such as males, younger respondents, andrespondents with higher educations. Mak et al.(2009) also concluded that there was grow-ing number of male spa-goers who tended tobe more motivated by the escape factor thantheir female counterparts. Friendship and kin-ship were also identified as important factorsin different sociodemographic groups, includingrespondents from lower income groups.

Travel characteristics are the situationalvariables that shape travel such as purpose,length, distance to the destination, and groupcomposition (Ricci & Del Missier, 2004).Sociodemographic attributes and travel charac-teristics can aid in understanding of the mar-ket and the travel behavior (Hsieh, O’Learly,Morrison, & Chang, 1993). Heung, Qu, and Chu(2001) examined the relationship between vaca-tion factors and sociodemographic and travel-ing characteristics of Japanese leisure travelers.In their study, sources of travel informationare used as a variable of travel characteris-tic. In identifying important factors affectingchoice of travel agencies, Heung and Chu(2000) included travel characteristics in addi-tion to sociodemographic attributes in theirstudy to understand the purchase behavior ofthe respondents. Chu and Choi (2000) exam-ined business travelers’ hotel selection fac-tors and used travel characteristics to identifythe details of the respondents’ hotel stays inHong Kong. Additional travel characteristicsthat have been investigated include previous

hotel spa experiences, frequency of hotel spavisits, and the accompaniment of other con-sumers. Mak et al. (2009) found that more thanhalf of the respondents studied had visited spasmore than once when traveling abroad.

METHODOLOGY

This study, which is exploratory in nature,adopts a combination of qualitative and quan-titative methods to identify the selection criteriaused by inbound travelers when choosing hotelspas in Hong Kong. In the initial stage, face-to-face interviews with seven experts (five industryprofessionals from different hotel spas and twofaculty members) were conducted to identify theselection criteria for hotel spa selection. The listof selection criteria was formed by the sugges-tions of the experts and the literature (Heung &Chu, 2000; Heung et al., 2001; Koh et al., 2010;Mak et al., 2009; Ozdipciner, Li, & Uysal, 2010;Yavas & Babakus, 2005). Selection dimensionsare adapted basically from the literature; forinstance, ambience is formed as a dimensionbased on motivation factors which were previ-ously identified in previous literature. Escapingfrom daily routine, seeking physical relaxation,and indulgence in luxury experience are derivedfrom previous studies (i.e., Heung et al., 2001;Koh et al., 2010; Mak et al., 2009; Yavas &Babakus, 2005). Similarly, price dimension, andproduct and treatment types are adapted fromOzdipciner et. al (2010). Facilities and ambiencefactors are derived from Mak et al. (2009),as these are important motivating factors forspa-goers. Basically, a majority of items sug-gested by the experts matched with the litera-ture. According to the results of the qualitativeresearch, these items include location, treatmentrange, traditional treatments, loyalty programs,aroma, and quality of linen. Subsequently, aquestionnaire with three sections was con-structed. Part 1 of the questionnaire dealt withquestions related to travel characteristics such asthe purpose of the trip, past spa experiences, thefrequency of hotel spa visits within the previous12 months, whether another consumer accompa-nied the primary consumer, and the reasons forvisiting. A 5-point, Likert-type scale was used

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in Part 2 of the questionnaire. Seven selectiondimensions and 28 attributes were drawn upfrom the results of the aforementioned in-depthinterviews. Respondents were asked to indicatethe level of importance, from 1 (least impor-tant) to 5 (most important), of each hotel spaselection attribute. Because this study consid-ers the importance level of each spa evaluationattribute, using “importance” for the rating wasthe most appropriate way to conduct the sur-vey. Part 3 of the questionnaire was composedof questions related to the demographic char-acteristics of the respondents. The topics ofthe questions used in this part included gender,age, marital status, education level, and monthlyincome.

The target sample for this study was inboundtravelers who had or had not visited hotelspas in Hong Kong. Respondents were inter-viewed face-to-face at Hong Kong InternationalAirport terminals and on the Avenue of Stars inTsim Sha Tsui using a convenience samplingapproach. To reach the right respondents, thescreening question, “Are you a tourist?” wasasked before conducting the interview. In total,153 questionnaires were collected.

The data collected were analyzed usingStatistical Package for the Social Sciences (IBMSPSS Statistics 20, SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL,USA) software. A descriptive statistics analy-sis was also carried out; therefore, frequencycounts (percentage), central tendency measures(mean), and variability measures (standard devi-ation) were used to determine the importancelevel of each selection attribute. In addition, thedemographic profiles and travel characteristicsof the respondents were concluded using thedescriptive statistics. Apart from the previouslymentioned basic descriptive method, indepen-dent samples t-test and one-way ANOVA wereemployed to examine the relationships betweenthe selection attributes, demographic profiles,and travel characteristics of the respondents.

FINDINGS

Sociodemographic Characteristics

Five sociodemographic factors and fourtravel characteristics of inbound travelers

to Hong Kong were investigated. Thesociodemographic factors were gender, age,marital status, education level, and monthlyincome; and the travel characteristics werepurpose of the trip, previous hotel spa expe-riences, frequency of hotel spa visits, and theaccompaniment of another consumer. Thescreening question, “Are you a tourist?” wasasked before the start of the interview.

Table 1 summarizes the interviewees’sociodemographic profiles. A higher percentageof the respondents were male (52.9% maleand 47.1% female). Nearly half (50.3%) of therespondents were in the 18–27 age group with39.9 and 7.2% in the 28–37 and 38–59 agegroups, respectively. Only 2.6% of the respon-dents were above the age of 60 and none of therespondents were under the age of 18. More than31.4% of the respondents were single comparedto 28.1 and 26.8% who were married or marriedwith children, respectively, and a minority(13.7%) who specified themselves as “other.”Interviewees were grouped into four education

TABLE 1. Sociodemographic Profile of theRespondents

Sociodemographic profile FrequencyValid

percent (%)

GenderMale 81 52.9Female 72 47.1

Age18–27 77 50.328–37 61 39.938–59 11 7.260 or above 4 2.6

Marital statusSingle 48 31.4Married 43 28.1Married with children 41 26.8Others 21 13.7

Education levelPrimary/Junior school 4 2.6Secondary/High school 19 12.4College/University 104 68Postgraduate/Above 26 17

Monthly income (US$)2,500 or below 91 59.52,501–4,500 36 23.54,501–6,500 16 10.56,501 or above 10 6.5

Total 153 100

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categories. The majority of the respondentswere college graduates or degree holders(68%), followed by master’s degree hold-ers (17%), and high-school-level graduates(12.4%). Only four respondents (2.6%) werejunior-school graduates. Therefore, the majorityof the respondents were well-educated. Withreference to income level, up to 59.5% ofthe respondents had a monthly income ofUS$2,500 or below, followed by those with anincome of US$2,501–4,500 (23.5%), with theremaining respondents in the US$4,501–6,500(10.5%) and US$6,501 or above (6.5%) incomecategories.

Travel Characteristics

The respondents were asked several ques-tions to identify their travel characteristics andtheir perception of the importance of hotelspas.

As Table 2 demonstrates, 47.7% of therespondents were vacation travelers while thesecond largest group was business travelers(32.7%). Just over 10% of the respondents hadvisited Hong Kong for the purpose of visitingfriends or family and only 5.9 % claimed to betransients or students. In addition, almost half ofthe respondents (46.4%) reported previous hotelspa experiences while 82 (53.6%) confirmed nosuch experiences. The results show that nearlyhalf (47.7%) of the respondents considered theprovision of spa facilities as either importantor very important when selecting a hotel inHong Kong. The mean score was 3.28, whichindicates a medium-high level of importance.In addition, respondents were asked to indicatethe frequency of their hotel spa visits in the pre-vious 12 months. Most had been to hotel spas1–2 times (20.3%), followed by a frequency of3–4 times (16.3%) and 5–9 times (5.2%). Onlya minority of the respondents had visited hotelspas more than 10 times (2%) in the previous12 months. Many of the respondents typicallyvisited hotel spas with a spouse or partner, while34% visited with a friend/relative/colleague,and another 28.1% visited alone. The leastamount of respondents reported having visitedwith a group of friends.

TABLE 2. Travel Characteristics of theRespondents

Travel characteristics FrequencyValid

percent (%)

Purpose of the tripVacation 73 47.7Visiting friends/relatives 21 13.7Business/Meeting 50 32.7Others 9 5.9

Importance of spa existence inhotel selection

Least important 16 10.5Less important 19 12.4Neutral 45 29.4Important 52 34.0Very important 21 13.7

Previous hotel spa experienceYes 71 46.4No 82 53.6

Spa visit frequency within last12 months

0 86 56.21–2 times 31 20.33–4 times 25 16.35–9 times 8 5.210 times or above 3 2

Accompanying personAlone 43 28.1With spouse/partner 52 34With children (12-year-old or

below)2 1.3

With one of friends/relatives/

colleagues46 30.1

With group of friends/

relatives/colleagues10 6.5

Total 153 100

Reasons for Hotel Spa Visits

To identify the factors or reasons behindspa visits, the respondents in this study wereasked to rate six reasons that had been derivedfrom previous research. The identification andinclusion of these factors also constituted thosefactors related to the need recognition stage ofthe decision-making model. A need becomesa motive when it is aroused to a sufficientlevel of intensity. These motivations are listed inTable 3.

Table 3 shows that the top three reasonsof visiting hotel spas were relaxation (88.9%),pampering (59.5%), and beautifying (50.3%).The majority of the interviewees indicated thatrelaxation was the purpose of their spa visit,

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TABLE 3. Reasons of Hotel Spa Visits

PurposeFrequencyof rating

Validpercent (%) Rank

Relaxation 136 88.9 1Pampering 91 59.5 2Beautification 77 50.3 3Health improvement 65 42.5 4Socializing 28 18.3 5Medical reason 21 13.7 6Others 10 6.8 7Total 153 100

which explained why the associated visitingfrequency was so high. In contrast, healthimprovement (42.5%), socializing (18.3%), andmedical reasons (13.7%) ranked 4, 5, and6, respectively, and were perceived as sec-ondary reasons of visiting a hotel spa. In total,10 respondents pointed out other reasons—including seeking new experiences, dealing withclients, business, rewards, and reward for hardwork.

Identification and Ranking of SelectionCriteria

Face-to-face interviews with seven experts(five industry professionals from different hotelspas and two faculty members) were conductedto identify the selection criteria for hotel spaselection. Seven major attributes were identi-fied by including the criteria suggested by theinterviewees and the literature (Heung & Chu,2000; Heung et al., 2001; Koh et al., 2010; Maket al., 2009; Ozdipciner et al., 2010; Yavas &Babakus, 2005)—including (a) price, (b) loca-tion, (c) product and treatment types, (d) promo-tion, (e) therapists, (f) ambience, (g) facilities,and 28 sub-criteria. Table 4 summarizes theselection criteria and their relative importancerankings.

Ranking 1 in Table 4 is the ranking of theseven selection dimensions arranged in descend-ing order based on the mean scores: therapists(4.12), price (3.85), product and treatment types(3.59), ambience (3.47), promotion (3.45), loca-tion (3.31), and facilities (3.23). Ranking 2,which is the ranking of the selection criteria,indicates that the five most important attributes

were professional skills (4.53), product andservice knowledge (4.42), sense of privacy(4.42), range of facilities (4.26), and productbranding (4.21). Likewise, the fact that the twomost important attributes (professional skillsand product and service knowledge) were asso-ciated with the therapists selection dimensioncould explain its ranking. Interestingly, facili-ties was ranked as the least important selectiondimension, but the mean score for the rangeof facilities sub-factor was ranked as the fourthmost important attribute. In contrast, the leastimportant attributes were quality of linen (2.90),lighting/color (2.88), and size of treatmentrooms (2.77). In addition to the given attributes,the interviewees were allowed to specify theirown selection of important attributes in thequestionnaire. Hotel brand name, spa outletbrand, reputation, and service hours were men-tioned with spa outlet brand recorded as themost significant answer.

Variance Among Groups

This study’s third objective is to analyze therelationships among hotel spa selection criteria,sociodemographic variables, and travel charac-teristics. To identify these relationships severalvariance tests were employed. Table 5 providesthe results of the hypothesis tests conductedfor this study, such as ANOVA and t-tests,to discover the significant differences betweendemographic characteristics (gender, age, edu-cation level, monthly income) and selectioncriteria.

Variance tests were employed by focusingthe selection criteria rather than the selectiondimensions to gather more specific informa-tion regarding travelers’ choices. An indepen-dent samples t-test was used to check whetherthere was a significant difference between malesand females in the rating the attributes’ impor-tance. Four out of 28 attributes had significantresults (p < .05): product uniqueness (p = .02),upgrade/value added (p = .01), aroma (p =.04), and availability of theme/decor (p = .01).These criteria were scored higher by women,which suggests that they were more important tofemale respondents than they were to their malecounterparts.

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TABLE 4. Selection Criteria and Importance Rankings

Selection dimensions Selection attributes Ranking 1∗ Ranking 2∗∗ Mean

1. Price 2 3.85Price 8 3.91

2. Location 6 3.31Location 21 3.34

3. Product and treatment types 3 3.59Product branding 5 4.21Product diversification 18 3.46Product uniqueness 16 3.55Signature treatments 14 3.58Treatment range 12 3.66Treatment diversification 23 3.28Traditional treatments 11 3.66

4. Promotions 5 3.45Packages 13 3.62Discounts 9 3.85Upgrade/Value added 22 3.31Loyalty program 24 3.18

5. Therapists 1 4.12Therapist’s certificate 6 4.15Professional skills 1 4.53Courtesy 7 4.08Grooming 10 3.83Product and service knowledge 2 4.42

6. Ambience 4 3.47Aroma 20 3.42Sense of privacy 3 4.42Sense of tranquility 19 3.44Lighting/Color 27 2.88Theme/Decor 15 3.56

7. Facilities 7 3.23Range of facilities 4 4.26Type of treatment room 17 3.52Size of treatment rooms 28 2.77Size of bed 25 3.11Quality of linen 26 2.90

Note. ∗Ranking1: Ranking of selection dimensions. ∗∗Ranking 2: Ranking of selection criteria.

One-way ANOVA was used to test for sig-nificant differences between respondents fromdifferent age groups. Because there were norespondents in the below 18 age group, only fourage groups were tested including 18–27, 28–37,38–59, and 60 or above. Significant results(p < .05) were observed in signature treatments(p = .01), treatment diversification (p = .02),and availability of theme/decor (p = .00). Therespondents in the 18–27 and 28–37 age groupstended to rate signature treatments higher thanthose in the 38–59 age group. The resultsalso indicate that treatment diversification wasmore likely to be considered important by the18–27 and 38–59 age groups. Similarly, the

18–27 age group was more inclined to beinfluenced by availability of theme/decor thanthe 38–59 and 60 or above age groups.

One-way ANOVA was also employed tocompare the mean scores of the selectionattributes between respondents with differentmarital status, but there were no significantresults for any of the attributes in relation to themarital status groups. Therefore, marital statusis not indicated in Table 5.

Significant differences among income groupswere tested by one-way ANOVA as well.The income levels of the respondents weredivided into four groups including US$2,500 orbelow, US$2,501–4,500, US$4,501–6,500, and

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LE5.

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e.M

ean

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eson

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t,Li

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from

1(le

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∗ Ind

icat

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gnifi

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US$6,501 or above. Table 5 depicts signif-icant results (p < .05) for treatment diver-sification (p = .01), discounts (p = .00),and price (p = .01). It was not surpris-ing that respondents in the lower incomegroups such as US$2,500 or below andUS$2,501–4,500 rated discounts higher thanthe respondents in the US$4,501–6,500 andUS$6,501 or above income groups. Meanwhile,respondents in the US$2,501–4,500 incomegroup were predisposed to view price as moreimportant compared to the rating given bytheir counterparts in the US$4,501–6,500 andUS$6,501 or above income groups. The resultsalso reveal that the mean score of theUS$4,501–6,500 income group was signifi-cantly lower than that of the US$2,500 or belowand US$2,501–4,500 income groups, whichdenotes that the lower income group viewedtreatment diversification as more important.

One of the significant results (p < .05) showsa significant difference in discounts (p =.00) between respondents with differenteducational levels with respondents in thecollege/degree graduate group scoring dis-counts significantly lower compared to therating given by their counterparts in thesecondary/high school group.

To identify significant differences betweentravel characteristics and the selection criteria,several variance tests were employed. Table 6shows the significant results for the differentgroups. Because the number of respondents whostated that the purpose of their spa visits wasto visit friends and family or others was small,only the dominant groups, specifically thosewhose visits were for business and vacation,were tested using the independent samples t-test. Table 6 shows that there were significantresults (p < .05) in traditional treatments (p =.03) and price (p = .01). A larger number ofthe vacation travelers viewed traditional treat-ments as more important while the businesstravelers tended to view price as relatively lessimportant.

An independent samples t-test was employedto identify significant results (p < .05) betweenrespondents with and without previous spaexperience. As Table 6 shows, respondents withpast spa experience rated product uniqueness

(p = .03) and price (p = .02) significantlyhigher compared to the ratings given by theircounterparts without such experience.

The respondents in this study were then reor-ganized into two groups, frequent and infre-quent spa-goers, by assuming that respondentswho had visited hotel spas less than five timesin the previous 12 months were infrequentspa-goers while respondents who had enjoyedhotel spas five times or more in the previous12 months were considered frequent spa-goers.An independent samples t-test was then usedto identify the differences between these twogroups. Table 6 shows that significant differ-ences were found between frequent and infre-quent spa-goers in product uniqueness (p = .02),treatment diversification (p = .01), loyalty pro-gram (p = .02), and price (p = .04). Infrequentspa-goers scored product uniqueness, treatmentdiversification, and price higher while frequentspa-goers only gave loyalty program a higherrating.

Interestingly, package (p = .02) and typeof treatment room (p = .02) displayed sig-nificant results between respondents who hadbeen accompanied by another customer. Themean scores of package and treatment room forthose respondents who visited hotel spas with aspouse or partner were higher than the scores forthose who visited the spas alone.

DISCUSSION

Spa Market Trend in Hong Kong

The spa market, as a niche market, should notbe underestimated considering the existence ofspa enthusiasts who reported in this study hav-ing visited hotel spas more than five times andeven up to 10 times in the previous 12 months.The findings indicate that almost half of therespondents had previous hotel spa experience,which suggests that spa experiences were quiteappealing to people. This must be the result ofthe spa industry’s long-term efforts to promoterepeated visits through marketing, and it coin-cides with the findings of the ISPA (2004b),who noted a growing niche segment of “core’’spa-goers. However, according to the The ISPA

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ean

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and

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ectio

nC

riter

ia

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pose

ofth

etr

ip∗

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viou

ssp

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perie

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ectio

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tion

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ility

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ting/

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ecor

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eson

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5(m

osti

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icat

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cant

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vel<

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ndic

ated

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ifica

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l<.0

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2004 Consumer Trends Report (ISPA, 2004b),although core spa-goers absorb and implementa view of spa-going as a long-term form ofhealing or therapy, most spa-goers are infre-quent customers who are mostly interested inindulgence, escape, stress relief, etc.

The results of this study reveal that it isimportant for travelers to choose a Hong Konghotel with spa facilities, which concurs withthe findings of Wilby (2005), who stated thatspas would be an important factor for peoplechoosing a hotel when traveling abroad. Busylifestyles have caused a rampant rise in manystress-related ailments such as anxiety, depres-sion, headaches, insomnia, and digestive disor-ders. Many of the respondents in this study feltthe need to unwind and relax, which makes spaexperiences an ideal method of retreat duringtravel.

However, spas were normally viewed by therespondents as a setting for leisure travel activ-ities, although 32.6% of them were businesstravelers and the presence of hotel spa facili-ties was clearly an important factor to this groupas well when choosing a Hong Kong hotel.This phenomenon might occur because spashave grown in popularity among business pro-fessionals (Yesawich, 2007). Business travelersare seeking ways to work the kinks out of theirbacks after long flights or release tension beforeimportant meetings (White, 2009). In addition,because full days of meetings tend to exhaustbusiness travelers, it has been shown that theyhave less intention in such circumstances togo shopping or sightseeing and would ratherrest in the hotel. A 50- or 80-minute spa treat-ment in their hotel has been shown to be aconvenient and ideal relaxing way for businessprofessionals to unwind (Foster & Mandelbaum,2007). Therefore, the existence of spa facili-ties in hotels has become important to businesstravelers. In contrast, the results of this studyshow no significant difference in importancelevel when comparing genders. These findingsdo not correspond to Monteson and Singer’s(1999) study, which showed that women viewedthe availability of hotel spa facilities as beingmore important compared to the opinions oftheir male counterparts. However, recent stud-ies have revealed that there are an increasing

number of male spa users listing socialization,relaxation, and reward for hard work as thereasons for their spa visits (McNeil & Ragins,2005; Mak et al., 2009).

Reasons for Hotel Spa Visits

Need recognition is the initial phase of theprocess stage in the decision-making processand it is where the need for spa use becomesa motive. Of the six reasons for visiting a spa,studies have shown that relaxation was the mainreason, because a spa has typically been definedas “a place to relax” (Garrow, 2008). Previousresearch has found relaxation to be one of themajor motivations for spa visits (i.e., Mak et al.,2009; Koh et al., 2010), which agrees withMonteson and Singer (2004), who state thatmost spa-goers visited spas for emotional rea-sons such as to enjoy the sensation of beingpampered. In fact, it has been shown that manypeople believe that the major purpose of visit-ing a spa is to address health issues. However,this study shows that beautification has alsobeen a prominent factor triggering spa visits.Beautification was even viewed as more impor-tant than health improvement by the respon-dents in this study, which might be due to theincreasing number of people entertaining con-cerns about their appearance and body weightas supported by Snoj and Mumel (2002). As thereasons for visiting spas change, only a smallnumber of the respondents in this study vis-ited hotel spas for the original medical reason.Instead, medical spas are emerging to cater topeople with medical treatment needs.

In addition, when asked to state their reasonsfor spa visits, three of the respondents specifiedbusiness and dealing with clients, two specifiedseeking new experiences and experience, andfive specified rewards and reward for hard workas the most significant reasons. These resultsare consistent with the ISPA 2004 ConsumerTrends Report (ISPA, 2004a), which claimedthat reward for hard work would be a key reasonfor visiting spas. Furthermore, it has been foundthat doing business in areas where spas arelocated has become more popular. This mightbe due to busy working schedules and the pres-ence of a private and quiet environment. People

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might also visit spas out of curiosity to seek newexperiences when exploring a new area.

Importance of Selection Criteria

In the pre-purchase phase of the process stagein the decision-making process, the spa-goers’perceptions of certain criteria become promi-nent. Consequently, certain criteria related to theproduct are perceived and processed by the users(Dimara & Skuras, 2005). The results of thisstudy indicate that the top three selection dimen-sions were therapists, price, and product andtreatment types; while the top five criteria wereprofessional skills, product and service knowl-edge, sense of privacy, range of facilities, andproduct branding. Two of the five most impor-tant attributes (professional skills and productand service knowledge) were in the therapistscategory, which implies that the respondentsperceived service and personnel aspects as hav-ing a higher importance level than other aspectssuch as products and facilities.

The results of this study show that price wasconsidered to be very important in respondents’hotel spa selection because price always affectspeople’s choices. Price was a common selectionattribute for many tourism products, includinghotel spas. The findings also reveal that prod-uct and treatment types were very important torespondents. This is easily explained by notingthat the product used directly affects a treat-ment’s ability to meet individual desires andneeds. Product branding was rated especiallyhigh in this study because branding is alwaysassociated with a product’s quality.

Sense of privacy was also rated as a crit-ical factor. Moreover, range of facilities wasranked fourth among the 28 selection attributes.Because spa-goers enjoy the additional spafacilities such as saunas and steam baths afterspa treatments, such facilities should be consid-ered a valuable added service to consumers ifthey were incorporated as common features ofhotel spas.

In contrast, quality of linen, lighting/color,and size of treatment rooms were rated the leastimportant attributes, such that consumers mightnot consider such factors as likely to directlyaffect the overall spa experience. In addition

to the given attributes, the interviewees in thisstudy contributed additional selection attributes.Hotel brand name, spa outlet brand, reputation,and service hours were suggested with spa out-let brand rated as the most significant. Becausebrand names have always offered consumerssymbolic information about the products, con-sumers tend to choose brand names that havebeen associated with quality and value (Biswas,1992). Studies have shown that consumers gainconfidence from the brand name that encouragesthem to use the related service, thus facilitatingthe product recognition and decision-makingprocesses (Herbig & Milewicz, 1993). In addi-tion, service hours that fit consumers’ scheduleswere also important.

Furthermore, location was an important fac-tor when choosing a hotel spa (Burgess, 2006),but location was ranked surprisingly low in thisstudy. This might be because Hong Kong is asmall city with a well-developed transportationnetwork and thus, location was less critical fortravelers choosing a hotel spa in Hong Kong.

Spa Selection Criteria andSociodemographic Variables

This study’s findings reveal that women ratedaroma, upgrade/value added, and ambiencesignificantly higher compared to the ratings oftheir male counterparts. These results corre-spond with J. Shek (personal communication,November 9, 2008), who revealed that womenare more sensitive to aroma and ambience thanmen and that women prefer value added ser-vices while men prefer discounts. In this study,however, female and male respondents vieweddiscounts as having the same level of impor-tance. In contrast, there have been no previousstudies that have stated that product uniqueness,such as Dead Sea soil products and material salt,and availability of theme and decor were moreappealing to women, which confirms that thesefindings from this study are new.

As the results show, the younger respondentgroups considered signature treatments, treat-ment diversification, and availability of themeand decor to be more important compared tothe ratings of the older respondents. Young con-sumers may be more curious and open to new

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experiences than their elder counterparts, whichwould make it easier for them to accept differentor personalized services while older consumersmight prefer the classic or traditional treatments.Similarly, younger consumers might be moresusceptible to attractive decorations or themes,whereas their elder counterparts might prefersimple surroundings that leave the focus on thetreatments. This might be because young adultshave been observed to enjoy more social inter-action in the spas, as Tabacchi’s (2010) researchdiscovered.

The results of this study also reveal thathigher income groups gave lower ratings forprice and discounts because these attributeswere directly related to consumers with dis-posable incomes. It follows that respondentsin the lower income groups would select hotelspas that allowed them to choose from amonga variety of treatments that best fit their needs.Such a circumstance would be viewed as morevaluable to those in a lower income groupand less valuable to those in a higher incomegroup.

Only discounts had a significant result in dif-ferent education groups. This is easy to under-stand, however, because the respondents withless education tended to view discounts as a fac-tor that made it more reasonable for them to usethe service.

Spa Selection Criteria and TravelCharacteristics

Studies have shown that business travelers areless price sensitive than vacation guests. Theresults of this study demonstrate that vacationtravelers were more likely to choose traditionaltreatments, and leisure guests prefer treatmentsthat are unique or traditional to the specificlocation. Apart from traditional treatments, therange of facilities attribute was more impor-tant to leisure guests because they had morefree time and intention to use the hotel’s spafacilities.

The respondents with previous spa experi-ence preferred unique spa products because theyhad tried different spa treatments in past spa vis-its and they were interested in trying somethingnew. Thus, unique spa products were considered

an extra value. In contrast, the respondentswithout previous spa experience considered thetreatment price to be less important because theytreated it as a new experience, which made thehigher price more acceptable.

Respondents who were frequent guests ata particular spa spent more time in that spa,which made the associated price less impor-tant. In contrast, the loyalty program attributewas considered more important to frequent spa-goers because certain benefits, rewards, priv-ileges, and recognition could be obtained byjoining such programs. However, infrequentguests tended to prefer more product unique-ness, treatment diversification, and range offacilities because these allowed them to expe-rience novel products and choose from among awide variety of treatments and facilities. Theyfound this more valuable because it might betheir first visit, whereas frequent guests grewaccustomed to consuming certain types of prod-ucts, treatments, and facilities.

The respondents who normally visited hotelspas with their spouses or partners identifiedpackage and type of treatment rooms as having ahigher importance level compared the ratings ofrespondents who visited spas alone. The formerrespondents might consider a package designedfor couples to be more appealing because itallows the spa experience to also serve as a dat-ing activity or creates more appointment book-ing options for business travelers with busyschedules, thus the availability of a twin treat-ment room was relatively important. This couldbe used as a guideline or indicator for hotelierswhen developing spa packages and designingtreatment rooms.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS

Several implications were derived from thisstudy that might facilitate hotel spa profession-als in the provision of superior service andguest attraction and retention. These implica-tions are grouped under several aspects such aspersonnel and training, product selection, favor-able spa treatments, promotional skills, designof treatment rooms and facilities, price, andbranding.

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Personnel and Training

The results show that the therapist attributewas an essential element of securing repeatbusiness. Finding the right therapists with ade-quate qualifications is one of the challenges inthe spa industry. A therapist’s skills, knowl-edge, and even certificates are viewed as impor-tant by consumers. Therefore, therapists shouldpersonally obtain recognized professional cer-tifications that physically confirm the qualityof their abilities. In addition, hotels must pro-vide internal training for new therapists. Servicesequence, techniques for special treatments, andproducts’ characteristics and functions shouldbe included in this training.

Product Selection

Spa products can directly affect the physi-cal and psychological effectiveness of a treat-ment. Branded spa products might guaranteetheir quality and provide extra value and pres-tige to consumers. In addition, unique productswith special ingredients such as Dead Sea soil,bergamot essential oil, or a mineral salt bodyscrub with organic shea butter can be purchasedand featured. Such product specialization wasperceived as particularly important to femalerespondents who still comprise the dominantgroup of spa-goers, but promoting such productbranding and uniqueness could also make spaservices more attractive and appealing to maleguests.

Favorable Spa Treatments

As the profiles of spa-goers grow younger,treatment types should be diversified to meettheir needs. Signature treatments are also anoption for providing tailor-made treatments toconsumers of all ages. For instance, traditionaltreatments such as Zhang-style Chinese mas-sage and Chinese medicinal massage could beincluded in the menu to attract vacation travelersor those seeking a new type of spa experi-ence. In addition, according to the reasons givenby the respondents in this study for spa visits,the outcomes and functions of the treatmentscould be emphasized in the menu by indicating

that they promote relaxation, pampering, orbeautification with such specific expressionsalso applied in new product development.

Promotional Skills

It is necessary for hotels to promote theirspa services and equip their staffs with bettersales skills. The results of this study show thatwomen were more interested in value addedservices than men, which suggests that hote-liers could offer upgraded or valued addedservices by upgrading the quality of the prod-ucts used or including special treatments tospa packages. Because frequent spa-goers nor-mally spent more for their treatments, loy-alty programs should be established to retainthese frequent guests and boost repeat business.Specialized services, however, should not beneglected to create loyalty. Spa packages includ-ing aromatherapy massages, facials, scrubs, andspot treatments are becoming more popular andcreate added value.

Design of Treatment Rooms and Facilities

The availability of theme or decor attribute,which was a sub-criterion of ambience, wasespecially appealing to the women and youngpeople who comprise the core spa-goers.Therefore, well-designed rooms with specialthemes or decor would greatly affect their over-all spa experience. Themes such as “Green,”“Fusion,” “Ocean,” “Feng Shui,” or “Oriental”might be considered; and room designs wouldemphasize privacy, with single rooms offered topeople who visit alone. The size of the treatmentrooms was not significant to hotel spa selection.For couples, spa packages were perceived to bemore important, as was the option of a roomthat had been specifically designed for couplestreatments.

Treatment Prices

Treatment prices should be set according tothe caliber and category of the hotel. Differentrevenue management pricing strategies can beadopted. For example, offering vacation guestsa promotion price during valley hours to boost

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the visitation rate and defaulting to the originalprice during peak hours populated by businesstravelers who are less price-sensitive. Specialtreatments with unique products can appealto infrequent spa-goers, despite their price-sensitivity.

Reputation and Brand Building

Branding and reputation had a certain influ-ence on hotel spa selection. They played animportant role in bringing benefits to both hotelsand consumers. Marketers should first ensure ahigh level of satisfaction for each guest becauseword of mouth can be a powerful marketingtool. Promoting a positive image for the hoteland the spa by obtaining awards is anotherway to build up both the brand and reputation.Awards such as the “Top 150 world-class spas,”the “Award for Excellence-Best Spa,” and the“Asia Spa Awards” are all highly recognized byspa-goers.

CONCLUSION

Given the scarcity of academic literature inthis area, the results of this study provide in-depth information on the selection criteria forhotel spa choice and the preferences of hotelspa users according to their sociodemographicand travel characteristics in addition to provid-ing practical implications for hotel spa exec-utives trying to meet expectations and createrepeat visits. This study concludes that relax-ation, pampering, and beautification were themajor reasons that people visited hotel spas.These results are also in line with previousresearch on the motivations of spa users. In addi-tion, reasons such as seeking new experiences,business, and reward for hard work specifiedby the respondents provide insight into possiblefuture trends for visiting hotel spas.

The results also indicate that the presenceof spa facilities in hotels was quite impor-tant to inbound travelers, particularly for busi-ness and leisure travelers, when choosing ahotel in Hong Kong. Furthermore, the resultsidentify the three most important major selec-tion dimensions: therapists, price, and product

and treatment types. The five most importantselection criteria were professional skills, prod-uct and service knowledge, sense of privacy,range of facilities, and product branding, indescending order. Finding skilled and quali-fied therapists has been one of the challengesthe industry is facing, such that therapistswas the most important attribute identified bythe respondents in this study with spa outletbrand also frequently pointed out as important.Branding could be a key indicator for peoplechoosing a hotel spa.

Significant results were found when compar-ing different respondents’ profiles. For instance,young spa-goers are becoming one of the promi-nent markets, specifically in regard to howthe ambience and signature treatments of spasappeal to their expectations. Different prefer-ences and characteristics adhered to differenttype of travelers, such that hoteliers shoulddevelop appropriate marketing strategies tomake their products appealing to their targetconsumers.

This study is not without limitations. First,the lack of previous studies on the spa industry,specifically hotel spas, posed difficulties in sec-ondary data collection during the course of thisstudy. Second, the sample used was identifiedby asking tourists screening questions, whichresulted in a relatively small sample size dueto the difficulties of reaching hotel spa users.Third, due to limited manpower and resources,a convenience sampling method was used in thedata collection stage; therefore, the results mightnot reflect the market as a whole. Future studiesshould focus on spa market segmentation to bet-ter understand the spa users and the underlyingdimensions of their choices.

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SUBMITTED: April 17, 2012FINAL REVISION SUBMITTED:

August 10, 2012ACCEPTED: August 17, 2012

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