Saturday, August 14, 2010
Access Tourism - Conference in New Zealand
Registration is now open for the first ever conference in New Zealand on Access Tourism. The conference will look at various aspects of Access Tourism, including some of the following: the current situation in NZ and worldwide, website access and information best practice, government strategy, policy, and obligations, best practice in transport , accommodation, and attractions access, training for access in the tourism and hospitality sector, legal aspects, and quality rating for Access Tourism products in New Zealand. It will also include brainstorming sessions on strategies for advancing the development of Access Tourism in New Zealand and developing collaboration as a tool to advance that development. These topics are based on those most popularly picked from a list of possible topics in an online survey. The conference is being run by the New Zealand Tourism Research Institute at Auckland University of Technology, and will be a no frills sustainable event.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Romania launches new tourism campaign, "Explore the Carpathian Garden"
Romania has launched its new tourism campaign at the Shanghai World Expo on Thursday, revealing the slogan “Explore the Carpathian Garden’, as well as a new logo for the campaign.
Romania’s tourism brand was created by THR – THS based on a market study carried on in Romania and in the eight most important markets, which could supply tourists for the country: Germany, UK, Italy, Russia, Austria, US, France and Hungary.
The study revealed Romania;s most competitive six touristic products: cultural circuits, nature, rural areas, city breaks, adventure tourism and wellness tourism.
The new tourism brand was launched at Romania’s pavilion at the World Expo, in the presence of the Romanian tourism minister Elena Udrea, together with Romanian sports legends Nadia Comaneci, Ilie Nastase and Gheorghe Hagi.
Romania’s tourism brand was created by THR – THS based on a market study carried on in Romania and in the eight most important markets, which could supply tourists for the country: Germany, UK, Italy, Russia, Austria, US, France and Hungary.
The study revealed Romania;s most competitive six touristic products: cultural circuits, nature, rural areas, city breaks, adventure tourism and wellness tourism.
The new tourism brand was launched at Romania’s pavilion at the World Expo, in the presence of the Romanian tourism minister Elena Udrea, together with Romanian sports legends Nadia Comaneci, Ilie Nastase and Gheorghe Hagi.
Monday, June 28, 2010
World’s biggest global healthcare congress creates opportunities
Press Release
World’s biggest global healthcare congress creates opportunities
For Spa and Wellness industry
3rd Annual World Medical Tourism & Global Healthcare Congress creates opportunity
to Bridge Medical and Wellness Sectors, also invites experts to submit white papers.
West Palm Beach, United States - June 24, 2010 - The Medical Tourism Association (MTA) is pleased to announce the creation of a Spa and Wellness Tract at the 3rd Annual World Medical Tourism and Global Healthcare Congress, September 22-24th, 2010 in Los Angeles, California.
MTA, in response to the growing $2 trillion global wellness industry, has expanded its offering. A dedicated Spa and Wellness Tract will cover innovative topics presented by industry leaders in order to help bridge the gap between traditional healthcare and wellness. Topics include integrative medicine, corporate health, global spa trends, special interest products and investment opportunities. With a focus on education, networking and pre-arranged business meetings and social events, attendance is projected to be 2,000 delegates from 60 counties.
Camille Hoheb, Spa and Wellness Conference Chair explains, “There is an extraordinary opportunity to explore new models with new partnerships between spas, healthcare providers, insurance companies and employers. Consumers now perceive their well-being as a ‘need’ rather than a ‘want’ - and with corporations understanding the importance for a healthy workforce, wellness tourism is on the rise –and has not yet reached its potential.”
Individuals are encouraged to submit proposals that focus on the following categories: 1) Integrative Medicine 2) Spas and Corporate Health/Workplace Wellness 3) Economic Development 4) Market Segmentation /Branding. 5) Insurance Opportunities 6) Special Interest (disabled, geriatric, retirement). The Spa and Wellness Tract call for papers closes July 20th 2010.
About the World Medical Tourism & Global Healthcare Congress
Where ~ Hyatt Regency Century Plaza, Los Angeles, California
When ~ September 22-24, 2010
What to Expect ~
· Up to 2,000 Delegates representing 60 countries
· More than 10,000 Pre-Arranged Networking Meetings
· Up to 150 Exhibitors and Sponsors
· Cocktail Receptions and Entertainment each Night
www.medicaltourismcongress.com
About the Medical Tourism Association:
The Medical Tourism Association is the first international non-profit association made up of the top international hospitals, healthcare providers, medical travel facilitators, insurance companies, and other affiliated members with the common goal of promoting the highest level of quality of healthcare to patients in a global environment.
www.medicaltourismassociation.com
The Medical Tourism Association is the first international non-profit association made up of the top international hospitals, healthcare providers, medical travel facilitators, insurance companies, and other affiliated members with the common goal of promoting the highest level of quality of healthcare to patients in a global environment.
www.medicaltourismassociation.com
For further info about speaking, sponsorship, exhibiting and membership:
Please contact: Camille Hoheb - Spa and Wellness Conference Chair, MTA Congress 2010
camille@globalspaandwellness.com
###
Please contact: Camille Hoheb - Spa and Wellness Conference Chair, MTA Congress 2010
camille@globalspaandwellness.com
###
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Lessons Learned from France Telecom: Stress in the Workplace
Here's a teaser to a an article I wrote that was recently published in Corporate Wellness Magazine (www.corporatewellnessmagazine.com)
Lessons Learned from France Telecom: Stress in the Workplace
Camille Hoheb
Recently CBS evening news aired a piece on France Telecom, Europe's largest broadband Internet company. It wasn't the massive layoffs that got my attention. Sure 22,000 jobs lost between 2006 and 2008 is notable but what struck me was the number of employee suicides. There have been 26 deaths in an 18 month period.READ MORE...
Camille Hoheb
Recently CBS evening news aired a piece on France Telecom, Europe's largest broadband Internet company. It wasn't the massive layoffs that got my attention. Sure 22,000 jobs lost between 2006 and 2008 is notable but what struck me was the number of employee suicides. There have been 26 deaths in an 18 month period.READ MORE...
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Continuous Chest Compression- CPR
Here's something I learned today and I think it merits posting on this blog.
Continuous Chest Compression
This is a modified version - easier to learn, do and you don't have to blow into someone's mouth.
The goal is to generate blood flow to heart and the brain. There's about 10 minutes worth of oxygen for the person to survive as long as blood is circulating to the heart and brain. Chest compression build's up the pressure and keeps the oxygen rich blood going by pushing hard and fast.
Put one hand over sternum and the other hand and press down 2 inches and keep pumping - 100 a minute.
Ideal for adults not for kids under 8 or for drowning victims
For more information go to www.azshare.gov
Monday, February 8, 2010
Learning about Turkish Business Etiquette
For those attending Global Spa Summit in Istanbul, I came across an interesting link from, of all places, linkedin.com. It is about Turkish business etiquette. Happy Reading!
Becoming time-sensitive
The survey also noted the rapid changes in Turkish business culture. Turks were not as time-sensitive before as they are today, said Lilly Sprangers from the Dutch-based Turkish Institute. The transformation is due to the rapidly changing economic environment in Turkey, rising competition and increased contact with time-sensitive business partners throughout the world, she said.
The study also pointed how formality plays an important role in doing business in Turkey. “Like in most other countries, academic and other titles meet with great respect and should therefore be used especially in the initial phase of your contacts,” said the research. As such, Sprangers tells Dutch businesspeople, “Never downplay and don't act too modest.” She also advises businesspeople to be formal and dress formally.
The study also showed Turks are more sensitive to criticism, leading Sprangers to advise Dutch businessmen not to criticize a Turkish partner in front of a group. Furthermore, what the Dutch may perceive as “straight or honest,” can be perceived as “rude” by Turks.
Sprangers also advised Dutch businesspeople to invest in personal relationships, since networking is very important in Turkey. “Your personal involvement is important,” she said. “Turkish businesspeople are not interested in just facts. They want to know why you entered this business and what you went through.”
For Turkish businesspeople, Sprangers advised them “not to expect sumptuous lunches as well as personal attention after work hours.”
Becoming time-sensitive
The survey also noted the rapid changes in Turkish business culture. Turks were not as time-sensitive before as they are today, said Lilly Sprangers from the Dutch-based Turkish Institute. The transformation is due to the rapidly changing economic environment in Turkey, rising competition and increased contact with time-sensitive business partners throughout the world, she said.
The study also pointed how formality plays an important role in doing business in Turkey. “Like in most other countries, academic and other titles meet with great respect and should therefore be used especially in the initial phase of your contacts,” said the research. As such, Sprangers tells Dutch businesspeople, “Never downplay and don't act too modest.” She also advises businesspeople to be formal and dress formally.
The study also showed Turks are more sensitive to criticism, leading Sprangers to advise Dutch businessmen not to criticize a Turkish partner in front of a group. Furthermore, what the Dutch may perceive as “straight or honest,” can be perceived as “rude” by Turks.
Sprangers also advised Dutch businesspeople to invest in personal relationships, since networking is very important in Turkey. “Your personal involvement is important,” she said. “Turkish businesspeople are not interested in just facts. They want to know why you entered this business and what you went through.”
For Turkish businesspeople, Sprangers advised them “not to expect sumptuous lunches as well as personal attention after work hours.”
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
SpaFindersTop Trends for 2010
I'm particularly interested to see the Top Spa Trends for 2010 as identified by SpaFinders as it coincides with some my observations that were expressed in previous articles and speaking engagments. I also tend to have a slightly different take on some of the points made.
Top 10 Global Spa Trends to Watch in 2010
1) The New “P” Word Goodbye, pampering. Hello, prevention. Well, not so fast. It’s more like, move over, pampering; hello, prevention. Against the backdrop of a global healthcare crisis, prevention is poised to be the new “it” word of the spa industry in 2010 and beyond. But rather than replacing established industry concepts like pampering and wellness, it’s a sharp (and smart) refocusing of the conversation. Pampering, after all, speaks to the stress-reduction, relaxation goal of most spa-goers, and that in itself is preventive.
My take: Stress reduction is of critical importance in today's world. The majority of spa consumers want to feel they can justify the expense of a treatment -- and "healing spa treatments" fit the bill.
2) Year of the Hammam With spa-goers increasingly seeking authenticity, tradition, and that magical spa experience that also offers true results, the Middle Eastern hammam (hamam in Turkey) represents one of the hottest trends for 2010, albeit with a distinctly modern expression. This is the year in which people who have never heard the term hammam will learn its meaning, and those already familiar with it will discover new places to experience it.
My take: Certainly SpaFinders identification of hammam as a hot trend will increase awareness worldwide of this unique spa offering. I think the trend should be broadened to include Turkey's thermal spa experiences since both are hidden gems waiting to be discovered. Having the 2010 Global Spa Summit hosted in Instanbul in 2010 should be helpful in promoting Turkey's spas.
3) Not “Going to,” But “Belonging to” a Spa No longer a place where you infrequently “go” for the occasional treatment, spas are being creatively re-imagined as places of “belonging”—not only through the big rise in membership programs, but also in the diverse ways spas are being recast as social or communal hubs—contributing the additional, although unspoken, benefit of emotional health.
4) The Online Spa 2010 will be a watershed year for the spa industry’s virtual presence. Consumers are already online searching for spas, booking treatments, joining online weight loss and coaching groups, and embracing social networking sites, such as Facebook and Twitter. (Some even play the online Sally Spa game.) But there’s more to come.
Get ready for gaming while you exercise, for having health information (like your blood pressure and heart rate) automatically uploaded for access online by your spa or doctor, and for spas to use yield management software that—much like the airlines—enables price variation, so spas can offer a less expensive massage on weekday mornings, compared to Saturday afternoons. And in early 2010, you’ll be able to stroll down any street in the U.S. and check your iPhone to pinpoint the spa nearest you, thanks to the upcoming SpaFinder App.
5) The Hybrid Spa The modern spa is increasingly a “hyphenated” affair, with spas incorporating far more fitness, fitness centers incorporating more spa, hospitals incorporating spa elements, and spas bringing in more medical doctors and specialists. The era of the spa/fitness/integrated-health-center/hospital/spiritual-retreat/wellness-center/beauty-clinic is on a serious upswing. It’s one integrated human body, after all, and the “pure” spa is on the decline, while the hybrid spa is busy inventing new you-name-it plugged-in hybrid models.
6) The Price Is (Still) Right2009’s headline spa story was the industry’s aggressive response to the global recession and the near-universal focus on deals, deals, and more deals. While there’s (cautious) consensus that the economy is in recovery mode, there’s great news for consumers in 2010: The spa bargains will continue apace, not only straight discounting, but also more innovative incentives smartly designed by spas to drive incremental revenue and retain loyal customers. And keep an eye out for savvy new spas combining less expensive treatments and facilities with a touch of glamour, hitting a sweet spot between nice and price.
My take: Add value and give the customer what they want. Help the customer solve their problem by providing solutions in terms of programming while keeping in mind customer needs in terms of time constraints and bugets. It seems obvious but one wellness destination launched a programexcluding meals and overnight accommodations thus limiting themselves to a local market only.
7) Wellness Tourism WowsWe’re familiar with people seeking spas for wellness—and also with “medical tourism,” crossing borders for medical procedures (often plastic surgery, dentistry, knee replacements, etc.). Well, make room for “wellness tourism,” a new term describing travel across borders for preventive services, diagnostics, spa and well-being vacations, even stem cell banking. The concept not only dramatically broadens the appeal of the medical tourism model (which has suffered from its narrow association with plastic surgery), it’s increasingly poised to become the way we define our time away from home and work in the future.
My take: Hallelujah Susie. Well said. Luxury hotel management companies would do well to recongize wellness tourism as an industry that is here to stay and dedicate resources to develop and implement global packaging that resonate with customer demands in terms of programming and pricing.
8) Scary and Silly Spa Stories Drive Evidence, Science, and StandardsThe fallout from heavily publicized spa horror stories—and the recession-driven consumer insistence on no-gimmick treatments with real, measurable benefits—will quicken a rising industry trend: the demand for evidence-based therapies, stricter industry standards, and greater transparency/resources to help spa-goers separate the wheat from the chaff. As spas move into the health and wellness sectors, facts, evidence, and science that support industry approaches will move front and center, even at the cost of a few diamond facials.
9) Diversity at a Tipping PointFor years analysts have discussed how the spa industry has been attracting new demographics (men, teens, seniors, new ethnic groups). But in 2010 diversity has reached a tipping point: It has fully arrived, and it’s here to stay. Spa-going has become so mainstream that the face of the spa-goer will now continue to reflect the wider global population. Every spa region has its unique “diversity story,” and around the globe far more men, younger and older generations, and ethnic groups are hitting the spa. And spas are taking note, with offerings that cater to these diverse groups’ needs and wants. Set to explode: In the U.S. alone, where approximately 78 million baby boomers are poised to enter their 60s, watch for “silver spa-ing” to really take off.
My take: Babyboomers make great customers. Right on Susie for this assessment.
10) StillnessThe modern human experience is an unprecedented amount of sensory overload, noise, and media stimulation. We’re wired to the gills, spending nearly all waking hours in front of TV and computer screens—bombarded, texting, tweeting, clattering away—now even on airplanes. With the spa as one of the last remaining sanctuaries of silence and serenity, look for the industry to put a new emphasis on stillness, on slowness, on silence. From totally silent massages/treatments or using white noise and subtle nature sounds instead of music; to silent walks, hikes, and dinners at Red Mountain or Rancho La Puerta; to Six Senses Spas’ focus on a “Slow Life” approach; to an upswing in meditation offerings and programs, spas will help clients move from busy-ness and overload to quiet, to stillness. “Sounds” awfully good.
My take: This ties back to stress reduction and the first trend. Stillness is another word for meditation and meditation takes many forms whether it is a walking meditation such as hiking or the labryinth, active meditation such as yoga, tai chi or qi gong or visual meditation such as guided imagery. I agree with Susie's identification of this general trend however disagree on the silence part - sound meditation such as chanting or the sound of a gong has been used for thousands of years to reconnect to a different form of consciousness.
Top 10 Global Spa Trends to Watch in 2010
1) The New “P” Word Goodbye, pampering. Hello, prevention. Well, not so fast. It’s more like, move over, pampering; hello, prevention. Against the backdrop of a global healthcare crisis, prevention is poised to be the new “it” word of the spa industry in 2010 and beyond. But rather than replacing established industry concepts like pampering and wellness, it’s a sharp (and smart) refocusing of the conversation. Pampering, after all, speaks to the stress-reduction, relaxation goal of most spa-goers, and that in itself is preventive.
My take: Stress reduction is of critical importance in today's world. The majority of spa consumers want to feel they can justify the expense of a treatment -- and "healing spa treatments" fit the bill.
2) Year of the Hammam With spa-goers increasingly seeking authenticity, tradition, and that magical spa experience that also offers true results, the Middle Eastern hammam (hamam in Turkey) represents one of the hottest trends for 2010, albeit with a distinctly modern expression. This is the year in which people who have never heard the term hammam will learn its meaning, and those already familiar with it will discover new places to experience it.
My take: Certainly SpaFinders identification of hammam as a hot trend will increase awareness worldwide of this unique spa offering. I think the trend should be broadened to include Turkey's thermal spa experiences since both are hidden gems waiting to be discovered. Having the 2010 Global Spa Summit hosted in Instanbul in 2010 should be helpful in promoting Turkey's spas.
3) Not “Going to,” But “Belonging to” a Spa No longer a place where you infrequently “go” for the occasional treatment, spas are being creatively re-imagined as places of “belonging”—not only through the big rise in membership programs, but also in the diverse ways spas are being recast as social or communal hubs—contributing the additional, although unspoken, benefit of emotional health.
4) The Online Spa 2010 will be a watershed year for the spa industry’s virtual presence. Consumers are already online searching for spas, booking treatments, joining online weight loss and coaching groups, and embracing social networking sites, such as Facebook and Twitter. (Some even play the online Sally Spa game.) But there’s more to come.
Get ready for gaming while you exercise, for having health information (like your blood pressure and heart rate) automatically uploaded for access online by your spa or doctor, and for spas to use yield management software that—much like the airlines—enables price variation, so spas can offer a less expensive massage on weekday mornings, compared to Saturday afternoons. And in early 2010, you’ll be able to stroll down any street in the U.S. and check your iPhone to pinpoint the spa nearest you, thanks to the upcoming SpaFinder App.
5) The Hybrid Spa The modern spa is increasingly a “hyphenated” affair, with spas incorporating far more fitness, fitness centers incorporating more spa, hospitals incorporating spa elements, and spas bringing in more medical doctors and specialists. The era of the spa/fitness/integrated-health-center/hospital/spiritual-retreat/wellness-center/beauty-clinic is on a serious upswing. It’s one integrated human body, after all, and the “pure” spa is on the decline, while the hybrid spa is busy inventing new you-name-it plugged-in hybrid models.
6) The Price Is (Still) Right2009’s headline spa story was the industry’s aggressive response to the global recession and the near-universal focus on deals, deals, and more deals. While there’s (cautious) consensus that the economy is in recovery mode, there’s great news for consumers in 2010: The spa bargains will continue apace, not only straight discounting, but also more innovative incentives smartly designed by spas to drive incremental revenue and retain loyal customers. And keep an eye out for savvy new spas combining less expensive treatments and facilities with a touch of glamour, hitting a sweet spot between nice and price.
My take: Add value and give the customer what they want. Help the customer solve their problem by providing solutions in terms of programming while keeping in mind customer needs in terms of time constraints and bugets. It seems obvious but one wellness destination launched a programexcluding meals and overnight accommodations thus limiting themselves to a local market only.
7) Wellness Tourism WowsWe’re familiar with people seeking spas for wellness—and also with “medical tourism,” crossing borders for medical procedures (often plastic surgery, dentistry, knee replacements, etc.). Well, make room for “wellness tourism,” a new term describing travel across borders for preventive services, diagnostics, spa and well-being vacations, even stem cell banking. The concept not only dramatically broadens the appeal of the medical tourism model (which has suffered from its narrow association with plastic surgery), it’s increasingly poised to become the way we define our time away from home and work in the future.
My take: Hallelujah Susie. Well said. Luxury hotel management companies would do well to recongize wellness tourism as an industry that is here to stay and dedicate resources to develop and implement global packaging that resonate with customer demands in terms of programming and pricing.
8) Scary and Silly Spa Stories Drive Evidence, Science, and StandardsThe fallout from heavily publicized spa horror stories—and the recession-driven consumer insistence on no-gimmick treatments with real, measurable benefits—will quicken a rising industry trend: the demand for evidence-based therapies, stricter industry standards, and greater transparency/resources to help spa-goers separate the wheat from the chaff. As spas move into the health and wellness sectors, facts, evidence, and science that support industry approaches will move front and center, even at the cost of a few diamond facials.
9) Diversity at a Tipping PointFor years analysts have discussed how the spa industry has been attracting new demographics (men, teens, seniors, new ethnic groups). But in 2010 diversity has reached a tipping point: It has fully arrived, and it’s here to stay. Spa-going has become so mainstream that the face of the spa-goer will now continue to reflect the wider global population. Every spa region has its unique “diversity story,” and around the globe far more men, younger and older generations, and ethnic groups are hitting the spa. And spas are taking note, with offerings that cater to these diverse groups’ needs and wants. Set to explode: In the U.S. alone, where approximately 78 million baby boomers are poised to enter their 60s, watch for “silver spa-ing” to really take off.
My take: Babyboomers make great customers. Right on Susie for this assessment.
10) StillnessThe modern human experience is an unprecedented amount of sensory overload, noise, and media stimulation. We’re wired to the gills, spending nearly all waking hours in front of TV and computer screens—bombarded, texting, tweeting, clattering away—now even on airplanes. With the spa as one of the last remaining sanctuaries of silence and serenity, look for the industry to put a new emphasis on stillness, on slowness, on silence. From totally silent massages/treatments or using white noise and subtle nature sounds instead of music; to silent walks, hikes, and dinners at Red Mountain or Rancho La Puerta; to Six Senses Spas’ focus on a “Slow Life” approach; to an upswing in meditation offerings and programs, spas will help clients move from busy-ness and overload to quiet, to stillness. “Sounds” awfully good.
My take: This ties back to stress reduction and the first trend. Stillness is another word for meditation and meditation takes many forms whether it is a walking meditation such as hiking or the labryinth, active meditation such as yoga, tai chi or qi gong or visual meditation such as guided imagery. I agree with Susie's identification of this general trend however disagree on the silence part - sound meditation such as chanting or the sound of a gong has been used for thousands of years to reconnect to a different form of consciousness.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
