Spending on hotel spa services rises 5%, study says

If you plan to pamper yourself with a massage the next time you check into a hotel, you are not alone.

Spending on hotel spa services — such as massages, skin care services and personal training — jumped 5% in 2012 compared with the previous year, according to a study by PKF Consulting, a consultant to the hotel industry.

By comparison, the sale of food and drinks grew only 2.3% in the same period, according to PKF’s study of revenue from 125 hotels.

The growth in revenue might be spurred by an improving economy that has boosted travel demand, according to hotel industry experts.

Another possible reason for the rise in spa spending could be the resurgent health trend in the U.S. as Americans try to eat well and stay healthy on the road.

At the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, spending on spa services has jumped about 20% over the last several years, with Swedish massages coming in as the most popular treatment among guests, said Michelle Frye, director of the resort’s spa.

“People are realizing the importance of these services to stay healthy,” she said.

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