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Summary
The global wellness market, encompassing thalassotherapy, spas, wellness tourism and workplace wellness, was booming. In recent years, the thalassotherapy and balneotherapy market, worth around $56.2 billion, and the spa market spas, quantified at $93.6 billion, have both experienced significant growth, with average annual increases of 4.9% and 9.9% respectively. The European market played an important role, generating more spa revenue than the Asia-Pacific region, although the latter has a greater number of installations.
Trends in the French spa market suggest a growth rate of 3.7% per year, with similar growth forecast to continue until 2022. Competition from more affordable foreign thalassotherapy centers and online platforms offering discounted stays have put pressure on French institutes to invest in renovations and reposition themselves in niches such as stress management. The thalassotherapy market has also faced regulatory challenges, particularly since 1998, when the Sécurité sociale stopped reimbursing thalassotherapy cures; this change necessitated adjustments in both pricing and target clientele. Future market growth is expected to remain strong, particularly for spas, with a projected annual growth rate of 6.4% between 2017 and 2022.
preference trends in the French health and wellness sector
In recent years, the French health and wellness market, particularly in the fields of thalassotherapy and spas, has seen changes in consumer preferences and industry developments. Faced with a global market valued at over $4,000 billion, the thalassotherapy and spa sector in France has seen a progressive evolution in several aspects of demand and supply. The French spa market alone was valued at around $3.59 billion, placing France among the world's top five markets. The sector has evolved, driven by a predominantly female clientele, with women accounting for around 69% of spa and thalassotherapy center customers. These customers are generally in the 40-50 age bracket, suggesting a demographic with disposable income, as indicated by an average spend of around $304 per person. A notable trend in the French market is the growing popularity of short stays at thalassotherapy centers, which saw a 20% increase, while longer stays of more than five days fell by 9% over the same period. This signifies a shift towards more economical options for customers to access these treatments.
There has also been a gradual increase in the number of male customers in this sector, from 28% to 31% in five years. Booking habits have also shifted towards personal pleasure rather than gift-giving, with solo treatments becoming more frequent - making up 54% of spa session purchases. Similarly, average spending on individual bookings jumped by 43%, with the average basket reaching almost $96. Geographically, the majority of thalassotherapy centers in France are located along the Atlantic coast, reflecting regional differences in sales and customer visits. It is interesting to note that establishments on the Atlantic coast record longer stays but fewer visitors than those on the Channel and North Brittany coasts.
In terms of competition and complementarity, spas and thalassotherapy centers occupy distinct but overlapping market areas. While thalassotherapy centers tend to offer a more luxurious and comprehensive wellness experience due to regulatory requirements requiring proximity to the sea, spas offer a more accessible alternative without such geographical limitations. The shift in demand reflects a broader trend for individuals to seek wellness experiences tailored to their personal needs, with a willingness to invest in shorter but more frequent sessions. Taking into account the role of digital platforms offering competitive, discounted wellness stays, it's clear that the French spa and thalassotherapy market is booming.
evolution and diversity of the French thalassotherapy and spa market
Seafront thalassotherapy centers
- Thalasso Pornic - Located on the picturesque coast, Thalasso Pornic is one of France's leading thalassotherapy centers. It offers a wide range of services, including hydromassage baths, mud applications and seaweed wraps, which combine the restorative virtues of the marine environment with wellness treatments. Their comprehensive offering of "thalasso and spa days and treatments" blurs the boundaries between traditional thalassotherapy and the luxury of modern spas.
Digital platforms streamline wellness experiences
- Thalasseo - As an online platform specializing in thalasso holidays, Thalasseo has revolutionized the way customers access and book wellness retreats. The platform offers competitive prices for a variety of thalassotherapy and spa experiences, making it easy for customers to find and book their ideal rejuvenating getaway, whether at home or abroad.
- Balinea - Similar to Thalasseo, Balinea is a digital marketplace where users can explore and book a variety of spa and wellness services. Its user-friendly interface and wide selection make the process of organizing spa visits and thalasso getaways more accessible and affordable for a broader clientele.
Although no specific companies are mentioned, the report does mention the presence of spas offering a range of high-end treatments from massages to beauty services. These spas are distinguished by their luxury image and the range of services they offer, which include treatments targeting specific areas of the body, a variety of revitalizing and relaxing options, and exclusive sessions that may use facilities such as hammams, saunas or whirlpools.
Regulatory and standards bodies
- AFNOR (Association Française de NORmalisation) - This organization plays a central role in standardization in the thalassotherapy sector. By establishing the XP X50-844 standard, AFNOR defines the expectations of thalassotherapy centers in terms of the use of products of marine origin and rigorous hygiene and safety protocols.
- Spa Emotion - Although not presented as a supplier, this entity appears to serve as an information resource on regulatory aspects related to operational standards and expectations for spa establishments in France.tablissements de spa en France, ensuring that they adhere to the comprehensive health, safety and space requirements that go with being an ERP.
Each of these players embodies different facets of the thalassotherapy and spa market in France.
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Inforamtion
- Number of pages : 30 pages
- Format : Digital and PDF versions
- Last update : 20/10/2022
Summary and extracts
1 Market overview
1.1 Definition and scope of study
It's important to distinguish between thalassotherapy and spas, since they cover two different activities. The term thalassotherapy, generally abbreviated to "thalasso", refers to all the therapeutic and well-being treatments that can be provided using substances derived from the marine environment (seawater, mud, etc.).
Generally recommended for the treatment of fatigue and arthritis, thalassotherapy must be located by the sea or ocean (English Channel, Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea).
A spa, on the other hand, has no such requirements. Synonymous with well-being and luxury, a spa provides customers with a moment of comfort through skin treatments, beauty care and relaxation sessions. While most spas are independently run, some have sprung up in luxury hotels.
The French health and wellness market, estimated at around 20 billion euros, is growing more slowly than the global market. Thalassotherapy centers and spas have therefore had to modernize in order to differentiate themselves from one another, with spas increasingly presenting themselves as a more affordable alternative to thalassotherapy.
1.2 The global wellness, spa and thalassotherapy market
Overview of the global wellness market: a market worth over $*,*** billion by ****
At the recent Global Wellness Summit, the Global Wellness Institute presented the latest data on the wellness market, showing the impact of the pandemic on the sector and the outlook to ****, when the market is expected to reach $*,*** ...
1.3 Domestic market
Overview of the French thalasso and spa market: INSEE approach
We can analyze NAF code **.**Z entitled"Services d'entetien corporel", which includes Services related to well-being and physical comfort, such as those provided by Turkish baths saunas and steam baths, solariums, spas, weight-loss and slimming institutes, massage institutes (***), etc. Methodology and ...
1.4 What was the impact of the health crisis in France?
Decontamination requires new hygiene rules, which in turn limit operational capacity and thus potential revenue.
The three pillars of recovery are the structural foundations without which the survival of spas in this post-pandemic period would have been virtually impossible:
Redefinition of organic traffic flows implementing new "marketability levels" for spaces. The ...
2 Demand analysis
2.1 The French relationship with the wellness sector
A worldwide survey by McKinsey & Company showed that** %of people consider well-being to be an important part of life. To be more precise,**% of those surveyed said that well-being is a top priority. **% of **-** year-olds say they are ready for a thalasso[***]
In the anxiety-inducing context of recent years, marked ...
2.2 French demand expectations
The pandemic and repeated confinements have only heightened people's expectations in terms of well-being.**% of French people say they are more stressed after the pandemic than before.the WHO (***) has classified professional burn-out as an "occupational disease".[***]
What do the French value most in a thalasso? France, ****, % Source: ****
The French value ...
2.3 Seasonal demand in France?
According to Google Trend's analysis of spa search volumes in France,demand appears to be seasonal in the spring, around April and May. It's also interesting to note on the graph below that, apart from the covid crisis, which had a downward impact on search, demand maintains a certain stability throughout ...
2.4 Demand trends
Customers' expectations in terms of well-being, hygiene and safety in particular, have changed with the health crisis. [***]
And this will have consequences for the operation of many hotel spas, which have staked everything on superlatives and high visitor numbers for their facilities.
For this context is contributing to the emergence of ...
3 Market structure
3.1 Market structure for thalassos and spas
Although spa establishments have historically been owned by the local authorities in which they are located, the vast majority of them (***). [***]
Thermal establishments by legal status
Breakdown of spa establishments France, ****, % Source: ****
In ****, **.*% of spa establishments will be private commercial establishments, compared with **. *% public establishments.
3.2 French plant structure and geographical breakdown
Since ****, there has been an "increase in the number of customers of around *% per year, whose number is around ***,*** curists per year, for an average annual occupancy rate of accommodation of **%, compared with ** to **% for the traditional hotel business. Including accommodation and catering, the sector generates sales of nearly *** million euros. ...
3.3 The main market players
Leading players in the global spa market [***]
Hot Springs Resort & Spa Four Seasons Hotel Limited Emirates Palace Spa Lanserhof Massage Envy
The main players in the French thalassotherapy market
Weighting of the main players in the French thalassotherapy sector France, ****/****, millions of euros Source: ****
3.4 Competition and complementarity: thalasso vs. spa
It's important to note the competition and complementarity between thalassotherapy centers and spas. While the former are subject to regulatory constraints that require them to be located by the sea, the latter are not - they can be located anywhere in France.
As explained in the section devoted to the global ...
4 Offer analysis
4.1 Thalassotherapy treatments
It is possible to give a non-exhaustive overview of the range of thalassotherapy institutes, which generally also offer spa services. For this, we can draw on one of France's largest thalassotherapies, Pornic.
Thalassotherapy treatments: these include hydro-massage baths, heated mud application, seaweed wraps, clay application... The cost of a session is ...
4.2 Spa services
Spas are generally versatile in terms of what they can offer their customers. They often offer services that are specific to spas, as well as those that can be found in wellness centers (***).
Two categories of treatment are particularly common in spas:
Massages Body and facial treatments
Massages generally target a ...
4.3 Supply trends
"Thehealth crisis has forced our suppliers to review their strategies in depth and to question themselves. For ****, we are seeing many changes in the range of treatments offered by health centers, with the arrival of innovative new cures in particular. These should be very popular: Métamorphose, Jeunesse, Thalasso Spéciale ...
5 Regulations
5. Current control
Thalassotherapy center regulations
It may be important to note certain regulatory aspects that have marked a breakthrough in the sector.
Cures at thalassotherapy centers have not been reimbursed by the French social security system since ****. On the other hand thermal cures are reimbursed under certain conditions:
The spa cure must be ...
6 Positioning the players
6. Segmentation
- Thalassa Sea & Spa (Groupe Accor)
- Thalazur
- Relais Thalasso (Phelippeau)
- Thalasso de Pornic
- Saint James Albany Hôtel Spa
- La Réserve Paris - Michel Reybier Hospitality
- Dior Institut
- Spa L’Occitane (Groupe L'Occitane)
- Cinq Mondes
- Spa Océanide
- Travel spa Thalasseo
- Balinea
- Guerlain Spa
- Caliceo (Duval groupe)
List of charts
- Trends in the size of the global spa market
- Size of the global thalasso market
- INSEE: Growth in sales excluding taxes for NAF code 9604Z "Body care services"
- Positioning France among its global competitors (Spa)
- Positioning France among its global competitors (Thalasso)
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Latest news
Balneotherapy: Calicéo expands near Strasbourg - 12/01/2024
- Lyon-based specialist in urban aquatic relaxation facilities
- 8 sites in Lyon, Bordeaux and Toulouse.
- In 2023, Calicéo had sales of nearly 30 million euros and 210 employees
- The company is part of the Duval Group, which achieved sales of one billion euros in 2022.
Thalazur: Carnac thalassotherapy center gets a facelift - 22/11/2023
- 45 million euros: investment by Thalazur to renovate its Carnac thalassotherapy center
- 1978: year the site was created
- 2017: year Thalazur acquired the site
- 9: number of sites owned by Thalazur in France
- 200: total number of rooms after renovation
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the thalasso and spa market | France
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