Letting go and being less focused on the more rational part of our thinking, helps to regain balance and serenity. Ludic SPAs enhance precisely the playful aspect related to well-being, through playful paths that invite us to listen to ourselves in order to understand what we really need.
What is ludic well-being
For each of us, well-being also passes through the recovery or enhancement of convivial dynamics, to the pleasure of socializing, having fun. These are all activities that create harmony, improve the person, and which can also be found in spas, where clients seek not only benefits from a physical point of view but also from a mental point of view, to achieve harmony, a general well-being.
Enhancing this playful dimension of wellness allows the spa to broaden its target customers by targeting, for example, young people, couples, and groups of friends. It is still rare, in fact, to find spas with proposals aimed expressly at young people and their families, who instead represent, today more than ever, an interested part of the market.
What are the characteristics of a Ludic Spa
Any spa could be mistakenly understood as ludic and experienced as a fun game: go from sauna to whirlpool, short stop in the steam room then emotional shower with a whole series of buttons to push to try out programs, water jets, light and color games, dips in the pool, etc.
If proposed in this way (amusement park model) a Ludic Spa will end up tiring quickly. In fact, if the proposed activities and circuits are not properly organized, clients will not feel an improvement in their condition. This is because a playful environment is not enough to restore harmony and well-being.
Conversely, even a spa that focuses heavily on the professionalism and seriousness of the environment runs the risk of not meeting the expectations of clients, who may relive inside the spa the same patterns of daily life that they hoped to forget for a few hours, entering a world designed to surprise and excite.
A unique concept
“In the past, there was a tendency to standardize the spa environment. Today, a change of course is absolutely necessary – says Régis Boudon-Doris, CEO and Founder of bbspa_Group – Hotels, Spas, must focus on a concept that sets them apart, that excites and brings customers back.
When talking about spas, one can no longer think only about the equipment to be included or envisage over-tested but also very dated solutions.
Today’s guests are evolved, demanding and not easily retained! A quality offer absolutely goes through a strong customization of Spa environments. Only in this way can one think of truly meeting the expectations of guests, who today look carefully at everything that is green, integrated with the surrounding landscape but also hyper-technological, innovative and trendy”.
How to design a Ludic SPA
“Talking specifically about LUDIC SPA – adds Régis Boudon-Doris. it is a rather virgin area that falls within a concept of true wellness tourism.
We are not just talking about saunas, treatment cabins or tubs but about a set of architectural, design, and planning solutions that would allow the recovery of harmony and playfulness, of a feeling of being still a bit of a child that so many of us seek for our own well-being.
Today, after the covid period, this strong need to feel good represents an opportunity to revitalize and enhance the SPA, Wellness, Spa sector and the hospitality sector in general”.
What mistakes to avoid
We need to be very careful because risks exist, especially if in the design phase we focus only on space and equipment, without giving due consideration to really important aspects: the emotions that the various environments arouse, the quality of the services, how to structure the pathways and distribute the spaces, the approach of the staff, and the philosophy of wellness that distinguishes the spa and around which the entire service offering revolves. These may sound like obvious things, but they are not at all.
That’s why, those who invest in the spa world are increasingly calling on the input of experts who can bring to life a project that is profitable, meets customer expectations, represents a real wellness offering, and is a lasting investment.
“Unique” spas are the most sought-after ones.
Often the strong characterization and uniqueness of a SPA are the features that make that center attractive and successful. On the one hand, uniqueness rewards, on the other hand, as already pointed out, its value emerges and stands out when it is the result of careful design and careful study and deep knowledge of the sector. Choosing uniqueness certainly requires courage, but if well supported, it is a path that generates an important competitive advantage for one’s business!
