NEW YORK -- Drive-in destination spas and weekend-retreat packages
have been "booked solid" during recent weeks, according to Pete
Ellis, chairman and chief executive officer of New York-based Spa
Finder, a travel company for the spa market.
"Our phones are busier than they've been in two years," Ellis
said. "We're seeing a huge number of new customers, people who have
never booked spa travel before."
According to an informal poll conducted by the company, the
month immediately following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks found
spa business down 25% while the general travel sector struggled
with an 80% decrease in business.
Of that 25%, the most affected were air-inclusive destination
packages, according to Spa Finder.
The company attributes the upswing in U.S. spa vacations since
Sept. 11 to the very nature of the niche -- its emphasis on stress
reduction and mental and physical well-being -- and the fact that
spas abound within driving distance of most major cities.
Travelers want destinations that do not require flying and can
be reached by train or car, Ellis said. The spa travel company,
which has a database of 700 spas worldwide, claims about 12,000
travel agents among its regular clients, with travel agent bookings
representing half of its business.
Founded in 1986, it is staffed by agents, or "consultants," who
"know what is going on at any number of spas at one time and can
help determine the correct destination for the client," a spokesman
said.
The company pays agents 11% commission on wholesale packages and
10% on retail plans and packages featuring Canyon Ranch
properties.
For more information on any of the properties and packages, call
(800) 255-7727 or visit www.spafinder.com.