June 13 – The spa industry in Dubai has played a small role in generating hotel revenue in the past but it is now gradually helping luxury hotels lessen the impact of the global economic slowdown. The Ernst & Young Spa Benchmark for the first quarter of 2010 shows that aggregate revenues for Dubai hotel spas increased 45.5 percent compared to the same period last year.
Aggregate spa revenues are comprised of revenues generated by treatments, retail sales, fitness and related memberships, and other charges. Spa treatment revenues increased 70 percent and the number of treatments booked increased 62 percent compared to the first quarter in 2009. Paul Arnold with Ernst & Young described the performance of the maturing hotel spa sector: “Despite challenges in 2009, hotel spa performance proved better than expectations. The year 2009 began on a solemn note but hotel spas showed a strong performance at the end of the year.” Mr. Arnold is Principle and Head of Transaction Real Estate Advisory Services Group – Middle East and Africa, for Ernst & Young.
