WORLD SPA & WELLNESS CONVENTION PROGRAMME
A CONFERENCE, NETWORKING AND BRAND SHOWCASE FOR SENIOR MANAGEMENT OF HOTELS AND SPAS
DAY ONE: ‘Spa hacking – a brave new world’
Sunday, 1 September
9h00 Registration
9h30 Welcome by Professional Beauty CEO, Mark Moloney
9h45 Keynote: What can African spas learn from overseas? – There’s so much going on in Europe and Asia but how much is relevant to spas in Southern Africa? An international spa operator will highlight key international development and explore their relevance for the local market.
Melinda Yon, Technical Services Director of Spa and Wellness and part of the core Wellness Innovation Team at Six Senses Hotels Resorts
10h35 Tech Talk – the impact of mobile technology on the guest’s wellbeing versus the use of technology in the spa to enhance the guest’s state of relaxation. Can digital detox in the spa co-exist with digital therapy (i.e. virtual reality experiences, wellness & fitness apps, etc)? A panel of KOLs will present their perspectives.
Chair: Ayesha Rajah, Owner, Urban Bliss Wellness Spa
Melloney Rijnvis, Somatologist & Business Entrepreneur
Tarryn Sacher, Spa & Salon Coach
11h25 Tea Break
11h45 Challenges, risks and the law when practicing aesthetic treatments in a spa or salon - with client demand for aesthetic treatments and instant results on the rise, some spas are moving beyond the traditional spa treatments and introducing more advanced treatments such as peels, laser, IPL, microneedling and plasma into their menus. However, it's important to know what level of treatment is allpwed in the spa and and the legislation surrounding these types of treatments. Also, what sort of qualifications must therapists have in order to be able to perform these treatments safely?
Chair: Joanna Sterkowicz, Editor, Professional Beauty
Dr Debbie Norval, Dr Debbie Norval Aesthetics
Yolande Swanepoel, Isa Carstens Academy
12h35 Lunch, Networking Break and Expo Floor Visit
14h30 360° Wellness – with the concept of wellness having well and truly infiltrated the spa sector, this panel session will look at three different aspects of wellness and how they can be incorporated into the spa offering, namely Fitness, Nutrition (specifically the Gut Microbiome) and Mindfulness (as a method of focused relaxation).
Madaleine Helm, Nutritional Consultant
James Blower, Matrix Fitness
Karen Turis, Oxford Healthcare Retreat
15h15 Tea Break
15h30 Digital Snacking – creating delectable morsels of marketing material that are directed straight at your target market, while simultaneously harnessing the power of viral marketing. This panel will include a marketing guru, an advertising expert and the manager of a spa that excels in marketing its services and facilities.
Chair: Marisa Dimitriadis, Founder & MD, The Spa Consultants
Johan Mouton, Growth Hacker
Keshantha Naidoo, Founder & Marketing Director, Channel Research Strategic Marketing Solutions
Gabriella Cirillo, Red Cherry Interactive Team
16h30 CLOSE DAY ONE
DAY TWO: ‘Solutionist-thinking in the spa’
Monday, 2 September
9h00 Registration
9h30 Keynote: In the money – a business expert will speak on revenue generation (i.e. team productivity strategies to maximise client spending; dealing with your budget when it veers off course, etc). In addition, a top spa consultant will give the lowdown on ‘Yielding’.
Keynote 1: Cecilia McKay, Director of Sales, Marketing & Revenue Management, Irene Country Lodge
Keynote 2: Marisa Dimitriadis, Founder & MD of The Spa Consultants
10h20 Two-Way Transmission – effective communications between the spa and the hotel reception as well as cross-marketing can do a lot to entice hotel guests into the spa. Our panel will give details on how to do this as it’s an important dynamic often found to be lacking in hotel, resort and game reserve spas.
Francisco Garcia, Spa Manager, TAJ Cape Town
Dineo Molefe, Owner & Founder, Dee's African Spa
Nadia Rudolph, Spa Manager, Fancourt
11h10 Tea Break
11h30 Spa Menu Engineering – creating extraordinary guest experiences in your treatments; streamlining your offering to make it financially viable. Our panelists will offer valuable insight on the topic.
Joelle Jennepy, Regional Director of Spa, Four Seasons Resort Mauritius
Hildegard Carstens, Spa Manager, Delaire Graff Lodges & Spa, Stellenbosch
Tanya Lopes, Spa Manager, Saxon Hotel, Villas and Spa
12h30 Lunch, Networking Break and Expo Floor Visit
14h30 Charting Your Way through the Spa Obstacle Course – the managers of a day spa, a hotel spa, a resort spa and a wellness centre will speak about the biggest industry challenges their businesses have faced and how they overcame them. Designed as a fully interactive session, the panelists will also respond to any problems delegates may be facing.
Chair: Melinda Yon, Technical Services Director of Spa and Wellness and part of the core Wellness Innovation Team at Six Senses Hotels Resorts
Nuncia Pereira, Spa Manager, The Fairway Hotel, Spa & Golf Resort (Guvon Group)
Marion Von Maltzahn, Ciana Day Spa & Wellness Centre (Namibia)
Verona Duwarkah, Blue Topaz Wellness Centre
16h00 CONVENTION CLOSES
*The organisers reserve the right to alter the programme and speakers due to unforeseen circumstances.

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