A CONFERENCE, NETWORKING AND BRAND SHOWCASE FOR SENIOR MANAGEMENT OF HOTELS AND SPAS

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DAY ONE: ‘Spa hacking – a brave new world’

Sunday, 1 September

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9h00 Registration

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9h30 Welcome by Professional Beauty CEO, Mark Moloney

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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

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11h25 Tea Break

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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

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12h35 Lunch, Networking Break and Expo Floor Visit

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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 

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15h15 Tea Break

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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

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16h30 CLOSE DAY ONE

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DAY TWO: ‘Solutionist-thinking in the spa’

Monday, 2 September

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9h00 Registration

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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

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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

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11h10 Tea Break

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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

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12h30 Lunch, Networking Break and Expo Floor Visit

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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

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*The organisers reserve the right to alter the programme and speakers due to unforeseen circumstances.