Turnberry Isle and the American Institute of Massage Therapy to Offer a 500-hour Hands-On Spa Directors Academy Starting January 5, 2004

Background

Spas have become the newest form of entertainment in the U.S. According to a survey conducted by Pricewaterhouse Coopers for the International SPA Association 156 million visits were made to spas in the U.S in 2001, an annual growth rate of 21% in the past five years. Revenues in the spa industry have surged 114% between 1999-2001 and have now reached $5 billion. Spas have been shown to generate more revenue than ski resorts, amusement and theme parks, and only slightly less than box office receipts. The ISPA survey findings showed that that as of 2000 there were 9,632 spas in the United States employing 282,000 people.

Identifying the need

Even with the large growth spurt currently being experienced in the industry many spas suffer core inefficiencies due to a lack of proper training and business sense. The inefficiencies most widely encountered are an inability to control costs, manage cash flows, attract and retain qualified personnel and most of all, source and sell products to satisfy the needs of their customers while making economic profit.

Purpose

This program allows Turnberry Isle and the American Institute of Massage Therapy to offer the public the opportunity to participate in a 500-hour hands- on Resort Spa Director program.

This one of a kind program will allow students to explore each department where they will learn the skills; disciplines and systems needed to succeed. First hand experience will provide an in-depth look at front desk, locker room, retail and operational duties learning to perform each department responsibility. By making operational decisions students gain a better understanding of the cause and effect of different decisions and their impact on the business and its profitability. Students will be involved in the creation of budgets and payroll, while helping with scheduling throughout each department, learning the interview, hiring and training process specific to the industry. The opportunity to attend a variety of meetings including spa management, pre-con, resume, safety and department head meetings will allow graduates of this program to enter the spa industry with experience, cutting down on any required training.

Vision

Implementing a high caliber program of this kind will greatly benefit the growing spa industry. This program allows new students and former therapists with dreams of becoming an owner/operator to learn the business skills needed to become and remain successful in the competitive world of business giving them the opportunity to make the most of their vision. The establishment of solid management practices will make it easier to keep up with the growing demand, providing not only a large number of spas but also a large number of quality spas.

Course starts: Jan 5, 2004

Cost: $4,000

Completion of course:

25 weeks at two ten-hour days

Or

12 weeks at forty hours a week

Or

10.5 weeks at forty-eight hours a week

For a more information, contact the American Institute of Massage Therapy:
954-781-2468
800-752-2793
www.aimt.com
spacertification@aimt.com