Spa Products in the News
Luxury SpaFinder Magazine Becomes Luxury SpaFinder Interactive - Expands Global
Reach to Six Languages
New York, NY March 18, 2008 --
SpaFinder, Inc, the largest spa media company, announced today that Luxury
SpaFinder Magazine will become Luxury SpaFinder Interactive, replacing the print
magazine effective with the July edition. Luxury SpaFinder Interactive will be
published monthly in six languages and will immediately expand the magazine's
global circulation from 200,000 to over one half million spa lifestyle enthusiasts.
The launch of the interactive publication also underscores the company's commitment
to green initiatives.
Melisse Gelula, spa beauty editor of
Luxury SpaFinder and former travel editor for Fodor's Travel Publications, has
been named editor in chief of Luxury SpaFinder Interactive. Sarah Day, who was
previously the print magazine's production director, will serve as vice president
of SpaFinder's Global Publishing Group and will oversee the new interactive publication
as well as the company's worldwide spa directory, Global SpaFinder, which is the
largest printed directory of its kind.
Luxury SpaFinder Interactive
will be published in Japanese, French, German, Italian and Spanish, as well as
English, and will be available on SpaFinder's network of global SpaFinder websites,
increasing potential readership to an additional six mil-lion consumers annually.
SpaFinder owns and operates the leading spa lifestyle and wellness website, SpaFinder.com,
with additional Internet domains in France, Italy, Germany, Spain and Japan. The
company's worldwide spa directory, Global SpaFinder, is a yearly print publication
for consumers and travel agents.
Luxury SpaFinder Interactive
expands our reach and presence in Europe, Asia, South America, and beyond,"
said Pete Ellis, Chairman & CEO of SpaFinder. "It's a big plus for our
advertisers as we tap into enormous demand among Gen-X and Gen-Y consumers for
spa and wellness information and the expansion of the spa market worldwide. Spa-goers
are truly global and online, and that's where they are going to be in greater
numbers."
Ellis anticipates that the circulation of Luxury
SpaFinder Interactive will reach in excess of one million consumers with each
monthly issue, based on new website and company offerings that will be announced
in the next 60 days. The publication will combine the attributes of a glossy print
magazine and online media, offering luxury spa travel, wellness and lifestyle
content in an interactive format that will include search capabilities.
According
to SpaFinder data, annual revenues for the global spa industry are approximately
$45 billion, roughly three times as large as the $15 billion U.S. spa industry.
"Luxury spas and luxury consumers are an increasingly
global phenomenon," adds Ellis. "And it's no longer just Americans traveling
to international spa destinations; it's Australians going to spas in Asia, Asians
going to spas in the Middle East, Europeans traveling to North America, etcetera.
By publishing Luxury SpaFinder in a global medium, we can promote the spa lifestyle
and spa vacations to consumers worldwide."
About SpaFinder,
Inc.
The world's largest spa media, marketing and gifting company, SpaFinder,
Inc. connects millions of wellness-focused consumers with thousands of spas worldwide.
SpaFinder's media properties include the award-winning Spafinder.com, Luxury SpaFinder
Interactive and the worldwide spa directory, Global SpaFinder. Spa
Finder Gift Certificates and its new gift division, Spa & Salon Wish,
offer spa gift certificates and cards that are redeemable at a combined network
of over 5,000 spas and salons worldwide and are available at thou-sands of retail
outlets. The company's software division innovates new solutions to help spas
build and streamline their businesses, including the popular SpaBooker online
booking system. SpaFinder Europe and SpaFinder Japan offer regional spa marketing
and gifting programs, including localized, native-language websites. Founded in
1986, the privately held company is headquartered in Manhattan.