The Spa Trends Report 2024
Welcome to the second edition of the annual SpaSeekers.com Spa Trends Report, where we take an extensive deep dive into the world of wellness. We’ve built on our very first Spa Trends Report 2023 and for the second year running, we’ve analysed consumer data to reveal the top trending spa treatments and relaxation experiences.
We’ve also spoken to the experts, who work in our partner spas every day, to reveal which experiences and treatments are going to be the most in-demand in 2024....
What the report covers:
- The top trending spa treatments of 2024
- The top trending spa experiences of 2024
- The UK locations booking the most spa breaks
- The cities spending the most on spa vouchers
- When are most spa vouchers redeemed?
- Which spas are booked the most with vouchers?
- 2024’s most in-demand spa locations around the world
From a revitalising massage to a luxurious facial, a spa treatment can be the perfect way to de-stress and take a bit of ‘me time’. However, with more and more weird and wonderful therapies and spa experiences emerging every year, we wanted to take a closer look at the treatments and experiences rising in popularity in 2024.
The Top Trending Spa Treatments of 2024
Our research reveals that it is cold plunge therapy – also known as ice bathing or cold-water immersion, which is set to be the top trending spa treatment in 2024, with a whopping 126% increase in searches. A cold plunge therapy is a type of cryotherapy that involves immersing your body into cold water for a short duration of time. It’s recommended for beginners to start at 30 seconds, then build their tolerance up to be able to spend three minutes in the water. Cold plunge therapy is thought to help release any muscle tension by reducing inflammation and soreness as well as improve circulation, which can help improve your cardiovascular health and decrease stress. Cold plunge therapy is also a popular treatment on TikTok, with over 76.1 million views for the therapy on the social media platform.
Following cold plunge therapy is a lymphatic drainage face massage, which is a specialised massage technique designed to reduce inflammation and puffiness in the face. The massage trend has seen an 83% increase in searches and has moved up three places in our rankings since last year, from fifth place in 2023’s Spa Trends Report. Kimberley Armstrong, Spa Manager at Oban Bay Hotel explains that this is also a treatment that anyone can try: “it’s a fantastic way of helping the sluggish built-up toxins and waste drain away from the face. This type of massage can really help with reducing unwanted tension in the face caused by stress, working on computers and also driving. It can also change your appearance, as it can be used to contour the face and reduce puffiness – for example, it can help to redefine someone’s jaw line, or help to remove bags under the eyes.”
Another treatment ranking in the top ten trending list which is also said to drains toxins from the body is colonic hydrotherapy. This treatment has seen a 49% increase in interest, building on an 83% rise in searches in 2023. Colonic hydrotherapy is now being offered at spas and wellness centres around the nation, due to its growing popularity – although the treatment traditionally was used as preparation for medical treatments such as a colonoscopy. During colonic hydrotherapy, warm water is used to gently flush out waste materials from the large intestine, promoting cleansing and detoxification. The benefits of this treatment include clearer skin, reformed circulation, and an improved immune system and digestion.
In third position, seaweed baths were found to have increased in searches by 53%. This treatment involves bathing in hot water infused with seaweed, and the treatment can help lower stress levels and improve skin appearance, thanks to seaweed being packed with nutrients which promote collagen production. Kimberley thinks that this is definitely one trend that’s worth the hype: “seaweed bathing is really up and coming, with more and more spas offering this as a treatment. The magic of Mother Nature’s powerful marine ingredients are incredible for detoxifying and remineralizing the body, so it’s exciting to see it’s made the top three trending treatments for this year.”
Two other types of bathing treatments following closely behind in joint fourth place, are balneotherapy and beer bath hydrotherapy, which have both spiked in interest by 50% over the past year. Balneotherapy is a treatment that involves the use of mineral-rich water, commonly used to deter diseases, with an aspect of this being bathing in mineral water. However, spa-goers can also reap the benefits of balneotherapy via drinking or inhaling the steam from the mineral-rich water. All types of balneotherapy can help to reduce stress levels, decrease chances of diseases and remove any toxins from the body. Although a beer bath is a treatment that people might be tempted to drink, it is recommended to actually bathe in the beer in order to help cleanse the skin and improve blood flow. Though the treatment is only offered at a select few centres as of 2024, the treatment could become more readily available as it grows in popularity.
Another treatment which ranks in the top 10 most popular is touchless spa treatments, with searches up 50%. As the name of the treatment would suggest, the purpose of a touchless spa treatment is to avoid any physical contact with the therapist delivering your treatment. Instead, touchless treatments can be delivered by a built-in transducer machine that sends gentle vibrations through your body to enhance relaxation.
Other treatments which are set to be huge in 2024 are Thai massages (up by 48%), gold massages (48%) and waterless pedicures (48%) – all of which are hugely popular on TikTok too, with Thai massage having over 569 million views on the app. A Thai massage, also known as a Thai yoga massage, is a traditional therapeutic bodywork practice that originated in Thailand. It combines elements of massage therapy, assisted yoga stretches, acupressure, and energy work to promote relaxation and improve flexibility. A gold massage is a form of luxury massage where 23-karat gold is used, with clients reaping the benefits of the gold’s anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Finally, waterless pedicures (which are believed to be more hygienic and eco-friendlier than a standard pedicure) remove the traditional soaking step and replace with lotions and creams.
| Rank | Spa treatment | YoY increase in searches |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cold plunge therapy | 126% |
| 2 | Lymphatic drainage facial massage | 83% |
| 3 | Seaweed bath | 53% |
| =4 | Balneotheraphy | 50% |
| =4 | Beer bath hydrotherapy | 50% |
| =4 | Touchless spa treatments | 50% |
| 7 | Colonic hydrotherapy | 49% |
| 8 | Thai massage | 48% |
| =9 | Gold massage | 48% |
| =9 | Waterless pedicures | 48% |
The Top Trending Spa Experiences of 2024
Amid the ongoing growth of the spa and leisure industries, an expanding array of spa types and experiences are becoming available and staying informed about the latest trends can be challenging! To uncover the most sought-after spa experiences, we also conducted a global analysis of Google search data to unveiling the experiences witnessing the biggest increase in demand.
Medical spas are seeing the biggest increase in searches, up by a whopping 82% since 2023. With 108.3 million views on TikTok, medical spas (or Medi-spas as they are also known by) focus on providing nonsurgical aesthetic treatments such as Botox, fillers, fat reducers, laser hair removal, microneedling and tattoo removal. Due to the demand of these treatments (searches for ‘botox treatment’ alone have seen global search increases of 39% over the past year), it’s likely that we’ll see many more medical spas popping up in the future.
For anyone interested in trying out a medical spa for a treatment, Kimberley Armstrong, Spa Manager at Oban Bay Hotel has shared her top tips: “If I was looking to go to a medical spa, I’d 100% be looking for evidence that the therapists have medical training and medical qualifications if possible. It’s also always worth seeing if you can get a good word of mouth recommendation too. Before any treatment you should also have a thorough consultation – if you don’t get this, and aren’t sure of their medical qualifications, then they’re probably best avoided!”
Following medical spas are female only spas, which are spas that exclusively cater to those who identify as female. With a 53% increase in searches for the experience over the last year, these spas are designed to provide a comfortable and private environment where women can relax, unwind, and enjoy various wellness and beauty treatments.
It seems that many spa-lovers across the nation seem to be interested a more private and tailored relaxation experience, as adult-only spas rank in third place, with a search increase of 50%, having increased by a whopping 127% last year. Also ranking in third place were thermal and immersive spas. Thermal spas offer spa-goers the opportunity to soak in a water source which has been naturally heated by the earth’s crust, providing benefits including improved digestion and metabolism, and relief from sports injuries and skin conditions.
Also ranking in the top ten trending spa experiences are detox spas (up by 26%), followed by organic spas (23%). The primary focus of a detox spa is to promote detoxification, which is the process of removing harmful substances or waste products from the body to improve overall health and well-being. Detox spas often combine various holistic approaches, therapies, and practices to achieve these goals. An organic spa, also known as an eco-friendly, or green spa, is a type of spa facility that focuses on providing treatments and services using natural and organic products. The emphasis of organic spas is on using environmentally friendly and sustainable practices and products.
Water-based trending spa treatments are clearly set to prove popular with spa-goers this year, with Thalassotherapy spas seeing an increase in searches of 22% over the last year. Hamman spas are also up by 22%; also known as a Turkish bath or Moroccan bath, and a type of spa facility that offers a traditional bathing and cleansing experience inspired by the bathing practices of the Middle East, North Africa, and parts of Asia. Hammam spas are designed to promote relaxation, purification, and a sense of well-being through a series of cleansing and rejuvenating rituals.
Having seen an increase in demand of 50% last year, dog-friendly spas once again ranked in our top ten trending experiences, with searches up another 22% over the past year. Dog-friendly spas continue to sweep the nation in 2024, with one of our own four-star spa hotels in Derbyshire already offering the service. Ringwood Hall Hotel & Spa offers a ‘Pampered Pooch Experience’ in partnership with Georgina’s Pet Sitting Service, with the package including a luxurious bubble bath and paw soak, and rejuvenating walk on the beautiful grounds for your furry friend.
According to Kimberley: “The spa world is only becoming closer to the rest of the wellness industry, so it’s only natural that we’re seeing more treatments emerging that have strong health benefits and that work on a deeper cellular level, such as those offered at medical spas. The changes we’ve seen during my 14 years in the spa world have been fascinating, so I’m excited to see what the future holds too.”
| Rank | Spa experience | YoY increase in searches |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Medical spa | 82% |
| 2 | Female only spa | 53% |
| =3 | Adult only spa | 50% |
| =3 | Immersive spa | 50% |
| =3 | Thermal spa | 50% |
| 6 | Detox spa | 26% |
| 7 | Organic spa | 23% |
| =8 | Hammam spa | 22% |
| = | Thalassotherapy spa | 22% |
| =8 | Dog friendly spa | 22% |
The UK Locations Booking The Most Spa Breaks
We’ve analysed our own bookings data to find out which locations in the UK booked the most spa breaks in 2023. It was the residents of Chester who were found to be booking the most spa days, followed by Blackburn, Sheffield, the nation’s capital London, and Northamptonshire market town Towcester.
Midlands-based towns including Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwick and Sutton Coldfield also ranked in the top ten, while Wales’ capital city Cardiff ranked in seventh spot.
| Rank | City |
|---|---|
| 1 | Chester |
| 2 | Blackburn |
| 3 | Sheffield |
| 4 | London |
| 5 | Towcester |
| 6 | Stratford-upon-Avon |
| 7 | Cardiff |
| 8 | Warwick |
| 9 | Sutton Coldfield |
| 10 | Harrogate |
The Cities Spending The Most On Spa Vouchers
Vouchers have become an incredibly popular gift in recent years, giving the gift of time and an experience that we may not usually indulge in. Spa vouchers are no exception to this rule and will certainly give the recipient the gift of relaxation and a bit of all-important me-time.
But which cities are buying spa vouchers the most? According to our internal data, Londoners are spending the most on spa vouchers each year, with 15% of our total voucher value originating from the capital in 2023.
Manchester follows in second place, with 6% of voucher purchases in 2023 being made in the northern city. Glasgow follows closely behind in third place, at 5%, with Bristol (4%) and Sheffield (4%) completing the top five.
| Rank | City | % of total voucher spend |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | London | 15% |
| 2 | Manchester | 6% |
| 3 | Glasgow | 5% |
| 4 | Bristol | 4% |
| 5 | Sheffield | 4% |
| 6 | Liverpool | 4% |
| 7 | Birmingham | 4% |
| 8 | Leeds | 3% |
| 9 | Southampton | 3% |
| 10 | Edinburgh | 3% |
When Are Most Spa Vouchers Redeemed?
Though we may receive vouchers as gifts for birthdays, Valentine’s Day, anniversaries or Christmas, we all know that more often than not they’ll sit in their envelope, or email, for many months before we get round to using them (if we ever do!).
However, in 2023 it looks like recipients may well have been keen to cash in their Christmas vouchers, as 15% of all vouchers used in 2023 were used in January alone. February (11%) followed as the second most common month for voucher redemptions, with March in third (11%). December fell to the bottom of the table, with only 3% of vouchers used in the final month of the year – which perhaps isn’t a surprise given how busy December can be!
| Rank | Month | % of 2023 vouchers redeemed |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | January | 15% |
| 2 | February | 11% |
| 3 | March | 11% |
| 4 | July | 8% |
| 5 | May | 8% |
| 6 | November | 8% |
| 7 | October | 8% |
| 8 | August | 7% |
| 9 | June | 7% |
| 10 | April | 7% |
| 11 | September | 7% |
| 12 | December | 3% |
Which Spas Are Booked The Most With Vouchers?
Spa vouchers can either be general (can be redeemed at any spa, for any package), package-specific (valid for certain spas/packages), or spa-specific (valid for a specific spa), so it can be tricky to know how best to spend them with so many beautiful spas and relaxing packages to choose from.
We looked at how most of our vouchers are redeemed, to give you a bit more inspiration if you’re buying a voucher for a loved one or have a voucher to use yourself.
Rudding Park Hotel and Spa came out on top as the spa that was booked via vouchers the most in 2023. This stunning North Yorkshire spa is set amid 300 acres of beautiful grounds and has a huge spa complex that’s sure to meet your relaxation needs. With three whole floors dedicated to indulgence, you’ll find an escape zone, treatment rooms and a rooftop spa which are home to luxurious heated beds, sumptuous steam rooms, a hydrotherapy infinity pool and private cabanas.
Moddershall Oaks Country Spa Retreat in Staffordshire follows in second place, with its stunning spa courtyard with toasty warm water and drinks on tap sure to lure you in. Macdonald Craxton Wood Hall and Spa places in third, with Bannatyne Kingsford Park and Ringwood Hall Hotel and Spa completing the top five.
| Rank | Spa |
|---|---|
| 1 | Rudding Park Hotel & Spa |
| 2 | Moddershall Oaks Country Spa Retreat |
| 3 | Macdonald Craxton Wood Hotel & Spa |
| 4 | Bannatyne Kingsford Park |
| 5 | Ringwood Hall Hotel & Spa |
| 6 | Bannatyne Spa Wildmoor |
| 7 | The Belfry Hotel & Spa |
| 8 | Oulton Hall Hotel, Spa & Golf Resort |
| 9 | Bannatyne Fairfield |
| 10 | DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel & Spa Chester |
2024’s Most In-Demand Spa Locations Around The World
Spas aren’t just exclusive to the UK, so we also wanted to take a look at which global destinations are piquing spa lovers’ attention the most. We’ve analysed Google search data to reveal the destinations which have seen the greatest increase in searches for spa days in that country over the past year.
Topping the list of most in-demand countries for spa breaks in 2023 was Romania, with a 233% increase in searches compared to the same period in 2022. Romania is known for its snow-covered mountains, green hills and forests, vineyards as well as beautiful sandy beaches on the shores of the Black Sea. Not to mention, more than a third of Europe’s mineral and thermal springs are found in Romania, so there are plenty of thermal spas to be discovered too. Sounds like the perfect place for a relaxing break to us!
France follows as the second most popular destination for spa breaks in 2023, with a 120% increase in searches. With the country just a hop across the Channel away, and easily accessible by road, plane or rail, it’s an ideal destination for a quick trip away. Whether you're after a luxurious spa break on the Côte d’Azur, or a snuggly sauna to head back to after a day skiing in the mountains, there’s options to meet every occasion.
Qatar (85%), Vietnam (85%) and China (84%) also rank within the top destinations that people are interested in heading to for a slightly more far-flung retreat in 2024.
Though it was top of the charts in 2023, Costa Rica fails to make it into the topflight this year, as is the case with Germany, which placed in second position last year. Croatia, which ranked in third place for 2023, has tumbled down the table, but still remains among the top 20, in 16th place alongside Malta, Morocco and Egypt.
| Rank | Country | YoY increase in searches |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Romania | 233% |
| 2 | France | 120% |
| =3 | Qatar | 85% |
| =3 | Vietnam | 85% |
| =5 | China | 84% |
| =5 | Montenegro | 84% |
| 7 | Canada | 83% |
| 8 | Bulgaria | 82% |
| 9 | Nepal | 69% |
| =10 | Poland | 60% |
| =10 | Tunisia | 60% |
| 12 | Argentina | 56% |
| 13 | Cambodia | 52% |
| =14 | Malta | 52% |
| =14 | Morocco | 52% |
| =16 | Croatia | 51% |
| =16 | Egypt | 51% |
| =18 | Austria | 50% |
| =18 | Latvia | 50% |
| =18 | Luxembourg | 50% |
| =18 | Netherlands | 50% |
| =18 | Thailand | 50% |
If the second edition of our Spa Trends Report has inspired you to book a spa day in 2024, then why
not check out our huge range of relaxing spa breaks - from overnight breaks to a day out in one of
our many spa hotels.
Methodology
Data was compiled for the report from the following sources:
- Google Keyword Planner (trending spa treatments, spa experiences and in-demand spa locations) analysing worldwide search volume. An increase in interest was calculated by comparing the search volumes for each term between November 2021 – December 2022 and November 2022 – December 2023.
- SpaSeekers internal anonymised booking data
All data correct as of December 2023.
