BRAVE NEW World

The World Spa & Wellness Convention 2025 connected and inspired the international spa industry

Europe’s premier gathering for the global spa community returned to ExCeL London on March 2–3 with a lineup of keynote speeches, panel discussions and interactive Q&As. The World Spa & Wellness Convention 2025 delivered actionable insights and education for international spa leaders and their teams.

Speaking about how AI is transforming wellness and hospitality, Tiffany St James, UK country director of the Global AI Council, discussed the use of facial recognition technology at Hilton Hotels to speed up check-ins, while Marriott hotels has AI built into the in-room assistance for more personalised guest experiences and Hyatt uses predictive analytics for guest booking patterns.

Meanwhile Frank Pitsikalis, senior vice president, product strategy at Agilysys, Laura Sheridan, acting group spa director at Champneys, and Catherine Warren, vice president of strategic partnership at Arch Amenities, spoke about elevating spa revenue and experiences, with Warren explaining that implementing mental wellbeing elements in spas can increase repeat bookings. “By implementing things such as the ability for guests to come in and journal and write down things they are grateful for, we’ve seen that make a big impact on having the guest return,” she said, also outlining initiatives in which science is blended with new age practices such as using biometrics to recommend the right sleep therapies and aromatherapy oils.

Other standout sessions included a panel on lifestyledriven hospitality with recovery and longevity at its heart, where Yuki Kiyono, global head of health and wellness development at Aman, Cedric Betis of the Dubai Future Council on Health & Wellbeing, and Anna Bjurstam of V Social, shared practices that have worked for them.

Forming connections

Speaking about the impact of the event, Simon Casson, chief executive of Corinthia Hotels, said, “We’re an industry of hospitality that’s all about bringing people together so the value of collective thinking, of exchanging ideas, or learning and listening is of incredible value. This was an opportunity for me to reconnect with many of the wellness leaders from around the world... I loved the energy in the room.”

Suzanne Holbrook, global lead for spa, fitness and wellness at Marriott, echoed that sentiment, adding, “Everyone comes from different backgrounds and it doesn’t matter how long you’ve been in this industry, there is always something to learn, so it’s an amazing opportunity to do that. I learn a huge amount from other spa leaders by being here. You can get caught up in your own ways and it’s important to get out and hear different experiences and concepts to allow you to grow in your own role.”

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