We would like to thank all of you who made 2011 a successful and interesting year and we wish you all well for 2012 and beyond.

Here’s to 2012… a year of innovation, creativity and possibility.

Traditionally, time was set aside on Christmas Eve for family and friends to gather and spend time indulging in sauna bathing rituals. Nirkko writes that historically, the preferred bathing time was the afternoon to allow time during the evening for the spirit world to take their place in the cabin.

Today, Christmas Eve bathing traditions are a continued practice with the focus remaining firmly on the living, taking time for reflection and contemplation, enjoyment and cleansing before the festivities begin with renewed abandon. The process is slow, beginning with preparations for the heating of the sauna, through to the final cabin cooling stage. It is very much a social affair with the cold Finnish winter providing the perfect natural landscape for icy dips and snowy cooling in between hot sauna sessions.

Whist here in the UK the likelihood of a white Christmas might prevent us from fully experiencing a traditional Finnish style sauna, the idea of taking time out on Christmas Eve to be with friends and family inside a warm and inviting sauna cabin is very much top of list this year. Here are some top tips for creating the perfect Christmas sauna experience:

• Make it social and make it an event, taking the afternoon through to evening to spend time relaxing, talking and enjoying time with invited friends and family.
• Have plenty of large thick towels, fluffy robes and spare flip flops for additional eager guests.
• Heat the sauna well in advance and ensure the there is plenty of water on hand for raponsing regularly.
• Herbs such as Rosemary, Sage and Thyme and essential oils of Frankincense, Cedarwood and Sandalwood can be used to fragrance the cabin with seasonal and uplifting scents.
• Prepare light and delicious snacks accompanied by non alcoholic drinks to keep everyone fed and happy during the afternoon. Try hot pear or apple juice warmed with cinnamon, lemon, ginger and clove for a festive but non tipsy tipple or hot chocolate and marshmallows for the younger family members.
• Relaxation space is a must, make sure there are plenty of seats, benches and cushions for everyone to rest and relax on.
• Finally, stock up with plenty of candles and pick out a suitably laid back festive playlist.

A Christmas Eve Sauna is the perfect way to unwind and take stock before the festivities commence. Personally, I’m secretly hoping for an icy if not white Christmas for that authentic hint of the Finnish cool!

This year, the office will close on Friday 23rd December and will reopen again first thing on Tuesday 3rd January 2012.  We will be offering our usual levels of technical support and will continue to process spare parts orders up to and including Friday 23rd December.

If you require technical support during the Christmas period, please call your Klafs Engineer directly.  Calls and messages to the office will be picked up on our return on Tuesday 3rd January.

To help you avoid unnecessary difficulties during the festive break, here are some quick tips to keep things running smoothly:

• If you haven’t already done so, ensure your equipment has had its regular service before the busy December period begins.
• Check stock levels for key spare parts such as replacement bulbs, steam generator filters and seals. Re-order early to allow for any delays.
• Order extra essences to keep up with demand.
• Check door seals and hinges, tighten or replace as necessary.

Don’t forget, that spare parts and accessories can be ordered until Friday 23rd December.

2011 has been a great year for the Klafs team and we would like to extend our warm thanks to all of you who have helped to make it such a pleasurable, productive and successful year.

Take Ebay for example who recently announced their plans for a 5 day pop-up shop this Christmas in Londons Soho district beginning December 1st 2011. A seemingly backward step some may say when the growth in online retailing has been sounding the death knell for the high-street store, but actually not so.  Ebay has cleverly woven the old with new, albeit in a temporary fashion, to create a physical virtual store where goods can be seen but not taken home (they are delivered to your door) and where payment is made through your mobile not via the till.  They are bringing a virtual online experience into the reality of the high-street in a way which engages the user, creates a new and different experience yet continues to stick firmly their core business offering. They are delivering exactly the same service but bringing it to the consumer in a different way.

Technology has long been a driving force enabling smarter, leaner ways of working whilst improving user engagement through enhanced customer experience. Now, mobile technology combined with affordable, value-added apps is leading the way in changing buying habits and business to user engagement (and not just for the temporary Ebay store). Businesses across many sectors are finding new and innovative ways to apply and indeed develop technology to suit their needs.

Mobile Technology has evolved to form a vital missing link joining people directly to products, services and information wherever they are and whatever they are doing which could mean great news for your spa operations and activities. This year, we have already touched on a couple of influential reports highlighting the key trends for the coming year with luxury for less, authenticity, value added services and user engagement coming top of the wants and needs list. Take into account ComScores statistics on mobile user behaviour in Europe and we begin to see that the mobile market should not be ignored when web browsing, retail activities and social media engagement are high priorities for mobile users.

The ability to engage clients and potential clients through mobile technology creates an endless array of possibilities for the spa business operator enabling multi channel marketing and service provision to a single device.  Email, diary, sms and web browsing capabilities can be paired with scanning and payment technologies or interactive apps to create a cohesive and easily synchronised personal device allowing incoming data to be viewed, shared and actioned or scheduled immediately.

If your marketing activities have not expanded to incorporate products and services which are mobile compatible, you may just be missing out a new and engaged marketplace which could enable a highly tailored service to your users and clients.

An important and key component of the event was the presentation and discussion of the research findings detailed within the World Travel Market 2011 Industry Report. The report pulls together findings from two survey sources covering perspectives from both travel industry insiders and international holiday makers and although neither were large studies, the target audience offered a broad reaching distillation of the wider market fluctuations. Here are some of the key findings and considerations for 2012:

• Of those surveyed, findings indicate that 38% of UK consumers did not take a holiday in 2011 (defined as 7 nights spent away from home staying in the UK or travelling overseas)
• Those choosing to holiday, in the majority, did so only only once (59%).
• All-inclusive packages increased in popularity as too did the “Staycation”, enabling a tighter grip on budgets and spending.
• The increase to Air Passenger Duty was a major concern to 26% of holidaymakers questioned with 31% stating they would travel less often.
• London 2012 is expected to give rise to increased inbound tourism. 86% of industry leaders believe that London will see positive benefits whilst 84% believe that the Games will positively impact the whole of the UK.
• Only 8% of UK holidaymakers surveyed will look to incorporate The 2012 Games into their holidays. However, 60% thought that the Games would have a positive impact on London Tourism whilst 56% believed that it provides a positive marketing opportunity for the UK as a whole.

A second and important offering came via Euromonitor in the form of the Global Trends Report and delivered interesting insights on the shifting international travel activities and what that means for the global travel industry as a whole.

• The key finding for the UK was the ‘Rent My Garden Trend’ highlighting the increasing growth in alternative accommodation for the would be traveller on a budget. The prediction is that this will increase through 2012 as hotels continue to increase prices in line with demand (already seen to be 5 times higher than usual in some facilities).
• The wider European Market as a whole is seeing a shift towards ethical luxury, sustainability and responsible tourism practices.

So what does this mean and how will the shifts in travel activities affect the UK Spa market? The good news for UK Spa operators is that UK consumers are choosing to stay in the UK, are taking shorter breaks or opting for a day of activities. They are seeking a more luxury based, value added experience wrapped in an all-inclusive package.

The SpaFinders Global Spa Trends report released earlier this year demonstrates shifting consumer habits, predicting the increasing demand for quality, authenticity, social engagement and a great deal and highlighting these as possible key strategic indicators useful in assessing and addressing requirements for attracting and retaining would be spa goers here in the UK.

2012 will undoubtedly see an increase in inbound tourism to London and the wider UK as a whole as well as the displacement of UK residing ‘staycationers’ seeking submersion in the Games or refuge from a full to capacity city environment. This offers a rare opportunity for UK spa operators to develop and deliver services that support and nurture a longer term staycation ethos.

August is the month of holidays, the stress of packing, finding the passport, not to mention paying the fees! As well as saving for holiday spends, can be enough to send us over the edge and take the first 3 days of our well earned break recovering from being herded on and off planes, buses and along walkways.

If this is August, September then is the perfect time to treat yourself to a spa treatment. Hot stone massage or HAMMAM ritual at THE SANCTUARY will ensure you are ready to embrace the next season of life invigorated and feeling well.  Book me in now!

There will be limited Technical support during the Christmas break in the form of John one of our fabulous Technical Engineers. If you don’t have his number already, call the office and we will happily advise.

Thank you to you all for what has been a great 2009.  Wishing you all a very Happy Christmas and a prosperous 2010.