Spa Business issue 2 2012 - Leisure Opportunities

REGIONAL FOCUS
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The arrival of global hotel brands is contributing
to the evolution of Thailand’s third largest island
into a luxury lifestyle destination. We visit Koh
Samui’s new resorts and their respective spas.
NEENA DHILLON » JOURNALIST » SPA BUSINESS
Blessed with palm-lined
beaches and verdant hills,
Koh Samui has steadily been
shrugging off its reputation
as a backpacker’s haven to
position itself as a sophisticated
yet laid-back tropical retreat. Several
international hospitality groups have identifi
ed the opportunity presented by Th ailand’s
second most popular island, opening fi vestar
resorts. Naturally these include spas
that must measure up to the award-winning
facilities associated with south-east
Asia. “Koh Samui is known for its holistic
and yoga off ering,” says a fi ve-star hotelier.
“But the challenge for my colleagues and I
– in partnership with the Tourism Authority
of Th ailand – is to raise awareness of the
island as an upscale spa destination.”
Koh Samui registered visitor numbers
of 859,501 in 2011, a rise of 8 per cent on
the previous year, according to consultancy
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68 Read Spa Business online spabusiness.com / digital
C9 Hotelworks. While Germany,
Th ailand and the UK
continued to represent
the three most important
source countries, China and
Korea became key emerging
markets. Other positive
indicators included a 6 per
cent increase in hotel occupancy
to 60 per cent, as well
as a 16 per cent surge in average
room rate to over us$150
(€113, £92). “Growth in luxury
and upscale properties is
spurring the cyclical pendulum
of volume and average
rates forwards,” explains
Bill Barnett, managing
director of C9 Hotelworks.
“New direct fl ights on SilkAir from Singapore
and on Bangkok Airways from Kuala
Lumpur are aiding the cause. Th is refl ects a
wider shift in guest profi le from long-haul
to regional visitors, driven by the escalating
prominence of Asian economies and continuing
recession in Europe.”
Still, compared to Th ailand’s most popular
island, Phuket, which attracts millions
of tourists annually, Koh Samui’s relatively
modest numbers can be attributed in part
to accessibility issues caused by its modestly-sized
airport. While some islanders are
against expansion – environmental concerns
combine with a desire to keep Koh Samui
The laid-back villa
vibe is complemented
by a mix of energybased
activities
Landscaped
pathways link
Away Spa’s seven
treatment rooms
protected from mega-sized development –
there is no doubting the call for improved
transportation links go hand in hand with
hotel growth. Although the pipeline is fl attening
out – only a 3 per cent increase in
the existing supply of over 17,000 rooms is
expected in the next two years – Koh Samui’s
midscale and budget sectors in particular are
reliant on low-cost carrier uplift .
In the meantime, the current crop of new
high-end hotels is already having an impact,
creating media buzz and drawing in affl uent
travellers. World-class spas, meanwhile, are
integral to an island that now aims to cater
for a style-conscious breed of sybarite.
SPA BUSINESS 2 2012 © Cybertrek 2012