Wednesday, August 8, 2007

Chairperson's Note

Welcome to the first edition of the APSWC newsletter! Next quarter we will be bringing you this missive under a sexy new name, so please take a moment to enter the 'naming competition' at the end of this newsletter and be in the running to win a fabulous 3 night, 2 centre stay for 2 at the Four Seasons Bali at Jimbaran Bay and Sayan.

A lot has happened since the March Strategic Planning Forum in Bali. National representatives have been confirmed as board directors, and we have officially incorporated in Singapore.

Five Task Forces have been assembled, with many of the industry's 'best brains' set to apply their talent and experience to our priority areas of People, Product, Professionalisation, Profit and Planet.

True to our mission, we strive to unite the industry through the sharing of knowledge and resources. Our aim for this newsletter is to bring you the latest news from every country in the region. We encourage you to forward this email on, and to send us any news items that may be of interest.

Tuesday, August 7, 2007

APSWC Action: We're Official!

After receiving a general mandate from attendees of the APSWC Strategic Planning Forum in Bali in March, APSWC has subsequently applied and been approved as a registered not-for-profit society based in Singapore. This means that we can engage as an official entity with government and other organisations that influence our industry.

Asean Harmonisation Law

This law, designed to create favourable trade conditions for ASEAN members, comes into effect in January 2008 and the labeling laws appear to be causing confusion. Please visit this link to learn more Asean Harmonization.

Resource Box (sharing of knowledge, educational news)

TSPA 'The Spa's Schools Day' 17 July Bangkok, Thailand
The aim of this free event was to introduce the spa industry to school goers as a positive career choice. An exhibition of institutes certified by the Ministry of Public Health showcased curriculums and a group of speakers shared their knowledge of Thailand's healing traditions with the audience. It is events such as this one that not only help to quash the perceptions of 'spa' as a career but they will also hopefully alleviate the ever-worsening shortage of staff in the industry across the region.

Focus On (Products, treatments news and views; not publicity)

The Compact for Global Production of Safe Health and Beauty Products is the platform for companies to create and manufacture cosmetics and personal care products anywhere in the world that meet the formulation standards and deadlines set by the European Union Directive 76/768/EEC. Under this directive products are to be free of chemicals that are known or strongly suspected of causing cancer, mutation or birth defects.

Sensara Limited, Sensatia Botanicals, Pevonia Botanical and Body Bistro are some companies that produce and sell here in Asia. Has your company, or the company that sells you products, signed the Pledge? Go to http://www.safecosmetics.org/ for further information and details.

Looking for updated information on sunscreens? http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/ hosts the Environmental Working Group's latest report.

Newsletter Content - Please send all editorial submissions to Jacqueline Le Sueur on j.lesueur@spawellnesscouncil.com . Deadline date for the November issue is 30 September 2007.

Who's Who (Interview with Andrew Jacka)


Andrew Jacka: President of the Thai Spa Association, Director of Horwath Spa Consulting, APSWC Councillor for Thailand and APSWC Task Force Leader for Planet. Interview by Jacqueline Le Sueur

JLS: Andrew, first of all, our thanks to you for being the first person to volunteer to lead a task force. We all really appreciate you bringing your expertise and personality to the table. I guess the first question I would like to ask you is how do you find the time to juggle your consulting commitments with the work that you do for the Thai Spa Association and the APSWC?

AJ: Juggling work and TSPA/APSWC commitments is not as easy as I had thought it would be. Fortunately APSWC work is not so involved or time consuming at this stage, but being President of TSPA means that I have to spend at least 1/2 of each working day dedicated to TSPA; in turn that means some late nights in the office to get everything completed. However it is something that I enjoy immensely and am very happy to do. The added support of my fellow TSPA Board members is invaluable in being able to get everything completed in a timely manner as I can delegate a significant amount of work to them also.


JLS: What do you think is the major environmental issue facing the spa/wellness industry the region at the moment? What do you think we, the industry can do, to have an immediate impact on this?

AJ: The major environmental issue facing our industry can be juggled between water and organic. Water - even though we are told that global warming is contribution to rising water levels (thereby meaning more water - correct?), we see countries in severe drought. Regardless, we need to look at our use of water and ensure that it is being used wisely, even in countries where there is plenty. Are we recycling it with filtration systems onto our gardens/landscaping, or just pouring it down the drain after it has been used once? Unfortunately most are just pouring it down the drain and we do seriously need to review this matter. The element of organic can apply to water as to every other element of our industry's operations. If we are polluting our water, applying chemicals to our body, living in a chemical laden world - our overall level of health can only suffer. With the emphasis of our industry now starting to focus on longevity, and with many countries around the world now having major sections of their citizens in the 'over 60' categories, we are living long lives, so if we want to live them more productively then we have to do so as 'organically' as possible so that we maximize these new-found years rather than just being a burden on our communities and becoming a hospital statistic.


JLS : Do you think that the industry will be committed enough to self-regulate on environmental issues or do you see, looking into the future, that regulation will have to come from Government?

AJ : The demands for change that have been initiated by consumers have been taken on board by the industry, but long term success can only work with the support of Government. We can regulate our industry, but we are but a very small sector of the business community and unless there is a unified approach for all industries, our impact on the health of the environment will be minimal - united we stand, divided we fall!


JLS : Lastly, do you have any tips on how we can reduce our personal impact on the environment on a daily basis...one or two things we can all embrace that take little time or money to implement?"

AJ: Actually is not that difficult. It is widely known that switching off electrical appliances does not stop electrical consumption - appliances have to be unplugged - something that we can all do with a little thought. There are plenty of 'energy efficient light bulbs on the market - so why are we not using them? Surely it is a case of putting our money where our mouth is; as this is an obvious environmental consideration we can all action TODAY! Use of cleaning products - do they need to be as caustic as we have become accustomed? TV programmes show that lemon and salt (and a little elbow grease) can clean even some of the most grotesquely dirty bathrooms, yet we persist with toxic bleaches and solvents; and the list goes on. What it needs is a few minutes thought about our actions and we can all contribute to the overall health of our environment in very simple ways. Strong and wise words, Andrew. As leader of the Planet Task Force we look forward to receiving on-going pointers from you all that we can implement without delay! Thank you.

Round' About (Happenings, Events and APSWC Meetings)

APRIL 07


  • Spa & Wellness Association of Nepal (SWAN)
    Founded through the hard work of a number of committed spa professionals in Nepal including Donald Cha and Carroll Dunham, the Spa & Wellness Association of Nepal (SWAN) officially incorporated in April 07. The Founding President is Mr. Prakash Shrestha. As with all associations in their infancy, SWAN is on an active membership drive at the moment and is accepting membership from all interested parties. Congratulations!!!

MAY 2007

  • NSPA Conference Tokyo, Japan - The Nippon Spa Association hosted 8 APSWC representatives (Andrew Jacka, Datin Ramona Suleiman, Dr Theresa Chew, Jacqueline le Sueur, Alexandra Sutopo, Marjorie Lopingco, Shenyn Wang, JB Lee) to its conference that was attended by delegates from Japan and Korea. Each representative gave 2 presentations and several also gave workshops. Our welcome was so warm, our input so welcome and all APSWC reps agreed that in terms of organization and thought this was one of the best events we had attended even though in terms of size it was relatively small. It certainly brought home the value of what we do in the Council when we had people lining up to ask questions as we circulated during the buffet Gala Dinner! Our thanks to Dobashi-san and all at NSPA for such a fruitful and enjoyable time.

  • APSWC Meeting NSPA Conference, Tokyo, Japan - Minutes of the meeting have been circulated. The Baccarat Award was handed to NSPA and Mr. JB Lee brought formally Korea into the APSWC though the auspices of KISPA (the Korean International Spa Association). He has stepped to the helm as its Councilor until formal nominations and selection take place at a future date. Welcome!

  • Global Spa Summit New York City, USA - On May 21 & 22, around 250 leaders of the spa industry gathered in New York for the inaugural Global Spa Summit. Speakers included APSWC Chairperson Samantha Foster and Secretary/Media Relations Director, Carina Chatlani. Hosted by Spa Finder Magazine, the objective was very similar to APSWC's plan for its Bali meeting: to identify key issues affecting the industry. 'People, Profit & Planet" were recently announced (in Spa Opportunities) as the three key areas of concern, proving that the issues we face in the Asia-Pacific are not specific to our region. It is uncertain at this point what actions will transpire from the Global Spa Summit; however you can be assured that APSWC will play a part of it!


  • LOHAS California, USA - Lohas 11 was hosted at the Marriott Hotel in Marina Del Rey, California on May 14-16th, 2007. Kudos goes to the Lohas Planning Committee for their well put together conference which attracted visionaries from Asia to the shores of Canada. The 'Lifestyles of Health & Sustainability' consumer was surely not disappointed and with sponsors ranging from Office Depot to Walmart, expectations were focused on the alignment to core ethics and values to be demonstrated.

JUNE 2007

  • KISPA - Inaugural Conference, Korea - Attended by delegates from the immediate region, KISPA held their inaugural conference at the beginning of the month. KISPA aims to foster exchange of information amongst members of the spa community in Korea to enable the growth of the industry, to promote public health and boost tourism and other related industries.

  • SPA LIFESTYLE ASSOCIATION, Hong Kong - The working title arrived at by a working group of spa professionals in HK who are aiming to get a fully fledged spa association up and running in the very near future. "The Hong Kong spa industry includes a lot of small non-hotel beauty operations and so we wanted to include those businesses without alienating them by using words such as "wellness" or "industry" and so on in the name. It's a working title which may change and we have a meeting scheduled for August to discuss this further," said Michelle Ho, the SLA's contact person. Watch this space for more news.

  • VIETNAM- Setup of Vietnam Spa and Wellness Association
    Vietnam is undergoing the process of applying to the authority for the formal set up of the Vietnam Spa and Wellness Association. In addition to liaising with the relevant authorities to understand the actual process of setting up an association in Vietnam, we have already submitted an official letter of intent to the Ministry for approval of the spa association. We are excited to be fronting the development of the spa association for Vietnam and will be inviting relevant players in the spa and wellness field in Vietnam to join us in the Pro-Tem committee. We are also registering the website domain address for the association and will keep the council updated once the website is up. Watch this space!

  • BALI - Bali Spa & Wellness Association Task Forces
    Following on from the models established at the Strategic Planning Forum this year, the BSWA has set in motion five task forces of their own - Education, Standards & Procedure, Website, Membership and Survey/Statistics. These are aimed at identifying and improving areas of common concern in the industry in Indonesia as well as fostering closer cooperation with ASPI (the Indonesian Spa Association in Jakarta).

JULY 2007

  • APSWC Meeting and Seminar at Cosmobeaute, KL, Malaysia
    A meeting of the Council in the morning, with 13 Board Members and Councillors plus 3 observers in attendance from 7 countries, was followed by a 'meet the press' luncheon. In the afternoon the APSWC held a seminar on Trends in the Spa Industry in the region as well a the impact these trends and the growth of the industry is having on the Five Pillars - People, Professionalisation, Products, Profit and Planet. As always, it was good to get together with friends and colleagues; a productive and enjoyable time had by all. Thank you to all who brought collateral for the Council booth and to the team members of AMSPA who manned it for the duration of the event.


  • ASPA Annual Conference 28-31 July Sydney, Australia
    An interesting platform of speakers included APSWC Chairperson Samantha Foster and Dieter Buchner, member of the People & Professionalisation Task Forces. Delegates came from around the region and this is fast becoming a 'not-to-be-missed' event in the spa/wellness calendar.

Upcoming Regional Events:




Sponsorships:

Sponsorships have been received from the following individuals and companies:

This has come in many ways from the creative design of the Task Force Pillar logo and a cash sum to cover air tickets or part thereof to speak at a conference to lunch sponsorship, the provision of a promotional booth at a regional beauty event and a place to stay in someone's home when we are in town for a Council meeting. This demonstrates the wide variety of ways the Council can be supported. In order to move the APSWC to the next level we need to garner further sponsorship, not just from within our industry but from the wider business community.

As Community Relations Representative of the Council, Jacqueline Le Sueur is responsible for bringing potential sponsors to the Council's table. To this end an extensive sponsorship proposal is being prepared that will be used to approach large multi-nationals with Corporate and Social Responsibility Programmes as well as smaller companies such as those that supported the Strategic Planning Forum in Bali this year to such a great extent.

ANY IDEAS THAT YOU HAVE ARE MOST WELCOME! It does not matter how little or how much a fund-gathering idea raises, or whether it is putting some money in the bank or products, treatments or room nights in the Barter Bank; every little bit counts. Jacqui Le Sueur... can be contacted on j.lesueur@spawellnesscouncil.com



Regional Association News (Local government news, laws etc.)

MALAYSIA:

Traditional Complementary Medicine Act - is expected to be tabled in Parliament soon. With this in view, the Traditional Complementary Medicine (TCM) Department of the Ministry of Health gave a briefing to AMSPA members and fellow spa industry players on the TCM Act. With this Act, therapists must be properly certified to practice. Therapists found to be working without a Certification of Practice, will be fined and Spas found to have therapists that working without a Certification are likely to loose their license.

Retreat organised by Tourism Malaysia - July 2007 - a retreat is being organised at the end of the month by Tourism Malaysia in Cherating where representatives of the Spa Industry can bring out each and every grievance that is hampering the spa industry. The Head of various Government Departments, namely Tourism Malaysia, City Hall, Immigration, Police and other related regulatory bodies are expected to be present. This retreat is organised for the benefit of spa operators by bringing together Government Department and Officials and spa operators in order to discuss various regulations that are posting difficulties to operators and are hampering the healthy growth of the spa industry.

PHILIPPINES:

Presidential Decree - On 24 April this year President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo of the Philippines declared "October 2007 and each year thereafter Health and Wellness Tourism Month." This is an important commitment to tourism in the Philippines, most especially in the spa and wellness arena.

Hilot Massage Definition - SAPI has been meeting intensively with various government agencies (the Dept of Trade, Dept of Health, TESDA etc) and the various Hilot experts to make a definitive description of the benefits and treatment content of Hilot Massage. This will be used in all overseas marketing and is an effort that will be mirrored by the work that will be done in coming months by the Traditional Therapies sub-group of the Professionalisation Task Force.

SINGAPORE:

Workforce Competency Mapping for the Spa Industry - The Singapore government is embarking on the next stage of their national, industry-wide competency mapping exercise, this time in the spa industry. They have appointed a consultant partner to carry out the necessary research in order that qualification guidelines and competency maps can be created and implemented for therapists in holistic spas.

THAILAND:

New Regulations for Overseas Workers - All companies sending workers overseas now have to get paperwork from the Ministry of Labour in order for the staff to be able to board a plane to leave the country; they also have to register when they return to Thailand. The purpose is, supposedly, to keep a track on how many Thai Nationals are working overseas but the system is cumbersome and time-consuming.


TSPA plus other industry bodies have completed English for Spa Therapists and also for Spa Receptionists - a book and a CD are available. The course and test are both free, or at the very least will be available at cost price. The language is spa business related and was taken from the language that researched confirmed is used in spas in the Kingdom. The course will be Government tested. KPIs have been set for its delivery and Government will follow up on how beneficial it has been. Under development is English for Spa Managers.

TSPA is also launching an Advanced Management Training Manual. This training course is for 100 Thai spa managers covering financing, marketing etc with the aim of bringing them up to international standards. It will be conducted in Bangkok, Phuket and Chiang Mai. TSPA would like a spa professional from Indonesia to speak in Phuket and one from the Philippines to speak in Chiang Mai. Please contact Andrew Jacka if you are interested.

Email to add other regional news.

Name our Newsletter Competition!

It's new, it's for you and we'd like you to give it a really funky yet relevant name!

We on the Organising Committee could put our thinking caps on and come up with something that would do- but we think it will be much more fun if you, the readership, has the opportunity of naming the 'APSWC newsletter'.

A Name: The only provision is that it is short, punchy and funky, relevant to the mission of the Council and it's in English, the lingua franca of the APSWC. Other than that, it's up to you! Think out of the box and be as creative as you like.

Prize:


A fabulous 3 night stay for 2 including breakfast at the Four Seasons Bali at Jimbaran Bay and Sayan, valued at USD2341.00.

"An expansive and elegant private Balinese villa awaits you in Jimbaran Bay - with separate sleeping, bathing and living pavilions and ocean views from your plunge pool. An Indonesian spa. Dramatic hilltop and oceanside dining. All immersed in the mystique of this spiritual land. In Sayan, beneath a lotus pool floating above treetops and Bali's sacred Ayung River, your villa is nestled in the jungle. Spa magic with the secrets of the East. Eclectic dining at the breathtaking valley's edge."

This prize is very generously sponsored by the Four Seasons Bali at Jimbaran Bay and Sayan.




Rules:

  1. The competition is open to all readers aged 18 years and over other than the Organising Committee of the APSWC and employees of Four Seasons Bali at Jimbaran Bay and Sayan, and their families.
  2. A maximum of five entries only per person.
  3. The name must be in English.
  4. Entries are to be emailed to info@spawellnesscouncil.com
  5. Entries must include full name, company, email address, day time telephone number of the author of the entry, as well as the suggested name.
  6. Entries will be judged by the Organising Committee of the APSWC.
  7. The judges' decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into regarding the final choice of the winner.
  8. The prize is for 2 people, accommodation and breakfast only, taken between Four Seasons Jimbaran Bay and Four Seasons Sayan in Bali. Winners are responsible for making their own travel arrangements to and from the resort from their home base. Winners are also responsible for visas into Bali if required.
  9. The prize is not transferable.
  10. The prize must be taken by April 1, 2008, on any date subject to availability, with the exception of between August 1 to September 15, 2007 and December 20th, 2007 to January 20th, 2008.
  11. All entries must be received by 31st September, 2007. Proof of email is not proof of receipt. Entries received after this date will be disqualified.
  12. The winner will be notified by email by 15th October, 2007 and announced in the November 2007 issue of the newsletter that will carry its new name.
  13. Email addresses may be added to the APSWC database for marketing purposes. Please clearly state on your entry if you do not wish to be added to the database.
  14. The judges reserve the right to withhold the prize if no suitable entries are received.

Submit your names now

All Entries Must be Received: by September 31, 2007

With Gratitude:






Dan Bube of Bube Design for creating the temple logo for the Pillar Task Forces.




Nippon Spa Association (NSPA) for their generous sponsorship for APSWC delegates to their event in Tokyo in May.



Bali Spa & Wellness Association (BSWA) for being the first regional spa association to submit and commit to a sponsorship pledge to the APSWC. The BSWA membership has agreed to donate 5% of their membership fees on an annual basis to the APSWC.

Intelligent Spas donated a portion of the profits made from reports sold to delegates at the 'AP Strategic Planning Forum' in Bali in March 2007.

CP Saw and the organisers of CosmoBeaute for sponsoring the Council meeting held at the event, the APSWC and AMSPA booths, the 'Meet the Press' luncheon and for the donation of part of the admission proceeds to the APSWC seminar.

Donald Cha of Spa & Wellness Association of Nepal (SWAN) for accomodations for council members during CosmoBeaute event in Malaysia.


Michael Loh of Spa Asia and for accommodating Council members during the CosmoBeaute event in KL in July.

John O'Sullivan & Four Seasons Bali at Jimbaran Bay and Sayan for sponsoring a 3 night stay for 2, with breakfast as the prize for the Name the Newsletter competition


© APSWC 2007 All Rights Reserved
Edited by Jacqueline Le Sueur
Layout & Distribution by Carina Chatlani