Hotel and resort spa sector strong in the GCC, research finds

Hotel and resort spas are a particularly strong category in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, according to new research.

In Qatar, 66% of spas are located in a hotel or resort. The combined figure for the UAE emirates of Fujairah, Ajman Ras-al-Khaimah, Sharajah and Umm al-Quwain is 45%.

Spa industry researchers Intelligent Spas country reports on the spa markets in the six GCC nations: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, also found that 56% of spas in Saudi Arabia are in branded properties.

In Abu Dhabi, local spa brands operate on average three branches each, while the Dubai market features spas by no few than 52 international hotel groups.

Julie Garrow, managing director of Intelligent Spas, said of the report: "I believe these findings will enable stakeholders to make smarter decisions relating to their financial initiatives [in the region].”