The Four Seasons has appointed Simon Casson, regional vice president and general manager of Four Seasons Hotel Doha, as chair of the brand’s spa task force. In light of the appointment, Casson shared several trends for the spa industry’s future. 

People: The Four Seasons will continue to invest in its people with initiatives like its apprenticeship program. With two-dozen graduates so far, the Spa Career Development Program provides yearlong training in international locations.
Products and treatments: Four Seasons has partnered with spa brands such as Sodashi and ila to deliver new treatments and therapies. Ancient traditions-Chinese medicine, Native American philosophies, the coco de mer legends-are also continually explored by the brand. Natural ingredients, sustainable practices, and organic lines will continue to play an important role as well.
Customization: Online booking options and computerized scheduling allows therapists to access records and customize treatments, while also providing efficient guest service. 

Facilities: In its design, Four Seasons spas often draws from history, including the Santa Barbara spa designed in California mission style and the Thai spa offering open-air treatment pavilions in an elephant camp. Internationally Four Seasons has continually incorporated local cultures into the spas.
Relevance: “Most of our urban hotels cater to a local audience as well as many return guests, so it’s important to continue to offer new treatments and technologies,” says Casson. “At our resorts, people often want to try something local and indigenous, so for example in Santa Fe, we have a meditative labyrinth, and in Langkawi, we’ve just opened the Geo Spa, inspired by the UNESCO Geopark that surrounds the resort.”
Assuming the chair of the Global Spa Task Force from the initiative’s founder, Christopher Norton, Casson’s team will work across all divisions-design, construction, procurement, operations, and revenue management-to further Four Seasons’ spa treatments in the future. 

