Meeting News - February 25, 2008 - (Page 21)

Insider Report: Spa Meetings Edited by Lori Morris lori.morris@nielsen.com Meeting and Incentive Groups Seeking Out Active Endeavors Adventure spas stimulate the mind and body for more successful and memorable group programs When Denise Swanson was planning a worldwide sales meeting for 250 last year, she didn’t want just another boardroom or ballroom setting. “People in sales spend most of their time indoors,” said Swanson, senior sales coordinator for medical device manufacturer Intuitive Surgical. “I wanted to get them outside for a workout.” The Red Rock Casino Resort Spa in Las Vegas provided the perfect opportunity. Through the resort’s Adventure Spa, Swanson organized group outings for mountain biking, hiking, horseback riding, and traditional spa treatments. Red Rock Resort also offers river rafting adventures, kayak tours, and indoor and outdoor rock climbing. Adventure spas are popping up throughout the States for leisure and group travelers who need a little more action to cut the traditional take-it-easy approach. Some of these adventure spas have singular focus, while other—more indulgenceoriented—facilities are incorporating some pretty strenuous activities into their menus. “Companies are increasingly looking to blend the outdoors with the indoors for an adventurous twist to their meetings,” said Denise Perkins, director of sales and marketing for Red Mountain Spa in St. George, UT, which opened the Red Mountain Conference Center last April to meet the rising number of meeting groups coming to the property. “They want to see what they can do for employees that beneﬁts their health and gives them something to take away,” she said. In this case, according to Perkins, the takeaway is a renewed confidence resulting from being challenged by the activities and inspired by the outdoor settings. “Guests leave here with validation and a sense of accomplishment that they take back to the ofﬁce.” Perkins has seen this desire for something more active from corporate groups of all kinds, having organized programs for organizations ranging from ExxonMobil, to State Farm Insurance, to Paul Mitchell. The spa’s largest markets—California, New York, and Illinois—tend to be where corporate culture is most prevalent. “The business climate is stressful,” Perkins said. “We offer a place where they can take a deep breath and escape from the sensory overload.” To that effect, the resort asks groups to leave their suits at home and bring only comfortable attire for the invigorating environment. As part of Red Mountain Spa’s “Climb to ‘Spa’cess” package, groups will participate not only in outdoor activities, but will beneﬁt from more traditional spa breaks like the Less easygoing jaunts: Mountain biking and hiking trips typify adventure spa offerings. popular “Bye-Bye BlackBerry Break,” which offers hand massages and berry smoothies to make the ofﬁce seem far, far away. Corporate Wellness Retreats Reinvigorate Employees Health and wellness are on the minds—and balance sheets—of many a corporation, thanks to rising health-care costs. Meetings planners may ﬁnd themselves playing a role in the solution, and spa resorts aiming corporate wellness programs at groups are banking on it. Jessica Faulkner, sales manager and certified instructor at the Chopra Center for Wellbeing at La Costa Resort and Spa, in Carlsbad, CA, said she constantly works on such programs. This month, Cox Communications will convene at La Costa, and Faulkner is organizing wellness presentations, yoga and meditation classes, Ayurveda discussions, and massage sessions. A president from another prominent company who brought Chopra Center instructors to his own facility to run a three-day meditation course has since noted increased efﬁciency, balance, and communication among employees—so much so that he now offers Chopra Center programs as a corporate beneﬁt. Sue Butterﬁeld, spa director at the Sagamore, in Lake George, NY, sees the same trend.“Not only are Just breathe: Spa retreats boost productivity? groups looking for spa treatments,” she said, “but other offerings that motivate and inspire their employees to live a healthier and more mindful lifestyle.” Such needs are met at the Sagamore Spa through group meditations, hand-drumming workshops, yoga classes, aromatherapy, and wellness fairs that offer guidance on healthy living strategies. The facility has introduced the Crystalline Consciousness Technique, a system in human potential that focuses an individual’s energy. It’s true, though, that taking groups on corporate wellness retreats means time away from the ofﬁce. According to the American Journal of Health Promotion, however, each dollar that companies spend on wellness programs for employees yields a return of up to $10 in improved productivity, less medical claims, and reduced absenteeism. Faulkner sums up the idea: “It helps employees learn to be the best they can be.” February 25, 2008 MeetingNews 21 Photo: Courtesy of the Sagamor www.meetingnews.com http://www.meetingnews.com

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Meeting News - February 25, 2008

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