‘Spa spies’ in consumer guide plan

A CONSUMER guide is being prepared to help tourists from home and abroad understand the baffling array of spa facilities that have exploded on to the Irish holiday market.

The guide will categorise the various facilities that currently come under the loose heading of “health and wellness centres” according to their services, and inspectors will be dispatched to ensure they deliver all they promise.

Fáilte Ireland has invited tenders from would-be inspectors who will be placed on a panel and sent out periodically as ‘spa spies’.

John Rafferty, head of product marketing with the tourism body, said the first inspected and categorised facilities would receive their certificates in time for 2008 promotional material.

“The assessors could be former hotel inspectors who might have done work for the AA or Michelin, or they might be people who have been in charge of leisure facilities. But whoever they are, they’ll have inspection criteria which the facility will have to meet,” he said.

According to Fáilte Ireland, more than 100 residential health and wellness centres have sprung up in Ireland in just a few years, in addition to the many that operate as day centres.

With descriptions such as resort spa, destination spa, hotel spa and health farm, consumers can be confused as to what to expect.

Eight categories of facilities have been identified, and to be classified under any one of them the spa must comply with specified standards governing the type of accommodation available, range of services and treatments, and qualifications of staff.

The certification process is voluntary, but Mr Rafferty said the response from the industry had been good. He expected most operators would want to take part to be included in Fáilte Ireland’s overseas promotions.

“The product in Ireland is of a very high standard and generally the experience of consumers is really, really good. Ireland is the first destination in Europe to take on this role of informing the consumer about the product and we see that as a very positive move forward.”