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Escapism and stress reduction are top reasons for spa visits in the US, finds PwC ISPA study

05 Apr 2025 US Consumers are rapidly changing their attitudes towards spas as global events increase anxiety levels.

A new study from trade body ISPA found year-on-year changes in consumer sentiment in relation to key drivers of spa attendance, such as stress reduction and escapism.

The findings of the 2025 ISPA Consumer Snapshot Report, conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), were based on the results of a survey distributed to a representative sample of 1,000 regular spa-going US consumers, to which 414 responded.

The survey sought their views on motivations to visit a spa and also their wellbeing priorities.

PwC found ‘reducing stress’ and ‘escape’ both increased in importance for consumers in the year between the 2024 and 2025 studies.

In 2025, reducing stress scored 64 per cent against 60 per cent the previous year, while ‘escape’ was at 40 per cent against 37 per cent in the 2024 study.

Counter to this, other areas reduced in importance, including ‘indulgence’, which fell from 46 per cent to 41 per cent, ‘leading a healthy lifestyle’, which fell from 43 per cent to 39 per cent and ‘maintaining a beauty regime’, which fell from 32 to 31 per cent.

“These insights help spa leaders understand the motivations and concerns of both spa-goers and non-spa-goers,” said Lynne McNees, president of ISPA. “They can then make data-driven decisions that strengthen their business strategies.”

Other findings from the study include:

- 85 per cent of spa-goers view spa visits as self-care

- Men showed interest in reward programmes, with 22 per cent saying they were influenced by them

- Men also enjoy complimentary amenities such as hot tubs (71 per cent), steamrooms (66 per cent), fitness equipment (65 per cent) and cold plunge pools (38 per cent)

- Younger spa-goers more likely to accept and sometimes prefer tech-assisted services

- 55 per cent of the sample prefer treatments that blend traditional spa practices with tech, 23 per cent prefer traditional and 22 per cent prefer treatments that are tech-led

- More than 60 percent of non-spa-goers were open to trying massage services

- Half of non-spa-goers showed an interest in fitness classes

- Cost remains the main stated barrier, with cleanliness second

- 88 per cent of spa goers respond to discounting and 80 per cent to free add-ons

Footnotes

About the sample:

- A spa-goer is defined as a person who has visited or attended a spa at least once in the previous 12 months.

- The data for the 2025 study was harvested from an online survey distributed between December 9 and 20, 2024.​

- The research was commissioned by the ISPA Foundation, the not-for-profit that sits behind the ISPA trade body.

ISPA members can download the report here

Sign up for the next issue of Spa Business magazine to read our in-depth report on the latest ISPA insight here