Fáilte Ireland’s National Spa & Wellness Seminar & Awards took place in Fota Island Hotel on the 7th of Dec 2011.

The seminar provided delegates with advice from industry experts, equipping them with advice and tips for trading in 2012. They heard from Fáilte Ireland and a variety of experts and presentations included Running Costs, Social Media and Interactive Sales Training. A new initiative developed by Fáilte Ireland and the SEAI to assist the Spa sector with addressing the issue of running cost in the industry was also announced. Delegates also heard from the Spa Industry itself with trade case studies:

• The importance of cross-selling Michelle Coghlan General Manager, Kilronan
Castle
• Defining your USP Sophia Weir Director of Spa Operations - Carlton Group Fáilte Ireland also highlighted the potential opportunities that the Spa sector can take advantage of during 2012 in addition to breakout workshops on areas such as Categorisation & Health and Safety.

THE AWARDS CEREMONY
The Awards Ceremony followed the seminar in the evening and paid tribute to the 71 Spa & Wellness properties that are approved to Fáilte Ireland standards for the 2011 - 2013 period. There were representatives from over 30 Spa & Wellness properties. The following spas were in attendance and received their Certificates ofApproval on the day:
• Absolute Hotel
• Aghadoe Heights Hotel & Spa
• Ballygarry House Hotel & Spa
• Brandon House Hotel & Solas Croi Spa
• Bridge House Hotel
• Carlton Hotel & C Spa, Kinsale
• Carlton Castletroy Park Hotel
• Carlton Millrace Hotel
• Carlton Shearwater Hotel
• Castleknock Hotel & Country Club
• Castlemartyr Resort
• Deer Park Hotel Golf & Spa
• Delphi Mountain Resort
• Dunboyne Castle Hotel & Spa
• Druids Glen Hotel & Resort
• Fitzgeralds Woodlands House Hotel
• Fota Island Hotel & Spa
• Imperial Hotel & Escape Salon & Spa
• Johnstown House Hotel & Spa
• Kilronan Castel Estate and Spa
• Killashee House Hotel & Villa Spa
• Maryborough Hotel & Spa
• Mount Wolseley Hotel & Spa
• No.1 Pery Square Hotel & Spa
• Osprey Hotel & Spa
• Raddisson Blu Hotel & Spa, Limerick
• Radisson Blu Farnham Estate
• The Brehon
• The Heritage Golf & Spa Resort
• The Cliff House Hotel
• The Ritz Carlton Powerscourt
• Westgrove Hotel & Conference Centre

These spas have demonstrated their commitment to Quality Assurance by engaging with the Spa and Wellness categorisation scheme for 2011 - 2013 period. These operators deliver on the consumer journey and ensure that all visitors feel equally welcome when they experience Ireland and its diverse Spa and Wellness offering for themselves. The standards are based around the typical customer journey and support high standards across the board.