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Tranquillity Spa plans Malaysia expansion
Tranquillity Spa, one of the largest wellness centres in the Kathmandu valley, has planned to expand outside the country.“We are excited about the opening of a new branch in Malaysia after seeing great potential there,” said Bhuwaneshwor Phaiju, chairman of the company. Currently the company maintains 12 outlets across the country and employs 170 therapists. Phaiju said that their Malaysia outlet would have 20 therapists.
Body scrub, massage, sauna or steam bath, Shirodhara and Yoga are some of the services the spa offers its customers.
“The demand for therapists in the country and overseas is impressive,” said Phaiju. “Recently, we talked with the members of the Spa and Wellness Association of Malaysia, and they have asked for 500 therapists from Nepal.”
The company aims to establish more centres in the country, and four spas are scheduled to be opened in 2015.
“In the first week of January, we will be opening at the Shangri-La Hotel in Kathmandu, followed by Dhulikhel, Pokhara and Chitwan,” said Phaiju. The company is looking for entrepreneurs to join the industry and it provides various training programmes about the healing arts. The training packages last from one week to one year.
“After people finish their training, they can work in the country or abroad as there is a large demand for such specialists,” added Phaiju. “More and more male therapists are showing interest in the industry.” According to him, around 30 percent of the therapists are male.
Due to rising fitness craze and health awareness, many people have started going to spas and so demand for such facilities has swelled. “Public perception about wellness centres has also been changing by the day,” he said.
Regarding prices, a sauna or steam bath costs Rs 500 for Nepali customers at its outlet in Lazimpat. The company offers Shirodhara at prices ranging from Rs 3,000 to Rs 8,000 per person. Similarly, for a body scrub, the company charges Rs 1,200 for Nepalis and Rs 3,500 for foreigners.
“Nepal is an emerging market for spas and wellness centres due to a growing hospitality industry,” Phaiju said. He added that the government’s new policy requiring five-star hotels to have a spa and wellness centre had pushed up demand for therapists.
The spa industry is estimated to be worth Rs 500 million annually and growing at the rate of 20 percent, according to the Spa and Wellness Association of Nepal.