Global spa experts gather for online launch of European Spa Leaders' Resource

Guest speakers Amanda Al-Masri and Andrea Lomas-Gong were among the global spa leaders who gathered for the virtual launch of European Spa Leaders’ Resource 2026.

As well as introducing the European Spa Leaders’ Resource 2026, which features the very best industry intelligence, insight and inspiration, the two industry powerhouses spoke on next-level leadership, staff wellbeing and the growth of recovery programming.

Shining a light on spa leaders

“The European Spa Leaders’ Resource has been created to support confident decision-making and strong leadership. It reflects how the industry is finally recognising the true value spas bring to hospitality,” said Sarah Camilleri, editorial director and founder of European Spa magazine.

“It’s been 22 years since I wrote the first edition of European Spa,” added Camilleri. “The industry has transformed from those early days, but we work with the same purpose – to shine a light on the leaders driving our industry forward.

“In this edition you will find 252 pages of expert editorial content, ten of the best spas for 2026 and 76 super brands of spa as well as 67 industry leading experts and five in-depth thought leadership stories.”

Next-level leadership

Discussing what spa leadership looks like in 2026 and considering the biggest opportunities for spa businesses in the coming year, Amanda Al-Masri, vice-president of wellness, Hilton said: “There’s never been more opportunity for us to engage with our guests. People want to maintain their wellness habits when traveling and they also want to try new things that help them rest, recover and head home feeling better than when they arrived.

“At Hilton, we’re thinking about everything from mindfulness practices and the programming we have streaming in-room, to how we engage with the food and beverage team so we’re more attuned to the needs of guests that care about wellness.”

Hotel-wide wellness

Agreeing that guests now expect wellness to be a property-wide offering, not just something found within the spa, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group’s vice-president of spa and wellness operations, Andrea Lomas-Gong, said: “We recently created a group-wide global turndown service called the Evening Moment and the focus is on wellness.”

Challenges for 2026

“I think one of the wonderful problems that we have is just how much our guests care about wellness,” said Al-Masri. “Pivoting to react to trends is something we try and stay away from; instead we focus on a more holistic approach, evolving the offering based on what we know about our guests and making sure that we’re not approaching things superficially.

“Spas are no longer just about pampering. We’re in the process of converting unused nail and hair salons into recovery spaces, offering contrast bathing, IV drips and Hyperice or NormaTec recovery products, for example.”

“One of the ultimate challenges we have is staffing,” said Lomas-Gong. “Many therapists don’t wish to work full time anymore, many wish to specialise, which is wonderful on one hand, but a huge challenge for us.

Mandarin Oriental plans to grow from 45 hotels in 2026 to 100 in 2033, so our colleague needs are huge. We’re looking further afield to recruit individuals, bringing them into the group and enabling them to grow with us, but staffing remains a constant challenge in every destination we have.”

Watch the full virtual launch below.

Inside the European Spa Leaders’ Resource 2026 you will find carefully researched expert content showcasing the people, spas and brands shaping the future.

A trusted editorial publication for spa directors, investors and general managers navigating an increasingly noisy wellness landscape, this edition challenges empty narratives, offering practical, relevant and forward-looking content.