Alina M. Hernandez is the primary Innovator and Advisory Board Member of the Touchless Wellness Association. She is also an Award-winning Spa & Wellness Concept Designer, Health & Wellness Coach and an Author.

Q1: What trends do you see emerging in the spa industry within the next 2-3 years?

Alina: Two key trends will emerge.

Primarily, knowledge of how to do Service Design or Experience Design will be BIG because we will need to constantly create new ideas on Spa and Wellness services delivery.

Second, creating programming experiences and treatments that are FUN and ENTERTAINING will be key to engagement and retention. Multi-interdisciplinary knowledge and the blurring of categories. “We’re not in Kansas, anymore, Dorothy!”

Q2: In my opinion, the future of the spa industry lies in...

Alina: providing experiences that bring meaning and speak to the younger consumer; - e.g. sauna for teenagers, water experiences for young children that all create mindsets of wellness, wellness for all in larger Spa formats like World Spa or Therme Bucharest or even Sauna experiences such as the Bath House in London or various wellness pop-up ideas, of which, we will be seeing more.

Q3: What challenges do you see ahead?

Alina: Limiting beliefs of mindset, fear of trying new things, failing to read the pulse of what people really want and need. Wellness is no longer simply transactional.

Q4: My favourite personal wellness routines include is …

Alina: Kayaking on the lake 3x a week all year round. I also love walking in nature, and café conversations.

Q5: The best advice I can offer the next generation of wellness professionals is …

Alina: (1) Always keep learning. (2) Educate yourself in Touchless Wellness, (3) Follow your passion and develop a specialty within Wellness that is in high demand and short supply…in other words, future-proof your career.