What have been the highs and lows so far? The resort was already an extremely successful wellness retreat for couples and leisure guests, mainly from German-speaking markets, but owners, Klaus and Monika Ladurner, are very interested in health, medicine and wellness that improves lifestyle and as a result, my brief was to create a meaningful wellness philosophy that could showcase treatments and overall wellness as the main reasons to come to Preidlhof. My aim was to also create a framework for our offering and make it more appealing for international guests.
What’s the starting point for any change? It depends whether it’s a new-build or an existing location, but generally after staying a couple of days I can sense the main direction that should be taken to express its potential.
How do you know when you’re happy a property is finally where you want it to be? I’m extremely creative and my life is 24-hour wellness research, always tuned and updated, so once the flow of creativity starts it goes far and fast – I then adapt to the limitations of the project, whether resource, space or budget.
When it comes to creativity and concept development I sometimes dream of working with an unlimited budget, as in my mind, I feel there is always more that can be achieved.
When it comes to execution, I benefit from logistics, management, marketing and people skills. Everything is in a state of continuous change for me – development never stops until I see and feel coherence, flowing operations, strong results from guests and effective sales and marketing actions.
When living and working in the place feels positive, inspiring and seems peaceful for guests and the team, at that point I can call myself happy.
What’s your process for discovering a property’s essence and then building out its spa menu? This is my favourite part, it’s pure creativity and intuition, combined with experience in travel, hospitality and wellness.
My process is ‘idea-research-study-design-develop-trial-go-live’ and my aim is to use my love for the spa world and my deep trust in holistic therapies to bring everything to life. I once saw a quote I love that captures this. It comes from a dialogue between Socrates, Phaedrus and Eupalinos during which Eupalinos refers to buildings which are ‘mute’, some which ‘speak’ and others which ‘sing’.
Where do you get your inspiration? Spirituality permeates my life and gives me the capacity to think, be mindful of and receptive to the environment and people, and to develop my social intelligence and get in touch with my talents.
I now live more in the flow, connecting the inside and outside and seeing things in perspective. Living like this has healed my life and helped me unlock my professional potential. When my daily creative flow can’t be expressed in my work, I use it to cook, to play, to draw, to dream and to coach friends and colleagues ... otherwise I get stuck.
I enjoy meeting new people who inspire my mind and fill my soul, as well as observing guests and talking to them, which also gives me precious information. I’m also obsessed with the experiential side of life and never stop studying, so I’m developing a rich background of knowledge that pops up unexpectedly with new connections and ideas. l
Read more from this issue of Attractions Management magazine
View contents of Attractions Management 2022 issue 1
"When you know you're doing things right, you have power" – Deborah Szekely talks to Spa Business
Spa People: Zoe Wall
Zoe Wall talks about driving the global spa and wellness agenda at Kerzner
New opening: Healing oasis
Zoya, a new integrative health and wellbeing retreat, is opening in the Middle East, as Megan Whitby reports
Interview: Deborah Szekely
As the 'godmother of spa' approaches her 100th birthday, Jan Kitchen travelled to Rancho La Puerta to find out more about her extraordinary life
First Person: Siempre Mejor!
After 82 years, Rancho La Puerta is
still beloved among guests around
the world, who return year after
year for a dose of holistic wellbeing.
Jane Kitchen spent a week at the
Mexican resort to discover how the
spirit of ‘Siempre mejor!’ or ‘Always
better!’ lives on in the 21st century
Sponsored: Phytomer: Celebrating the sea
The story surrounding Phytomer is one of a unique wellness vision, a loyal family, remarkable marine science and pioneering skincare. We talk to deputy general manager Mathilde Gédouin-Lagarde as the company celebrates its 50th anniversary
GWS: Boston strong
If you missed the GWS – or even if you were there – Jane Kitchen's detailed report will give you endless useful actionable insights
Promotion: Yon-ka: Plant power
Benefiting from its founders’ passion for plants, Yon-Ka’s new brand identity reflects its past and its continued research into the healing power of plants which enables the company to craft innovative formulas that deliver results
First person: Paradise at Preidlhof
Lisa Starr travelled to Italy to interview Patrizia Bortolin for Spa Business and experience all that Preidlhof has to offer
Q&A: Patrizia Bortolin
Lisa Starr talks to the award winning visionary
who’s injecting new vigour into Preidlhof
Promotion: Reconnect with ISPA
After a two-year absence, ISPA’s annual Conference offers its
members an opportunity to reconnect and to learn more about
the available tools that can help them recharge their businesses
Q&A: Daniele Vastolo
Chiva-Som has opened a major new property in Qatar, with treatments focused on Traditional Arabic and Islamic Medicine. We talk to the GM
Research: Human nature
Anne Dimon reports on the latest research insights from the Wellness Tourism Association
Saunas: Aufguss
The first aufguss sauna experience in the US has opened in Las Vegas, as Cassandra Cavanah reports
Software: Getting (Hyper) personal
Software that drives generational marketing can create hyper-personalised offerings, as Karen Maxwell discovers
Supplier showcase: Art of Cryo: Best of both worlds
Art of Cryo is blending its high-performance cryotherapy
solutions with intermittent vacuum therapy to offer a
complete and effective whole-body wellness experience
Promotion: Comfort Zone
From 2022, Comfort Zone’s products are going plastic-neutral, certified by Plastic Bank
What have been the highs and lows so far? The resort was already an extremely successful wellness retreat for couples and leisure guests, mainly from German-speaking markets, but owners, Klaus and Monika Ladurner, are very interested in health, medicine and wellness that improves lifestyle and as a result, my brief was to create a meaningful wellness philosophy that could showcase treatments and overall wellness as the main reasons to come to Preidlhof. My aim was to also create a framework for our offering and make it more appealing for international guests.
What’s the starting point for any change? It depends whether it’s a new-build or an existing location, but generally after staying a couple of days I can sense the main direction that should be taken to express its potential.
How do you know when you’re happy a property is finally where you want it to be? I’m extremely creative and my life is 24-hour wellness research, always tuned and updated, so once the flow of creativity starts it goes far and fast – I then adapt to the limitations of the project, whether resource, space or budget.
When it comes to creativity and concept development I sometimes dream of working with an unlimited budget, as in my mind, I feel there is always more that can be achieved.
When it comes to execution, I benefit from logistics, management, marketing and people skills. Everything is in a state of continuous change for me – development never stops until I see and feel coherence, flowing operations, strong results from guests and effective sales and marketing actions.
When living and working in the place feels positive, inspiring and seems peaceful for guests and the team, at that point I can call myself happy.
What’s your process for discovering a property’s essence and then building out its spa menu? This is my favourite part, it’s pure creativity and intuition, combined with experience in travel, hospitality and wellness.
My process is ‘idea-research-study-design-develop-trial-go-live’ and my aim is to use my love for the spa world and my deep trust in holistic therapies to bring everything to life. I once saw a quote I love that captures this. It comes from a dialogue between Socrates, Phaedrus and Eupalinos during which Eupalinos refers to buildings which are ‘mute’, some which ‘speak’ and others which ‘sing’.
Where do you get your inspiration? Spirituality permeates my life and gives me the capacity to think, be mindful of and receptive to the environment and people, and to develop my social intelligence and get in touch with my talents.
I now live more in the flow, connecting the inside and outside and seeing things in perspective. Living like this has healed my life and helped me unlock my professional potential. When my daily creative flow can’t be expressed in my work, I use it to cook, to play, to draw, to dream and to coach friends and colleagues ... otherwise I get stuck.
I enjoy meeting new people who inspire my mind and fill my soul, as well as observing guests and talking to them, which also gives me precious information. I’m also obsessed with the experiential side of life and never stop studying, so I’m developing a rich background of knowledge that pops up unexpectedly with new connections and ideas. l
Read more from this issue of Attractions Management magazine
View contents of Attractions Management 2022 issue 1
"When you know you're doing things right, you have power" – Deborah Szekely talks to Spa Business
Spa People: Zoe Wall
Zoe Wall talks about driving the global spa and wellness agenda at Kerzner
New opening: Healing oasis
Zoya, a new integrative health and wellbeing retreat, is opening in the Middle East, as Megan Whitby reports
Interview: Deborah Szekely
As the 'godmother of spa' approaches her 100th birthday, Jan Kitchen travelled to Rancho La Puerta to find out more about her extraordinary life
First Person: Siempre Mejor!
After 82 years, Rancho La Puerta is
still beloved among guests around
the world, who return year after
year for a dose of holistic wellbeing.
Jane Kitchen spent a week at the
Mexican resort to discover how the
spirit of ‘Siempre mejor!’ or ‘Always
better!’ lives on in the 21st century
Sponsored: Phytomer: Celebrating the sea
The story surrounding Phytomer is one of a unique wellness vision, a loyal family, remarkable marine science and pioneering skincare. We talk to deputy general manager Mathilde Gédouin-Lagarde as the company celebrates its 50th anniversary
GWS: Boston strong
If you missed the GWS – or even if you were there – Jane Kitchen's detailed report will give you endless useful actionable insights
Promotion: Yon-ka: Plant power
Benefiting from its founders’ passion for plants, Yon-Ka’s new brand identity reflects its past and its continued research into the healing power of plants which enables the company to craft innovative formulas that deliver results
First person: Paradise at Preidlhof
Lisa Starr travelled to Italy to interview Patrizia Bortolin for Spa Business and experience all that Preidlhof has to offer
Q&A: Patrizia Bortolin
Lisa Starr talks to the award winning visionary
who’s injecting new vigour into Preidlhof
Promotion: Reconnect with ISPA
After a two-year absence, ISPA’s annual Conference offers its
members an opportunity to reconnect and to learn more about
the available tools that can help them recharge their businesses
Q&A: Daniele Vastolo
Chiva-Som has opened a major new property in Qatar, with treatments focused on Traditional Arabic and Islamic Medicine. We talk to the GM
Research: Human nature
Anne Dimon reports on the latest research insights from the Wellness Tourism Association
Saunas: Aufguss
The first aufguss sauna experience in the US has opened in Las Vegas, as Cassandra Cavanah reports
Software: Getting (Hyper) personal
Software that drives generational marketing can create hyper-personalised offerings, as Karen Maxwell discovers
Supplier showcase: Art of Cryo: Best of both worlds
Art of Cryo is blending its high-performance cryotherapy
solutions with intermittent vacuum therapy to offer a
complete and effective whole-body wellness experience
Promotion: Comfort Zone
From 2022, Comfort Zone’s products are going plastic-neutral, certified by Plastic Bank
OMA has completed a major transformation of New York's New Museum, creating a larger
cultural campus that combines expanded exhibition spaces with learning, performance,
hospitality and public programming.
A US$50 million (£44.2 million, €51.2 million) transformation of Chicago's historic McCormick
Mansion has created a new destination that combines live magic, immersive theatre, dining and
private membership under one roof.
The Montana Historical Society has officially celebrated the opening of its new Montana
Heritage
Center, a US$107 million (£79 million, €92 million) destination that combines immersive
storytelling with cutting-edge audiovisual technology to bring the sta
San Antonio Zoo has reported a US$283 million economic impact for 2025, following a decade-
long transformation programme that has seen almost US$200 million invested into the Texas
attraction.
Plans for the AU$180 million redevelopment of Reef HQ Aquarium in Townsville, Australia, are
progressing, with the project set to transform the attraction into a global centre for reef
education and conservation.
Abu Dhabi-based investment firm Mubadala Capital has made a binding, fully financed
€1 billion
offer to acquire Pierre and Vacances SA, the European holiday resort operator behind the
continental European Center Parcs business.
Disney has reaffirmed its commitment to investing US$30 billion in its US parks and cruise
business by 2033, using new America250 celebrations to underline the role its attractions play
in supporting jobs, tourism and economic growth.
Expo 2030 Riyadh is being planned as a permanent visitor destination, with organisers
confirming the six-million-square-metre site will become a Global Village after the event closes.
The owner of one of Australia's best-known waterparks has acquired a major competitor,
creating a new attractions business spanning two of the country's largest visitor destinations.
The Toverland theme park in the Netherlands has announced a €98m expansion programme
that will add a resort, new attractions and staff facilities as it pursues plans to become a multi-
day destination.
+ More news
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