Q: What are the latest trends in terms of consumer concerns with wellness, sports, health, beauty and fitness? Could you describe some of the main trends you’ve observed in the past years?
Claudia Tamasi: The latest trends in the wellness industry are related to honesty and people being well with themselves. The main motivation today is strongly connected to physical and mental health, rather than just aesthetics. In companies, the leaders offer their personal example more and more, which attracts directly the “awakening” of even more correctly motivated people in the gym, who understand the long-term results of overcoming their comfort zone. So, we can describe the trend as Healthy motivation, healthy results!
Technically speaking, the international market is teaching us that the latest trends in wellness are related to the following:
- More personalized experiences regarding sports and fitness
- Emphasis on mental health (yoga, mindfulness, body-art)
- Focus on a holistic approach of wellness inside and outside the club
- Dedicated software and apps
- Healthy products vending machines
- Keep wellness simple (accessibility, communication, health assessments, screenings and health education)
Q: Spa is an industry built on wellness, beauty and relationships, while people are going to such facilities to de-stress, to re-connect and to become more mindful. Do you see a passion for these things from the new generation of successful Romanian employees?
Claudia Tamasi: Indeed, there is a strong interest around the concept of mindfulness and we believe it is a habit that will be even more visible in the future. If a few years ago overall goals were related primarily to weight loss, more and more people now want to adopt a healthy lifestyle that harmoniously combines sport with recovery, conscious eating and mental relaxation. More and more people get to talk to a nutritionist, do the food allergies and intolerance tests and even schedule appointments with a psychologist in which they can learn to shape a healthy and complex self-image that is not just reduced to the display of a weight-scale. These behaviors manifest more in people over 30-35 years of age, as the level of consciousness of one’s own body and the desire to evolve physically, intellectually and spiritually grow.
Q: Spa is a luxury service and people who pay for luxury services have high expectations.
Claudia Tamasi: In many cultures, going to the SPA is part of a daily routine. Seen as a prevention method, it’s main benefits are stimulating the immune system, powerful detox procedure and lowering the stress levels. In Romania, people still see it as an optional facility and only recently they started to acknowledge the positive effects. It is a part of our philosophy to include the SPA on the MUST TRY list of our members. Referring to our entire package, we intend to deliver exclusively luxury services, in a friendly and cozy way.
So, high expectations are always met in Pescariu Sports&SPA!
Q: What direction do you see the Sports and Spa industry taking in the next 5 years?
Claudia Tamasi: As mentioned earlier when talking about trends in the wellness industry, we see a clear direction towards this specific holistic approach: improving the quality of life. When we are preoccupied to be well on the inside, we become our best version on the outside too. So, in the next 5 years we believe that this direction will drive more and more people to combine cardio, toning and endurance trainings with body&mind type of workout and clean nutrition.
Q: What’s the most important factor that you consider when operating a Sports&SPA facility, especially in relation with people who are using your facility?
Claudia Tamasi: The human factor is what we value most. We are a family owned business and our intention is to keep a warm welcoming atmosphere in the club. Friendliness and proactiveness are the key words to describe our daily activities.
Q: What role does the Sports play in people’s professional performance?
Claudia Tamasi: Pescariu Sports&SPA resides on the principle that being performant on any level of our life, is strongly related to the habit of regular sports activities. We strongly believe and have our members’ daily confirmation that choosing the right training and sticking for enough time with a customized routine, not only increases the professional performance, but also decreases the stress levels which has a strong impact on the personal and social life, as well.
Q: What are the challenges in running a Sports and Spa facility in Romania?
Claudia Tamasi: In the last years, our club has steadily increased the number of members and facilities. It was an organic growth, meeting the needs of our members, but at the same time a fast growth for the Romanian labor market. So, in order to keep our premium approach, sometimes it still is a big challenge to have all our team aligned to the high standards required, but we do our best when it comes to induction plans, so that the newest team members will integrate in the shortest time.
Q: Can you link the corporate social responsibility to the industry of Sports and Spa?
Claudia Tamasi: The social responsibility begins with every individual and CSR campaigns should definitely be approached by all type of industries, wellness included. As far as our direct involvement is concerned, we organize annual CSR campaigns and collect funds for different causes, but as one of our core values is discretion, we prefer to be a silent benefactor.
Q: What kind of changes do you anticipate for the future of your industry?
Claudia Tamasi: I believe that in the future, more and more people will choose a healthy lifestyle and will look for a place to provide them with as many options as possible to cover their energizing, healthy eating and relaxing needs. The change we anticipate comes from a more integrated industry approach, which will have to evolve as a definition, from movement/sports industry to well-being industry. We can proudly consider ourselves as trendsetters in the industry of well-being and we have started a revolution 16 years ago, updating regularly our amenities with last generation equipment and always higher standard services, that lead to a select community, with members that share similar values and principles of life. I think on the long term, this kind of details and structure will make the difference.
Q: Since Romanian Business Digest 2018 is about Industrial Revolution 4.0 and its positive effects, how is your industry helping and what is the demand for the so called ‘’digital - detox’’ through Sports and Spa?
Claudia Tamasi: The new industrial revolution will certainly impact all industries, but as I mentioned earlier, we value people and direct human interaction. Of course, latest technologies and digitalization will make things easier for all of us, but for sure the personal touch will come from humans. We are not any gym in town. Our domain involves customized programs for each member. We target the elite and the ultimate luxury these days is the fine human touch, which does make a real difference.
As for the “digital-detox”, we are the experts! We offer our members an oasis of peace and relaxation where they can re-charge their batteries to meet everyday challenges. There are gyms where you go punctually to tick your workout routine and there Pescariu Sports&SPA where you can choose to stay the whole day.
Q: Since we’ve reached the end of our interview, is there anything you would like to add?
Claudia Tamasi: I would like to say that at Pescariu Sports&SPA you come to stay! You can start your day with an hour of morning sports, followed by relaxation at the SPA and swimming pool; you can have a business lunch later on the terrace of our The Gallery restaurant or you can choose to work on your laptop in one of the quiet areas, after which you can end your day negotiating with your partners at the tennis net. Should there be the case, you can bring the kids to our Baby-Parking or enroll them to the Summer Camp or Kids Classes. All this and much more can be accessed right in the heart of Bucharest.
Pescariu Sports&SPA is a choice for people who are paying attention to themselves. Therefore, visit us, every day from 6 AM to 12 PM and experience what we are talking about!
