“People are looking for an authentic experience”

Sushmita Sarangi, Commercial Director, Jiva and niu&nau, IHCL (Taj Hotels), talks about how the spa industry is progressing in India with more aware customers and better trained therapists.

With over two decades in the hospitality industry, Sarangi has worked with The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) across functions and geographies, and now spearheads the Wellness business at the Taj Hotels. Having served on the FICCI Wellness Committee and having worked closely with the Beauty & Wellness Sector Skill Council (B&WSSC), she has seen at close quarters the skill gap and the need for talent development in the Indian spa and wellness sector. “I handle the business vertical for wellness and beauty at the Taj Hotels, which includes all the salons and spas at IHCL. My job is to be a mentor and to lay down standards that are to be followed - what kind of products we should have on board, what kind of menu we should have, how we should price our services, etc. So, every decision made as far as wellness and beauty is concerned comes under my portfolio.”

Currently, Sarangi is a part of the core committee of World Digital Detox Day, India, which works at making wellness an integral part of everyone’s life. Considering the recovery trajectory of the spa and wellness industry in India, she finds the growth promising. However, she is also observant of the changes that have taken place during this recovery phase. “The demand for spa services has increased after the pandemic. There is a huge demand but people are now looking for certain specific things. They are no longer walking in anywhere and everywhere. People are now very conscious about where they are going.”

“Hygiene is now an important factor, more than ever. There is no other way to go about your business. People are also looking at what is authentic in terms of knowledge. People are looking for an authentic experience, not simple pampering. It’s all about connecting and aligning your body and your mind.”

Another important development is that a lot of youngsters have discovered and are getting in the spa zone. While people in their early 40s and above 45 are the main customers, now even people in the 25-35 age bracket are walking into a spa, actively seeking wellness solutions,” Sarangi pointed out.

-As told to Priyanka Parshurami PBHJ

This article appears in the Oct-Nov 2022 Issue of Professional Beauty/ Hairdressers Journal India

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