We preview this year’s Professional Beauty show, which takes place in London this month

Industry experts and representatives from some of the world’s leading spa operations will congregate at the Professional Spa & Wellness Convention and the World Spa & Wellness Awards, taking place alongside Professional Beauty London 2013 – the UK’s largest beauty show – on 24–25 February.

The convention’s stage awaits some of the world’s foremost authorities on spa including: Andrew Gibson, director of spa for the Mandarin Oriental Group; Sharon Barcock, director of spa for Hilton Worldwide; and Virgin Active’s head of health & beauty, Charlie Thompson.

Spa owners and directors, senior spa managers, hoteliers, health and fitness operators, investors, government agencies, architects and consultants will be among the 200+ delegates expected to attend over the two-day event.

Convention and show floor
This year there is a firm focus on wellness and preventative treatments, exploring health issues such as obesity, stress, smoking and life-changing emotional challenges. The convention will also explore the potential for wellness tourism and how to generate demand from far afield. Delegates will learn from the experiences of spa leaders who have increased business by tapping into the corporate market, as well as creating attractive offerings for younger, busier consumers.

The Spa Pavilion on the show floor sees all the major spa skincare houses exhibiting: names such as Clarins, Darphin, Decléor, Dermalogica, Elemis, Caudalie, Aromatherapy Associates, Yon-Ka, Comfort Zone, Repêchage and Payot will all have a high-profile presence at this year’s event.

Other major spa suppliers – including the nailcare giants Jessica and OPI, and the non-surgical solutions specialist CACI – all use Professional Beauty London as their major launch-pad for the coming year.

Fitness equipment suppliers and spa furniture distributors are also in full force on the show floor. Catering for the smaller day spa, as well as the international destination spas, visitors can see bespoke relaxation couches, treatment beds, manicure and pedicure stations, as well as wet and dry equipment.

Spa awards
The World Spa & Wellness Awards, held on the Sunday evening at the Hilton Park Lane, reward the very best in hotel and destination spas from around the world. The judging criteria are unlike any others, in that these spas are judged by industry experts and therefore focus on bigger strategic matters – such as customer retention, marketing and operational issues – rather than purely on the facilities. The winners really are the best in the world at what they do.

London in February is increasingly being seen by the international spa market as the place to learn, network and discuss this resilient sector of the industry.