Hydrothermal spa and wellness specialist Design for Leisure (DFL) has unveiled a new Event Sauna Services programme in a bid to better accommodate the growing demand for European-style communal, social sauna experiences in the US and UK.

Event saunas are large saunas that typically accommodate at least 10 people, but the largest in the world hosts up to 300.

In addition to housing more people than a typical sauna cabin, they also provide enough space for sauna masters to perform aufguss rituals or lead group classes, like meditation or breathwork.

“Individual aufguss performances or sauna classes can be upsold, and, depending on capacity, facilities that maintain a 50-person daily occupancy, for example, can generate an additional US$2,000 per day (£1,736, €2,032) with little additional operational costs,” says Don Genders, DFL CEO.

DFL’s new programme offers spas, urban bathhouses and wellness centres a turnkey solution to realise an event sauna.

“When it comes to event saunas, it’s crucial they’re purpose-designed from the ground up.

“Experiential, communal social sauna-ing is gaining popularity the world over as more people seek back-to-basic wellness that simply feels good for mind, body and spirit. Saunas provide a device-free refuge from our manic world – a place to slow down, share space and enjoy the sensations that naturally come from thermal therapy.”

As part of the initiative, DFL is offering free design services up to a US$10,000 value (£8,763, €10,162) to qualifying properties that are looking to build an event sauna that can accommodate a minimum of 10 people within the next 12 months.

DFL is the team responsible for the design and build of the first event sauna in North America at Resorts World Awana Spa & Wellness in Las Vegas.

In addition, the company recruited Lasse Eriksen to head up Aufguss Training services for Awana, a role he continues in as DFL expands its Event Saunas Services.

Eriksen is a well-respected figure in sauna bathing and has put together an award-winning team to deliver authentic Aufguss Training in partnership with DFL. In addition to practical and theoretical Aufguss Training, DFL also provides management teams with a workshop for maximising ROI.