AsiaSpa magazine is proud to announce the 12th annual AsiaSpa Awards.
AsiaSpa magazine is proud to announce the 12th annual AsiaSpa Awards.
Created in 2005 to recognise the leaders in Asia’s dynamic industry, the prestigious accolade sets the benchmark for quality and innovation for spas in the region.
Innovation and quality are integral to the AsiaSpa Awards, whose intent is to give credit to the spas and properties that push the envelope and continue evolving this exciting industry. Now in its 12th year, the AsiaSpa Awards are respected for their uncompromised independence with a reputation for transparency and objectivity. They are among the most accessible awards, as all Asian spas and hotels are eligible for nomination, regardless of size or philosophy.
The AsiaSpa Awards was the first in the region to offer a comprehensive line-up of categories that encompass the fundamental elements of the dynamic spa business. As the industry advances, so do the awards. Starting with 10 categories in 2005, the award categories now span 24 to reflect the latest trends and developments.
The AsiaSpa Awards are proud to celebrate the outstanding efforts of individuals and companies in driving the exceptional standard of Asian spas forward, and as always, the spa community waits with baited breath to see who the winners of the coveted AsiaSpa trophies will be in 2016.
Stephanie Shiu, Editor-in-Chief, AsiaSpa
With over 10 years of experience in the magazine publishing industry, Stephanie’s editorial experience covers genres including luxury lifestyle, wellness, high society, fashion and custom publishing, with a particular focus on travel and well-being. She travels the globe in search of the best resorts, dedicated retreats and spas to share with AsiaSpa readers, and is on the panel of the Wellness Travel Awards.
Foong Seong Khong, Managing Director, Blu Inc Media (Asia)
Foong Seong Khong is the Managing Director of Blu Inc Media (Asia), a subsidiary of publicly listed media group Singapore Press Holdings (SPH), the publisher of leading luxury lifestyle magazines, including AsiaSpa, Asia-Pacific Boating, China Boating, LPLuxury Properties, JET Asia-Pacific and Action Asia.
NOMINAT IONS AND JUDGING
Check out our highly anticipated list of nominations in the November/ December 2016 issue to see if you have made the shortlist.
To ensure complete transparency, we invite a panel of judges to provide their unbiased, objective opinions on which properties, products and treatments deserve to be nominated. They will then pick one winner from each category from the shortlist. Selections will be sent directly to the magazine’s law firm and results will be revealed at the AsiaSpa Awards ceremony in November 2016. The list of judges will be revealed in our September/October 2016 issue.
If you have any questions, please write to us at awards@bluincmedia.com
The categories for the AsiaSpa Awards 2016 are:
Spa of the Year (Southeast Asia & the Pacific)
Spa of the Year (North & West Asia)
Urban Spa of the Year
Day Spa of the Year
New Spa of the Year
Men’s Spa of the Year
Eco-Spa of the Year
Medi-Spa of the Year
Destination Retreat of the Year
Spa Treatment of the Year
Couple’s Treatment of the Year
Men’s Spa Treatment of the Year
Medi-Spa Treatment of the Year
Asian Ritual Product of the Year
Anti-Ageing Product Line of the Year
Phyto Line of the Year
Natural Product Line of the Year
Men’s Product Line of the Year
Spa Cuisine of the Year
Destination Hotel/Resort of the Year
Urban Hotel of the Year
Family-Friendly Hotel/Resort of the Year
Eco-Hotel/Resort of the Year
Romantic Hotel/Resort of the Year
Johnny Chang, Founder & CEO, Spa Solutions Training & Management Consultancy
Founder and CEO of Spa Solutions Shanghai, Johnny Chang has more than 20 years of international hotel spa and spa products branding experience in China. He acts as a bridge of East and West, offering all-round spa and product brands development consultation and training services to turn their passion into reality.
Judy Chapman, Founder, The Chapman Guides
Judy Chapman is the former Editor-in-Chief of Spa Asia magazine and author of four books on spas including Ultimate Spa and Bathing. Over the last 20 years, she has travelled to all corners of the globe, curating natural beauty product brands, unique treatments and spa concepts for luxury hotels and spas. Her articles have been published in Vogue, Harpers Bazaar and AsiaSpa. She has profiled many subjects, among them Dr Deepak Chopra and Sir Richard Branson. Chapman currently divides her time between New York and the Asia-Pacific.
Catherine Feliciano-Chon, Founder & Managing Director, CatchOn Communications
Cathy Chon is the Founder & Managing Director of CatchOn, the leading brand and PR consultancy in Asia for wellness and hospitality. CatchOn has conceptualised and launched over 30 spas worldwide, and over 50 cosmetic brands, while providing Asian market entry advice to international brands. Chon is a sought-after speaker for her keen insight on the Asian consumer market and emerging trends. She has spoken at the Global Spa & Wellness Summit and served as a judge for the World Spa Awards and Spa China Summits.
Susie Ellis, Chairman and CEO, Global Wellness Summit
As chairman and CEO of the Global Wellness Summit (GWS), Susie Ellis guides this gathering for top executives around the world that takes place in a different country each year. Ellis is also Chairman and CEO of the notfor- profit Global Wellness Institute (GWI), a world authority and think-tank for wellnessrelated industries. Susie Ellis is recognised as a leading authority on spa and wellness worldwide and is especially known for her annual Spa and Wellness Trends Forecast. She is the recipient of the International Spa Association’s Visionary Award.
Faridah Ahmad Fadzil, Founding President of Malaysian Association of Wellness and Spa
Faridah Binti Ahmad Fadzil is the co founder of Tanamera, a natural range of spa and lifestyle product. Apart from overseeing Tanamera Malaysian and export business, Faridah travels extensively to give talks internationally. Faridah’s passion for the Wellness and Spa industry have led her and her colleagues to set up the Malaysian Association of Wellness and Spa in 2010 and was the association’s President from 2010-2015. She was also recently elected as a committee member for Asia Pacific Spa and Wellness Coalition.
Nealy Fischer, Founder and Director, The Flexible Chef
Nealy Fischer is the Founder and Director of The Flexible Chef. She inspires people to eat and to live well, and ultimately to crave a healthy lifestyle. Fischer has been a leader in the wellness industry for two decades and has founded projects including luxury yoga retreats, cooking programmes, and women’s empowerment courses around the world.
Samantha Foster, President, International Health & Wellness Alliance
A proven manager, trainer, therapist and experienced spa consultant, Samantha Foster has worked with a number of top brands throughout Asia-Pacific over the last 20 years. Her specialty is setting up and managing destination spas and wellness centres. A published author and popular speaker, Foster also runs international courses in spa development and management. Twice awarded for her leadership in the spa industry, she is the founding President of the International Health & Wellness Alliance (IHWA).
Najwa Green, Director, Spa Services & Products International
Najwa Green is a renowned global and hospitality industry consultant who has worked in the luxury hotel and spa sectors for over 30 years, combining service experience gleaned from both the banking and airline industry in addition to hospitality. She has worked for brands such as The Ritz-Carlton, InterContinental, and numerous spa awardwinning luxury boutique properties. She is passionate about creating spa menus and innovative treatments, in addition to training and developing therapists’ skills.
Maggie Gunning, Spa Consultant
Maggie Gunning has gained much of her spa experience in Asia and Europe, honing her skills in all aspects of spa health and consultancy. Clients range from large international hotel groups through to luxury, boutique hotel spas. Maggie’s areas of expertise include market feasibility, full concept and branding development, technical services, financial performance forecast as well as pre and post opening services.
Andrew Jacka, Director, Spa Origins
Andrew has worked in hospitality since 1977, and is a veteran of the Asian spa industry. He heads a number of non-profit bodies including Global Wellness Day; World Spa & Well-being Convention, and in 2015 again took up the role of Chairman, Asia Pacific Spa & Wellness Coalition. His Bangkok-based company, Spa Origins specialises in the provision of spa consultancy services working from concept through to operational opening and beyond.
Chami Jotisalikorn, Author, Journalist and Communications Consultant
Chami Jotisalikorn is a journalist and author of over 10 coffee table books on Asian spas, interiors, and luxury travel. Her blog Barefoot Luxe is Asia’s top luxury travel and wellness blog. She contributes to newspapers and travel and spa guides and is a Wellness Travel Expert for Spafinder USA. She works as a communications consultant for niche clients such as boutique hotels, spa and wellness retreats, and designers.
Yvette Le Blowitz, Spa Blogger
Yvette Le Blowitz is one of the world’s leading spa reviewers, writers and bloggers. As founder of Spa it Girl, a site dedicated to inspiring others to be active, healthy, happy, positive, she is a leading spa influencer on social media and has travelled the world extensively checking out day spas, hotels and resorts. Le Blowitz believes that spas are about physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health and well-being that goes beyond the beauty benefits.
Catharine Nicol, Journalist
Following four years as Editor-in-Chief and another four as Editor-at-Large of AsiaSpa, Catharine Nicol is now a freelancer, but still passionate about researching Asia’s renowned destinations. Her love of the industry, its growth and what it is achieving keeps her motivated to keep discovering innovative treatments and skincare products, mind-body and spiritual philosophies and the incredible people and talent that lie behind them.
Rachael Oakes-Ash, Journalist, Blogger, Producer
Rachael has always had a strong passion for health and wellness. As a published author, full time travel journalist, keynote speaker and documentary producer she has been a judge on the AsiaSpa Awards since 2006. As a spa, wellness and travel writer her byline has been published by Conde Nast Traveler, Wallpaper*, Luxe City Guides, South China Morning Post, DestinAsian, Emirates Open Skies, Australian Financial Review, Sydney Morning Herald and more.
Parineeta Sethi, Chief Editor and Publisher, AsiaSpa India
Through India’s most respected wellness and spa lifestyle magazine, Parineeta Sethi has observed the evolution of the Indian wellness industry from close range and has actively contributed to its growth by providing a platform for spas, Indian spa-goers and global travelers to interact. She is on the advisory panel of the Ministry of Tourism and has been India as a wellness tourist destination. wclosely with the ministry to position.
Mark Smith, Editor, The Spa Man and Contributing Editor, European Spa Magazine
Mark Smith is a spa and grooming writer based in London. Originally from Australia he moved to the UK almost 20 years ago and spends his time consulting for brands and writing about the spa industry. As Contributing Editor for European Spa Magazine he travels widely across Europe and has also written for Men’s Fitness, Spa Traveller and Spa Ireland. One of a handful of male spa writers, Smith shares his unique perspectives on his blog, The Spa Man.
Lisa Starr, Spa and Salon Consultant, Wynne Business
Spa and salon business consultant for Wynne Business, Lisa Starr has over 30 years of experience in the beauty industry. She has spent the last 15 years as a consultant and educator, helping companies maximise spa operations performance in both front and back of house. Starr is also the education ambassador for Spa Standard, task force chair for the Global Wellness Institute Consulting Initiative, and offers spa management courses.
Pete Wong, Photojournalist and PR & Media Consultant, Awarna Media
Founder of media agency, Awarna Media, Pete Wong counts travel, writing and photography as his life passions. When he has time off from the office, he travels to remote destinations in Asia, at times visiting resorts and spas. His work is regularly featured in publications around the region, including Shanghai Daily, ParGolf and Building & Investment, among others. Wong has been contributing to AsiaSpa since 2005 and calls Kuala Lumpur home.
Melinda Yon, Senior Academic Staff, Diploma in Wellness, Lifestyle & Spa Management, Republic Polytechnic
Having lived in Asia for 15 years, Melinda has been a spa consultant, manager and business owner, and trainer and lecturer for spa management courses. She has also been a guest speaker at many of the region’s spa and wellness conferences Melinda edited the first three annual editions of Asia’s first spa publication dedicated to men, AsiaSpa Men. She was formally board member of the Asia Pacific Spa and Wellness Coalition (APSWC) for three years.
