Soothing Touch Barbados: An Island Oasis

from Gaming & Leisure Magazine

Summer 2021

https://mygamingandleisure.com/

Barbados is known for a number of things, including their idyllic tropical beaches, their surf, and as the birthplace of rum. When on the island state, their resorts, spas and leisure are a good way to while away the hours. 

In this episode of the International Road Trip, I was fortunate to sit down for a chat with Steve Andrews, a long-time friend, spa owner and Global Wellness Ambassador for Barbados. 

[G&L] Give us a bit of a summary on your background in the Spa & Wellness industry. 

[SA] I am a 24-year veteran of the Caribbean spa industry, having established Soothing Touch Massage & Aromatherapy in the mid-1990s, combining my skills as a therapist and my love for and participation in contact sports. In 2002, I combined massage therapy services with beauty treatments and formed Soothing Touch Da Spa Inc. Soothing Touch at the Bamboo Retreat took shape in 2019 as not only a spa but a natural retreat. 

Recognized by my peers as one of the Caribbean’s foremost spa entrepreneurs, my wide range of experience and training has allowed me to conduct spa therapy workshops for therapists across the Caribbean. More recently, I also conducted online training for therapists in Africa, with face-to-face classes to follow for both Africa and Asia as soon as it is safe to do so. 

Currently, I am the global wellness ambassador for Barbados. 

[Q] You have been involved with the Caribbean Spa & Wellness Association for a while. What was your role with the group, and what does the association provide to the region? 

[SA]  My passion to develop the Caribbean as the world’s leading spa destination earned me the post of chairperson, Caribbean Spa and Wellness Association (C-SWA). As a founding member, I lent my broad expertise to the association, travelling around the world and looking at best practices for the Caribbean spa brand and also co-managing a US$800,000 CARTFUND project with the Caribbean Export Agency, to develop the spa and wellness sector in the Caribbean. 

Outcomes of the CARTFUND project included regional standards for spas and a regional spa and wellness strategy for the Caribbean. I was also chair of the Caribbean Spa and Wellness Training Committee and organized the first regional training workshop for spa therapists in the Caribbean. Unfortunately, after a change in leadership the association is no longer active. 

[G&L] Have there been many changes in the industry through the years? Do you see any upcoming trends? 

[SL] There have been a number of changes in the industry over the years. When I first entered the sector, there were about one or two hotel chains offering spa services. As an independent operator, I had greater access to the clientele from the tourist market. Now, most hotels offer spa services so that has reduced our share of the tourism market. So, locals now form a large part of our clientele. 

With respect to trends, stand-alone spas, such as Soothing Touch at the Bamboo Retreat, have the opportunity to become major shareholders in the sector because more and more visitors are looking for a spa experience and not just a service. There is a move towards authentic experiences where spas can differentiate themselves by embracing the cultural and natural environment of their surroundings. 

[G&L] As Barbados is a small island-state, what challenges have there been in acquiring technology for managing spas? Has the industry’s move toward cloud-based applications been of benefit? 

[SA]  Prior to the pandemic, small-island states like Barbados did not necessarily place great emphasis on the use of technology in business operations. However, with the onset of the pandemic, many businesses, including those in the spa industry, made the essential move to online operations. With this move, however, challenges remain. Many spa operators are not fully equipped with the technological knowledge to take advantage of the various features of spa management software. Cost is also a major deterrent, which has meant that free spa software that is less effective has now started to penetrate the Caribbean. 

[G&L] Where do Soothing Touch and other spas in Barbados draw their clients from? 

[SA] Our clientele consists of a mix of locals and tourists and this is the case for most spas in Barbados. Tourism is the largest foreign exchange earner in Barbados and so there are some hotel spas that rely more heavily on tourists than others. However, given the pandemic, there has been more emphasis on the local clientele. 

[G&L] How has the Covid pandemic affected you in Barbados, and the Caribbean in general? 

[SA]  The pandemic has put a major dent in tourist arrivals across the Caribbean. Our local clientele also depend on revenue from tourism so this means that they are not able to afford spa services. Spa operators, therefore, have been forced to offer steep discounts to keep our doors open, when we are allowed to open. 

[G&L] Have there been changes to the Spa & Wellness industry due to the pandemic? 

[SA] The industry has had to implement several protocols. However, most of these protocols have always been practiced in spas. These include the sanitization of tools, equipment and furniture, and general hygienic practices such as the washing of hands before and after every service. Traditionally, spas are expected to be highly clean environments. As a result of the pandemic, spas are once again placing great focus on their hygiene practices. Spas have also started to look at different ways of doing business, with a focus on service standards and staff training. They are also beginning to see themselves as an important pillar of mental wellbeing. 

[G&L] What are your plans for expanding business in the future? 

[SA] Soothing Touch at the Bamboo Retreat is working to regain its place as the number one day spa in Barbados. There are also opportunities for training via the master class run by the coaching arm of the business, Steve Andrews & Associates. 

The Steve Andrews & Associates Master Class in Massage Therapy and Coaching Programme focus on the development of therapists in a holistic way. Geared towards catering to individual needs, the class and coaching programme both start with a full assessment of therapists including their understanding of therapy. 

Our vision is to help therapists truly unlock their minds to fully understand the power of massage therapy so they can undertake the journey to heal themselves, their clients and their community. 

Gaming & Leisure Magazine would like to thank Steve Andrews for the time to chat and wish him the best in his efforts in Barbados, the Caribbean and worldwide.