27 percent of existing luxury and upper-upscale hotels have spa facilities and services.

PWC research, supplemented by Smith Travel Research and the International Spa Association, indicates that approximately 40 percent of luxury and upper-upscale lodging projects under development in the US have spa facilities and services, compared to 27 percent of existing luxury and upper-upscale hotels that have spa facilities and services.

The International Spa Association defines a spa as "an entity devoted to enhancing overall well-being though a variety of professional services that encourage the renewal of mind, body and spirit," further elaborating a hotel/resort spa as "a spa owned by and located within a resort or hotel providing professionally administered spa services, fitness, and wellness components and spa cuisine menu choices." Spas in resorts or hotels provide an array of services including massages, sauna/Jacuzzi, facial treatments, alternative stress management, fitness programs and spa cuisine.

Of all planned US hotel projects, 1.9 percent have spa facilities and services compared to 0.6 percent of existing hotels with spas, with the percentage for luxury and upper-upscale chains approximating 40 percent.

According to the International Spa Association, resort/hotel spas are the second largest category of spas after day spas, accounting for 14 percent of the spa locations but disproportionately high shares of the total industry space and revenues - 37 percent of the total industry space in terms of square footage and 41 percent of the spa industry revenues.

"This is a dramatic trend reflecting the lifestyle appeal of hotels to an increasing number of business and leisure travelers," says Bjorn Hanson, Ph.D. and principal, Hospitality & Leisure practice, PricewaterhouseCoopers.