The Republic of Singapore is a city-state that comprises of an island at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula and of around 50 smaller islands. It is located 137 kilometers north of the Equator. The city-state occupies an area of 660 sq km which makes it the smallest country in Southeast Asia. It is also considered the second most densely populated independent country in the world, with a population of about 4.48 million. The state was once a colonial outpost of Britain and so English is one of the major languages spoken here along with Malay, Mandarin and Tamil. The state has a very developed economy; it boasts US $27,490 GNI per capita. The city is also an important port. Singapore is known for its industry as well as for the conservatism of its leaders and its strict social controls.
Nowadays, spa industry is booming in Singapore. According to Intelligent Spas’ latest spa industry research, the numbers of spas in this city-state have risen by 63% since 2003. There are 173 spas currently open and operating in the city. The Singapore Tourism Board claims that there were 8.85 million international visitor arrivals in 2006. One of the reasons for the growth of the spa industry is seen in steady increase of tourists coming to the country. The Singapore’s spa market is a very competitive one. This makes the spa managers create special services. “They need to differentiate, and that is where the spa owner must get creative,” said Tan Wee Tech, the director of Estheva Spa. The key trend in the Singapore spa industry is the competitive and affordable pricing. There is also a rise in gift certificate sales. The market is mainly women oriented but local spas are seeing more male and younger clients coming.