CONTACT:                                                                      FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Debra Locker, International SPA Association                                            March 20, 2008

1.859.226.4374 and debra.locker@ispastaff.com 

RECORD REPRESENTATION ON THE ISPA BOARD

FROM THE ASIA-PACIFIC REGION

LEXINGTON, Ky. – With the International SPA Association’s membership at a record high of more than 3,000 spa professionals, there are milestones to report on the international front. For the first time, 20 percent of the members of ISPA’s Board of Directors are from the Asia-Pacific region.

“In order to continue being a leader in the worldwide spa community, the members of the ISPA board know how essential it is to have diverse points of view from international voices,” said second-year ISPA Chairman Jim Root. “The Asia-Pacific region is booming with spa industry growth and with five percent of ISPA’s members in this area, the association has an important voice in this development.”

Asia-Pacific-based ISPA Board of Directors members include:

·    Jesper Hougaard, managing director, Serena Spa Pvt. Ltd. Hougaard is based in the Maldives and this is his first term on the ISPA board.

·    Manoj Murjani, chief executive officer, The Wellness Group Pte. Ltd. Murjani is based in Singapore and this is his first time on the ISPA board.

·    Peter Sng, managing director, Spacare International Pte. Ltd. Sng is based in Singapore, has served on the ISPA board since 1999 and is a past recipient of ISPA’s Dedicated Contributor Award.

“The association is focused on emphasizing the ‘I’ in ISPA,” commented ISPA President Lynne McNees. “This year, ISPA will release the inaugural Global Consumer Report with research from 12 countries in Europe, Asia-Pacific and North America. We are evaluating nearly a dozen partnership opportunities, five of which are from groups based in the Asia-Pacific. And, we are looking forward to bringing the ISPA Pavilion back to the ITEC France Beyond Beauty show this fall in France.”

Becoming Involved with ISPA

Applications for the 2009 ISPA Board of Directors are available online at www.experienceispa.com through April 2008.  If you are interested in partnering with ISPA for an event or presentation, please contact ISPA’s Membership Coordinator Valarie McKinney at 1.859.226.4288.

About ISPA

Founded in 1991, ISPA is recognized worldwide as the leading professional organization and voice of the spa industry.  ISPA’s membership is comprised of more than 3,000 health and wellness facilities and providers from 75 countries.  ISPA advances the spa industry by providing invaluable educational and networking opportunities, promoting the value of the spa experience and speaking as the authoritative voice to foster professionalism and growth. More details on ISPA are available on www.experienceispa.com.

Spas are places devoted to enhancing overall well-being through a variety of professional services that encourage the renewal of mind, body and spirit.

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