Situation of the spa sector in Quebec and tourist positioning

Over the past few decades, the spa industry in Quebec has evolved considerably. Gradually, the offer underwent a transformation as we saw the appearance of new types of establishments that met growing tourist demand. In order to obtain a more accurate portrait of this new phenomenon, the Quebec Spas Association (AQS) commissioned Touriscope to draw up an overview of the spa sector in Quebec, particularly with regard to its positioning in terms of tourist experience.

In order to present a complete and relevant overview, a rigorous approach was taken:

- A review of wellness trends
- Semi-structured interviews with spa managers
- A diagnosis and a portrait of their tourist positioning
- A participatory ideation workshop with members, in order to collectively reflect on the next steps of a development process as an industry and an essential product in the experience of tourist customers
- An evaluation grid in order to establish an attractiveness index for each of the spa establishments that are members of the AQS

This work provided the strategic data and knowledge that AQS needed in order to subsequently develop a tourism positioning strategy in collaboration with its partners. They also made it possible to better identify and give credibility to the tourist image associated with the product today in order to attract customers outside Quebec.