CLAYTON HORTON
Ashtanga Yoga: Reconnecting to the Natural State

Awaken and harmonize the body and mind with the ancient traditional practice of Ashtanga yoga with Clayton Horton.
Benefit: This method of Yoga involves synchronizing the breath with a series of postures that awakens internal energy channels and vitalizes muscles and organs. The result is improved circulation, a light and strong body, and a calm mind.
Target Audience: All Levels

VINCENT TAM
Opening Up to Embrace the World: Partner Assisted Yoga

In this fun and invigorating session, we will be working individually and with partners to energetically awaken our body, mind and hearts. This practice involves physical asana, sense of touch, conscious breathing, humour and play. This session is a great way to get better acquainted, not only with yourselves, but also the other participants as well.

It is designed to unleash the power of play and spontaneity among the participants; strengthen self-confidence, trust, communication, focus and connection. A great way to start the day!

DAY 2 – PLENARY 3

This looks squarely into the eyes of spa proponents and asks the question: how closely and tightly do you embrace the idea of preserving heritage, protecting the resources (environment included) and how well do they connect with the local community from which they gain. A resounding YES or a pathethic otherwise?

There is also a growing consciousness to protect the rights of future generations and spas with a commitment for the preservation of resources are those that will survive into the future. Some spa therapies are known to be excessive… consumers will spearhead moves to regulate such excessiveness?

RAYMOND NADEAU

Although product customization has affected everything from consumer electronics to pharmaceuticals, from clothing to automobiles, the wellness industry continues its one-size-fits-all approach in the hope of attracting the largest possible cross-section of clientele. In a media and promotions environment that is both 1) saturated and 2) increasingly geared toward consumer communities or self-defined psychographic groups, Raymond Nadeau will demonstrate how a smaller but more focused consumer base will lead to enhanced client satisfaction and loyalty.  In addition, he will demonstrate how businesses and brands around the world are harnessing the power of Internet communities to provide a virtual forum for their shared lifestyles and values - while simultaneously providing an incubator for "spontaneous" new products and services. 

Attendees will better understand the specific needs of emerging demographic and psychographic wellness/spa consumers in order to better differentiate their businesses and provide maximum client benefit.  The mystery of social network micro-sites will be revealed.  Nadeau will provide the groundwork for creating an interactive community forum versus a static web site - a forum capable of supplementing and synergistically supporting every other media effort and consumer research investment. This topic will benefit anyone interested in marketing, product development, service creation, advertising, public relations, media planning and sales as it relates to wellness and any of its related industries/categories.

HARALD VOGT

The sense of smell is the strongest and most primal of all our senses. It protects us from drinking milk that’s turned sour and alerts us to the presence of natural gas. It vividly reminds us of moments – good or bad – we first experienced decades ago. It is the first of our senses to evolve in the evolutionary chain and the sense with the strongest, most accurate level of recall. Scent is processed by the limbic system in our brain and it is also responsible for memory and emotion processes.

In marketing, scent can be highly effective in helping us distinguish one product from another. It can trigger a memory or desire that influences a purchase decision. Alternatively, scent can remind us of pleasant associations, whether that is "home", the beach or a meadow. These associations help to create an environment in which we feel comfortable, "at home". In a consumer setting this impacts our decision to stay longer and consume more.

Across industries, businesses are using scent as part of multi-sensory marketing strategies to enhance customers’ experiences of a location and its products or services. These experiences allow customers to develop deeper memories and emotional connections with the brand and promote sales and loyalty.

DAY 2 – PLENARY 4

This apparently rude topic for the Editors’ Roundtable ought to stir enough excitement (and the conscience too) as much-travelled individuals give their take on the consumer’s state of mind and at the same time bring to the table scruples of some providers of services. Are consumers that gullible you think?

DAY 2 – PLENARY 5

Taking the floor for this topic are the pioneers of homegrown brands that have successfully established a name for themselves in the industry. These prominent leaders will share their visions, philosophy and the challenges they faced & opportunities that avail to them while building their brands. Each of these speakers comes with their own success story and they are prepared to share their success stories.

In this session we examine how these experienced leaders contribute towards the success of their business. During the second part of this Plenary session panelists will share some tips that will help or inspire others with successful strategies to improve their business/ brand. Our panelists are well known within the industry and have been around long enough to give us the good, the bad and the ugly. For the most part of this session we intend to focus only on the good.

DAY 2 – PLENARY 6

The rising demand for wellness has fuelled the growth of an industry that offers various products and services designed to deliver ‘sought-after results’. A high proportion of the present consumers of wellness are high-spend individuals who have been setters of lifestyle and consumer trends of their generation. This scenario presents many possibilities for scruples to be compromised as these individuals blessed have high disposable incomes and are willing to spend so they can stay well longer. Hence, the need for vigilance becomes all the more obvious.
• But who regulates the industry and manufacturers?
• What is there to guarantee the integrity of these products is not compromised?
• What should consumers look out for in order to ensure they get what they pay for?
• What tell-tale signs of possible bad experiences awaiting?
• What can be put in place to ensure that scruples will eventually define this industry?

GERALDINE HOWARD

A thought-provoking and an in-depth look at trends in spa products and ingredients  – an insight into the challenges presented in choosing and using natural, organic or chemical based products, understanding their ingredients, and the use of preservative systems. 

Geraldine Howard first looks at how a product is defined ‘natural’ and ‘organic’.  How are these terms understood, and is organic best?  Individual ethics vs product effectiveness is explored.  Just how organic is a product and what are the guides to certification?

Does a natural product guarantee product safety and stability?  Geraldine discusses the role of preservatives, including paraben’s, which have received much industry and press attention.  What effect do products have when they penetrate the skin and why should people be so concerned about a product’s ingredients? 

Plus, what makes an eco-friendly product?  Here, environmental and ethical considerations are examined, with particular reference to product packaging. 

To what extent do consumers understand product labelling and what is important to them?  Geraldine addresses what really matters to today’s customer, as well as the challenges faced by product houses, in particular the legal restrictions that have been put in place on labelling claims for cosmetics and toiletries.  How does this affect those brands that distribute worldwide?

SPECIAL WORKSHOP - FRANK WECKESSER & SYLVIA LEELA ISANI

From Wellness to Selfness, the new trend

Over 50.000 Google Hits. Guess what?
The new Selfness trend is now hitting the World of Wellness. Or are we in the middle of it already? After a full schedule of the Summit Day, let this workshop session invigorate your mind and more. We help you to chill out, unwind and refresh while we share exciting cutting-edge information with you.

How to be happy!
Happiness is a deep longing, a desire we all share. The effects of being happy are medically proven to add quality and longevity to our life. Conversely, the effects of being unhappy may be compared to those of heavy smoking!
Let’s take a look at how to invite happiness int our lives; what is in the way. Why happiness is so important to our success? You will be able to feel happier after this session that also includes some exercise to access your own fountain of happiness.