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1. Introduction
The aim of this study is to provide a method for segmenting spa customers according to their preferences for selected spa attributes. The spa industry has come a long way since its inception many years ago (ISPA, 2013a). Around the world, there is growing interest in changing the way people take care of themselves. The spa lifestyle is becoming more and more popular, and visiting a spa is no longer considered a luxury but rather a necessary part of a healthy lifestyle. Spa visits in the USA alone reached more than 160 million per year in 2012 (ISPA, 2012). Although there is no clearly defined spa industry, there is an emerging sense that such an industry does exist and is growing rapidly. Spas are considered the fastest-growing sector in the tourism industry (Haden, 2007). Tabacchi (2010) believed that the definition of a spa is no longer relevant, as consumers are well aware that there are different types of spas for different purposes, such as destination spas, hotel spas, day spas, medical spas and mineral springs spas.
Regardless of the growth of the spa market, very few studies examined spa segmentation to increase our understanding of this promising industry. But market segmentation is a technique used to help the organization to target particular market segments that are likely to purchase the organization's products (Reid and Bojanic, 2006). It is a cornerstone of marketing strategy and can result in a more effective use of marketing and promotional dollars (Kotler and McDougall, 1983 and Park and Yoon, 2009). For instance, the Hartman Group (2004) segmented spa customers on behavioral lines, defining three consumer market segments: peripheral, midlevel and core spa customers. Peripheral customers are price-sensitive customers who are typically less focused on health and wellness and more focused on beauty and pampering. Midlevel spa consumers are those looking for a relaxation experience through traditional massages and treatment and are also keen on selecting their own therapists. Core spa customers are experienced spa customers that are keen on the health and wellness lifestyle. Koh et al. (2010) identified escapists, neutralists and hedonists as three customer segments in the spa industry. Other than the two abovementioned studies, no other studies known to the authors have attempted to...