Dayspa

JUL 2014

DAYSPA is the magazine of spa management. Spa owners and spa managers turn to DAYSPA for spa management trends, spa management tips and more.

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14 DAYSPA | JULY 2014 TREND WATCH Yoga-loving jetsetters are fi nding silence and serenity in the unlikeliest of locations. On a Higher Plane Chicago O'Hare International Airport (fl ychicago.com) joined the fl eet of transportation hubs hoping to elevate passengers' moods in December 2013. Its 15-by-16-foot yoga room is bedecked with sustainable bamboo- wood fl ooring, fl oor-to-ceiling mirrors along one wall and exercise mats. A video monitor screens demonstrations of yoga techniques and nature images against a backdrop of soothing sounds. Adjacent to the room is an aeroponic (soil-less) garden featuring plant towers that supply fresh produce to the airport's restaurants. According to Chicago Department of Aviation Commissioner Rosemarie S. Andolino, the yoga room aims to attract real- deal practitioners in addition to casual passersby looking to de-stress during delays. "This is yet another amenity to help make the travel experience at O'Hare the best in class," she adds. A similar space is planned for the city's Midway International Airport, allowing even more travelers to tune out after they check in.—Lesley McCave PHOTO COURTESY OF SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT It's no surprise that a city synonymous with spiritual awareness can now be credited with creating the world's fi rst airport yoga room. In January 2012, San Francisco International Airport (fl ysfo.com) debuted its 150-foot-square space, which features a calming, low level of blue light and a "fl oating wall to symbolize a buoyant spirit and enlightened mind." The room is just one facet of the airport's wellness initiatives, which extend to its local restaurant and shopping program, water bottle refi ll hydration stations, and recycling and conservation endeavors. It proved so popular with passengers that a second one—whose highlights include a "cracked wall" that lets in a sliver of light—was unveiled in January 2014. "The yoga rooms represent a successful example of our efforts to surprise and delight our guests with unexpected touches that refl ect the region we serve," reports Doug Yakel, the airport's public information offi cer, communications & marketing. As the fourth busiest airport in the world, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (dfwairport.com) is on a mission to be one of the healthiest too. Its low-key yoga studio, which opened in June 2012, offers yoga mats, an instructional DVD playing on a loop and fl oor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the runway. Passengers reach the studio via a walking path endorsed by the American Heart Association, which stretches seven-tenths of a mile and is dotted with artist-created, circular mosaic tiles. These efforts, along with healthful meals in the airport's food concessions, are all an extension of its LiveWell employee wellness program. "We hadn't anticipated the amazing response to the yoga room," says Cynthia Vega, media relations manager for the airport. "We have a sign-in book so we can track who uses it. We get people of all ages and from all over the world stopping by, including pilots!" T r e n d W a t c h . i n d d 1 4 Trend Watch.indd 14 6 / 3 / 1 4 1 1 : 2 5 A M 6/3/14 11:25 AM

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