Wellness Today is pleased to have the opportunity to speak with Ivanka Trump about the Spa at Trump®, a signature spa brand developed by the Trump Hotel Collection. Ivanka is the Executive Vice President of Development & Acquisitions for The Trump Organization.

▲ Ms. Ivanka Trump inside the hammam at The Spa at Trump SoHo. [Image via Yossi Michaeli Photography]

[WT] Statistics indicate hotels in Asia Pacific closed out 2011 at a healthy 9.8% RevPAR growth over 2010, with Southeast Asia at a staggering 18.8%. Growth looks set to continue through 2012. As you’re scheduled to speak at the Hotel Investment Conference Asia Pacific (HICAP) in Hong Kong this October, what does this indicate of Trump Hotel Collection’s interest in the APAC market?

Trump Hotel Collection is keenly interested in the APAC market and is aggressively sourcing options. We have recently appointed Todd Wynne-Parry to the new role of senior vice president of global hotel development and acquisitions. For us, it is all about finding the right opportunity, in the right location and now we are pleased to have Todd focusing his efforts on our expansion. Additionally, we will be opening a representative office in Shanghai in the short-term and appointing an executive to spearhead our growth in Greater China as an initial step. The RevPAR stats illustrate that Asia is leading a successful hospitality market and we hope to be a part of it very soon.

[WT] The Spa at Trump® signature brand was founded in 2008. Where can these luxurious spas be found? And will the Spa at Trump® brand be placed in international properties?

The Spa at Trump can be found at Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago, Trump International Hotel Las Vegas and Trump International Hotel Waikiki Beach Walk. Trump SoHo New York has the only authentic luxury hammam on the East Coast. All of our spas have unique treatments and incredible designs that have been incredibly successful. We hope to expand The Spa at Trump to prospective international properties in the near future.

[WT] The spas are designed to envelop guests in services geared toward wellness and inner health. What principles guide the Trump Spa philosophy?

We cater all of our treatments to focus on wellness and health. From the minute you step into the spa until the moment you leave. All of the interactions between spa employees and guests are focused on wellness, health and of course impeccable service. Our Spa Attaché program is on call for guests to cater to every need while enjoying our treatments.

[WT] Trump Hotel’s SoHo location was your first design to use a Middle Eastern theme. What influences shaped this design decision?

While working on the design of Trump SoHo , I was frequently going back and forth to Istanbul on business and fell in love with the hammam experience, and knew I had to bring it back to the states.

[WT] Can visitors to other Trump Spas expect the same Middle Eastern theme? And will this be a theme used as the Spa at Trump® signature brand expands internationally?

We recently renovated Trump Spa at Trump International Hotel & Tower New York and incorporated Middle Eastern rituals into many of the treatments. Our treatments are both tailored to the spas specific location as well as the consumer trends. With Middle-Eastern inspired treatments being so popular the last few years, you very well might see The Spa at Trump reinvent treatments that feature this theme.

[WT] Wellness is a recent trend in the Spa industry. Where do you see the growth markets for wellness and medi-spas, and how will the Spa at Trump® be positioned?

I think wellness is more than a trend; it’s a concept that is here to stay and The Spa at Trump has been offering wellness options since 2008. For the busy lives that so many of us lead it is important to de-stress, decompress, unwind, and take care of your body on a regular basis.

Wellness Today would like to thank you for your participation in the interview, and your contributions to the industry.