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2026 ISPA Conference

By Darren Buford
Summer 2026

The International Spa Association (ISPA) held its annual conference in Las Vegas, March 31–April 2. Headquartered in Lexington, Kentucky, ISPA has supported the spa industry for more than 35 years through education, advocacy, and professional resources.

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ABMP Director of Strategic Partnerships Angie Parris staffs the ABMP booth during the 2026 ISPA Conference in Las Vegas. Massage & Bodywork staff

The Big Five

Each year, ISPA unveils its “Big Five” metrics tracking the health of the spa industry. Highlights from this year’s report include:

  1. Total revenue: grew 4.2% from $22.5 billion to $23.5 billion
  2. Spa visits: grew 1.8% from 187 million to 191 million
  3. Spa locations: grew 0.4% from 21,980 to 22,060
  4. Revenue per visit: grew 2.3% from $120.3 to $123.1
  5. Total employment: grew 0.2% from 376,200 to 376,900

Conference attendees included vendors, suppliers, spa owners and directors, and massage therapists and estheticians. Keynote speakers included innovation consultant Diana Kander, author Jay Shetty, and author Jon Acuff, alongside a wide range of educational sessions. Topics ranged from “Tech That Connects: Enhancing Guest Experiences with AI,” “Gen Z and Beyond: Managing Across Generations,” and “Beyond the Treatment Room: Where Sensory Intelligence Guides Deep Human Transformation,” among others.

Representatives from ABMP and ASCP (ABMP’s sister association serving estheticians; ascpskincare.com) attended the event and shared trade-show space alongside other mission-driven massage and esthetics organizations, including the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards, Professional Beauty Association, and Beauty Changes Lives.

A major theme throughout the conference was the continued demand for spa employees, especially massage therapists. The number of unfilled positions for service providers follows: 3,840 full-time positions and 7,520 part-time positions for massage therapists; 2,600 full-time positions and 3,660 part-time positions for estheticians; and 1,290 full-time positions and 2,540 part-time positions for nail techs. So, if you’re thinking of working in a spa setting, the opportunities are promising.

Emerging technologies and luxury experiences were also visible during the conference. Vendors showcased enhanced massage tables, featuring integrated sensory experiences like heat, vibration, and sound, as well as robot massage companies Aescape and Capsix. Ammortal, an immersive red light therapy chamber that blends science, design, and recovery, won the ISPA Innovate Award for New Technology Launch. 

Upcoming ISPA conferences will be in Las Vegas in 2027 and Colorado Springs, Colorado, in 2028. To learn more, visit experienceispa.com.

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