Letting off steam in the sauna? Power at the gym? Pure relaxation during a massage? Or just cheerful splashing about with the whole family? No worries, this won’t be an either/or decision. Because the answer to all these questions, and the place for them, is one and the same: the Thermenresort Warmbad-Villach! From seniors’ day for our golden agers, to a hammam for the stressed, to mermaid swimming for all little Ariel fans. Finally keeping that New Year’s resolution and losing those stubborn pounds, or embracing yourself at pole dancing (yes, it really is on offer in the training area!). The Thermenresort Warmbad-Villach in Carinthia has plenty up its sleeve. And more besides. Because with food, games, fun and sport, quite a few more or less welcome smells come together. But Head of Fitness Markus Führer has a fabulous idea for that: wellness for all the senses with AROMEA scent marketing…
Question: Full-moon sauna nights, mermaid swimming, Crazy River, fitness and much more. You’re certainly not short of things on offer! What can customers expect when they come to you? And which offer is the most popular?
Führer: Where do you even start? Well, from yoga, spinning, training plans and sports-science check-ups in the training area, to attractions in the thermal spa with grotto, outdoor area, sunbathing lawn and events, to hammam, massages and beauty treatments in the spa… There’s simply everything.
Gym membership is definitely very popular too. Members can of course also use the thermal spa with all it has to offer. We currently welcome around 850 members as well as hotel guests from the Karawankenhof and the Warmbaderhof and day guests from Austria, Germany and Italy. So it’s hard to say which offer is the most popular. Everything goes down so well (laughs)!
Question: Fun, fit & spa on 11,000 square metres, spread over four levels, combined with restaurants. A lot of smells must come together there! What was the deciding factor for turning to AROMEA scent marketing?
Führer: In a business where so many different areas and people come together, plenty of not-so-desirable smells naturally come together too. But we quite simply want to offer our guests a perfect overall experience. That’s how we came across Airdesign and the Austrian market leader AROMEA scent marketing. Simple, uncomplicated and very effective!
Question: In the spa area especially, things can quickly smell musty or of chlorine. In the sauna area perhaps of sweat too. What other unwanted smells did you have to battle, and how was scent marketing able to help?
Führer: The training area is of course a breeding ground for smells too. You sweat when you train: that’s logical and completely natural. But still, nobody wants to smell it. A musty smell can quickly develop in the changing rooms as well. But with AROMEA scent marketing, we’ve been able to eliminate that completely! We’ve also put scent marketing to work in the spa, the thermal spa and the entrance area. Now a subtle scent flows through the corridors. That makes a big difference to the first impression and the feel-good atmosphere!
Question: You have to be careful with technology where there’s moisture and heat. Hygiene also plays a big role in a spa. Which diffusers do you use in which areas, and how were they installed?
Führer: On that score, we have absolutely no worries. Neither with the technology nor with hygiene. AROMEA really takes care of everything as part of its service packages, it’s a dream! And thanks to the hypoallergenic and sustainable fragrances, we have no problems with hygiene or possible allergies either. And the aroma towers also look pretty and elegant. They fit perfectly into the overall look too.
Question: In spa and wellness areas, people want to relax. At the gym they want to be motivated, and in the restaurants the appetite should be stimulated. Which fragrances do you use to achieve the desired effects?
Führer: AROMEA scent marketing simply has so many great fragrances to choose from. How could you settle on just one? That’s why we change fragrances regularly. That way it never gets boring. But once we’ve decided on a fragrance, we use the same one for every area. So it smells consistent throughout the whole complex. And that’s actually very exciting, because one and the same fragrance can have a different effect depending on the room and the application. Truly fascinating… And we’re really lucky with AROMEA and its fragrances!
Question: What feedback have you had from guests and staff since using AROMEA scent marketing?
Führer: Our staff are very satisfied and happy with our scent marketing concept. And since they work in the scent ambience day in, day out, of course they get a say in choosing the fragrance. There’s always great excitement when we bring in a new fragrance together! And you can simply see the satisfaction in our guests. For us, the best guest feedback is still when they arrive stressed and leave relaxed… and then keep coming back!
Markus Führer on the effect of scent marketing
