Madeira is a jaw-droppingly spectacular landmass lying 620 miles off the Portuguese coast and 310 miles from the African continent: this is the outermost region of the European Union.

There are a plethora of reasons to visit this stunning island. It has immense natural beauty and its hills and valleys add a cocooning feel. I would describe Madeira as a hidden jewel.

Year round temperatures are warm, averaging between 17-21?C, and ideal for the island’s numerous vineyards. Madeira is famous for its wine, which is absurdly delicious and high in antioxidants. The island also boasts a close to zero crime rate. In addition, a vast range of activities, culture and history provide a rich and tantalising choice of possibilities for visitors.

Tourism is the main industry in Madeira, accounting for 28 per cent of GDP and numbers are steadily increasing according to figures from the Madeira Tourism Board. In 2011, the island welcomed just over 900,000 visitors in total, up 6.7 per cent from 2010; while the average length of stay rose slightly from 5.1 nights in 2010 to 5.3 in 2011.

Only three hours from Europe, Maderia is most popular with visitors from this continent. There are four dominant source markets led – unsurprisingly – by Portugal which accounts for 24 per cent of visitor numbers, closely followed by the UK at 19 per cent, Germany at 16 per cent and France at 10 per cent. When it comes to overnight stays, however, the UK and Germany are at the top making up 24 and 21 per cent of the 5.5 million nights respectively, while Portugal only makes up 13 per cent.

But just how important is the spa industry to tourism in Madeira?

A promotional alliance
My impression of the spa industry in Madeira is one of innovation and enthusiasm. There’s a growing realisation with Madeirans that they have a coveted gem slowly revealing itself as a potential – and rather significant – magnet for spa and wellness enthusiasts and beginners alike.

The concept of wellness in Madeira has been around since the days of old – the cultivation of whole, natural foods, the weather and a laid back lifestyle all contribute to an environment that is naturally balanced and effortlessly composed to embrace the expectations of today’s market.

There are no figures to support how substantial the spa industry is or how effectively it contributes to the island’s economy. However, a large proportion of hotels now have spas and/or wellness centres.

Notably, the strategic intent to promote and expand the exposure to spas and wellness is also very evident. Since 2005, a self-elected amalgamation of hotels and spas across the island have joined together in an initiative to help drive their own businesses alongside the destination of Madeira as a whole. The group, called Spas da Madeira, was started by former Madeira Promotion Bureau (MPB) executive director Oto Oliveira and the owner of the country’s Galo Resort hotels Roland Bachmeier. MPB, which contributes to half of the budget, is still one of the sponsors. There are currently 11 participating properties and members meet periodically to put together a strategic, common plan such as focusing on press/familiarisation trips or sending out newsletters to 60,000 travel agents in source markets, which was the goal for mid-2012. Another focus is to develop their dedicated website www.spasmadeira.com to make it more user-friendly, attractive and current by adding special promotions. Already working in their favour is a link to MPB’s own website www.madeirapromotionbureau.com which itself has a complete section and a digital brochure highlighting spas as a key activity for visitors.

unique selling points
During the last couple of years the Spas da Madeira group has also recognised the need to create an original identity for each of the spa concepts. This includes emphasising unique treatments such as thalassotherapy; those incorporating aloe vera, a native plant; and the hot sand treatment which is offered at the Porto Santo Hotel & Spa.

Next to Madeira, Porto Santo is known as the Golden Island and its sand is a mix of coral reefs, seashells and volcanic ash. The sands have a high content of calcium and strontium and have been proven by scientists at the University of Oslo, Norway and the University of Aveiro, Portugal to help people suffering from rheumatic orthopaedic conditions when they submerse themselves in it.

The spa at the Porto Santo Hotel has hot sand beds and it claims to offer the first sand spa treatments in the world. The beds feature the local sand which is heated to 40-43?C. Guests spend 30 minutes covered in the sand twice a day to get the therapeutic benefits. The minimum number of sessions recommended is 12 and for hotel guests there’s a seven day package of 14 sessions for €490 (us$600, £387). For others, the price is €50 (us$61, £40) a session.

Within this article, there are three other examples of how spas are differentiating themselves (see p76-77).

If I’m honest, I was a little blown away by my three-day peek at Madeira. The country has a fabulous energy about it and I’m excited by how much camaraderie there is among the spa operators – not only for driving their own businesses but in their collective passion to raise the fortunes of Madeira through their own sector.