Holiday Issue 2019

58 Mar19090 A Global Goliath in Hospitality andWellness Founded by Ingo Schweder in 2009, GOCO Hospitality is a pioneering consultancy, development and management company driving the future of the spa and wellness hospitality subsector. In March, the firm was acknowledged in the 2019 Global Luxury Hotel & Spa Awards programme for their continued dedication to excellence on the global hospitality landscape. We spoke with Ingo Schweder, Founder & CEO, to find out more. By all regards, wellness, health and fitness are growth markets, seeing unprecedented expansion over the last few years. Of that trifecta, wellness has become a different beast entirely, seeing accelerated success through a symbiotic relationship with other complimentary industries – the hospitality industry being chief among them. Whilst many have capitalised on the natural synergy between the luxury hospitality and wellness sectors, few have made quite the impact that GOCO Hospitality has over the last ten years. More than anything, GOCO’s success has been driven by comprehensiveness – a diligence formed on the back of hard-earned expertise and experience. This, combined with their impressive global presence, makes GOCO Hospitality a goliath on a landscape that is still – in many ways – looking to firmly establish itself. Here, Ingo takes a moment to talk about GOCO’s background, and its approach to new projects. “From initial market research through to concept, design and management, our experienced research, creative and operational teams collaborate closely with clients to create innovative wellness solutions specially tailored to meet the demands of the location and target market. GOCO Hospitality has worked in over 20 countries with iconic brands such as Bulgari Hotels & Resorts, The Ritz-Carlton, Marriott International, Wynn Resorts, Viceroy Hotels and Resorts, Emaar Hospitality Group and Starwood Hotels and Resorts on projects with a combined value of over US$1 billion.” This is, above all, a firm that is adept at handling projects of immense size, to the most discerning of tastes. “We take a holistic approach to all our projects, integrating business efficiency, meticulous service, local influences and impeccable quality. Our projects are always highly authentic – reflecting local cultures and traditions – and strive to make a positive social impact in their communities. This locally rooted philosophy allows us to create new spa and wellness concepts in multiple countries that are innovative, visionary and individual. We celebrate our world’s diverse and fascinating cultures and embrace local traditions and customs in everything that we do.” As you might imagine, GOCO’s clients lie at the absolute heart of the firm’s work, informing their operations and approach. “When repeat clients and referrals are so important, client service has to sit at the heart of everything that you do. At GOCO Hospitality we don’t have ‘client service’ staff as we consider client service to be the job of every staff member. Ultimately, two of our core GOCO Commitments are: “we are accountable, always delivering on our promises” and “we are proactive, always seeking to go the extra mile.” Together, simply keeping to these commitments ensures the best possible client service. Happy clients are ones that get what they were promised or even get more or better than they were expecting. This is something we strive for on a daily basis.” The conversation soon turns to the greater wellness industry, as Ingo discusses the ever-growing importance of wellness in our everyday lives. “The wellness sector is attracting lots of attention at the moment. It’s an industry that is worth $4.4 trillion and is growing at 6.4% per year. Wellness tourism is a part of that, worth $639 billion and growing at 6.5% per year. People are realising that achieving a healthy and happy life requires proactive attention to their health, and not just visiting a doctor only after they have become sick. People want their holidays to mean something other than just relaxing on a beach and seeing some famous monuments; they want to take time out to get their lives and their health straight. They want to learn how they should transform their lifestyle so that when they return home they can live their best lives possible.” In his final comments, Ingo teases the future of GOCO Hospitality as it moves further through 2019 and beyond. “It is a very exciting time for us right now. We are in the process of launching a number of new wellness hospitality brands, moving from a focus on spas to fully-fledged wellness resorts”. Address: 37/10 Soi Langsuan, Phloen Chit Road, Lumpini, Pathumwan, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand Website: www.gocohospitality.com Telephone: +66 2 252 6288