Marc-Antoine Massicotte feels lucky to be on the upside of economic uncertainty and a weak Canadian dollar.
In fact, says the chief development officer for Groupe Nordik , the current turmoil may be a boon for the wellness industry, with the Quebec-based company anticipating a boost as it celebrates its 20th anniversary. The company’s flagship location, Nordik Spa Village in Chelsea, just across the Ottawa River, is one of three locations it currently operates across Canada, with plans for more on the horizon.
As Canadians deal with a trade war with the U.S. and the economic fallout, Massicotte told OBJ that residents and tourists alike are looking for ways to unwind. “These are definitely challenging times, times where people need to spend time for themselves and reconnect,” he said.
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And with tourism season right around the corner, activity could soon be ramping up. For Nordik’s spas, this season could see shifts in the demographics of customers, as Canadians eye staycation destinations and visitors travel from south of the border to take advantage of the exchange rate.
“We already welcome interprovincial tourists, but we do expect maybe a little bump there,” said Massicotte. “What we’ve also been seeing and hearing in other industries is that the Canadian dollar, you know, what it is today, makes the American dollar a lot stronger. So the markets are seeing more American tourists … we could feel a positive impact.”
He added, “We’re lucky to be on that side of these current challenges.”
Massicotte said the wellness industry — the thermal spa industry more specifically — has changed significantly since the company launched in Chelsea 20 years ago.
“Spas like ours, with the Nordic thermal cycle, were almost non-existent in Quebec, Canada and even the U.S. It was really a European approach,” he said. “We were one of the first to deploy something like this in Quebec, in Canada. So we’ve been kind of a trendsetter or a trailblazer, opening new markets, and that’s been very fulfilling.”
Massicotte said the success of the Chelsea location led to unexpected interest from across the country. “Phones started ringing with different types of inquiries and opportunities,” he said, one of which led to a plot of land in need of development in Winnipeg. Nordik’s Thermea Spa Village in that city will also be celebrating an anniversary this year, marking 10 years since its opening.
Massicotte said all three of the Nordik locations will be receiving upgrades over the next few years, with some of the buildings at the Chelsea location already in the process of a major overhaul, with plans to grow the square footage. The steam house is also being renovated to create an immersive, multi-sensorial experience with relaxing visuals, sounds and smells.
Discussions are underway for similar upgrades at the Thermea Spa Village in Winnipeg, while the company’s third location, a Thermea Spa Village in Whitby, is in the process of expanding.
Massicotte said the plan is to continue growing across North America. “We’re looking at a fourth and fifth location and we’re shopping those around right now,” he said.
As the rest of Canada catches on to the thermal spa trend, similar businesses are popping up across North America, including in the National Capital Region. But Massicotte said the company isn’t afraid of a little competition.
“Competition is something that drives you to be better, to innovate more, to remain first,” he said. “I feel it’s a good energy. We’re very far from a saturated market. For us, we feel we’ve been part of the start of a movement in Canada and we feel very good about our positioning. We want to remain first. We want to remain agile. We’re in a growth mindset.”
