Aromatherapy to soothe visitors at Wellness & Spas trade show

A unique feature from the Dubai-based Aromagic Company will see a signature fragrance especially designed for the show pumped into the halls - an olfactory display designed to show the power of aromatherapy to relax and rejuvenate the body and the mind.

Ms. Susan M. Amin, Exhibitions Manager Wellness & Spa at Messe Frankfurt Middle East, believes that the feature will demonstrate just how effective aromas can be in producing a feeling of wellbeing.

"The only way to really show just how aromatherapy works is to let people experience it for themselves. Aromagic will provide an ambient scent that will delight and stimulate the senses of everybody attending the exhibition" she says. This method of piping different fragrances into the halls will allow people to appreciate the positive effects of aromatherapy as they wander around. We've termed the feature; 'Signature Fragrance,' as we believe that this phrase captures the idea that aromas can be tailor made to suit specific circumstances and situations," she adds.

Aromagic have offices located in Munich as well as Dubai and specialise in blending and marketing fragrances for both individuals and large organisations. They refer to their business as 'air-design' and offer services that include the development of corporate-identity fragrances; working on unique scents formulated for organisations and industries. Their inclusion at Wellness and Spas 2007 shows just how far strands of complementary therapy are now being incorporated into daily life.

"Aromatherapy is closely associated with the holistic approach to healthcare," says Ms. Amin. "Holism believes that the mind, body and spirit are interconnected and are greater than the sum of their individual parts. Aromatherapy works by creating the right state of mind through the use of essential natural oils.

The oils are vaporised by a special unit and released into the atmosphere, carrying the energising vitality of the plant with them. The aroma's effect on a person is twofold; firstly it stimulates the olfactory centre and causes a mood change - just think of the energising smell of fresh lemon peel, or mint - and secondly, the airborne plant molecules enter the bloodstream after being inhaled and stimulate the body this way," she said.

Aromatherapy has its roots in antiquity, with aromatic oils employed as health treatments stretching back thousands of years. However, the current usage of the term as a form of therapy stems from the 1920s and a French chemist by the name of René Maurice Gattefossé.

This perfumer devoted his life to researching the healing properties of plant oils after an accident in his laboratory caused him to badly burn his arm. In his haste to treat the injury, Mr. Gattefossé thrust his affected limb into the nearest cold liquid; which happened to be a vat of lavender oil. He immediately noticed an alleviation of the pain and over the next few weeks observed that the burn healed remarkably quickly, with minimal discomfort and no scarring.

The use of aromatherapy in Wellness and Spas exhibition is designed to draw attention to the complementary sector of the healthcare market, the current regional spend of which is AED 272 billion (US$74billion). The spa industry is increasingly incorporating holistic treatments and therapies as an integral part of the services they offer. "These days, we are seeing treatments that focus on both the body and soul. Yoga, massage, homeopathy and traditional medicines are now being offered as common-place spa therapies," observed Ms. Amin.

The International Trade Fair for the Professional Spa and Wellness Industry runs at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre. The event will promote Dubai as a world-class spa destination, with three out of four of the Middle East's world class resorts voted as being located within the city.

"Dubai already has one of the highest concentrations of spas per capita in the world and the number of hotels in Dubai offering spa amenities is increasing by 17% per year. By 2015, it is highly likely that there will be more than 200 establishments here containing world class facilities, making the city the top global spa destination," says Ms. Susan M. Amin, Exhibitions Manager Wellness & Spa, Messe Frankfurt Middle East.