The popularity of onsens has been bubbling up in Thailand, even though it is a tropical country, says one wellness brand.
Thai onsen lovers no longer need to fly to Japan to enjoy a hot soak as onsen services are available across the country, particularly at major tourist destinations such as Pattaya, Chiang Mai, Chon Buri and Bangkok -- specifically on Sukhumvit Road and at the K Village retail complex on Rama 4 Road.
Panpuri, a leading wellness brand, is set to open its first onsen on the 12th floor of the Gaysorn complex on Ratchaprasong Road next month, aiming to tap fans of the bathing ritual.
"It is the first onsen downtown. Apart from shopping in the area, onsen will be an alternative activity for visitors," said Vorravit Siripark, chief executive at Puri Co, the operator of Panpuri Wellness and Spa.
Onsen will be one feature at the 100-million-baht Panpuri Wellness and Spa, which entails a variety of services, including organic spa, wellness bar, studio, body massage and meditation.
There are 10 onsen pools separated by gender and two small individual pools.
The company has hired a consultant from Japan to design the onsen system, with hot springs imported in the form of powder from several Japanese cities.
This wellness centre was soft launched last December.
"We've had better than expected responses, and about 60% of our customers are foreigners from China, Japan, Korea and Hong Kong," said Mr Vorravit, a self-described spa and massage lover.
Mr Vorravit first opened a Panpuri store in a 120 square metre space at Gaysorn Complex to sell organic spa products for body care. He opened the space shortly after returning to Thailand from Italy in 2003, where he was studying for a master's degree and was inspired to realise his entrepreneurial ambitions.
"I had a chance to try spa treatments at famous hotel chains. Their services are excellent. But there are no Thai products available there. This inspired me to create my own health and wellness services, without imaging they would one day become part of a global trend," said Mr Vorravit.
He said there is huge potential for spa and wellness centres in Thailand, with foreign tourist arrivals reaching 35.4 million in 2017. Thailand is ranked No.1 globally as a spa-holiday destination, generating revenue of 32 billion baht from foreign customers in 2015.
Apart from wellness services, the company operates 40 Panpuri retail outlets in six key cities nationwide and plans to open 4-5 new retail outlets this year in Chiang Mai, Pattaya, Phuket and Bangkok.
Panpuri outlets are available at home and abroad, with half of them in Japan.
In addition, the company also operates luxury organic spas in Park Hyatt Hotel Bangkok and Eastern & Oriental Hotel Penang.
"We opened the first flagship store in a 70 sq m space in Ginza district, Japan last year. There is a huge demand for quality and natural products from Japanese customers. After setting up shop in Japan, we can go anywhere in the world," said Mr Vorravit.
Being at the forefront of the country's wellness industry, he said his company has drawn interest from several investors, but ultimately settled on Lakeshore Capital, a Thailand-based private equity firm, for a partnership to foster business growth.
Lakeshore holds a minority stake in Panpuri.
The Lakeshore Capital partnership and investment is expected to pave the way for Panpuri's rapid growth, as well as new marketing, R&D, strategy, additional management and product innovation initiatives, said Mr Vorravit.
"The new partner will help usher in the next chapter of growth, helping us become Asia's leading wellness brand in the next five years," he said.
By that time, the company projects its sales will reach 1.5 billion baht, up from 400 million last year, he said. The number of retail stores are forecast to reach 80.
Mr Vorravit said the beauty and healthcare market in Thailand is estimated to be worth 200 billion baht, with an average growth rate of 8% annually projected between 2016-20.