Saunas Increasing in Popularity

Adding a sauna to your backyard is becoming more and more popular. As far as outdoor home improvements go, it nears the top of the list for those that are healthconscious. It comes of no surprise, many of the same folks who purchase a pool are also in the market for a sauna.

With summer right around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about backyard improvements. A sauna is one that make your home’s outdoor living area a more enjoyable experience. Most homeowners long for a place to escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, to unwind. A sauna provides the type of respite they are looking for; complete relaxation in a natural outdoor setting.

Folks who visit a sauna regularly, have most probably considered saving themselves the recurring cost. Its also inconvenient having to go to a steam room for a 15-45 minute session. It stands to reason that when evaluating what outdoor amenities provide the best value, more homeowners are considering a sauna.

Saunas are an $8 Billion market in the United States.

This country loves its saunas. In fact, there are currently over 1 million saunas, representing an $8 billion market in the United States alone. Seems like a high number right? Well that’s nothing compared to Finland who really love their saunas. Finland has the highest percentage of saunas per capita than any other country on the planet. With a $20 billion market, there are over 3 million saunas in Finland today. We may be running behind them in terms of consumer demand, but we’re catching up fast.

To get a better understanding of why the demand for saunas has suddenly spiked, we spoke with Tina Adams, Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Bathing Brands. We wanted to know how the market for saunas has grown in recent years.

“Sauna sales have doubled in the past two years, mirroring unprecedented interest in backyard leisure, personal wellness, and an improved quality of life.”, said Adams.

Perhaps highest on the list for consumers thinking of purchasing a sauna for their backyard are the health benefits that come from owning one. A fact that Adams acknowledged, “In addition to making people feel good, heat therapy has proven heart-health, pain-reduction, and immune systems benefits.” “

There is a sauna bathing revolution brewing,” said Adams, “we are culturally uncovering the value heat and cold can have on us physiologically. Experiencing a sauna outdoors, and even better, adjacent to a swimming pool, offers an experience only nature can provide. The addition of a sauna in a pool setting allows for an invigorating plunge or cool down which is so essential to the sauna experience."

The fact that stoking demand starts at the dealer level is not lost in Adams. “Local pool and spa dealers are the most viable resource for displaying, promoting, and satisfying consumer demand,” she explained. D

uring trade show season, saunas definitely had an enormous presence on the exhibition floor this year. “We have seen growth in all markets,” said Adams. “Where there is a pool, there is the highest potential of outside sales sauna growth,” she explained.

Adams is hoping for even higher adaptation in the near future, “Featuring an outdoor sauna kit into existing projects is a sure-fire way to grow sales. We’re excited to see our dealers leading the sauna revolution at the retail level.”

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