Industry body the Irish Spa Association (ISA) has named Melissa Jones as its new general manager for 2023/24.

Jones will oversee the continued growth of the ISA and elect her own team for 2023/2024. Her first official engagement will be the ISA’s Spring/Summer Networking event on 24 May hosted at the Hayfield Manor in Cork and headlined by industry figure Sue Harmsworth MBE.

Commenting on her appointment, Jones said: “I’m honoured to join the ISA and look forward to working with its co-founders, Peigin Crowley and Anita Murrary, to continue to build our amazing community.

“From the day the ISA was formed, I was an advocate. I truly believe it was created with complete love and compassion for the industry. I’m proud to be part of that mission and that purpose.”

With 15 years of experience in the spa sector, Jones began working in office and quality management, but then trained as a therapist.

In 2007, she joined the team at Cork’s Fota Island Spa as a spa therapist and progressed to become spa manager. Eight years later, she helped steer the pre-opening of The Spa at The Kingsley, eventually transferring there full-time as spa development manager. Jones will continue in this role while balancing her new responsibilities as ISA general manager.

Murray told Spa Business that the ISA was bowled over by the volume of applications it received for this role and that the candidacy was extremely competitive.

“Leadership is no longer about the position,” she said, “it’s about passion and making a real meaningful impact through the application of that passion and the hunger to make a difference.

“We were really looking for someone that shared our values and commitment to bringing our industry peers together to continue to foster growth and professionalism within the spa industry.

“From the day the ISA was established, Melissa has been a great proponent. She gave her time throughout the pandemic and spearheaded some wonderful initiatives to support the wider community during this time and presented herself as a person of action.”