As of 2023, according to the International Spa Association (ISPA), there are over 125,000 spas in the world. The United States has the most spas, with over 50,000, followed by China with over 20,000 and Japan with over 15,000. The spa industry is growing rapidly, and ISPA estimates that there will be over 150,000 spas in the world by 2025.

Spas are offering exotic treatments indigenous to their location, including "lava rock massages in Hawaii, papaya scrubs in the tropics, grape seed facials in Sonoma, and maple body wraps in the Northeast."

In Arizona, "A Native American shaman guides clients through meditation, smudging their bodies with sage, sweetgrass and cedar." Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa offers an experience for the whole family. Girls as young as 4 can join their parents for "My First Manicure, My First Pedicure and My First Facial." The spa at Pennsylvania's Hersheypark offers their signature "Chocolate Fondue Wrap."

Anthropologist Robbie Blinkoff attributes the spa phenomenon to a desire to experience something of lasting value for money spent. Blinkoff says, "People feel ready for a transformation. A vacation should make you feel like a new person, which is exactly what a spa is offering."