Suntanning associations from around the world are coming together onstage at the Smart Tan Downtown conference in Nashville. The World Summit offers insight that helps salon owners connect to and support their industry as it evolves.

Since the popularity of indoor tanning in Europe predates its rise in the United States by about 10 years, our friends across the pond often see trends, developments and challenges first. So, as we wonder what the future of our industry looks like in North America, it only makes sense to look at the market on an international scale to gain insight.

International Trends

What we found was reassuring: Sources suggest that collaborative efforts between salons, associations and political bodies are yielding beneficial results for professional salons. European association members reveal that the regulatory issues that they have been concerned about have, in some ways, allowed for a better marketplace and more responsive customers. In other words, market leaders are starting to see the industry’s biggest challenges as a source for some big opportunities.

“This discussion is, in many ways, the 800-pound gorilla in the tanning industry,” says Smart Tan Chairman Matt Russell. “That’s why we are hosting this meeting at Smart Tan Downtown. In the face of adversity, leaders worldwide are moving forward to forge a bright future for our market.”

Gary Lipman, chairman of the UK Sunbed Association, explains that while the European market has condensed to some degree, there is a definite pattern that salon owners can learn from.

“It is most interesting to note that the salons that suffered most were, on the whole, those that were not operating with best practices,” he says. “Generally speaking, salons that do not impose strict operating methods [are the ones that] unwittingly […] enable the media to attack our industry. So in many ways, seeing this type of business go […] can only be good for our business in the longer term.”

So far, businesses that have changed with the times seem to stand the test of scrutiny and reap the rewards. In Europe, this professionalism is defined by owners who invested in up-to-date equipment, quality training programs and consumer education. According to Lipman, salons have been busy.

The similarities continue as Canada and Europe maintain reports that age-restricting legislation had minimal impact on businesses. And in the Netherlands, legislation setting maximum irradiance levels seems connected to improving consumer confidence in tanning salons.

But what are the mechanisms that have transforms these challenges into positive change? What can we learn from other tanning markets that will allow constructive change in our backyard?

Better communication between associations worldwide will be key to identifying winning strategies in al of our markets — connecting the dots through collaboration. While no one can guarantee how things will play out, there’s an advantage to be gained by learning from fellow tanning business owners across the world.

Click here to read the entire article in the September issue of Smart Tan Magazine online.