SINGAPORE: An association representing the beauty, spa and wellness industry in Singapore is calling for more standardisation across the massage sector.
In line with that, the Specialists in Wellness Association Singapore is working with national standards and accreditation body Enterprise Singapore on a set of standardised guidelines that may be released by 2027.
One of its aims is setting out how much expertise these massage providers need based on the service they offer, on which discussions are underway, said association president Edward Wong.
Some providers who offer basic relaxation services do not need a lot of knowledge, he noted.
“Then, there are certain situations where you have to provide remedial action, solve certain issues and provide some advice to the customers … and this requires more knowledge and skills,” he said.
“There should be identification of massage technicians, massage therapists, senior therapists who are … trained in different modalities.”
He added that specialists in one area cannot practise in others.
Mr Wong underscored the importance of the right knowledge, on the back of the death of two people in Thailand recently after massage sessions, including a Singaporean tourist.
“You have to know things like anatomy, physiology, the common … ailments or issues with the human body, and contraindications, meaning that (people with) certain conditions cannot be massaged,” he said.
