Interview with Ms. Tomoka Nguyen,
Founder and Managing Director of SO.WA Consultancy
As Managing Director of SO.WA Consultancy, Tomoka guides the company in delivering comprehensive and highly customised spa and wellness solutions. With offices in Singapore and Japan, SO.WA develops, designs, and executes unique, profitable concepts for leading hotel brands, tailored to specific market trends and brand directions. Its strategic vision ensures outstanding results and new industry standards. SO.WA Consultancy was awarded “Consultant of the Year” at the Asia Pacific Spa & Wellness Coalition (APSWC) 2025.
Tomoka moved to the UK after high school in Japan, graduating from the University of London. She began her spa and wellness career in Bali in 1997, later becoming Regional Operations Manager for Mandara Spa. She subsequently managed prestigious facilities for, The Peninsula Hotels, and GHM. From 2014 to 2018, Tomoka oversaw Asia’s largest wellness centre, the 12,000 sqm ESPA at Resorts World Sentosa. Under her four-year leadership, it earned numerous international awards and profitability was boosted fivefold.
Valuing her Japanese heritage and deep knowledge about Asian therapies, Tomoka has developed various spa programmes and products. She is a certified aromatherapist and natural skincare formulator. Fluent in English and Indonesian with basic Thai, she is also a native Japanese speaker. SpaChina interviewed her on the Spa consultancy business.
SO.WA emphasizes a “360° Wellness Solutions” approach, integrating strategy, concept, and design. How does blending the process of cultural nuances with global best practices set your consultancy apart in Asia’s competitive spa and wellness market?
What sets SO.WA apart is our ability to deliver wellness concepts that are not only culturally authentic but also operationally and commercially viable across diverse markets in Asia. Our “360° Wellness Solutions” approach means we don’t treat strategy, concept and design as isolated phases – they are developed in tandem with a clear understanding of local values, guest behaviour and international benchmarks.
Our consultants have lived and worked across Asia, giving us a deep sensitivity to regional healing philosophies, rituals and aesthetics. At the same time, we are trained in Western wellness sciences and standards – from anatomy and physiology to service protocols and financial modelling. This dual perspective allows us to create experiences that resonate emotionally with local guests while meeting the expectations of global luxury travellers and owners.
Your team includes specialists like architects, wet area designers, and operational strategists. How does this interdisciplinary collaboration ensure holistic outcomes for projects?
What makes our approach powerful is the alignment between disciplines: design decisions are informed by operational realities, and strategy is underpinned by authentic guest experiences. At SO.WA, we bring designers, spa operators, thermal engineers, and brand strategists together from the earliest stages of development. This ensures that what is envisioned conceptually can be delivered functionally – whether it’s the spatial flow of a treatment room, the placement of hydrothermal features for operational ease, or the flexibility of a lounge area to accommodate both rituals and social experiences.
At Four Seasons Kyoto, a property deeply rooted in heritage, we created a wellness experience that honours Kyoto’s cultural depth while engaging the expectations of international luxury travellers. The guest journey was carefully choreographed to reflect traditional Japanese rituals, incorporating seasonality, sensory layering, and spatial rhythm to evoke a sense of emotional connection. We worked closely with the hotel’s leadership to ensure that these elements were not only meaningful but also seamlessly integrated into daily operations – balancing poetic expression with operational efficiency and commercial viability.
SO.WA’s portfolio includes innovative concepts like thermal facilities and urban wellness destinations. How do you balance traditional Asian wellness philosophies with modern, technology-driven guest experiences?
Our team is predominantly based in Southeast Asia, but our collective experience spans global markets. Our core team brings a rare combination of scientific grounding, operational depth, and strategic creativity. With formal training in anatomy and physiology, pathophysiology, cosmetic formulation, hospitality finance, and digital marketing, we approach wellness with both technical precision and commercial insight. We’re not just consultants – we’re also educators and authors, shaping the industry beyond project work.
Technology is undoubtedly shaping the future of wellness. But for us, it’s about intelligent integration, not replacement. We embrace innovation – from biofeedback tools to immersive sound therapies – but remain grounded in the irreplaceable value of human touch and cultural storytelling. For example, while you may use AI to customise a wellness journey, the emotional release triggered by a skilled therapist’s hands is something no device can replicate.
What emerging trends in spa and wellness do you see reshaping the industry globally?
Technology continues to be a major driver of transformation – whether it’s the democratisation of wellness tech, such as red light therapy and breath training devices, or its use in creating personalised, data-led guest journeys. However, it’s not enough to merely adopt tech for novelty’s sake. What matters is how we use it to enrich the spa story and deepen the guest journey. At SO.WA, we’re focused on using emerging technologies to support intuitive, meaningful, and mindful experiences rather than replacing traditional wellness modalities. The trend is moving towards hybrid experiences – where digital meets deeply human.
China’s wellness industry is growing rapidly. What opportunities and challenges do you foresee for luxury spa and wellness developments in China?
We’ve always viewed China as a critical market for innovation in wellness. However, challenges persist – particularly with regulatory complexities surrounding product importation and differing standards around organic and bio-identical ingredients. That said, we see enormous opportunity.
China is already a global leader in tech innovation, and its homegrown wellness brands are rapidly gaining sophistication and international credibility. We’re seeing a new wave of local vendors and biotech firms that are capable of competing on the global stage. For international players, this opens the door for authentic collaboration. For us, the key is to leverage China’s strengths – cultural depth, technological innovation, and scale – while carefully navigating localisation and compliance.
How does SO.WA tailor its services to align with the preferences of Chinese consumers, who often value both luxury and cultural authenticity?
Chinese guests have a deep appreciation for storytelling, cultural relevance, and elevated service. At SO.WA, we don’t deliver cookie-cutter solutions. We take time to research the local context – be it philosophy, rituals, or symbolism – and translate that into modern, luxurious experiences that resonate with a discerning clientele.
In doing so, we don’t just look at China as a destination for projects; we view it as a source of inspiration. Our goal is to curate experiences that feel familiar yet fresh, rooted in heritage yet forward-thinking. This alignment has allowed us to create spa journeys that are not only authentic to Chinese traditions but also aspirational in their global appeal.
Can you share an example of how you’ve integrated local cultural elements into a China-based project to create a unique guest experience?
Our approach to integrating cultural elements is rooted in a deep respect for place, people, and tradition. While SO.WA Consultancy has not yet delivered a project directly within mainland China, our strength lies in the extensive China-related experience of our lead designers and senior consultant. Prior to joining SO.WA, they played key roles in shaping wellness destinations across China – including projects such as The Puxuan Hotel & Spa in Beijing, and Iridium Spa at St. Regis Zhuhai.
For example, at The Puxuan, the guest journey was meticulously designed around themes of introspection and quiet luxury, with references to Confucian values and Chinese craftsmanship embedded into the treatment rituals and interiors. SO.WA’s lead consultants contributed to early-stage concept development for this project while design execution was by another company.
This first-hand experience with China’s luxury spa and wellness landscape enables SO.WA to bring market-relevant insight, design sensitivity, and strategic foresight to any China-facing development. Our team’s familiarity with regional wellness philosophies, consumer preferences, and operational standards informs every project we lead – ensuring our concepts are culturally aligned, globally competitive and emotionally compelling.
Sustainability is increasingly critical in hospitality. How does SO.WA incorporate eco-conscious practices into spa design and operations, particularly in a market like China?
At SO.WA, our strength isn’t just in applying sustainable design principles – it’s in seamlessly connecting design, treatment programming, and operations into a unified, sustainable model. This integration is what sets us apart.
We begin every project by understanding its context – environment, culture, and available resources. From there, we develop a concept that becomes the heart of the spa, shaping not just the look and feel but also how treatments are delivered and how the space operates. Zoning is planned with operational efficiency in mind, ensuring smooth guest flow and practical back-of-house functionality.
For us, sustainability also means long-term efficiency and commercial logic. In wellness, where water and energy use are often excessive, we bring intentionality to every detail. For example, instead of adding bathtubs in every treatment room for a sense of luxury, we consider the operational impact – extended soak times reduce room turnover and increase water usage. These are the kinds of choices where thoughtful design meets practical sustainability.
Rather than treating sustainability as a checklist, we embed it into every layer of the concept – from layout and materials to treatment offerings and day-to-day operations. In markets like China, where expectations around innovation and environmental responsibility are rising, this approach is more relevant than ever.
Looking ahead, what is your vision for SO.WA’s role in shaping the next generation of spa and wellness experiences in Asia, especially in China?
As wellness becomes more integrated into how people live, travel, and invest in themselves, we see SO.WA playing a pivotal role in helping brands and developers shift from offering isolated treatments to creating holistic, purpose-driven wellness ecosystems. In Asia – and China in particular – there’s a growing demand for experiences that are not only luxurious but also grounded in cultural identity, emotional relevance, and measurable wellbeing outcomes.
Our vision is to guide this evolution by bridging traditional philosophies with future-facing solutions. With our Japan office fully operational from 2024 and a strong presence across Southeast Asia, we are uniquely positioned to serve the region with deep cultural understanding and design foresight. In China, where wellness is increasingly shaped by innovation, urbanisation, and a return to heritage, we see an opportunity to contribute meaningfully – not just with concepts that are beautiful, but with strategies that are sustainable, scalable, and locally resonant.
As a leader with 25+ years in the industry, what lesson have you learned that continues to guide SO.WA’s innovations today?
The most important lesson I’ve learned is that wellness is not a product – it’s a mindset. Over the years, I’ve seen trends come and go, but what endures is integrity, authenticity, and the courage to challenge the status quo. At SO.WA, we don’t follow trends blindly. We ask deeper questions: What will make this experience transformative? What will leave an emotional imprint?
Our commitment to innovation is guided by these principles. We continue to evolve – not because the market demands it, but because we are curious, we listen deeply, and we care about the impact we make.
