Late on Monday, SpaFinder Inc. announced that it would shutter Luxury SpaFinder, its bimonthly publication about, you guessed it, spas, after the May/June edition. In its place, the company will produce Luxury Spafinder Interactive, a monthly Web magazine published in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish and Japanese. According to a release, "The launch of the interactive publication also underscores the company's commitment to green initiatives," which warms our environmentalist hearts.

Melisse Gelula, spa beauty editor of Luxury SpaFinder and former travel editor for Fodor's Travel Publications, will serve as editor-in-chief of Luxury SpaFinder Interactive, while Sarah Day, who was previously the print magazine's production director, takes the reins as vice president of SpaFinder's Global Publishing Group and will oversee the new interactive publication. She will also manage the publication of the company's yearly worldwide directory, Global SpaFinder.

Former Luxury SpaFinder editor-in-chief Gary Walther already has a gig lined up: He's ForbesLife's new editor.

Full release after the jump.

Luxury SpaFinder Magazine Becomes Luxury SpaFinder Interactive — Expands Global Reach to Six Languages

NEW YORK, NY — March 17, 2008 — SpaFinder, Inc., the largest spa media company, announced today that Luxury SpaFinder Magazine will become Luxury SpaFinder Interactive, replacing the print magazine effective with the July edition. Luxury SpaFinder Interactive will be published monthly in six languages and will immediately expand the magazine's global circulation from 200,000 to over one half million spa lifestyle enthusiasts. The launch of the interactive publication also underscores the company's commitment to green initiatives.

Melisse Gelula, spa beauty editor of Luxury SpaFinder and former travel editor for Fodor's Travel Publications, has been named editor in chief of Luxury SpaFinder Interactive. Sarah Day, who was previously the print magazine's production director, will serve as vice president of SpaFinder's Global Publishing Group and will oversee the new interactive publication as well as the company's worldwide spa directory, Global SpaFinder, which is the largest printed directory of its kind.

Luxury SpaFinder Interactive will be published in Japanese, French, German, Italian and Spanish, as well as English, and will be available on SpaFinder's network of global SpaFinder websites, increasing potential readership to an additional six million consumers annually. SpaFinder owns and operates the leading spa lifestyle and wellness website, SpaFinder.com, with additional Internet domains in France, Italy, Germany, Spain and Japan. The company's worldwide spa directory, Global SpaFinder, is a yearly print publication for consumers and travel agents.

Luxury SpaFinder Interactive expands our reach and presence in Europe, Asia, South America, and beyond," said Pete Ellis, Chairman & CEO of SpaFinder. "It's a big plus for our advertisers as we tap into enormous demand among Gen-X and Gen-Y consumers for spa and wellness information and the expansion of the spa market worldwide. Spa-goers are truly global and online, and that's where they are going to be in greater numbers."

Ellis anticipates that the circulation of Luxury SpaFinder Interactive will reach in excess of one million consumers with each monthly issue, based on new website and company offerings that will be announced in the next 60 days. The publication will combine the attributes of a glossy print magazine and online media, offering luxury spa travel, wellness and lifestyle content in an interactive format that will include search capabilities.

According to SpaFinder data, annual revenues for the global spa industry are ap-proximately $45 billion, roughly three times as large as the $15 billion+ U.S. spa industry.

"Luxury spas and luxury consumers are an increasingly global phenomenon," adds Ellis. "And it's no longer just Americans traveling to international spa destinations; it's Australians going to spas in Asia, Asians going to spas in the Middle East, Europeans traveling to North America, etcetera. By publishing Luxury SpaFinder in a global medium, we can promote the spa lifestyle and spa vacations to consumers worldwide."

About SpaFinder, Inc.
The world's largest spa media, marketing and gifting company, SpaFinder, Inc. connects millions of wellness-focused consumers with thousands of spas worldwide. SpaFinder's media properties include the award-winning Spafinder.com, Luxury SpaFinder Interactive and the worldwide spa directory, Global SpaFinder. Spa Finder Gift Certificates and its new gift division, Spa & Salon Wish, offer spa gift certificates and cards that are redeemable at a combined network of over 5,000+ spas and salons worldwide and are available at thousands of retail outlets. The company's software division innovates new solutions to help spas build and streamline their businesses, including the popular SpaBooker online booking system. SpaFinder Europe and SpaFinder Japan offer regional spa marketing and gifting programs, including localized, native-language websites. Founded in 1986, the privately held company is headquartered in Manhattan.