On Monday, September 18, a press conference was held for the upcoming European Spa and Balneology Congress, which will be hosted by the Karlovy Vary Region. During autumn, Karlovy Vary will become an international center for health and balneology. On 4-6 October 2023, the European Spa and Balneology Congress, one of the largest and most recognized events of its kind, will take place at the Thermal Hotel. The subtitle of this year’s, the 27th year in a row, is “European spas – the path to a healthy life“. The annual conference is jointly organized by the Karlovy Vary region, the city of Karlovy Vary and the European Spa Association (ESPA).
“I am very pleased that we have been chosen as co-organizers of this exceptional meeting this year. In view of the world fame and tradition of spa treatment, I can’t think of another, more suitable place. For all participants, the European Congress is an ideal opportunity to share their knowledge and experience and thus draw inspiration from other international colleagues,” said Karlovy Vary Region Governor Petr Kulhánek.
The main topic of the congress, i.e. the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on tourism and spa industry in particular, will be presented by domestic and foreign professionals with extensive experience in the field. In addition, information related to current topics and trends such as sustainability, digitization and education will be presented.
Czech influencer Karel Kovář will talk about the influence of online media on medical tourism. Treatment options for the post-covid syndrome will be presented by Mihaela Cucu from Ana Health Spa in Romania and Karl-Ludwig Resch from the Bad Elster Balneological Institute. In the block on new trends in spas and balneology, Ladislav Špišák, chairman of the Council of the Institute of Spas and Balneology of the V.V.I., will explain how effective the drinking cure of Karlovy Vary springs is on its own.
Participants will be introduced to sustainability and ways to save energy in spa regions by Julien Prince, CEO of La Roche Posay, a brand of dermocosmetic products.
As part of the congress, in addition to the professional part, the ESPA SPA-CE B2B trade fair focused on spa and wellness tourism with the participation of more than 15 countries will take place. The purpose of the workshop is to connect providers of health, spa and wellness services with travel agencies and other potential buyers of their services.
The highlight of the three-day event will be the presentation of the ESPA Innovation Award for new, effective approaches that increase the quality of spa hotels and resorts.
“Nominated projects are evaluated by a six-member expert jury based on 5 parameters, including originality, contribution or sustainability. Last year, the Karlovy Vary Institute of Spa and Balneology was successful in the ‘Medical Spa Scientific Research’ category. The jurors particularly appreciated his innovative project activities and scientific results,” added Vojtěch Franta, deputy governor in charge of spas, tourism and UNESCO.
ESPA is an organization bringing together leading spa centers, hotels, medical spas, rehabilitation and research centers, spa operators and investors. It was founded in 1995 in Brussels and currently represents 20 European countries.