Mrs. Mezösi, what is the mission of the Association of European SPAs (ESPA) in Europe?
Healthy lifestyle is a key issue not only in Europe. Compared to many organizations involved in thermal tourism, ESPA's mission is to focus on the benefits and importance of prevention programs, complementary medicine and wellness services, to reach an increasingly health-conscious public.
What goals for the future?
In the future we will increasingly turn to customers who wish to invest in health and well-being. In the European Union, a healthy lifestyle and prevention are considered important, because our society is getting older and more people are interested in alternative health approaches, capable of obtaining good results without side effects. European spas are the best alternative for keeping fit. Our job is to inform about what Europe is more. The guests of the spas in Europe are very loyal, they return, thanks to the e / cacia of our mineral waters, thermal waters, special climate, mud, clay, peat bog, thalassotherapy. In combination with other methods of therapy, in a healthy environment, by adding physical activity, diet and rest, the client a + ronta a personalized program. All this is available in wellness centers and in modern SPA / design hotels. National associations can provide their list to ESPA for inclusion on our website www.europeanspas.eu.
Who can be an ESPA member and what opportunities does membership offer?
Our desire is to actively collaborate with all national associations in Europe, to further increase the quality of the offer in the health / wellness area. The exchange of information and skills helps to support each other in order to obtain a better lobby in tourism policy related to well-being. Based in Brussels, we are in close contact with various commissions focused on regional development, health and tourism, to influence funding management. On the other hand, we would like to make European spas better known in the international market. This has already been achieved in part thanks to professional collaboration and cooperation with China, Russia, Israel, the United States and Ukraine. Since the European Spas Association is a non-profit association, national associations pay an association fee (depending on the number of inhabitants) to finance ESPA's activity and presence in Brussels. Most of ESPA's activities are listed on the website.
Do you have initiatives aimed at SPA Hotels, Day SPAs and Wellness centers that aim at natural remedies and that want to be represented by ESPA?
We have recently changed the statute to include a new type of advisory member (advisory member) and o + rire in SPA, natural medicine spas, as well as universities, research centers, and suppliers of selected products, the opportunity to share their knowledge and use our international activities. For example, our annual Congress, which will take place in Slovenia from 16 to 18 September 2020 with a B2B seminar and a Hosted Buyer program, including international tour operators and travel agents. The best candidates for the European medical SPA business will receive the European Spas Innovation Award (EIA). With the award we celebrate, in 8 categories, innovation, research and product development in the field of tourism / health. Innovative ideas and research from Italy have already been awarded in the past: for example a research project of the UPMC Institute for Health of Chianciano Terme and the innovative NoName® water cleaning system, which frees and purifies all systems water with a patented medical gas mixture. Medical SPA hotels and spas that stand out for innovation can apply for the award.
