ISPA International SPA Association

• For over 20 years, the International SPA Association has been recognized worldwide as the professional organization and voice of the spa industry, representing health and wellness facilities and providers in more than 70 countries.

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• ISPA advances the spa industry by providing invaluable educational and networking opportunities, promoting the value of the spa experience and speaking as the authoritative voice to foster professionalism and growth.

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WHY SPA?

• …. finding ways to balance our "life load" can be challenging.

• According to the American Medical Association, STRESS is a factor in more than 75 percent of illnesses today.

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• In whatever amount of time you can afford, spas provide peace, relaxation and guidance to help create a healthier lifestyle.

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ISPA definition of SPA:

• SPAS are places devoted to overall well-being through a variety of professional services that encourage the renewal of mind, body and spirit.

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• Since 1991, the International SPA Association has been recognized worldwide as the:

• professional organization and voice of the spa industry, representing more than 3,200 health and wellness facilities and providers in 83 countries.

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• ISPA defines the key elements of the spa experience:

1. Relax (e.g. stress management)

2. Reflect (e.g. meditation)

3. Revitalize (e.g. energy and rejuvenation)

4. Rejoice (e.g. happiness and entertainment)

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• It is diversity of the spa sector.

• There are numerous sub-sectors within spa tourism and is no longer enough to simply use the label SPA and assume that tourists will know what to expect.

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• Perceptions differ greatly:

A) Tourists in Central and Eastern Europe are very familiar with the concept of medical spas.

B) Visitors from USA or UK would expect something similar to a beauty salon.

• Spas are now of a highly complex and diverse nature.

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• Most spas have some forms of water-based treatments, there is a difference between:

• 1. MINERAL WATERS: it has at least the set amount of dissolved mineral content which is minimum 500 mg/l or 1000 mg/l

• 2. THERMAL WATERS: natural waters that are at least 30°C or 32°C at source

• 3. HEALING WATERS: the healing effects have to be proven (evidence-based).

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• In 2007 the ISPA has defined the 10 domains or segments of the spa industry:

• 1. the waters

• 2. food, nourishment, diet and nutrition

• 3. movement, exercise and fitness

• 4. touch, massage and bodywork

• 5. mind/body/spirit

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• 6. aesthetics, skin care, natural beauty agents

• 7. physical space, climatology, global ecology

• 8. social/cultural arts and values, spa culture

• 9. management, marketing and operations

• 10. time, rhythm and cycles

• Not every spa contains every domain.

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• ISPA tried to categorize spas:

• 1. CLUB SPA – is a facility offering primarily fitness services as well as a few other services rendered to daily users.

• 2. DAY SPA – is a facility offering beauty, fitness and wellness programs without accommodation, duration of the service is between an hour and a full day.

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• 3. SPA HOTEL – a spa offering hotel accomodation and normally several days of all inclusive programs

• 4. HOLISTIC SPA – a spa that offers alternative therapy and diet

• 5. MEDICAL SPA – is a facility that offers traditional and complementary therapeutic and health protection treatment as well as other spa services.

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• 6. BATH – a spa constructed to utilize natural mineral, medicinal or sea water located on site by offering hydrotherapy.

• 7. RESORT SPA – a resort in a remote location of beautiful natural setting normally detached from civilization, offering a wide range of wellness services.

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• 8. SPORT SPA – special spa offering spa services and special sports programs.

• 9. STRUCTURED SPA – an establishment operating by strict rules, which offers guests the chance to attain a specific objective (e.g. weight loss).

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• ISPA represents the North American approach to spas.

• Based on their estimations the largest spa category in North America is the DAY SPA with some 13.300 spas.

• In Europe the same name SPA has a very different meaning.

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ESPA – European SPA Association

• The European Spa Association's objective is to promote spas and balneology in Europe and to take care that the natural remedies based on mineral water, landscape and climate will be available to as great a number of citizens and visitors as possible

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• The interests of the European Spas Association lie at the core of the EU. These can only be pursued effectively, competently and at the highest levels if close co-operation and agreement on the common interests of the European spas exists.

• The European Spas Association is an umbrella organisation representing 24 members from 22 European countries.

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• In order to achieve this the European Spas Association has established the following aims:

1. to monitor and analyse the condition of the spas and health resorts in the individual EC member countries

2. to stimulate exchange of experience, best practise and know-how

3. to produce and develop programes for health and well-being products and strategies for prevention and rehabilitation for all living within Europe

4. to establish, promote and improve the standards in all spas and health resorts within Europe (bookable offers)

5. to stimulate and resource spa research 6. to define and harmonise common training programmes and

courses and to determine a professional structure for the European spa industry

7. to establish a framework for collaborative marketing opportunities for ESPA member countries.

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• Services benefiting ESPA members • Network of and for health resort and spa experts • Certification of health resorts and spa facilities

(EUROPESPA) • Consultation on legislation and regulation in the

member states • Contacts by communication and collaboration with

members and operators in Europe and worldwide • Support for research and the provision of

information • Development of health resorts and spas together

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EUROPESPA

• International certifications members` benefits

• The two certificates EUROPESPA MED and EUROPESPA WELLNESS signify international standards of quality as defined by ESPA.

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• Members benefits: • Commercial success thanks to high levels of quality

certified by a well known association. • Marketing via the international web portal:

www.europespa.eu . • Outstanding reputation in their own sector and

among their main clients. • Continuous improvement to international top quality

within just a few years. • Anonymous quality checks to keep them aware of

their own position against international competition.

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• ESPA members countries:

– Bulgaria

– Czech Republic

– Denmark

– Estonia

– Germany

– Greece

– Hungary

– Iceland

– Italy

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• Latvia • Lithuania • Luxembourg • Netherlands • Portugal • Romania • Slovak Republic • Spain • Switzerland • Turkey

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• According to ESPA the following resources can qualify as curative assets:

– Springs with medical water for terapeutic use

– Healing gases

– Spas, spa facilities and health resorts at the seaside

– Peloids in spas, health resorts and spa facilities

– Bioclimatic/healing climate

– Kneipp therapy 28