site.btaEuropean Spas & Balneology Congress 2025 Opens In Haapsalu, Estonia

The annual European Spas & Balneology Congress, organized by the European Spa Association (ESPA) and the Estonian Ministry of Economy and Industry, is taking place in the city of Haapsalu, Estonia from, 8-10 October 2025. During the event, in which BTA is a partner, the participants will be discussing key policies, strategies, and priorities in the fields of health, well-being, and prevention, as well as the connection between healthcare and spa destinations. The forum will also address sustainability and innovation in the use of natural resources, as well as technological innovations that have the greatest impact on the field.

These topics will be presented through lectures, discussions, and presentations by leading European experts and officials. The forum will bring together medics, researchers, business representatives and local authorities.

The European Spa Association was founded in 1995 in Brussels as a non-profit and non-governmental organization. It brings together countries that develop spa and balneological tourism, using natural healing resources such as mineral waters, therapeutic mud, sea climate, etc. Bulgaria is among the member.

Bulgaria is represented at the forum by Siyka Katsarova, Chair of the Bulgarian Union of Balneology and Spa Tourism (BUBST) and Vice-President of the European Spa Association. Among the guests are BTA Director General Kiril Valchev and BUBST Ambassador Meglena Plugchieva.

On the first day, the focus will be on the structure and governance of health tourism. Dr Malina Müller, from the WifOR Institute for Economic Research, will give a lecture on the economic return on investment in preventive healthcare, demonstrating how improved public health can lead to long-term national benefits. This will be followed by a panel discussion entitled 'Europe's Hidden Healthcare Power: Why Spas Belong in the Future of Public Health'. The discussion will feature experts such as Prof. Ing. Alina Huseynli, Director of the Institute for Spa and Balneology in Karlovy Vary, and other influential figures. They will discuss the potential of medical spa services as part of health systems and policies.

The afternoon programme includes a presentation on digital health and its integration with medical spa services by Anke Sponer, a lecturer at Deggendorf University of Applied Sciences, as well as presentations on climate resilience and energy efficiency in thermal spa regions by Thorleikur Jóhannsson and Markos Danas. There will also be a lecture on the relationship between the marine environment, climate design and well-being, presenting scientific research from Ghent University and Tallinn College.

On 9 October, the focus will be on medical content and natural resources. The session will begin with an ESPA Joint Medical Session dedicated to stress-related disorders such as fibromyalgia and long Covid, featuring specialists from Spain, Italy, Portugal and France. This will be followed by presentations on balneology and clinical studies on therapeutic mud, as well as the long-term effects of rehabilitation after burnout, presented by experts from Iceland and Estonia. There will also be a focus on innovations in the transformation of local natural resources into cosmetic and health products, and on traditional Estonian smoke saunas, which are included on UNESCO's list of world cultural heritage.

The second half of the day will focus on new technologies and trends in balneology and health tourism. There will be demonstrations of developments in robotics, virtual reality and digital health technologies that have the potential to transform rehabilitation and therapy at spa resorts. The integration of virtual solutions for mental and physical health will also be emphasised.

The final session of the day will address the need for personnel in health tourism to be qualified and retrained. Representatives from universities and patient organisations will present innovative projects focusing on digital wellness, active ageing and the practical application of medical measurements.

On the evening of October 9, the ESPA Innovation Awards ceremony will be held to honor the most innovative and successful practices in the field of medical spa tourism in Europe, followed by a gala dinner.

The last day, October 10, is dedicated to a cultural and social program, with an additional visit to the Haapsalu Neurological Rehabilitation Center, a modern complex specializing in the treatment and rehabilitation of neurological disorders, including brain injuries, strokes, and others.

BTA's media partnership with the European Spa Association promotes Bulgaria as a year-round health tourism destination. This partnership forms a key part of the news agency's editorial policy, which is aimed at showcasing Bulgaria as a year-round health tourism destination. Over the past two years, BTA has implemented several events and initiatives in cooperation with the Bulgarian Union of Balneology and SPA Tourism (BUBSPA) aimed at developing and increasing the international visibility of the sector.

One of the key events was the signing of a contract for regular dissemination of information on health tourism in Bulgarian and in English, which took place on September 9, 2024, in Burgas. In November 2024, BTA supported an important presentation on "Bulgaria: A year-round health tourism destination for the Austrian health insurance market," organized by BUBSPA at the Bulgarian Embassy in Vienna.

In December 2024, BTA organized the 6th BG Tourism – Winter 2024/25 Forum in partnership with BUBSPA in the village of Banya, Razlog Municipality. On 1 June 2025, it held the 7th BG Tourism – Summer 2025 Forum in Pomorie. These events traditionally mark the start of the winter and summer tourist seasons, bringing together representatives of state institutions, businesses and experts.

Between late August and early September 2024, BTA was a media partner for the INSPIRO Foundation's health symposium, "Air, Sea and Climate – Health Strategies", which was organized in Sveti Vlas with support from the Health Ministry and local municipalities.

One of the most significant initiatives in 2025 was the closing conference of the Europe on Balkans: Cohesion Skills project, organized by BTA on May 6 in Varshets, Bulgaria's oldest spa resort, with the support of the European Commission. The conference focused on sharing knowledge and experience of spa culture and health tourism in the region, and brought together representatives from Bulgaria and EU countries.

On September 9, BTA was a media partner of the 12th Annual Congress of BUBSPA at the Hyatt Regency Pravets Resort.

On September 30, at BTA's National Press Club in Sofia, Minister of Tourism Miroslav Borshosh and Hisarya Mayor Iva Valcheva announced that another ancient town with healing waters, Hisarya, is the first Bulgarian town to join the European Historic Thermal Towns Association (EHTTA).