Healing water bubbles beneath our feet: let's appreciate and enjoy the thermal waters of our domestic spas!

- Hungary is often referred to both domestically and internationally as the country of thermal and medicinal waters. How does the Hungarian Spa Association nurture this special feature?

- Our main mission is to preserve this heritage: we engage in continuous dialogue with decision-makers on strengthening the position of spas, participate in legislative preparatory working groups, and formulate professional proposals regarding health tourism and medical developments. Our goal is for spa-based services to appear not only as tourist attractions, but also to represent measurable health value for the national economy and society. The Association also actively participates in domestic and international professional events and forums.

- The Hungarian Spa Association has supported and initiated numerous national programmes during its more than 30-year existence – why are these programmes important in the life of domestic baths, and how do they contribute to the turnover of the participating baths?

- The national programmes organised by the Hungarian Spa Association play a key role in promoting domestic baths and developing bathing culture. These events are not only marketing tools, but also experiential points of contact with the public. Our programmes are nationally coordinated campaigns that help the baths to increase their visibility and turnover through media appearances, community activities and thematic services. The increase in guest numbers experienced during the events not only brings direct economic benefits to the participating baths, but also strengthens the commitment to the baths and their community role in the long term.

- Spas and wellness centres are both health and tourism destinations. What development potential is there in spas and spa visits?

- Spas and wellness resorts are in an exceptional position, as they simultaneously fulfil a health, tourism and recreation role – which is why their development potential is multifaceted. On the one hand, there is a significant opportunity in the development of preventive health services, which are located on the border between medicine and wellness, thus addressing a wider audience. On the other hand, the demand for medically supported spa treatments is growing not only domestically but also abroad – especially in the Central European region. In parallel with the strengthening of domestic tourism, the role of spas has become a central element of destination experiences: often the presence of a spa in itself is a motivation for travel. Last but not least, there is great potential in closer integration with the healthcare system. The role of spa treatments is also significant in terms of active ageing, rehabilitation and prevention, so in the long term, the role of spas in the healthcare industry may also grow further. The goal is for bathing to not only be a form of relaxation, but also to be consciously integrated into people's health-preserving lifestyle.

Regular monthly bathing in thermal water has now been scientifically proven to contribute to a better quality of life, reduce the risk of chronic diseases, and thus indirectly extend life expectancy even by years!

- What trends do you see in Hungarian spa culture in recent years?

- Our experience shows that spa visitors are becoming more and more conscious: health-conscious services, expectations for quality, and the demand for individual, customised experiences have come to the fore. There is a clearly growing demand for complex experience packages, where bathing is not a stand-alone activity, but part of a full daily or weekend programme. The culture of sauna use has also developed: more and more people are looking for sauna sessions and thematic sauna programmes. In addition, the rise of digital booking and information systems, as well as sustainability as a consideration, can be observed.

- How does Hungary compare internationally in terms of spa quality and services – and are there any international examples that inspire domestic developments?

-Our country ranks highly in international comparison in terms of the quality and service of its spas, especially considering the size and population of our country. Our outstanding features – such as the abundant supply of medicinal and thermal waters, the traditional balneotherapy culture and the complex medical background – offer visitors a unique experience.

The vast majority of Hungarian spas have undergone major investments in the past two decades: the infrastructure has been modernised, service areas have been renewed, and new types of experience-based elements have been created – such as a slide park, wellness department, sauna world…

The quality of services is now determined not only by the basic spa functions, but also by additional experiences such as animation, family programmes, digital solutions and gastronomy. In this regard, many Hungarian spas are already competitive with, for example, Austrian, German or Slovenian facilities. At the same time, we naturally keep an open eye on international good practices. The wellness regions of northern Italy, the family-friendly spas of Austria, or the digitally developed sauna culture of the Baltic countries can be mentioned as particularly inspiring examples. Hungarian spas have already adopted many of these solutions – whether in the areas of experience-based guest service, energy-efficient operation or online sales.

- What other development directions do you see for the next 5–10 years?

- Spa developments in the next decade will be fundamentally determined by focusing on the guest experience, increasing efficiency and sustainability. Artificial intelligence (AI) and digitalisation are gaining more and more space in the operation of domestic spas, and retaining and training human resources will also become increasingly important, as digitalisation does not replace, but supports, personal, attentive guest reception. In parallel, further development of energy efficiency and environmentally conscious operation will also be key.

- Could you give some examples that illustrate how well a bath can be integrated into other programmes?

- Taking the Sárvár Thermal and Wellness Bath as an example: this bath functions as a tourist centre in the region, but in addition to bathing, a visit to Nádasdy Castle, a cruise on the Csónakázó Lake, or an active programme on the nearby bicycle paths can easily be incorporated. In the case of the Hajdúszoboszló bathing complex, guests can visit the sights of Debrecen in addition to bathing – from the Great Church to the MODEM contemporary gallery to the Debrecen Zoo – or they can gather gastronomic experiences in the excellent restaurants and wineries of the region. The Tiszafüred bath also benefits from its proximity to Lake Tisza – here, for example, a day of bathing can easily be combined with a canoe trip, a bike ride around the lake, or even bird watching in the Hortobágy National Park. All these examples clearly show that spas are not isolated destinations, but rather integral parts of complex tourist experiences that are excellently connected to local programmes, natural and cultural attractions.

-  Is there an affiliated service of spas that we would not necessarily think of as basic, but is already available?

- Yes, for example, the health-conscious gastronomic offer, the programme packages focusing on prevention and lifestyle changes, but thematic sauna evenings and wellness rituals also provide a special experience. These affiliated services are a good example of how spas are now much more than just bathing places.

- Considering specifically target groups such as families, families with young children or adolescents, which units would you highlight, nationally?

- The Zalakaros Spa offers a well-thought-out world of experiences for families with small children, with separate baby pools, a water playground, a slide park and shaded relaxation areas. In addition, children's animations are also regular, so parents can also relax. The Sárvár Thermal and Wellness Spa has an attractive offer not only for those with small children, but also for teenagers: the adventure pools, the water castle, various sports programmes, the padel and foot tennis courts, and the summer DJ parties are specifically aimed at this age group. The Hajdúszoboszló spa complex is also an excellent example of a service that takes into account every member of the family: a separate children's kingdom, adventure pools, a surfing pool, and extreme slides are also available.