1. This has been one of the largest investments in Europe’s spa and wellness sector in recent years. What was the driving vision behind this project, and what message do you hope it sends about the future of urban wellbeing in Europe?

The driving vision behind De Montel – Terme Milano was to create a new benchmark for urban wellness in Europe, and we wanted it to be one that is authentic, sustainable, and deeply rooted in both nature and history. This is not just a spa; it is the only facility in Milan with certified natural thermal water, sourced from a 396-meter-deep artesian aquifer. Rich in sulphates, bicarbonates and minerals, this water offers proven therapeutic benefits and connects the city to its ancient thermal tradition, dating back to Roman times.

We wanted to demonstrate that wellness can – and must- be part of the urban tissue. 

The project is also a model of environmental innovation: it operates with zero emissions, uses solar panels and rainwater recovery systems also contributing to reforestation in the Milan metropolitan area. Through the international Reinventing Cities programme, we addressed ten climate challenges, from energy efficiency to sustainable materials.

This investment sends a clear message: Europe is ready to lead a new era of urban wellbeing, where health, sustainability and cultural heritage converge to improve quality of life for all citizens. 

2. Traditional thermal spas are often located in the countryside or mountains. You bring that experience to millions of city residents every day. How does this urban setting change the way people experience and value thermal therapy?

The urban setting transforms the way people engage with thermal wellness. At De Montel we’ve made genuine thermal therapy accessible within the daily rhythm of Milanese life. No need to travel to remote locations: residents can now integrate wellness into their routines, whether before work, after a stressful day, or as part of a weekend ritual.

What makes this experience truly special is the Terme di Saturnia Method, which we have brought into the city. This method is the result of decades of expertise developed at one of Italy’s most iconic thermal destinations. It includes exclusive treatment protocols, sensory ceremonies, and skincare products enriched with Saturnia Bioplancton and freeze-dried thermal water. These elements offer antioxidant, detoxifying and regenerative effects, ensuring that every treatment is both scientifically effective and emotionally restorative.

The urban context also enhances inclusivity. De Montel is designed to be fully accessible, with lifts and pool hoists for people with disabilities, and partnerships with local associations to ensure that vulnerable groups can benefit from the healing power of thermal water. For us, the thermal therapy needs to be a modern, democratic and essential service for city living.

3. Beyond the beautiful architecture and wellness experience, what kind of wider impact do you anticipate for Milan’s economy, the local community, and Europe’s position as a global spa destination?

De Montel is a catalyst for urban regeneration and a strategic asset for Milan’s future. The restoration of the historic Art Nouveau stables – abandoned for decades – has brought new life to the San Siro district, creating over 100 jobs and attracting both local and international visitors. The project was developed with a €57 million investment through the ESG Infrastructure Fund by Azimut Group, in partnership with Terme & SPA Italia.

The impact goes far beyond wellness. We’ve created a multifunctional space that blends architecture, nature and technology. The centre includes 10 thermal pools, advanced hydrotherapy circuits, saunas, hammams, and relaxation areas, all designed with sustainability in mind. Over 3,000 plants have been planted within the park, and 350 trees will be added to the Milan hinterland over the next decade.

On a European scale, De Montel positions Milan as a leader in sustainable wellness tourism. 

By combining the excellence of Terme di Saturnia with cutting-edge urban design, we offer a replicable model that we hope will inspire other cities to follow our path because it is a new chapter for Europe’s spa culture that embraces innovation, inclusivity and environmental responsibility. 

1. Your system is the first MDR-certified VR rehabilitation in spa settings. What do patients typically do in the virtual environment, and how does it differ from traditional physiotherapy?

In VR Medical, patients are immersed in carefully designed virtual scenarios that replicate meaningful movements and real-life activities. They can move, reach, stretch, and balance in visually rich, motivating environments, training both upper and lower limbs, improving coordination, and even practising everyday tasks. Many forget that they are exercising because they are focused on completing engaging and purposeful activities.

What makes this approach different from traditional physiotherapy is the sense of immersion and motivation. Virtual reality helps patients overcome fear and pain, keeps their attention focused, and allows them to move more naturally. Therapists often tell us that even patients who had lost interest in conventional therapy become active and positive once they experience VR. It helps people rediscover the joy of movement and achievement.

2. When conducting larger group therapy sessions, how do you ensure individualised care? How does this approach work in practice?

Each VR headset tracks the user’s movement and performance in real time, while the therapist monitors everyone’s progress on a tablet. This setup allows one therapist to guide six or more clients simultaneously, while each person still trains at their own pace and on their own program.

For clients, it feels like a shared, social experience that is enjoyable and motivating. For therapists, it is an efficient and flexible way to deliver quality care to more people without losing personal attention. This combination of modern technology and a human-centred approach is why medical spas appreciate the VR Medical system.

3. You’re MDR-certified and implemented in facilities like Royal Spa and Darkov. What was the turning point that convinced medical professionals that VR was a legitimate therapeutic tool?

The real breakthrough came when doctors and therapists witnessed the results themselves. In facilities, patients showed noticeable improvements in mobility, confidence, and pain reduction. Many therapists observed that patients were suddenly completing more repetitions than ever before, not because they were told to, but because they genuinely wanted to continue.

And of course, MDR certification also played a key role, confirming that VR Medical complies with the strict European standards for medical devices. The combination of clinical evidence, patient progress, and regulatory credibility convinced even the most sceptical professionals that VR can serve as a real therapeutic tool, not just an interesting innovation.

4. Looking to the future, where do you see the next step in virtual rehabilitation?

We are now working on an exciting research project supported by the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic, in collaboration with the National Institute of Mental Health and the University Hospital Královské Vinohrady. This project explores “rehabilitation by the brain,” which uses kinesthetic illusions in virtual reality to stimulate neural recovery and support patients with very limited mobility.

We believe this is the future of rehabilitation — a new way to help the brain heal the body through immersive, evidence-based technology.

1.  Ms. Tsvetanova, congratulations! GRIFID Hotels is the big winner in the “Innovative SPA Concept” category of the European Spa Association’s Innovation Awards for 2024. What do you think was the main factor that led the jury to award the program with the highest scores in the category? 

The main factor that helped GRIFID Hotels to be recognized in the “Innovative SPA Concept” category is our approach to the integration of new technologies, personalized procedures, authenticity and sustainability in the “360° Concept” of the Medical SPA Centre in Encanto Beach. The goal of the concept is to offer a comprehensive approach to well-being tailored for demanding guests who have adopted a healthy lifestyle for their daily lives or are looking for their way to a healthier lifestyle. The variety of therapies ensures that every guest gets a personalized, holistic experience.

Of course, innovations in the wellness and SPA sphere, specialized therapies and the integration of environmentally friendly and natural practices and products, the combination of traditional methods with modern scientific approaches, along with the focus on the well-being and health of clients, is also a key factor for the successful presentation of the program.

Our exclusive program is DETOX, available only for adults. It starts with an individual consultation with an expert nutritionist who assesses the guest’s health goals and performs a comprehensive analysis of body composition, including fat, muscle, and bone mass. Based on these data, a carefully selected detox menu is prepared to help remove toxins, rejuvenate energy levels and support weight control. The program is individually tailored to the guest’s needs, and is always a unique combination of:

– healthy eating in a special à la carte restaurant following the concept of Locavore R70. Most products used in the menu are at a distance of max. 70 km from us.

– Detoxifying daily procedures:  hydrotherapy with Unbescheiden Bath Tub Experience, applications with curative local Black Sea mud, detoxifying therapies with seaweed, as well as colonohydrotherapy of the colon prescribed after medical judgement, further intensify the process of cleansing the body.

– A variety of specialized physical activities

– Wellness therapies with local organic essential oils, rose water and innovative CO2 extracts of Bulgarian rose Rosa Damascena, lavender essential oil, as well as local healing mud and organic cosmetics.

– Use of cosmetics with fragrances derived from plants grown in local gardens and harmonized with their natural dynamics or based on wild plants harvested from clean natural areas.

– Special care for the leisure of the guests in the program – “soft” animation, professional evening shows, a library with a menu for board games and magazines for a healthy lifestyle.

• Bulgaria is among the leading SPA destinations in Europe, and your company is a benchmark in the tourism industry. Please present your opportunities in the SPA sector as a base, services and staff? 

We offer a range of health-care options with Wellness Therapies, which are designed to provide our clients with relaxation, prevention, and recovery opportunities. Soothing luxurious setting with panoramic sea views, MEDI SPA centre with an area of 2300 m2, on 4 thematic floors, with 32 therapy cabinets, a healthy restaurant with an emphasis on local cuisine, unlimited access to saunas, steam bath, heated and aquatonic pool, Kneipp Trail, professionally equipped with Technogym Kinesis Serie fitness centre with panoramic sea views, in addition to

luxury accommodation, access to an infinity pool, a private beach, daily sports activities, authentic yoga classes, sports programs with an instructor, evening performances and social contacts. And all with attention to small details for the guests’ comfort and needs.

We strive to adapt our services to be comprehensive and broad-spectrum. With a team of young, ambitious, and academically skilled professionals, we’re developing treatment programs and packages for both guests who have made health care a way of life and those who are feeling the need to take care of themselves for the first time.

Whether our exclusive Detox program or the specialized physiotherapy and rehabilitation programs suitable for diseases of the musculoskeletal system, nervous system and various skin diseases is selected, we ensure that our team of specialists will ensure that each guest receives attention, a professionally provided overall experience.
Individual packages including physical activities, luxurious wellness, and therapeutic treatments are available for guests looking for a refined but brief wellness experience.

• What is your perspective on the future of SPA and health tourism in Europe and in your country? Are there areas where you see potential for improvement and innovation?

The outlook for the future Health and SPA tourism in Europe and Bulgaria looks promising, especially in the era of growing interest in healthy eating, balanced lifestyles, prevention and alternative therapies.

Nowadays, more and more people realize the importance of physical and mental health, and health and SPA tourism offer a number of opportunities in this direction.

Combining medical treatments such as physiotherapy with traditional SPA and wellness services is becoming increasingly popular which can attract new target groups of clients.

Of course, something can always be improved – for example:

• medical and health tourism to receive support at the state level by providing vouchers for health services to the population, thus we will have a healthy and welfare-conscious nation;
• better advertising strategies to attract international tourists;
• tailoring services to clients’ needs, including stress management programs, nutritional programs, and mental health services.
• Regular training of highly qualified specialists working in the sector to provide high quality services is also important.

Bulgaria, with its natural resources, has the opportunity to establish itself as a leading destination for health and SPA tourism in Europe.

According to analyses of trends, health and SPA tourism in Bulgaria and Europe shows significant potential for upgrading and innovation. The focus on sustainability, adapting offerings to customer demand and needs can lead to increased competitiveness and attractiveness of the sector.

• Over the years, the Bulgarian Union of Balneology and SPA Tourism has worked together with representatives of the business, the state, the academic community and consumers to develop the industry at the national level. Did this help increase base occupancy, upgrade the product and educate consumers about services in the Balneological and SPA sector? 

This cooperation leads to a number of positive results for the industry, especially for us as a seasonal site and our striving to fill the wings for the season, and why not a request for year-round engagement of the team of professionals.
The development of Balneological and SPA tourism, the implementation of new strategies, the development of services that are attractive to guests, leads to an increase in the tourist flow and, accordingly, an increase in employment.

The acquired knowledge and experience of the academic community and business, the development of new therapies and work protocols, help to improve and upgrade the services and packages offered.

Information campaigns aimed at raising consumer awareness about the benefits, services and opportunities offered by the Balneological and SPA sector are increasing the interest. Many of our guests also have experience from centres abroad and remain fascinated by the modern condition of the base and the professional abilities of the therapists on site.

Under the Bulgarian Union of Balneology and Spa Tourism and the German Bulgarian Chamber of Industry, leading health funds from Germany visited MEDI SPA Centre Encanto Beach and guaranteed the quality of the rehabilitation services received by us with the conclusion of contracts. Thus, already insured German guests can reimburse the costs of procedures and therapies performed in our centre for problems with the musculoskeletal system, skin or respiratory problems.

The main Austrian insurers included a wellness holiday in several GRIFID hotels, in their additional health insurances for better quality of life and health prevention.  Due to the high quality of our product from next year, we are deepening our work with them in the direction of a specialized Detox program.

We are happy that guests who have used their Austrian holiday and reimbursement insurance at GRIFID hotels want to come again next year, already as our direct guests, convinced of the quality of the product we offer. 

These successes would not have been possible without the great platform and authority of the Bulgarian Union of Balneology and SPA Tourism.

In conclusion, I can say that such multilateral cooperation is essential for the successful development of Balneological and SPA tourism in Bulgaria.

• The awards show innovators that they have the vision and are going in the right direction. Will the recognition from ESPA stimulate you to new achievements and what does the award mean to you?

The recognition from ESPA is a significant award of a very high level, which not only confirms the success of our work, but also serves as an inspiration for future achievements. This recognition shows that we are on the right track and that our vision and efforts have been appreciated by leading industry experts.

The award is not only a reflection of our ongoing successes, but also a recognition, incentive and guarantee of future active work with the team to maintain and build on what has been achieved. The desire to create unique experiences for our guests is a major driver for us. After receiving the award, we are even more motivated and committed to our ambitions and goals, striving to surpass our own achievements.

• The annual congress of the European SPA Association in Druskininkai (Lithuania) is already in the past. We witnessed extremely interesting and useful presentations. Please rate the hosts and organizers of the event, which is a significant part of the global tourism calendar?

I am extremely happy that I was part of this event – a location that adds additional value, due to the fact that it is world famous for its natural resources and SPA traditions in an impeccably organized SPA resort and city; high-level presenters and lecturers, discussed current topics that excite and engage specialists in the field of MEDI SPA, thalasso and wellness centres, useful but also informative, in terms of showing trends and innovations in the field of SPA and wellness tourism. A place for new contacts with leading specialists in different fields – academic, medical, SPA and wellness sector, tour operators, suppliers, etc.

The annual congress of the European SPA Association in Lithuania leaves a strong impression. Hosts and organizers have worked hard to make it a professional and inspiring event, and I want to thank them for that. 

Interview prepared by Ruslan Yordanov

Q1. Mrs. Eszter Jopp, congratulations! Klangschale Akademie’s “Training in Singing Bowl Therapy” program was the big winner in the category “Innovative Spa Education” at the European Spas Association’s awards for innovation for 2024. What do you think was the main factor that drove the jury to award the program with the highest scores in the category?

Thank you for your congratulations! The main factor that drove the jury to award our program the highest scores in the “Innovative Spa Education” category was likely our unique approach that combines traditional healing methods with modern scientific insights. We place great emphasis on the versatile possibilities of sound healing, which perfectly align with the spa and wellness sector. Through our consultations and training, we aim to enable many institutions to integrate these therapeutic options.

Q2. You combine innovative practices with traditional therapy methods in an extremely interesting fashion, so that you can shape up the future of the SPA and wellness tourism. Could you please briefly present the idea and vision of your program, which won the ESPA’s award?

The idea behind our program is to integrate the versatile application possibilities of sound therapy into modern wellness practices. Our vision is to empower spa professionals with innovative training that enhances their ability to provide effective and transformative experiences for their clients, thereby shaping the future of spa and wellness tourism.

Q3. What are the professional trainings and individual concepts/programs that Klangschale Akademie offers? What sets you apart from other providers?

– At Klangschale Akademie, we offer a variety of professional training programs, including our certification as a Mother Earth Soundtherapy Center. What sets us apart from other providers is our modular training system, which allows participants to tailor their education to specific needs, along with our commitment to high-quality standards and scientific foundations. Our unique combination of experiences in health tourism, marketing, and education enables us to understand the industry well and provide valuable support in implementing sound therapy within existing structures.

Q4. What is your perspective regarding the future of the SPA and health tourism in Europe and in your country? Are there areas where you see potential for improvement and innovations?

Regarding the future of spa and health tourism in Europe, I believe there is enormous growth potential, particularly in integrating holistic and preventive health approaches. Innovations in therapy and personalized wellness programs will be key areas for development. During the ESPA Congress, it was evident from nearly every presentation that urgent issues regarding mental health exist in Europe today. Sound therapy can effectively contribute to improving mental health, especially in combination with balneology. The enhancement of mental health has also been highlighted as a priority by the EU. Prevention, healing, and improving conditions are pressing tasks that require quick and effective solutions.

Q5. The awards indicate to innovators that they have the vision and that they are moving in the right direction. Will ESPA’s recognition stimulate you for new achievements, and what does the award mean to you?

The recognition from ESPA serves as a significant motivation for us. It validates our efforts and encourages us to strive for further achievements in the field of sound therapy. The award is not only a recognition of our past work but also an inspiration for future innovations. This recognition has confirmed our belief that sound therapy perfectly complements balneology (spa and wellness).

Q6. The annual congress of the European SPA Association in Druskininkai (Lithuania) is now part of history. We witnessed extremely interesting and useful presentations. Please give your assessment of the hosts and organizers of the event, which is an important part of the world tourism’s calendar.

The recent annual congress of the European SPA Association in Druskininkai was excellently organized, featuring very high-quality and interesting presentations. The evening programs were also of a very high standard. The hosts and organizers provided a platform for valuable discussions and insights that contribute to the ongoing dialogue about the future of wellness tourism.

Questions prepared by Ruslan Yordanov.