Bulgarian Spa hotels registered some 128,000 local and foreign guests during the last year, statistics from the National Association of Spa and Wellness Tourism indicate. According to the sectors’ experts Bulgaria ranks second in the World in terms of mineral springs number. Despite the opening of several deluxe Spa hotels, providing a large range of revitalizing procedures across the country, this highly profitable industry’s potential remains undeveloped.
The word Spa derives from the Latin phrase sanus pro aquam or healthy through water. The Romans were the first to discover the curing properties of the water. In fact availability of mineral springs was a decisive criteria for for the selection of a settlement location. This is how several towns originated on the map of nowadays Bulgaria. Most of them still offer the visitors a full spectrum of Spa treatments. The most famous among them are Hissar, Velingrad, Kystendil and Sandanski. By the way a great part of the new hotels regardless of whether they are in the mountain or along the Black Sea coast, have fully-equipped state-of-the-art SPA centers enjoying keen customer interest. During this year’s winter season 18% of the foreign tourists and 13% of the Bulgarian guests opted for Spa and wellness tourism during their holidays. This is very encouraging for the future of the industry, claims Stela Baltova, chairperson of the State Tourism Agency (STA).
“The most active Bulgarian Spa & wellness centers customers are between 30 and 34, she explains. Now we can see a trend of an increasing share of stress-releasing and disease-preventive procedures at the expense of classical Spa treatments that have a much longer history. Bulgaria has a huge potential to grow in this business with its 900 mineral springs. The temperature levels of 75% of them vary from 37 to 101C. In the recent years STA has focused on promoting Bulgaria as a Spa and wellness tourism destination in Russia, UK, the Scandinavian and other countries.”
Fausto Faggioli, chairman of the specialized travel agency for SPA tourism in the Emilia Romagna province in Northern Italy, has visited Bulgaria on several occasions. His advice is that the country should make light of the Spa & Wellness tourism development.
“This means not only improving the quality of services, but also promoting specific Spa products that will give your country an identity in this business”, says Mr. Faggioli. If I decide to visit one of your Spa centers, I will expect not only to be cared for and pampered, but also to experience something unique - unseen in other similar places. For example, you can offer procedures based on the Bulgarian attar-yielding rose, which has a wide use in aromatherapy. As an Italian, I have always associated Bulgaria with the Bulgarian rose. The rose can be this distinctive product that can give your country identity and uniqueness in the Spa & Wellness business.
