Wiesbaden, 11 May 2016: Representatives of tour operators, associations and operators of medical spa hotels and facilities have founded the international association “Quality in Health Prevention” for quality in health tourism today in Wiesbaden (Germany). The association will serve as a unique platform uniting stakeholders of the European medical spa and balneology industry regarding quality aspects. This includes, for instance, associations, health insurance companies, administration and politics as well as tour operators and scientific institutes. Next to this networking function the main task of the association will be the further development of the international EuropeSpa med quality standards of the European Spas Association (ESPA).

The objective is to achieve more transparency with regard to consumer protection and a fairer competition. “The foundation of the association is a path-breaking milestone in national and cross-border health tourism. For the first time relevant stakeholder from different European countries will be able to jointly and effectively develop common standards for the international medical spa and balneology industry”, states Joachim Lieber, Secretary General of ESPA, who unanimously has been voted chairman of the new association.    

Further founding members are Eisenmoorbad Bad Schmiedeberg-Kur GmbH, Spa Hotel Royal in Mariánské Lázně in Czech Republic and Spa Hotel Miramare in the Czech spa town Luhačovice, which were both represented by ESPA president Martin Plachý (Prague), as well as the tour operator FIT Gesellschaft für gesundes Reisen mbH in Frankfurt and MediKur Reisen GmbH in Berlin, Dünentherme St. Peter-Ording as well as EuropeSpa med & wellness GmbH.