European Spas Association presents annual ınnovation awards, Bulgaria among recipients
Baku, May 13, AZERTAC
The Innovation Awards of the European Spas Association (ESPA) were presented on Tuesday evening during an official ceremony at Astor Garden Hotel, with Bulgaria among recipients, according to the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA).
The awards recognize visionaries who are redefining the healthcare sector and spa destinations through innovative, effective, and transformative approaches. The distinctions for outstanding achievements in the spa and wellness industry were presented across eight main categories.
The ceremony took place within the framework of the European high-level meeting HEALTHXCHANGE 2026, where the future of sustainable health tourism was discussed. The forum was organized by the European Spas Association (ESPA), the Bulgarian Union of Balneology and SPA Tourism (BUBSPA), and Health Tourism Industry (HTI) Conference & Expo. Hosts of the event are the Ministry of Tourism of Bulgaria and the Municipality of Varna, while Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) is the main media partner. The event is taking place in the year marking the 20th anniversary of the establishment of BUBSPA.
Category C1: Innovative Spa Destination
The main award was won by Aix-les-Bains / Domaine Marlioz (France). A special jury award was presented to the Bulgarian resort Pamporovo for its transformation into a destination focused on health and climatotherapy.
Category C2: Innovative Medical Spa Centre
The main award was won by Egles Sanatorija (Lithuania). A special jury award was presented to Gradiali (Lithuania) for modern innovations in wellness services.
Category C3: Innovative Spa Design
The main award was won by Cashmere Wellness & Spa (Bulgaria) for a concept integrated with nature and therapies using mineral water. A special jury award was presented to 5 Elements Hotel (Bulgaria) for achieving a balance between local natural resources and contemporary hospitality. The project was created by the architectural studio Aeon.
Category C4: Innovative Spa Concept
The main award went to Adora Care (Lithuania) for introducing a wellness hospital for medical care. A special jury award was presented to Kings Valley Medical & Spa Hotel (Bulgaria) for its ambitious combination of an extensive medical base with premium hospitality.
Category C5: Innovative Health Spa Programme
The main award was won by Savoy Westend Hotel (Czechia) for its advanced diabetes treatment programme combining evidence-based medicine with digital monitoring, while a special jury award was presented to Grand Hotel Bansko (Bulgaria).
Category C6: Innovative Spa Product
The main award was presented to the Bulgarian company Rubella Health for its line of longevity supplements focused on cellular health and DNA functionality.
Category C7: Innovative Spa Education
The main award was won by Bled Water Forum / Young Global Academy (Slovenia) for its new approach to education about the importance of water as a health resource.
Category C8: Innovative Research Activities in the Medical Spa Sector
The main award was presented to Spirit Hotel Thermal Spa (Hungary) for its original sleep improvement programme, Spirit Sweet Dreams, which uses artificial intelligence diagnostics.
The hosts of the evening congratulated all participants on their high level of professionalism and contribution to the development of the sector in Europe. Special thanks were expressed to the organizers from the Bulgarian Union of Balneology and SPA Tourism.
Among those attending the forum was Kiril Valchev, Director General of Bulgarian News Agency.
On the occasion of the forum, BTA prepared a catalogue, “BG SPA – Health Through Water,” featuring news from 128 certified SPA, wellness, and medical SPA centres in Bulgaria, whose total number exceeds 200. Copies of the publication in Bulgarian and English were distributed to forum delegates.
The catalogue is available on the website of Bulgarian News Agency in electronic format in both Bulgarian and English.
BTA also presented news from 128 certified SPA, wellness, and medical SPA centres in Bulgaria in its BG SPA section.
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