Varna to host HEALTHXCHANGE Summit 2026
Baku, May 12, AZERTAC
Varna will host on Tuesday the HEALTHXCHANGE Summit 2026, an event dedicated to the future of sustainable health tourism, according to the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA). The international forum aims to position Europe and, more specifically, Bulgaria as a top destination for sustainable health and spa tourism. The opening is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. at the Golden Sands resort.
The event is organized by the European Spas Association (ESPA), the Bulgarian Union of Balneology and SPA Tourism (BUBSPA) and the Health Tourism Industry (HTI) Conference & Expo - an international platform and event organization focused on the development of health, spa, wellness, and medical tourism. The forum is hosted by the Bulgarian Ministry of Tourism and the Municipality of Varna, with BTA as the main media partner. HEALTHXCHANGE Summit takes place in the year marking the 20th anniversary of BUBSPA.
The event brings together leading representatives of European institutions - the European Commission and the European Parliament - as well as scientists and medical experts from over 20 countries, along with industry leaders, wellness professionals, and investors. Over 200 delegates are expected to attend, united around the themes of innovation in balneology and modern concepts of longevity. As a high-level platform, the event will bring together policymakers, destinations, scientists, medical experts, and industry leaders to exchange knowledge, shape policies, and stimulate innovation in health tourism. With its rich spa heritage, natural healing resources, and growing international profile, Bulgaria occupies a central position, positioning itself at the forefront of Europe’s evolving health and wellness landscape, the meeting’s organizers said.
Expected at the forum's opening are Dr. Meglena Plugchieva, Secretary to the President for Foreign Policy, and Dr. Yordanka Chobanova, Head of the European Commission Representation in Bulgaria. The Ministers of Tourism and of Health have been invited to attend. ESPA President and BUBSPA Chair Siyka Katsarova will highlight the purpose and ambition of the HEALTHXCHANGE Summit, Europe’s unique strengths in natural resources, spa medicine, and climate health, as well as the need for a unified European narrative linking science, tourism, and public health.
Among the participants in the meeting is Thierry Dubois, First Vice President of ESPA, who will present data from a French pilot study on the economic impact of spa and health destinations. ESPA Vice President Marina Lalli will present the latest scientific evidence in balneology and outline future research priorities that will shape European spa medicine. Assoc. Prof. Milena Angelova, Secretary General of the Bulgarian Industrial Capital Association (BICA) and member of the European Economic and Social Committee (EECS), will speak about the role of life sciences in prevention and health tourism, the EESC’s perspectives on sustainable health ecosystems, as well as opportunities for social partners in the development of health tourism.
At 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, the ESPA Thalasso Working Group will meet in Varna. Chaired by ESPA President Katsarova, the working group brings together European experts committed to strengthening the scientific basis, visibility, and sustainable economic development of thalassotherapy in Europe.
At 8:00 p.m., the ESPA Innovation Awards will be presented at an official ceremony in the Sts Constantine and Helena resort. These awards recognize visionaries who are redefining the health sector and spa destinations through innovative, effective, and transformative approaches. The event will also mark the 20th anniversary of BUBSPA, of which Varna Municipality is a member. With its rich cultural and historical heritage, natural healing resources, and growing international profile, Bulgaria - and Varna in particular - occupies a central place in the developing health and wellness tourism sector in Europe, the event organizers said.
Especially for the forum, BTA has prepared the BG SPA - Health Through Water catalogue featuring news from 128 certified spa, wellness, and medical spa centers in Bulgaria, of which there are over 200 in total. Copies of the specialized publication in Bulgarian and English will be provided to forum delegates.
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