{"id":4659,"date":"2026-03-27T10:30:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-27T09:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/badwaltersdorf.eu\/news\/spa-summit-in-bad-waltersdorf-strengthens-tourism-and-regions\/"},"modified":"2026-03-27T11:03:10","modified_gmt":"2026-03-27T10:03:10","slug":"spa-summit-in-bad-waltersdorf-strengthens-tourism-and-regions","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/badwaltersdorf.eu\/en\/news\/spa-summit-in-bad-waltersdorf-strengthens-tourism-and-regions\/","title":{"rendered":"Spa Summit in Bad Waltersdorf Strengthens Tourism and Regions"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Austrian Spas: Strong Spa Summit in Bad Waltersdorf Sets New Impulses<\/h3>\n\n<p><strong>Bad Waltersdorf, March 17, 2026<\/strong> \u2013 <strong>Austrian Spas<\/strong> were at the center of a significant industry meeting at Heilthermen Resort Bad Waltersdorf. At the General Assembly of the Initiative Therme Plus, representatives from 38 spa facilities as well as decision-makers from politics, tourism, and business met. <\/p>\n\n<p>With State Secretary Elisabeth Zehetner, the high relevance of <strong>Austrian Spas<\/strong> for the location was clearly emphasized. Spas make a significant contribution to regional development and tourism in Austria with approximately \u20ac1.5 billion in annual added value, nearly 10 million admissions, and around 17,700 jobs. <\/p>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Austrian Spas Strengthen Year-Round Tourism<\/h3>\n\n<p><strong>Austrian Spas<\/strong> are considered an important success factor in year-round tourism. As a weather-independent offering, they combine wellness, health, and relaxation, appealing to both national and international guests. <\/p>\n\n<p>Austria Tourism also emphasizes the importance of spas for Austria&#8217;s tourism positioning. More than two percent of all overnight stays are at spa resorts \u2013 clear proof of the growing demand in wellness and health tourism. <\/p>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Austrian Spas in Transition: Energy and Skilled Workers in Focus<\/h3>\n\n<p><strong>Austrian Spas<\/strong> are simultaneously facing important challenges. Rising energy costs, the need for qualified skilled workers, and sustainable energy supply are among the industry&#8217;s central issues. <\/p>\n\n<p>Many facilities are already increasingly relying on renewable energy and energy-efficient solutions. At the same time, the industry is calling for better framework conditions \u2013 including relief from energy costs, competitive tax measures, and support for training initiatives. <\/p>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Initiative Therme Plus Strengthens Austrian Spas<\/h3>\n\n<p>The Initiative Therme Plus unites 38 leading facilities and serves as a central platform for <strong>Austrian Spas<\/strong>. The goal is to promote exchange, drive innovation, and sustainably strengthen the industry&#8217;s competitiveness. <\/p>\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/badwaltersdorf.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/ITHP_GV2026_Presseinformation.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"file:\/\/\/C:\/Users\/s.sammer\/Desktop\/ITHP_GV2026_Presseinformation.pdf\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Press Release as PDF<\/a><\/p>\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":4661,"template":"","class_list":["post-4659","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/badwaltersdorf.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/4659","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/badwaltersdorf.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/badwaltersdorf.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/news"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/badwaltersdorf.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4661"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/badwaltersdorf.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4659"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}