A landmark event dedicated to all aspects of this growing field. The aim of the event was to support professionals by diversifying their offer and staying ahead of the competition. Practical tips from experts gave an interesting overview about future developments and tendencies. This platform was a great opportunity to experience new treatments and demonstration as well as it offered successful networking options.

Dr. Gerald Huber, regional director of UAE / GCC was one of the speakers who could transfer the most important key factors to consider when it comes to planning and implementing a medical spa concept. The feedback was fantastic and due to that reason Dr. Huber has been invited to join the follow up event in Monte Carlo/Monaco in March 2009.

Report will follow shortly.

Christoph Albrecht & Stefan Hechenblaikner

The economy day of the Austrian Trade Board with focus on Dubai, took place at the end of November in Innsbruck. A meet & great for Tyrolean export companies which already make successfully business in Dubai.

Dr. Gerald Huber, regional director of UAE / GCC was invited to give an interesting overview about market chances and potentials of the Arabian markets as well as to share his experiences by doing business there.

The event focusing on the topic of “wellness hotels 2008” was organized by the Hungarian National Tourist Office, Hungarian Spa Association, as well as by the international wellness institute for education. Important experts gave an interesting input based on the rising boom of the wellness & spa branch of the last years, to analyse and define new trends and developments for the future.

Senior consultant and member of the board, Adrian Egger, was invited to talk about “international spa trends” and could show success parameters and tendencies based on the recent tourism developments. The key output of his presentation was that the concentration of core competences and the need for specialisation is crucial to differ from competitors.

The organizer of the event, Adriatiq Islands Group, is one of the biggest foreign investors in Croatian tourism. This year the conference focused on sustainable tourism potential as well as on an agenda for sustainable European tourism. Sustainable tourism is not a marketing idea to attract new markets – it is a strategic term to describe a specific approach to the development of tourism. A fundamental aim of the Conference was to provide sustainable conception ideas for the tourism industry through the provision of knowledge, strategies and methodologies.

Within this conference Mr. Manuel Geyer, Director international project development, talked about which success parameters based on tourism tendencies, will lead to profitable companies as well as of whole tourism regions. The key output of his presentation was that the sensitive combination of the 3 characteristics of tourism development (specialisation, new markets, quality) based on the own strategic positioning needs to be implemented in an authentic and inspiring concept. Focusing on this conclusion you need to define an own service offer and showcase it in an incomparable identity.

Bad Hofgastein, October 2008: the tourism congress which took place from the 8th till the 10th of October 2008 was an informative platform for more than 150 tourism experts providing different inputs concerning the topic – “Austrian tourism on the upswing?” One of the speakers Manuel Geyer, Director of international project development, talked about “Competitiveness of tourism companies in the alpine region” referring to which possibilities Austrian tourism managers have to persist on national and international competition.

The output of his presentation was that tourism business and regions which will focus on key success factors like nature and wellness, build a clear identity through a consistent specialisation and create a unique service portfolio as well as take the chance to concentrate on new markets and quality aspects, are going to be successful.

A fundamental aim of the Conference was to provide fresh momentum and encouragement for the further development of Spa and Health Tourism through the provision of knowledge, ideas and methodologies. The organisers by their selection of speakers additionally aimed to provide a platform for exchange of ideas and constructive interaction and collaboration between International Health Tourism Experts and Local Stakeholders.

Within the “spa & health” forum senior consultant and member of the board, Adrian Egger, spoke about the contemporary approach to conceiving, designing, constructing (realizing) and managing spa facilities as well as hotels and the development of whole touristic regions. The most important outputs from his contribution were to concentrate on the holistic and spa approach to could provide clients as well as investors with a unique added value, the need for concentration on your core competences and the mitigation of management risks by implementing profitable business models.

The Fifth International Spa Conference in Bad Homburg, hosted by the European Wellness Institute, was a great success.
Christoph Albrecht, Marketing Director at Schletterer Wellness & Spa Design, held a speech about the latest developments in the international wellness and spa industry. He delineated new business models on an international level and explained which success factors are key for being successful in planning and operating wellness and spa facilities. Albrecht also presented interesting details about spa developments in Russia and Dubai, which were very well-received by the audience and showed the dimension and creativity of these new markets.

The Hotel Show is the largest and most important event for the hospitality sector in the region and beyond. Within the exhibition the Seven Star Conference took place where interesting contributions, creative company ideas as well as unique success concepts in tourism & health industry were communicated. Dr. Gerald Huber, regional director UAE/GCC, was invited to present the unique approach of Schletterer Wellness & Spa Design to conceive strategic principles as well as implement these guidelines to the most profitable operation of Spa’s. The audience’ enthusiasm and interest on Dr. Huber’s presentation were a satisfying confirmation on our know-how and competence and offered a platform for inspiring discussions.

   

Companies that are active in new international growth markets are in many cases experiencing extremely successful development. In contrast many destination and tourism companies are situated in mature or even declining markets. The top-class tourism convention that was hosted by the University of St. Gallen showed prime examples and their major strategic factors for internationalisation. Heinz Schletterer was invited to present the success story of Schletterer Wellness & Spa Design and to show a way to maintain growth in mature markets and in the future markets of the tourism industry. The professional and very interesting lecture from Heinz Schletterer was well received by the auditory and thus made a significant contribution to the convention`s success.

   

In the course of the European Football Championship in Austria and Switzerland, the European Football Championship of the mayors was held from May 28th to June 1st 2008. 135 mayors of eight different countries participated in this truly unique competition. People were as euphoric and enthusiastic as if they were determined to win the WORLD Championship. Almost. Finally Germany won with Italy and the Ukraine coming in second and third. It goes without saying that the event was sponsored by Schletterer Wellness & Spa Design. The mayors and Heinz Schletterer`s team are united by many common interests such as sports and activity, successful development of a place and profitable concepts for swimming pools. In the end everyone was a winner, and this is the way it should be.

   

SPATEC is a two day convention, with extensive face-to-face meetings of around 70 international spa operators, directors and managers and the leading spa consultants and equipment suppliers. Spatec is the perfect venue to make valuable contacts and establish business connections. Schletterer Wellness & Spa Design has been successfully represented by Martyn Wood, our UK Director.

The Icon Vienna was an international summit meeting attended by Russia and Austria, where the main emphasis was placed on economic interests and the establishment of valuable contacts. The convention was attended by politicians, entrepreneurs, the media, economists and managers of the financial sector. Heinz Schletterer was invited to impart his knowledge of the development of the tourism industry in Russia. Together with other experts he discussed the following subjects: further development of the spa industry in Russia, predominant basic conditions of the current project development, chances and risks for Austrian businesses participating in the Russian market. Heinz Schletterer concluded his lecture by showing impressive pictures of projects in Russia.

   

Thanks to the very positive response to his performance in 2007, Adrian Egger (Senior Consultant of Schletterer Wellness & Spa Design), was invited again to lecture at this year’s spa convention. He gave as spa expert an impressive lecture on “creating the wow factor with architecture and design” and managed to convince the audience once again with impressive pictures and explanations full of practical examples.

   

Among other experts Heinz Schletterer was invited to impart his knowledge on interior and spa design. The lecture dealt with the following subject: The experience of absolute well-being / creating the wow-factor with architecture and design. On the basis of a very successful project the students could gain insight into the development of a spa project. As Mr. Schletterer was absent due to illness, Adrian Egger competently gave an impressive lecture and succeeded in providing a detailed explanation of the projects success factors. He also informed the students about future trends within the architecture.

Professional Spa & Beauty, ExCel, is the biggest exhibition for the spa industry in the UK. Schletterer Wellness & Spa Design has already been successfully represented at the exhibition in 2007. This year we supplied the Professional Spa Convention with two competent speakers: Heinz Schletterer and Adrian Egger (Senior Consultant of Schletterer Wellness & Spa Design). Spa pioneer & expert Heinz Schletterer was invited to discuss the Spa Trends for 2020 with a group of spa experts. Adrian Egger (Senior Consultant) gave an impressive lecture on “creating the wow factor with architecture and design.”