Tourism - More turnover in spas and health resorts: opening in the evening
Hesse's spas and health resorts are on the road to recovery after years of crisis. After 8.5 million overnight stays in 2022 as a whole, around 7.1 million overnight stays were booked in spas and health resorts in the first nine months of this year, and the hope is for 9.2 million overnight stays for the year as a whole, Almut Boller, Managing Director of the Hessian Spas Association, told the German Press Agency. According to her, this would not quite reach the pre-corona level, but would be very close again.
Gross revenue, which stood at just under 2.4 billion euros in 2019 and had fallen significantly in the meantime, mainly due to the pandemic, is also likely to exceed the 2 billion euro mark again this year. Many clinics could also return to previous occupancy rates. Nevertheless, problems remain - hospitals that cannot achieve an occupancy rate of at least 95 to 98 percent would quickly find themselves in financial difficulties, said Boller.
The greater demand also provides the local authorities with a tailwind for new concepts and projects. The town of Bad Nauheim officially opened its new Sprudelhof thermal spa with a ceremony on Monday evening. The spa will be open to visitors from this Tuesday (19.12.), with around 300,000 visitors expected each year.
"We have all been eagerly awaiting today's happy day. With the new Sprudelhof Therme, we are entering a new era," explained Bad Nauheim's mayor Klaus Kreß (non-party) at the ceremony with more than 180 invited guests. The 47 million euro new building will close a gap that has been "painfully gaping in the heart of Bad Nauheim" since the old thermal baths were closed in 2015, explained the head of the town hall. "With the construction, we have made a bold investment in the future viability of our town and now have a unique wellness highlight whose appeal will reach far beyond the region's borders."
Oliver von Massow, head of the city council, also spoke of a flagship project for the spa town. The hospitality industry and retail sector would benefit from the opening, he said. The thermal spa with ten pools, a total water surface area of more than 800 square meters and an extensive sauna area is operated by the Swiss company Kannewischer Holding AG. "Our unique selling point will be the use of Bad Nauheim brine, which we will gradually introduce into the various pools with fresh water once operations start," explained Managing Director Stefan Kannewischer.
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- Despite the promising figures, Almut Boller highlighted that hospitals with low occupancy rates could still face financial challenges due to the crisis caused by the Coronavirus.
- With the opening of the new Sprudelhof thermal spa in Bad Nauheim, visitors can expect an overnight stay in one of the 300,000 anticipated yearly visits.
- Situated in Hesse, the Sprudelhof thermal spa is set to rejuvenate the local leisure time and health resort industry, contributing to the region's tourism recuperation.
- The Swiss company, Kannewischer Holding AG, will manage the new Sprudelhof thermal spa, which features ten pools, a vast water surface area, and an extensive sauna area.
- The Town of Bad Nauheim has invested 47 million euros in the new Sprudelhof Therme, hoping to attract visitors from beyond its borders and boost the hospitality industry and retail sector during overnight stays.
- The new Sprudelhof Therme will showcase the town's unique Bad Nauheim brine, gradually blending it with fresh water across panoramic pools, to provide an authentic German experience for its guests.
- The turnover in Hesse's spas and health resorts has been on an upward trend, with full-year revenue expectations for 2022 surpassing the 2 billion euro mark, signifying a significant leap from the pre-pandemic era.
Source: www.stern.de
