Wednesday, 4th June 2025
ALL DAY: Registration Desk open at Ensana Thermal Margaret Island, Lobby
15.30 – 17.00 Mayor’s Summit - Meeting for mayors from around the world
Location: Palm House, Széchenyi Bath Budapest
Hosted by EHTTA President Riccardo Mortandello, Mayor of Montegrotto Terme (Italy) and EHTTA Vice President Isidre Pineda, Mayor of Caldes de Montbui (Catalonia)
17.30 Transfer from Széchenyi Bath to Margaret Island (20 min.) - service on invitation only
19.30 Official Opening / Welcome Reception hosted by Ensana Hotels
Location: Ensana Grand Hotel Margaret Island, Széchenyi Restaurant & Terrace
Welcome by Mark Hennebry, Hotels Director CP Holdings - Frank Halmos, CEO Ensana - Péter Mácsai, General Manager Ensana Health Spa Hotel Margaret Island - Riccardo Mortandello, EHTTA President
Thursday, 5th June 2025
Location: Ensana Thermal Margaret Island, Star Auditorium
8.30 – 9.00 Registration of delegates
Location: Lobby of Ensana Thermal Margaret Island
9.00 – 9.15 Conference Opening
Riccardo Mortandello, President EHTTA - Ildikó Szüts, CEO Budapest Spas - Ion Vilcu, Director UN Tourism Affiliate Members
REALITY FORUM
9.30 – 10.15 Session #1
The Ugly Truth of Operating Thermal Destinations
CONFIRMED speakers are
Ildikó Szüts, CEO Budapest Spas (Hungary)
László Puczkó, Senior Health Spa Advisor, Ensana Hotels (Hungary)
(Croatia)
10.15 – 10.45 Coffee break
10.45 – 11.30 Session #2
More Reality! Heritage As Constraints vs Critical Foundation for Return
CONFIRMED speakers are
Chiara Ronchini, Great Spa Towns of Europe, Secretary General
Tamás Fejérdy, Budapest (Hungary)
Anke Matthys, Site Manager World Heritage Site, Vichy (France)
11.30 – 12.15 Session #3
The Thermal Tourism Market – Global Perspectives
CONFIRMED speakers are
European Travel Commission
Mark Hennebry, Hotels Director CP Holdings & Vice Chair of GWI Hot Spring Initiative (UK)
Claudia Wagner, Managing Director, FITReisen GmbH (Germany)
12.30 – 13.30 Buffet Lunch at Restaurant Thermal Hotel
13.30 – 14.15 Session #4
Where is the evidence? What do Certain Market Segments Understand and Expect
CONFIRMED speakers are
Ali Ghamman, Tourism Observatory Marocco, President (Marocco)
Alina Huseynli, Institute of Spa and Balneology Karlovy Vary, Director (Czechia)
SUSTAINABILITY FORUM
14.15 - 15.00 Session #5
Tired of TALKING? Transitions - Thermal Destinations Moving to Action and Innovation
with
Simone Zagrodnik, European Historic Thermal Towns Association, Executive Director (Belgium)
Marion Roussel, Route des Villes d'Eaux du Massif Central, Director European Cooperations (France)
15.00 - 15.30 Coffee Break
HOSPITALITY FORUM
15.30 - 17.00 Session #6
Investing to Thermal Hospitality & Best Practices in Hospitality - Presentations
CONFIRMED speakers are
Ensana Hotels
Vladan Vešković, Secretary General, Serbian Spas Association (Serbia)
17.00 End of conference day
19.15 Transfer for guests staying at Ensana hotels on Margaret Island to Gellért Bath
19.45 Welcome to Géllert Bath
20.00 Gala Dinner at Géllert Bath
hosted by VisitHungary and Budapest Spas
22.30 Return transfer for guests staying at Ensana Margaret Island Hotels
Friday, 6 th June 2025
Location: Ensana Thermal Margaret Island, Star Auditorium
9.00 Good morning! Yoga / Morning Activity
FUTURE FORUM
9.30 – 10.15 Session #7
Thermal Heritage in Tourism: New Interpretation of Thermalism
chaired by Szilvia Czinege, Director of Sales & Marketing Budapest Spas
Budapest Spas: The SPARTY Product
Marion Schneider, Toskana Terme Bad Sulza (Germany)
Paul Song, President, Korean Spa Association (Korea)
10.15 - 11.00 Session #8
“Tik-Tok”isation of Thermal Bathing: Demand Generation & Awareness Raising
presented and chaired by Neoviso AG Switzerland
The Future of Health, The Future of Thermalism
12.30 – 13.30 Buffet Lunch at Thermal Margaret Island Restaurant
DESTINATION FORUM
13.30 – 14.15 Session #9
Defining & Creating A New Thermal Destination Destinations without any Thermal Tourism?
Interactive Panel – Audience participation most welcome
CONFIRMED speakers
Ahmed Aloraij, Saudi Health Tourism Association, President (Saudi Arabia)
Markos Danas, Hellenic Association of Municipalities with Thermal Springs, Secretary General (Greece)
14.15 - 15.00 Session #10
Did You Know? Discovering Thermal Destinations Around the Globe
Destination Presentations
CONFIRMED speakers
Dr. Marcus Coplin, BANA Balneology Association of North America, President (USA)
15.00 - 15.30 Coffee Talk: Preview: EHTTA Publication on Thermal Tourism
Talk with authors Mario Crecente & László Puczkó
15.30 - 16.00 CLOSING SESSION - from the ugly truth to the future of thermalism
