Opportunities and Challenges for V4 and Balkan Spas

This paper provides some reflections on the development of spas in the Visegrád 4 (V4) and Balkan countries based on two research projects conducted with spa experts that highlighted a number of opportunities and challenges. These include challenges relating to funding, infrastructural development, delivering quality customer service, lack of staff or the need for employee training. Opportunities include the attraction of international tourists, the transition towards wellness services, sustainable development and increased digitalization. However, it is argued that some international trends are difficult to operationalize or implement in spas within these regions because of the aforementioned challenges. Nevertheless, recommendations will be made for future development especially for improving customer satisfaction and experience.