Dr. Siyka Katsarova and Thierry Dubois at the European Spas & Balneology Congress 2025. Photo: ESPA The European Spas Association (ESPA) has a new president.
On Wednesday, the first day of the European Spas & Balneology Congress 2025 held in Haapsalu, Dr. Siyka Katsarova, PhD, stepped up from her current ESPA Vice President position, taking the reins from Thierry Dubois. The latter has led the organization since 2016 and has now been elected as First Vice President.
Annual Congress of the European Spas Association in Haapsalu!. Photo: LinkedIn ESPAKatsarova, who is also the President of the Bulgarian Association of Balneology and SPA Tourism (BUBSPA), will be the first Bulgarian to lead the association. Two years ago, Passport Group was honored to join the association’s advisory board and become its official representative in Israel.
Her election, backed by Tourism Minister Miroslav Borshosh, once again proves Bulgaria’s position as a leader in medical spa tourism and natural healing resources.
In a letter to the European Spas Association, Minister Borshosh said that Katzarova’s "leadership, expertise, and vision will ensure that ESPA continues to thrive” and stay at the forefront of “health tourism innovation and excellence in Europe".
Europe’s new ESPA President steps in as the continent’s priorities move toward prevention and sustainable health. Her focus will be on making ESPA a key partner for the European Commission in health, rehabilitation, and tourism, working closely with departments covering health, regional growth, and transport.
Her plans include boosting ESPA’s role in EU-funded projects, strengthening ties with the scientific, healthcare, tourism, and financial sectors, and aligning with major EU initiatives like the Green Deal and the European Health Union, among others.
Annual Congress of the European Spas Association in Haapsalu!. Photo: LinkedIn ESPARepresenting Bulgaria at the forum are also BTA Director General Kiril Valchev and BUBSPA Ambassador Meglena Plugchieva.
Valchev took the opportunity to speak about the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) that “consistently promotes Bulgaria as a health tourism destination to showcase that the country is also a land of the three S: Ski, Sea and SPA” while praising the country’s over 1,600 mineral springs and rich thermal waters, proven climatotherapy spots, 78 Black Sea beaches for thalassotherapy, and lakes with therapeutic mud. Better promotion, Valchev believes, could help fully showcase these natural health assets.
Ekaterina Zaharieva, EU Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation, congratulated ESPA on also celebrating its 30th anniversary.
"Reaching three decades of leadership in promoting preventive healthcare, sustainable tourism, and climate-responsive wellness is an extraordinary achievement."
Founded in Brussels in 1995 as a non-profit and non-governmental body, ESPA represents 20 European countries featuring spa and balneotherapy tourism and natural healing resources, including mineral water, therapeutic mud, and a sea climate.