A group of representatives from Belgium visited Piešťany Spa at the end of August. They were led by Adriana Lehotská, Commercial Counsellor at the Embassy of the Slovak Republic in Belgium. The visit to Piešťany Spa took place due to the cooperation of the Honorary Consul of the Slovak Republic in Gent, Arnold Vanhaecke, and the Commercial Counsellor, followed by a meeting between the representatives of the business department of Piešťany Spa and the Honorary Consul in Bratislava in November 2004.
Arnold Vanhaecke, honorary Slovak consul in Gent, Marcel Smessaert, representative of the Van Bogaert travel agency (this agency specializes in offering trips for older tourists), Chris Temmerman – representative of the CM health insurance company, Paul Verdonck – publisher of the monthly magazine ZO Waas en Dender (East Flanders), Kristien Verdonck – journalist, ZO Waas en Dender, and Adriana Lehotská, Commercial Counsellor at the Slovak Embassy in Brussels participated in the mission, whose aim was the presentation of Spa products and starting direct contacts for future cooperation.
During the three-day stay, guests inspected balneotherapies, hotels and the golf area. They were interested in the opportunities for spa treatment and tried some of them out. In addition, they also added Smrdáky Spa to their program. This spa uses the effects of mineral water to alleviate skin diseases and psoriasis. So far, Piešťany Spa has developed the best contacts with the Netherlands. Belgians like to discover unknown tourist destinations and tend to rest actively and accept new experiences – therefore, they find an original spa with thermal water and mud interesting.
“The mission had a positive response,” confirmed the Commercial Counsellor after returning to Belgium. “The participants expressed satisfaction with the overall preparation and the running of the conferences and presentations as well as with the gained experience. They evaluated the approach of Piešťany and Smrdáky Spas representatives highly positively as they had the opportunity to get information about all the offered products and opportunities in details.”
This mission that took place at the Slovak Healing Spa Piešťany is the first part of a long-term project which will be continuously implemented on the basis of cooperation between the Commercial Counsellor and Honorary Consul of the Slovak Republic in Gent, and will finish in the months of April-May 2006. Another part of the project is the publication of information about Slovakia in the monthly magazine ZO. The October issue of the magazine will contain information about the mission to Piešťany. The final part of the project will be a mission of Belgian entrepreneurs in Slovakia.
From Benelux states, Piešťany Spa has the best contacts with the Netherlands. They actively cooperated in starting mutual cooperation from other countries in this sector.
Jana Obertová, Public Relations Manager
obertovaj@healthspa.sk
Spa Hotels
