For 22 years, the European Waterpark Association, the quality association of European waterparks, leisure pools and spas, has presented two EWA Awards each year for particularly innovative offerings and marketing concepts. This year, the prizes go to Therme Euskirchen in Germany and Oberösterreichische Thermenholding in Bad Schallerbach. A special prize for its measures to save energy and reduce the CO2 footprint goes to the AquaMagis leisure pool in Plettenberg.
According to the jury, Therme Euskirchen is setting new standards in the design of immersive experiences with its “Forest Bathing – Lupuna”. The project, realised in collaboration with the artist collective Marshmallow Laser Feast from London and the designers from TheLoveTriangle, was honoured with the EWA Professional Award 2024, which is presented for particularly innovative ideas in the design of offers.
OÖ Thermenholding, with its locations in Bad Schallerbach, Bad Ischl and Bad Hall, has made social media an essential part of its training programme. The trainees act as ambassadors for their company on social media channels and have achieved over two million clicks. The number of trainees increased by 30 per cent. This success was rewarded with the EWA Marketing Award 2024.
In addition, the jury of Kim Adam (Adam + Partner Unternehmensberatung), Petra Probst (Euro Amusement Professional) and Sonja Redies (PROFUND Consult) decided to present an EWA Sustainability Award as a special prize. This goes to the AquaMagis waterpark in Plettenberg for its successful energy-saving concept.
The awards will be presented on 22 October during a festive dinner at Mövenpick Stuttgart Airport. The finalists in the Professional Award and Marketing Award categories will also be honoured for the first time.
The following are the results in detail.
EWA Professional Award 2024
The following applications were included in the group of finalists:
- Altmühltherme Treuchtlingen: Modernisation of the Altmühltherme in Treuchtlingen,
- AquaMagis Plettenberg: Energy efficiency measures at AquaMagis Plettenberg,
- Silvretta Therme Ischgl: Innovation – sustainability – wellness excellence,
- Therme Euskirchen: Immersive Sky – Forest Bathing “Lupuna”.
The EWA Professional Award 2024 goes to Therme Euskirchen for the “Immersive Sky – Forest Bathing Lupuna” project.
The jury also decided to present an EWA Sustainability Award 2024 to AquaMagis Plettenberg for the first time as a special prize.
EWA Marketing Award 2024
The following applications were included in the group of finalists:
- Bodenseetherme Überlingen: Rebranding Bodenseetherme and chatbot “Peet”,
- OÖ Thermenholding Bad Schallerbach: Teaching with social media
- Martins Therme & Lodge Frauenkirchen: Out of the mud
The EWA Marketing Award 2024 goes to OÖ Thermenholding in Bad Schallerbach.
About the award winners:
EWA Professional Award 2024
Therme Euskirchen is breaking completely new ground in the design of immersive relaxation worlds with its Immersive Sky – Forest Bathing “Lupuna” project. Forest Bathing “Lupuna” was created in collaboration with the artist collective Marshmallow Laser Feast from London and the designers from TheLoveTriangle. The experience room, which covers an area of around 315 square metres in the Sky Balance area above the palm paradise, welcomes its guests with an onboarding area. From there, they enter the room, which takes them on a 24-minute journey. The Forest Bathing “Lupuna” production is a visual narrative that divides a 24-hour stay in the Amazon region into three sections. The video projection is like a meditation that guests experience with their eyes open. The use of sounds, moving images and scents creates a calming environment that allows guests to relax on a deeper level. Guests experience the visual narrative while lying on floating elements in the shape of a water lily. The images and sensory impressions take you into the powerful rainforest with all its intensity and naturalness. This immersive experience of nature can be translated as “forest bathing”. The life cycle of the Lupuna tree from the depths of the Colombian Amazon takes centre stage. This created journey allows you to fully connect with nature and focus your mind on the details in the scenes. This simultaneously supports concentration and helps to take the mind, body and soul on a new, immersive kind of meditation journey.
EWA Marketing Award 2024
OÖ Thermenholding, with its locations in Bad Schallerbach, Bad Ischl and Bad Hall, has made the topic of social media an essential part of its training programme. The trainees (Austrian: apprentices) complete nine modules on the topics of social media and communication under the guidance of experts and become little professionals themselves. They are also responsible for their own social media channel so that they can implement and consolidate what they have learnt. The nine training modules take place alternately at one of the three locations, allowing the trainees to get to know their colleagues from the other companies better. After the first modules, they start to put their training into practice in the form of social media contributions. The company’s own TikTok channel is extremely successful – the apprentices have already reached over two million people with the short videos they have produced themselves, making them brand ambassadors for EurothermenResorts These channels can also be used to send applications to Thermenholding in an uncomplicated manner. The number of apprentices has thus been increased by 30 per cent despite a highly competitive market.
Special prize EWA Sustainability Award 2024
AquaMagis in Plettenberg has been pursuing a consistent energy-saving implementation strategy since 2021. The main individual measures included insulating the slides, installing photovoltaic systems on the roof of the leisure pool and in a carport solution also on the guest car parks, replacing the pumps and light sources and using heat pumps and plate heat exchangers. Around 2.2 million euros were invested, with profitability calculations predicting a return on investment as early as the 2027 financial year, whereby the investment was financed entirely from cash flow and therefore no external financing costs were incurred. The measures implemented have saved around 2,500 tonnes of CO2 emissions.
About the finalists:
Over a period of around five years and with an investment volume of 24 million euros, the Altmühltherme in Treuchtlingen has completely relaunched its facilities. As a result, visitor numbers have increased from 260,000 to 420,000 guests per year and a positive operating result has been achieved.
The Silvretta Therme in Ischgl opened in December 2022 and is proving to be a driver of innovation in the spa industry with its resource-saving and sustainable building concept (heat pumps with deep probes) and dynamic pricing in the design of admission tariffs, among other things.
Bodenseetherme in Überlingen has completely rebranded its advertising materials, which have been harmonised with the new corporate design of the town of Überlingen. In addition, an AI tool was introduced with the chatbot “Peet”, which now answers over 6,000 guest enquiries per month.
In February 2024, St. Martins Therme & Lodge in Frauenkirchen, Austria, launched an annual kick-off campaign entitled “Raus aus dem Gatsch” (Get out of the mud) with the aim of inspiring guests to visit the thermal spa outside of the usual seasonal periods. The campaign was advertised with CityLights in Vienna, but also on social media channels with the support of influencers.
