Romania, Bulgaria sign memorandum on spa and wellness tourism

A Memorandum of Cooperation for the development of spa and wellness tourism in the Danube-Black Sea region was signed by the Romanian Spa Tourism Employers' Organisation (OPTBR) and the Bulgarian Union of Balneology and Spa Tourism (BUBSPA) at the Congress of Spa and Wellness Tourism hosted by the Romanian spa town of Sovata.

The memorandum is designed to strengthen and promote health tourism in the Romania-Bulgaria cross-border area, CE Report quotes AGERPRES.

The document was signed by the representatives of the two organizations, namely Nicu Radulescu, chairman of OPTBR, Siyka Katsarova, chair of the Bulgarian Union of Balneology and Spa Tourism (BUBSPA) and, starting this year, chair of the European Spas Association (ESPA), Iuliana Tasie, OPTBR first deputy chair, and Svetina Ivanova, BUBSPA executive director.

At the same time, the document was made official on November 12, 2025, during the Romanian Spa and Wellness Tourism Congress.

The ceremony took place in the presence of the senior official with the Ministry of Economy, Digitalisation, Entrepreneurship and Tourism Laurentiu Viorel Gidei, 'marking the support of the Romanian authorities for the development of this strategic sector.'

'The memorandum underlines the remarkable potential of the two countries' natural therapeutic resources - mineral and thermal waters, therapeutic muds, natural healing factors and a beneficial climate - which can support a competitive development of health tourism at European level. Also, the document capitalises on the complementary experience of the two organisations: BUBSPA's expertise in standardisation, access to international markets and institutional dialogue, and the role of OPTBR as the main representative of the Romanian spa sector, with a tradition in promoting natural resources, representing the industry and training professionals,' according to OPTBR representatives.

The two sides are committed to developing joint projects in areas such as: increasing international visibility and representation, developing integrated tourism products, coordinated participation in international trade fairs, training programmes and professional exchanges, promoting scientific research and innovation through collaborations with academia, as well as accessing European funding sources, including INTERREG, Horizon Europe and the Danube Region Programme.

'This partnership creates the framework for the development of an integrated, sustainable and highly competitive cross-border destination, capable of aligning with the best performing European health tourism markets. PTBR reaffirms its commitment to the responsible capitalisation of Romania's therapeutic natural resources and to the consolidation of the spa sector as a strategic pillar of the national economy. Under this memorandum, Romania and Bulgaria take an important step forward towards defining a common regional identity, anchored in quality, sustainability and innovation.'