Professor Breidenbach began by looking at the question of how important the "Royal Spas of Europe“ brand had become in the international health tourism market. He believes there are several factors underpinning the success of this grouping of eight European spa resorts. The first was the commitment of the member organisations to offer high-quality products and services, complemented by attractive packages with cultural and historical themes. Coupled to that was the fact that members act together as a consortium on the market, with every member also promoting its "colleagues".
Professor Breidenbach presented an analysis of the current market for health and fitness services in the tourism sector. It is clear that health, fitness and body-consciousness are now central lifestyle choices for a large section of society. People are increasingly prepared to invest financially in their own health and fitness. However, there is a wide variety of products and services on the market with untransparent standards and highly fanciful names. This is where the "Royal Spas of Europe“ provide a badly needed point of reference, and in doing so have established themselves at the top end of the market.
Wellness holidays are credence goods, argued Professor Breidenbach. Customer confidence is a key aspect in marketing, and those providers coming to the market with unrealistic offers merely serve to undermine that confidence. It is regrettable that customers searching for wellness products sometimes have to assume the role of expert, faced as they are with a mass of offers which they, as a layperson, have to evaluate in order to find the most suitable. It is in this context in particular that the "Royal Spas of Europe“ brand plays a valuable role, providing guidance and building confidence.
Finally, there is another major advantage of the Royal Spas 'umbrella brand': the brand symbolises the history of European spa culture and can therefore bring an extra dimension to its offering of wellness products and services. "Through its association with tradition and the European royal houses, the brand has an authentic story to tell,“ was how Professor Breidenbach summed it up.
This also means there is no risk of the Royal Spas offering easily interchangeable products. As a marketing association, the Royal Spas has established an unmistakable market presence and has clearly differentiated its products from those of their competitors. This ensures the optimum conditions for success on this fiercely contested commercial battleground.
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