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Currently, spa enterprises in the Karlovy Vary region face challenges related to low visitor numbers, and local residents often do not fully perceive the cultural heritage of spa towns as an opportunity for themselves. However, the spa industry can offer new possibilities, not only for residents but also to attract specialists and researchers, and through innovation, revitalize traditional spa towns.

Participants in the workshop focused on how to achieve these goals and revive the spa industry in the Karlovy Vary region. The event was held at the new location of the Institute of Spa and Balneology residence in Alžbětiny Lázně in Karlovy Vary. The event brought together experts from the Faculty of Economics and the Faculty of Applied Sciences, alongside representatives of the Institute of Spa and Balneology. "Our goal is for the spa industry to become a natural part of life in the Karlovy Vary Region – not only for visitors but also for local residents," stated Zbyněk Machát, guarantor for socioeconomic sciences at ILaB. "We want people to perceive the spa industry as an opportunity – whether for health care, business, or employment."

This workshop was held as part of the "Center for Spa Research" project. Financial support for the project is provided by the Operational Programme Just Transition, which has 200 million Czech crowns allocated for the spa industry development.

During last year's spa season, the Faculty of Economics conducted a pilot survey among visitors in spa towns to determine how the spa industry affects daily life within the region. A subsequent questionnaire survey, scheduled for this year's summer tourist season, will focus on the relationship of local residents to the spa industry. "The obtained data will help us better understand what people, whether as visitors or residents, expect from the spa industry and what changes they would welcome in these towns," added Jan Tlučhoř, Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Economics.

In addition to the Faculty of Economics and the Faculty of Applied Sciences, the Faculty of Health Care Studies and the Ladislav Sutnar Faculty of Design and Art from the University of West Bohemia are also involved in this project. Collaboratively, they are developing patient routes as a supplement to spa treatment within the research of the spa therapeutic landscape. This phase of the project focuses on designing special outdoor routes around a selected spa town that will reflect the needs of spa guests while enhancing the therapeutic benefits of being in nature. The routes will be equipped with information boards and appropriate outdoor furniture, and will also reflect the health condition of patients in terms of their length and difficulty. The finalized design with a pilot installation will serve as inspiration for other spa towns within the Czech Republic and potentially abroad.