Being able to conduct an interview with Frank Halmos, CEO of Ensana, and its vice president Petra Lelovská is about as likely as spotting a unicorn. It's never quite certain on which continent and in which country – be it together or each on their own – you'll find them at any given point in time. We managed it despite all the odds.
Petra, when we last spoke, you said that the number of your hotels was bound to grow but you didn't want to be more specific. Can you tell us more now?
Petra Lelovská: Yes, we just announced a new addition to our extraordinary family of health spa hotels. Greece’s Santorini joins our premier destinations in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, and the UK that proudly carry the Ensana name. So at the moment, we are happy to say that we're extending the Ensana brand to Greece where we don’t yet have a hotel. Santorini will complement our list of amazing destinations throughout Europe and provide new possibilities for our clients. We will manage the hotel and all the spa amenities and we plan to open in 2025.
Nothing else?
P. L.: Well, I can’t talk about things that can’t yet be announced but what I can say is that we have just signed a memorandum of cooperation with HiSEAS, the world’s leading travel destination management expert. As we know, China has now reopened and the Chinese can start traveling again, so we hope to see Chinese clients in our locations already later this year. We believe that our natural healing resources and medical expertise will attract the Chinese public, as it is very accustomed to natural medicine and natural medical resources.
I overheard somewhere that you're planning to come out with new packages for your clients every quarter...
Frank Halmos: In terms of product strategy, we wish to emphasize a holistic approach in our medical and enhanced health programs, which means that we're not only focusing on specific health conditions but also health in general. If, for example, an individual has a locomotive system disorder, then obesity is definitely a condition that we have to deal with; lifestyle coaching and additional weight loss elements might be crucial to achieving the best results. The same goes for any respiratory disorder – smoking, vaping are definitely activities that are counterproductive and need to be addressed during a medical health stay. So, we will start launching packages that are tailored to these needs.
The number of hotels your brand manages is growing. How is the occupancy?
P. L.: The segment is recovering very well. We see that not only in our hotels but across the board. Many people couldn't get spa treatments during covid, so they booked their trips as soon as they could and, in general, people seem to be more mindful about taking care of their health. In many of our hotels, the 2022 numbers were equal to or even better than 2019. In general, the health spa segment’s destiny is very much based on the demographic changes in Europe; with an aging, but more health-conscious population, the sector is expected to grow much further and faster than other parts of the hospitality industry. Besides providing this clientele with a wide range of services, we also wish to attract the younger generation, introducing preventive care or enhanced health programs that can help treat the most common health conditions of this generation or simply introduce them to a healthy and mindful lifestyle.
Is there a niche that you don't yet have on offer but are considering?
P. L.: Even though we can perform "miracles", we've got our feet planted firmly on the ground. We know what we can and cannot afford to do, which areas make sense and which don't. We're currently planning to introduce a new program in one specific area. But more about that next time.
Which services are the most popular? Does that change over time?
P. L.: We believe that with covid, people realized how fragile their health can be and how important it is to take care of it. That really brings up the issue of preventive care and not just coming up with solutions to problems once they're already affecting our health. Ensana is therefore focusing on developing services with an emphasis on improving the overall health of our clients, preventive care, and enhanced health programs. All of that naturally goes hand in hand with premium hospitality services.
Are the clients at your properties usually nationals of the country where it is located, or do people do a lot of medical tourism?
F. H.: This has changed with the covid pandemic where we saw an increase in domestic tourism in all of our destinations. So, we're seeing an increase in local clientele as well as the return of international clients. We have very strong and stable relations with clients from the Middle East, Germany, and Austria but also from Scandinavia and other European countries. We also hope to see Chinese clients coming later this year as a result of our aforementioned new cooperation.
How do you go about selecting a new hotel or destination? Do you travel around the world, waiting for a spark, or do the proprietors approach you?
F. H.: It goes both ways. We visit enticing locations that we're interested in approaching but most of the time we get offers from hotels and resorts that are looking for new ownership or a company to manage them more effectively. And that's where we come in. We know how to run health spa hotels, we have the experts and the experience, and we can offer synergies to make the business side more effective. So, it works the same as with any other acquisition: we look at the destination, we meet with the people, and if the chemistry seems right, we initiate the due diligence and evaluation process and everything that goes with it. It is a long way in terms of audits and legal work but when the destination and the property are right, it's worth it.
Ensana has been in the European market for four years. Have you managed to meet all your initial goals?
F. H.: Ensana was established with the aim of becoming Europe’s largest health spa hotel operator. And we have achieved that with 27 hotels across 5 countries. And now, the expansion begins. We have Greece signed. We're also planning a new addition to our portfolio at an amazing location in Bulgaria, and we are looking at other destinations in various places, such as the DACH region, Italy, Montenegro, the Baltics, FSU, the Middle East, Egypt, etc. We have the HiSEAS memorandum of cooperation to bring Asian tourists to Europe. So, in general, I would say that the Ensana brand is forging ahead and we will be growing at a very fast pace in the coming years. Our plan is to significantly increase the number of our hotels in the near future. Is it very ambitious? Yes, it is, but it's not impossible. We love challenges.
NATURAL RESOURCES
Ensana specializes in locations that have natural healing resources – mineral or thermal springs, therapeutic mud, peat, gases... "That's what Ensana is all about," says Frank halmos. "We believe in the combination of natural healing resources and modern medical expertise. It is unique and it's who we are. We don’t see ourselves as just a wellness company; we really focus on putting together the best experienced medical professionals and the amazing natural resources that our destinations provide. We're also very much data-driven and we have excellent results that we can substantiate."
Petra Lelovská
Frank Halmos
Hotel Nové Lázně in Marianské Lázně
Hotel Thermia Palace in Piešťany
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