National and international experts in health tourism in the Alpine region will be on stage at the “Health & Tourism” conference in Pontresina on Wednesday. Speakers and case studies from all German-speaking Alpine countries give trade visitors and media an overview of the potential of health tourism in Switzerland. The main topics include the transformation of a holiday region into a health region and successful models of companies in health tourism.
The second specialist conference on health tourism in the Alpine region will be held on September 21 in Pontresina with top-class national and international speakers: Prof. Dr. Harald Pechlaner (University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt), Dr. Jakob Edinger (Edinger Tourismusberatung Innsbruck), Heidi Thaumiller (Oberstaufen Tourism, Allgäu) and Nils Behrens (Lanserhof GmbH) are traveling as speakers from abroad.
Speakers from Switzerland will be the President of the Canton of Graubünden and Director of Health Dr. Christian Rathgeb, Gribünden-Ferien-CEO Martin Vincenz, Daniela Krienbühl (Bürgenstock) and Philipp Gunzinger (Lower Engadine Health Region). In addition, a new concept for heart rehabilitation in high-altitude climates will be presented for the first time.
“The first conference last year was a great success, so that we were already able to attract internationally renowned speakers for this year,” says initiator and host Christian Gartmann. “Health tourism is seen as a great potential for tourism in the Alpine region. The conference should help attract new regions and companies to the topic.”
Experts and case studies from Germany and abroad
The development of a holiday region into a health region will be the first main topic of the conference. Grisons Regional President Dr. Christian Rathgeb, internationally renowned tourism and regional development expert Prof. Dr. Harald Pechlaner, Oberstaufen Tourism Director Heidi Thaumiller, Managing Director of the Lower Engadine Health Region Philipp Gunzinger and the new CEO of Grisons Holidays Martin Vincenz will explain their views and intentions.
Lanserhof managing director Nils Behrens and Dr. Jakob Edinger from Innsbruck will talk about successful models for companies in health tourism in the afternoon. Waldhotel operations manager Daniela Krienbühl presents the concept of the “Waldhotel” health hotel under construction on Bürgenstock, and at the end of the conference, a new project for heart rehabilitation in alpine mountain climates will be presented.
The “Health & Tourism” conference is a private initiative to promote tourism in the Alpine region. It was held for the first time in 2015 and is made possible by broad support from tourism and the Graubünden economy. In 2016, the conference will take place on September 21, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the Pontresina Cultural and Congress Center.
Information and registrations at www.udir.ch
We ask participants to register online in advance. Registration, registration and payment are also possible on site, but may result in longer waiting times.
Price for the all-day conference including lunch, breaks and aperitif
- Professional visitors: CHF 200.--
- Students (with Legi): CHF 100.--
Program: Wednesday, September 21, 2016
Door opening: 8:30 a.m.
Conference starts: 9:15 a.m.
- Health tourism as a strategic development goal for Grisons (Keynote)
Dr. jur. Christian Rathgeb, President of the Government and Director of Health, Canton of Graubünden
Part 1: How does the holiday region become a health region?
- From “water and bread” to modern health tourism: Oberstaufen in the Allgäu
Heidi Thaumiller, Managing Director, Oberstaufen Tourism Marketing GmbH - Health tourism in the Alps: selected examples
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Harald Pechlaner, University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt - The Lower Engadine Health Region: Development, Success, Future
Philipp Gunzinger, Director, Sandà Engiadina Bassa Center - Health tourism in Graubünden: The potential for a tourist region
Martin Vincenz, CEO, Graubünden Holidays - How does the holiday region become a health region?
panel discussion
Lunch break: 12:30 a.m. to 1:45 p.m.
Networking Lunch
Part 2: Success factors and successful models for companies in health tourism
- “To have” or “to be”: becoming an alpine wellness hotel
Dr. Jakob Edinger, Edinger Tourism Consulting, Innsbruck - Health and luxury hotels under one roof: the Lanserhof success story
Nils Behrens, managing director, Lanserhof GmbH - Lighthouse project in health tourism: The Waldhotel on Bürgenstock
Daniela Krienbühl, operations manager, Waldhotel Bürgenstock - Santasana St. Moritz: Heart rehabilitation in mountain climates
Viktor F. Fässler, entrepreneur and former heart patient, initiator of the project
Dr. med. Donat Marugg, former chief physician at Oberengadin Hospital, Samedan
Christoph M. Schlatter, hotelier Laudinella & Reine Victoria, managing director of the project - Success factors and successful models for companies in health tourism
panel discussion
End of conference: 5:00 p.m.
Networking aperitif
Health & tourism
The “Health & Tourism” conference is a private initiative for Graubünden. It is aimed at service providers from tourism, healthcare and industry as well as decision makers from politics and associations and aims to highlight opportunities and market opportunities for health tourism development in Grisons.
Accreditations for media professionals
Media professionals are welcome to attend the conference; image and sound recordings are permitted. So that we can provide you with the best possible working conditions, we kindly ask you to register in advance via reception@udir.ch
Organizer/ Media contact
Christian Gartmann AG, St. Moritz
Christian Gartmann
+41 79 355 78 78
christian@gartmann.biz