The founders of SHA Wellness Clinic in Alicante have been honoured by the World Tourism Organisation for their strong and ongoing commitment to health, medical and sustainable tourism.
Noting that demand for health and well-being experiences was expected to be re-consolidated when tourism resumes after the COVID pandemic, the UNWTO said the SHA Wellness Clinic had been “at the forefront of growing health tourism as a unique and valued part of the sector”.
Reflecting this, UNWTO secretary-general Zurab Pololikashvili presented the Bataller family with a special recognition for their and SHA Wellness Clinic’s “significant contribution to health and well-being tourism and for their firm commitment to the values of UNWTO”.
Zurab Pololikashvili personally handed over the award to Alfredo Bataller, founder and president of SHA, after visiting the wellness clinic. “Never in the past has health tourism been as important as it is today,” said Pololikashvili, “and SHA is a unique experience.”
Since the creation of the brand in 2008, the SHA Wellness Clinic has looked after the health and well-being of more than 65,000 people, including many celebrities, royal families and heads of state. This has helped position Spain as an international standard-bearer for health and wellness tourism, and SHA’s continuous work in the field of preventive medicine has been rewarded with nearly one hundred other awards from major international institutions.
According to the clinic, its mission is to help people live longer and better lives through a holistic and integrative approach to health, with a range of personalised programmes that combine scientific and natural medicine.
“The SHA Method, developed and supervised by world-renowned experts, integrates the most advanced treatments in scientific medicine, especially in the fields of preventive medicine, genetics and anti-ageing, with the most effective natural therapies, giving special importance to healthy and balanced nutrition.
“SHA is a life-transforming experience, where health is understood not only as the absence of disease, but as an optimal state of complete physical, mental, spiritual and environmental well-being, maintaining ideal weight and vitality.”
Last year, SHA announced plans for an international expansion with the forthcoming launch of two new centres: SHA Mexico, located north of the Riviera Maya in Costa Mujeres, scheduled to open in late 2022; and SHA Emirates, midway between Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and set to open in late 2023.
International Health Tourism Congress on the Costa Blanca
Later this month (23 April), SHA Wellness Clinic will be the host venue, in conjunction with L’Alfàs del Pi municipality, of the inaugural Costa Blanca International Health and Wellness Tourism Congress.
Announcing details of the congress, the president of Alicante’s provincial government, Carlos Mazón, said the area was well-placed to offer tourists top-quality health and well-being services and amenities.
“Alicante province has an exceptional climate, with an annual average of 18 degrees and more than 3,000 hours of sunshine, in addition to a well-established tourism sector, excellent public and private health facilities, and a broad base of knowledge, science and innovation as represented by the University of Alicante (one of the congress participants).”
SHA Wellness Clinic is located just over 60 kilometres by road from Alicante-Elche Airport, which is no stranger to international awards itself, having received Airport Service Quality recognition the past three years.
