Bizovac Thermal Spa used to be one of the biggest thermal spas in Croatia. Located several kilometres from Osijek, back in the days when it was popular, they served the people of Slavonia who found relaxation and recuperation there often. Then came the war, the decline in the popularity of such destinations, then they got outdated and almost forgotten. That lasted until 2014 when Bluesun Group invested in Bizovac and keeps investing to bring the Bizovac Thermal Spa back to the position it deserves, hrturizam.hr writes.

A big part of the Aquapolis in Bizovac was open on May 1st, and now it has a total of 11 pools (3 massage pools, 2 thermal, recreational, children's, half-Olympic, for non-swimmers, outside family pool and a wave pool), sauna, restaurants and bars, a court for various games, free parking... And the new investment into a "Slavonian beach" has also been presented. Marcel Medak, the director said that they've expanded, added 800 square meters of the sundeck, now there are more than 1600 deck chairs by the wave pool. Now it is the biggest, nicest and the best-equipped beach in Slavonia.

The visitors have recognized that, and their numbers are continually increasing, so the new records are expected to be set this year. Mr Medak says that they expect over 15% of growth in 2019. And after that, the biggest step needed for the complete makeover of the Bizovac Thermal Spa will enter the final stage: the works on the Termia Hotel. They've analyzed the situation with the hotel extensively and have decided that the best way forward is to take the old hotel down and build a new one from scratch. The old hotel has not seen any investments in over 30 years, so it didn't make sense to invest without a complete rehaul. The new hotel will have 160 rooms, four stars, a wellness centre and everything else a modern spa guest needs. 17 million Euro invested in the hotel are a small fraction of the total investment the Bluesun has invested in Bizovac Thermal Spa since 2014.

The Bizovačke Toplice spas and health centre near Osijek has broken new records – in the first three months of this year, the revenues from private guests grew by 66 per cent compared to the same period last year. The number of private overnight stays increased by 30 per cent and the number of guests by 40 per cent. This is the most substantial increase since the modern spa complex, one of the best in Croatia, opened its doors three years ago, reports Večernji List on April 20, 2019.

“The number of patients paying for accommodation and having physicians’ referrals has fallen, while the number of those paying for the full service (accommodation to Sunčane Toplice and health services to Lječilište) has increased. The demand for special physiotherapeutic techniques for which we systematically educate our physiotherapists has also expanded,” explains Sandra Mihaljević, the director of the Bizovačke Toplice health centre.

Most private guests come from Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Germany and Austria. In addition to physical-therapeutic procedures as recommended by their doctors, they ask for massages and specialised pain and stress relief techniques.

Bizovačke Toplice also specialises in working with amputated patients. “We have established a team of physiotherapists and have excellent business cooperation with the prosthetic supply services, so the rehabilitation of amputees is a complete process – from taking patients out of the hospital, bringing them directly to us or taking them to their homes,” said Mihaljević. If a patient has to spend a certain period of time at home, he or she is visited by prosthetics experts and the patients also receive administrative help, since they are often single persons who do not have anyone who can help them.

“Each person whom we help stand up from a wheelchair and have a somewhat independent life is a huge success for us,” she says. The plan is to build a new therapeutic facility. “It will significantly increase the capacity of the therapeutic part of our health resort and further increase the number of patients. We will complete the offer of Bizovačke Toplice, which will reach the very top of the rehabilitation institutions in Croatia,” says Marcel Medak, CEO of Bizovačke Toplice.

Devastated and bankrupt, Bizovačke Toplice was sold at the seventh auction to Jako Andabak for 14 million kuna in 2014. The first wave of investment began right away – 10 million kuna was invested in the largest wave pool in Croatia. The construction of the modern health resort cost some 22 million kuna.

At the same time, indoor pools have been reconstructed, and sports facilities and the environment were also renovated. This all cost 20 million kuna. A total of 54 million kuna has been invested in the renovation of the complex. And the most significant investment is about to begin –Hotel Termia will be demolished and replaced by a larger facility, with four stars and 160 rooms, which will be 40 rooms more than now. That investment will reach between 16 and 17 million euro.

Translated from Večernji List (reported by Suzana Lepan Štefančić).

More news about Bizovačke Toplice can be found in the Lifestyle section.

Bizovačke Toplice are one of the main tourist centres in Slavonia.

The large spa reconstruction project in Slavonia continues.

Bizovačke toplice are experiencing a complete revival with the refurbishment of Termia hotel and the expansion of the existing Aqua Park.