Thierry Dubois, president of the National Council of thermal establishments, indicated Thursday January 20 on franceinfo that the economic situation of the sector was “exceedingly difficult”. Since the start of the health crisis linked to the Covid-19 epidemic, spa guests have deserted spa establishments. “In 2020, there were 195,000. In 2021, according to the figures that fell last night, 326,000”. This represents a drop of 43.5% compared to the 581,000 spa guests in 2019, the last year before the arrival of Covid-19. The sector is counting on the opening of the Les Thermalies show on Thursday to relaunch an activity that brings life to many territories.
franceinfo: What is the situation of thermal centers?
Thierry Dubois: In 2020-2021, over fourteen months of activity, it is nine and a half months of closure. Under these conditions, the economy of our branch was excessively difficult.
How many curists did you count in 2020 and 2021?
In 2020, there were 195,000. In 2021, according to the figures that fell last night, 326,000. We feel that spa guests need to come back. Make their cure, but the sixth wave worries them a little. We find that the level of reservations is not yet at the level on equivalent dates. January 2022 is not at the level of two years ago and it is true that this worries us. We are basing a lot of hope on this show so that our future spa guests will reconnect with our spas.
How do you explain the reluctance of your customers?
The problem is to know if the thermal establishments will not again have a new administrative closure. Personally, I don’t believe in it, for one reason only, which is that the level of vaccination is very high among our spa guests and our staff. Protection against severe forms of Covid-19 is very high. Secondly, as soon as we reopened in 2020, we put in place an excessively strict health prevention program which has ensured that there are no clusters since the reopening of our establishments. Now, it is necessary that the curists, little by little, regain confidence. I believe that the French must get used to living with this new virus which, according to doctors, may be becoming commonplace.
Does the government still have to support you financially?
We were very well supported by the government. I never miss the opportunity to thank the government because I think that out of the 113 spa establishments, if we hadn’t had this aid, I don’t know how many would still be open today. It is obvious that aid must continue, but at a much lower level because, fortunately, activity is gradually resuming, even if it is not at the level of 2019. What is most important for us, it is the continuation of partial unemployment.
Can you accommodate patients with long Covid-19?
We are in negotiation with the Ministry of Health. The thermal establishment is really an intermediary between the hospital and the city medicine.
“We know how to do for a certain number of French people who have suffered from long Covid-19. Those who have sequelae 12 weeks after contracting the disease, chronic fatigue, discomfort or respiratory failure, brain fog, confusion, digestive disorders, psychological disorders.”
Thierry Dubois, President of the National Council of Thermal Establishmentsat franceinfo
We set up programs at the level of support for the management by physiotherapists of breathing retraining, exercise retraining and rehabilitation workshops for loss of taste, smell, interviews with psychologists for those who suffer from psychological problems related to this pathology. And there are currently around twenty thermal establishments offering these programs for the 2022 season which, unfortunately, are not covered by health insurance.
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