Yesterday, at an awards ceremony in Berlin, Lithuania received the prestigious ITB Health Tourism Award 2025 for the development of health tourism infrastructure, service quality, and international recognition. This recognition is considered one of the most significant globally.
Not Just an Honor, but Also an Economic Benefit
Kristina Citvarienė, Executive Director of the Lithuanian Resorts Association, states that this award is not only a great acknowledgment of Lithuania’s health tourism sector but also a strategic opportunity for the country.
“Lithuania’s health tourism sector is steadily growing and attracting more and more foreign tourists seeking high-quality wellness and health services. The ITB Health Tourism Award 2025 further strengthens Lithuania’s image as an attractive and innovative health tourism destination and contributes to increasing international visibility. I am confident that this will encourage further sector development and allow us to plan for a larger influx of tourists coming for wellness purposes,” says K. Citvarienė.
She also emphasizes that international recognition is important not only for the country’s health tourism sector but also for local residents.
“With increasing visitor numbers and growing competition among wellness facilities, service quality will improve even further—not just for tourists but also for locals. Additionally, Lithuania’s rising attractiveness as a wellness destination is likely to bring even more international visitors, which will mean greater economic benefits for the country and more opportunities to create additional jobs for specialists working in the wellness sector,” states K. Citvarienė.
According to her, Lithuania has been among Europe’s leading health tourism destinations for years, successfully competing with countries like Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and the Czech Republic.
“Lithuanian resorts have long been renowned for their unique wellness traditions and innovative procedures. This award is a testament to the sector’s hard work and proof that we are moving in the right direction, combining traditional values with modern technologies. Health tourism is an exceptionally promising direction for Lithuania, and achievements like this award, as well as last autumn’s ESPA Congress hosted in our country, significantly strengthen Lithuania’s position as a high-quality wellness tourism destination in Europe,” emphasizes K. Citvarienė.
More Visitors, Longer Stays
Meanwhile, Artūras Salda, head of the National Association of Sanatoriums and Rehabilitation Institutions, states that this recognition is not only the result of persistent effort but also the successful utilization of the country’s natural resources.
“Lithuania’s health tourism traditions go back more than 200 years, so our four main resorts and five resort areas are well-developed. Moreover, each of them features unique natural healing factors—mineral water, therapeutic mud, and a unique microclimate—all of which have been scientifically proven to benefit human health. It is great that we can harness these resources for the benefit of both Lithuanians and visiting guests,” says A. Salda.
According to him, the wide selection of rehabilitation, spa centers, and wellness services, improving connectivity with major European cities, and an attractive price-to-quality ratio have all contributed to Lithuania being increasingly noticed and appreciated internationally.
The growing recognition of Lithuania’s health tourism infrastructure is also reflected in improving statistics. Data from the National Association of Sanatoriums and Rehabilitation Institutions reveal that in 2024, Lithuanian sanatoriums and rehabilitation centers welcomed 290,000 clients—16% more than the previous year. The number of overnight stays also increased by 21%, reaching nearly 1.5 million nights per year.
Visitors from Germany and Israel stand out in terms of overnight stays, spending an average of more than 11 nights in Lithuania’s wellness facilities. According to A. Salda, this suggests that foreign clients are coming for longer stays and for preventive health purposes.
Lithuanians themselves are also paying more attention to wellness. Statistics show that self-paying customers (not those referred through the National Health Insurance Fund) are also inclined to spend more time in wellness facilities, with an average stay of 2.5 days.
Lithuania More Recognized Than Ever
Over the past year, Lithuania has received several other significant international recognitions. At the European SPA Association (ESPA) Congress held in Lithuania in 2024, the country’s sanatoriums and spa centers won a total of seven awards.
Additionally, last year, Lithuania was recognized by Lonely Planet, which ranked the country as the second-best travel destination in the world and the best in Europe for 2025.
Lithuania’s wellness sector also caught the attention of international media. Forbes contributor Stephan Rabimov wrote an in-depth article titled How Lithuania Is Redrawing the Wellness Travel Map, highlighting the country’s achievements in this field.
Lithuania’s capital also received exceptional recognition—Vilnius was named Europe’s Christmas Capital 2025 and selected as Europe’s Green Capital 2025.
The ITB Berlin, the world’s largest and most influential tourism trade fair, awarded Lithuania for outstanding achievements in medical and wellness tourism, sustainable development, and successful international cooperation. The official award ceremony took place on March 5 in Berlin at the prestigious ITB Medical & Health Night event.