The European Spas Association (ESPA) has published a book of quality standards for medical spas and wellness providers.

The 181-page book in English and German includes around 1,000 quality and safety criteria for medicinal water, peloids, swimming pools, saunas, diagnostics, types of treatment, quality management, human resources, cuisine, accommodation and facilities.

The criteria in the book, developed and compiled by a scientific committee on the basis of more than 30 national and international laws, must be met to obtain a EuropeSpa med certificate.

Author Kurt von Storch said: "Only by publishing them can the stringent standards met by the holders of the EuropeSpa med certificate be made appreciable."

"The standard is very important for us because it is the first time that such comprehensive material is published. The medical spa facilities need a orientation about criteria, also for their quality assurance of staff," he said.

"Now they have the opportunity to use the most actual reflection on legal and private standards (which we researched for EuropeSpa Med) in the European medical spa sector."

Secretary-general of ESPA Joachim Lieber said the initiative is a milestone for transparency and fairness in international health tourism.

In 2011, ESPA agreed a deal with international assessment company DEKRA to carry out all its future audits for the EuroSpa quality seal.