Determinants of the operation of Polish spa enterprises during and after the COVID-19 pandemic in the opinion of managers

Purpose Poland has a large number of spa enterprises providing spa tourism services, which is closely linked to the largely state-funded spa treatment. Both the period of the COVID-19 pandemic and the period of the following two years after the end of the pandemic involved many changes in the operation of these entities. The purpose of this study is to attempt to identify the determinants of the operation of spa enterprises during both periods, as perceived by managers. Design/methodology/approach Data for the study were collected through individual in-depth interviews (IDI) conducted with managers of six Polish spa enterprises, diverse in many respects. This research was exploratory in nature, and inductive thematic analysis was used to analyze the collected data. Findings The results of the study indicate that during the pandemic, as a result of the influence of state institutions, macro-level determinants played the greatest role. In the post-Covid period, on the other hand, the surveyed managers paid special attention to personnel and legal conditions. Demand factors manifested by changes in the behavior of spa visitors as well as relations with the environment were also highlighted. The determinants pointed out by the managers were more often perceived as barriers to the operation of enterprises during the analyzed period. The research results show the multidimensional impact of the pandemic on spa enterprises and their subsequent adaptation to post-pandemic realities. The research provides a comprehensive understanding of the operational challenges and development opportunities of spa enterprises. Research limitations/implications The adopted methodology is associated with certain limitations that open up new paths for further analysis and better understanding of the discussed topic. Undoubtedly, the limitation of this research was the small sample size, which resulted from the difficulty of reaching managers of spa enterprises or their unwillingness to participate in this type of research. Perhaps it would be necessary to establish broader cooperation with this environment, e.g. through active participation in conferences associating health resort companies, which would facilitate conducting research in the future. Another limitation was the lack of possibility to record interviews, resulting in the lack of transcription and limiting it only to the researcher’s own notes. This significantly narrowed the possibilities of data analysis. In future research, the theoretical background should be expanded to include literature describing the conditions for the functioning of spa enterprises during and after the COVID-19 pandemic in other countries with a spa operation model similar to Poland. Due to the fact that the research conducted for the purposes of this study was exploratory in nature, its results can be used as source material for further research, enabling a deepening of this topic. Thanks to them, it is possible to create measurement tools that allow the use of more structured qualitative methods (e.g. structured individual in-depth interviews or focused group interviews) or quantitative methods (surveys, questionnaire interviews). Practical implications The results of this study give rise to certain practical implications. Spa enterprises must better prepare for future health crises through flexibility in work organization and sanitary protection. COVID-19 cases, which are still occurring, as well as other serious diseases, cause many negative health effects in patients, and their reduction may become an opportunity to diversify the scope of spa services toward rehabilitation but also prevention. This would allow for a fuller use of the potential of spas. However, in this case, the role of state institutions is also important, as they should include such services in the scope of spa treatment and the financing system. In the case of some spa enterprises, it is necessary to change the marketing strategy, aimed at better matching the offer to younger customers as well as developing promotional activities aimed at attracting new commercial patients. In crisis situations, problems with personnel were noticed, which should be prevented in the future through better management in this area, consisting, for example, of the implementation of motivational programs aimed at encouraging employees to return to work and improve their efficiency. It seems necessary to solve staff shortages, perhaps through education and cooperation with educational institutions as well as through the possibility of employing refugees. Originality/value The study fills a certain cognitive gap, as no previous research has been conducted among Polish spa enterprises covering the analyzed period. This research focuses on uncovering the challenges and opportunities for health resort businesses in crisis contexts.