NEMO Magdeburg: From Leisure Pool to Wellness Destination
The water slides at NEMO water park are set to make way for its transformation into a wellness destination. They will be dismantled and reused at another location.
(eap) A new course is being set for the NEMO Pool, Sauna & Wellness World in Magdeburg, Germany: In future, the leisure pool facility, which has been operated by GMF since 2016, will focus consistently on wellness, relaxation and health. According to the operator, the new development strategy with a clear focus on wellness is a response to changing guest needs as well as current trends in the leisure and health market.
“People’s leisure and wellness needs are changing noticeably. Topics such as relaxation, preventive healthcare, regeneration and consciously taking time out are becoming increasingly important. We therefore see considerable potential in consistently developing the wellness offering further to secure the future of the site,” explains Harald Gabriel, Managing Director of vivamar Verwaltungs- und Betriebsgesellschaft Magdeburg mbH, the company that owns NEMO, and Authorized Officer at GMF.
At the heart of NEMO’s repositioning will be an expansion of its wellness and sauna facilities. Following the opening of the modern “ElbauenSauna” ten years ago, additional saunas, attractive rest and relaxation zones as well as new high-quality lounge areas are now set to be added. The facility also aims to appeal to additional target groups, particularly through offerings such as sauna bathing in swimwear – a trend that is gaining increasing importance in the German market, according to the operating company (also see our special feature “Textile Sauna – A Trend with a Future?” in EAP issue 2/2023).
NEMO’s existing water slides (c.f. EAP 5/2021) are to be dismantled and put back into operation at another location – although, according to Gabriel, no decision has yet been made as to where exactly. The space freed up by their removal will provide the room required for the planned new facilities, with implementation scheduled to begin towards the end of this year. NEMO will remain closed for several months while the conceptual and structural changes are carried out.
When the facility reopens, visitors can expect not only an extensive wellness offering, but also a new name and a completely revised brand identity. The strategic repositioning will also involve changes to the corporate structure. As part of an internal group reorganisation, responsibility for the site will in future be assumed by International Wellness Resorts (IWR), which currently comprises 13 wellness businesses in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands. vivamar Verwaltungs- und Betriebsgesellschaft Magdeburg mbH will be integrated into IWR, meaning that GMF will no longer be responsible for NEMO Magdeburg.
IWR Director Willem Künne, who will also serve as Managing Director of the future NEMO wellness destination, explains: “By integrating vivamar Magdeburg into International Wellness Resorts, we can draw on extensive experience, innovative concepts and a strong international network. Our goal is to successfully develop the site over the long term and establish it as one of the leading wellness destinations in central Germany.” ■
