W3Spa EMEA, an event produced by We Work Well, connected buyers and suppliers in the spa and wellness industry between 3-6 June at the Hilton Malta.

More than 100 attendees from 21 countries took part in meetings and activities during the event, which was themed Zest for Success. Fresh ideas and opportunities for collaboration were at the forefront of the programme of events.

Innovative suppliers were in attendance, including BC Softwear, Gharieni, Swissline, Barr+Wray, Endospheres, Agilysys and many more – networking with top-level decision-makers from luxury spas across the EMEA region. Buyers represented management professionals from Accor, Four Seasons, Hilton, Jumeirah Group, Kempinski, Surrenne, LDC Hotels and a variety of spa consultancies looking for premium partnerships.

W3Spa is a place for meetings but the organisers – Lucy Hugo, Monica Helmstetter and Stephen Pace-Bonnello – also infuse wellness elements throughout the schedule. These include pre-meeting workouts, stretching sessions, breathwork and activities that are designed to promote collaboration beyond business transactions. For example, attendees were split into 12 groups, competing in a photography challenge around the city of Valletta.

The event’s Grow Well education sessions were also hosted by Lisa Starr, focusing on potential solutions to industry challenges faced by suppliers and buyers in the region.

Feedback on this W3Spa in Malta has been positive and the next edition will take place next year, with a venue and dates to be announced in the next few months.

Sarah Dalton, director of wellbeing operations, Jumeirah Group, said, "W3Spa EMEA was a fantastic opportunity to get real one-to-one time with numerous suppliers in one place."

Luigi Villani, corporate head of spas for Kempinski Hotels, said, "Attending the We Work Well event was a truly rewarding experience. It offered the perfect balance of structured meetings and informal networking."

Rich Burden, global hospitality director for Life Fitness and Hammer Strength said, "Put simply, it's six months of meetings over three days with some of the best humans in our industry."

Cheryl Anderson, spa sales manager, Barr+Wray, said: "The W3Spa event was yet again another fantastic conference where we met with many new potential clients that we had never come across before."

Elias Gharieni of the Gharieni Group said: "This is the third We Work Well event I've attended and they are always very professionally organised in great locations. In addition to the professional meetings, the informal evening events bring attendees together in a different setting – allowing you to meet buyers and suppliers outside the meetings."

Nicole Fletcher, managing director, Carol Joy London, said: "I would absolutely recommend We Work Well. I went to network but walked away as part of something much bigger, having made real connections. I'll definitely be going again!"

Other We Work Well events in the future include:

• W3Fit North America 21-24 September at Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village, California

• W3Hospitality EMEA 7-10 October at Higueron Hotel Malaga, Spain• W3Fit EMEA 14 - 17 October at Higueron Hotel Malaga, Spain

• W3Spa North America 9 - 12 November at Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village, California