Against the backdrop of Cologne Cathedral, the members of the European Waterpark Association celebrated this year’s EWA Award winners at Aquanale 2025. The awards, often referred to in the media as the ‘European Waterpark Oscars’, are presented for outstanding and innovative concepts in the design of offerings, marketing and sustainable operation of waterparks, leisure pools and thermal baths.

EWA President Jutta Kleiber, together with the two Vice-Presidents Harald Gabriel and Wolfgang Hermle, presented the awards to the successful waterpark operators. Beforehand, Jutta Kleiber took the opportunity to thank the jury members Petra Probst, Sonja Redies, Dr Michael Quell and Prof. Dr Torsten Widmann for their work.

The EWA Professional Award 2025 for innovative product design went to the Rulantica water park in Rust. Director Michael Kreft von Byern and architect Tobias Schirmer accepted the award for the new outdoor area ‘Svømmepøl’. Thermen & Badewelt Sinsheim was named a finalist for its ‘Immersive Horizon’ project.

This year, the jury decided to present two EWA Marketing Awards due to the different target groups. Spreewelten in Lübbenau is causing a sensation in the spa industry with its self-produced humorous videos for personnel recruitment. Operations manager Axel Kopsch and marketing director Steven Schwerdtner were delighted to receive the award.

The second Marketing Award went to the Josef Wund Group with its waterparks in Euskirchen, Titisee-Neustadt and Sinsheim, which took the digital guest journey to a new level with its Bluphoria app. Kerstin Huth-Neiss and Edelfried Balle accepted the award on behalf of the entire team.

The jury decided to award the EWA Sustainability Award to Aquasud in Differdange. The award recognised the concept of an inclusive fashion show as part of a campaign week for early cancer detection. The team led by Véronique Alves received particular praise for this idea. The Silvretta Therme in Ischgl was also recognised as a finalist in the Sustainability category for its energy concept. The certificate was accepted by the new spa manager Christine Senn together with Evelyne Schweighofer.

The winners of this year’s EWA Awards were presented in films produced by movemotions.

The EWA Awards 2026 are expected to be presented at the association’s 10th International Future Congress.