Eloi Planes, Chairman of the Piscina & Wellness Barcelona Organising Committee and CEO of Fluidra

As an industry, we have the obligation and the opportunity to present our teams and solutions as vital to increase the sustainability of Spain’s swimming pools. Spain has the second largest number of pools in Europe and the fourth largest in the world. Contrary to what one might think, a swimming pool consumes very little water. Spain’s more than 1.3 million pools account for just 0.14% of the country’s overall water consumption. A tiny percentage which could be reduced even more thanks to technology and the innovations by the companies in our industry. On the other hand, the benefits of pools and wellness centres for people’s health and well-being are very significant, as they are veritable refuges during prolonged heat waves and they provide healthy experiences and leisure for all ages. I am convinced that the industry still has some way to go to keep growing in terms of margins and business volume both in the residential segment and in the public pools segment, which this year is recovering its dynamism.