Everything you need to know about the Spa Bonus in Italy

Dreaming of a relaxing break from everyday life? Feeling like restoring your body and mind before the cold season ahead? Then a spa day might be just what you need. And if you’re already calculating how much that would cost you, you can stop racking your brain—the Spa Bonus offered by the Italian government can give you a discount of up to 100% on spa services, regardless of your income or family situation. So when is this incentive available and how can you claim it? We’ve prepared a brief guide with all the important information you need to take full advantage of the offer.

 The Spa Bonus is an incentive developed by the Italian government to respond to the crisis in the spa and wellness sector caused by the pandemic. Starting from early November 2021, adult citizens living in Italy will have the opportunity to book services at qualifying spas on the government’s dime.

To use the Spa Bonus, you’ll need to book services at accredited establishments, namely those that fulfil the following requirements:

• They operate in the thermal and curative mineral waters sector.
• They’re registered in the Business Register with the Ateco 2007, code 96.04.20 (which means that they’re considered official “Thermal establishments”).
• They’ve been pre-registered on the available list on the Invitalia online platform (available from October 28, 2021).

The incentive will cover up to 100% of your booked spa service, up to a maximum of €200 per person. Spa-goers will only have to pay any amount that exceeds the €200 limit. 

All Italian citizens and legal residents over 18 are eligible for the benefit, regardless of ISEE—the indicator of a household’s economic situation. Each person can use the bonus once, subject to availability. 

The bonus will be available until the allocated budget of €53 million is exhausted—which should cover about 265,000 applicants.

##How to claim the Italian Spa Bonus in 2021 

To claim the Spa Bonus, all you have to do is book a spa service at a qualifying spa of your choice and receive a booking confirmation. The spa itself will claim the bonus for customers who book at their facility. 

There are two dates to keep in mind:

• From October 28, 2021, spas will be able to apply for accreditation on the Invitalia portal in order to be included in the list of participating establishments. From this date on, you’ll be able to view the updated list of qualifying establishments on the Ministry of Economic Development and Invitalia websites.

• From November 8, 2021, any resident in Italy aged 18 and over will be able to take advantage of the Spa Bonus simply by booking a spa service at one of the establishments listed on the Invitalia portal. The establishment will then issue them a booking confirmation and  contact Invitalia for the reimbursement of the value of the service booked by the customer. 

Keep in mind that the Spa Bonus is valid for 60 days from the date of issue of the booking confirmation, and the services should be used within that period. The discount is not valid for services already paid by the National Health Service or other public funds. 

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