The European Union (EU) Asia Invest Programme is behind a funding project to internationalise the operations of spas in the Asia-Pacific region by training up to 1,000 spa therapists over the next two years.

The programme is a European community initiative intended to support business cooperation between the European Union and Asia.

Focusing on spa operations in Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, the project is valued at more than 1m euro (£0.79m, US$1.58m) and is jointly funded with 575,000 euro (£458,250, US$912,870) coming from the EU and the remainder from other participants.

Believed to be the first of its kind, the programme will be co-ordinated by the Spa Association of the Philippines (SAPI). In total, there will be five recipients of the EU investment – SAPI, the Thai Spa Association, the Association of Malaysian Spas, the Bali Spa and Wellness Association and the Confederation of International Beauty Therapy & Cosmetology.

The programme has two key objectives. The first is to improve the business potential of 50 spa operators from each of the four participating countries by providing spa services that conform to European standards of spa operation.

The second is to enhance business relationships between spa operators and travel agents in the participating countries, in order to increase spa visits by European travelers.

Applications for the scheme are now being accepted with a view to the first training being completed by the end of 2008.