Posts in category: News

Dear friends,

It’s with great pleasure and honour that I accept the candidacy to the EHTTA presidency and I thank you for the confidence you granted me. We will continue working together to achieve new goals and face European challenges, aware of the force that this important network we established in 2009. First I would like to thank the outgoing President Christian Corne for the passion, determination and great sense of responsibility he showed in his mandate. I’m confident he will continue to show his vibrant support to EHTTA in the future, as Honorary President. The tangible results achieved in such a short time show on the one hand the strength of the EHTTA network in terms of political consolidation and sharing of objectives, on the other the valuable support that our European association may have in terms of team and experience.

I’d like to thank the EHTTA staff: Michel Thomas-Penette, General Delegate; Marion Vansingle, project manager and SOURCES project coordinator, Raffaella Caria, executive secretary, Catherine Lloyd for the her competence and precious help she gave us in the preparation of the answer to the Culture programme. I hope that this extraordinary European team can continue to grow and sustain us in the next two years.

Taking up what we already have shared so far in terms of planning, strategic planning and future goals, I would like to express only a few considerations on the axes that we will develop together in the next months:

European dimension and cultural routes program of the Council of Europe: the recognition EHTTA to Cultural Route of the Council of Europe is the starting point around which we will continue carrying out our work. This far sighting “intuitive” program launched in 1987, has entered a crucial phase today thanks to the consolidation of the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Cultural Routes involving 23 countries. This program invites us to foster relations with the European institutions and the national representatives standing for us in Brussels and Strasbourg in order to reinforce the political lobby around the theme thermalism, in all its forms: from traditional thermalism to thermal tourism and well-being.

Local communities and European thermal regions: the expansion of the membership base, which today already boasts 25 members, is an important objective of the next years. To increase the number of cities and city networks (such as Ancot, National Association of Italian Municipalities) EHTTA gives the network a much higher recognition at the European level and in terms of political representation on issues related to hydrotherapy. A challenge that we have to face is the achievement of a greater involvement of European thermal regions: it is to involve in each Country/the Region/s representative on the thermal subject developing appropriate synergies. In this regard we are already engaged in a dialogue with the network NECSTouR that has the Italian Region Tuscany as leader. (Montecatini Terme is part of it)

European projects and EU funding: the project SOURCES financed under Axis Culture represents an important opportunity for dialogue, meeting, promotion and visibility for the network EHTTA and for people who are directly involved. This project becomes a model of itinerant festival around which we can try to characterize future projects in the cultural field. We are also waiting for the new EU Structural Funds 2014-2020 programming in order to evaluate all areas of cooperation and future strategies of action for participation in calls for proposals, though undoubtedly we will take into consideration the areas of tourism, land development and urban planning, youth exchanges between twinned towns.

By next December we await the response of the European Commission for the STAR project, carried out in cooperation with two Cultural Routes of spirituality and pilgrimage of the Council of Europe: Via Francigena and the Camino of Santiago. Other European future projects could always be carried out in cooperation with European Cultural Routes. Our General Delegate Michel Thomas-Penette will continue to support us in this important action.

Scientific Committee and research. The Scientific Committee is one of the necessary conditions to maintain the label of the Council of Europe. Our network needs to strengthen the scientific and research, based on a committee that will ensure expertise and experience embracing the various fields in an interdisciplinary manner. I would like to thank Paul Simons and Michel Thomas-Penette who will represent us at the Forum of Cultural Routes in Innsbruck, the first focus group for dealing with this multidisciplinary challenge.

Communication and visibility: EHTTA is working determinedly to strengthen its communication and visibility with several tools that are made daily available and updated: newsletter, EHTTA and SOURCE websites, facebook, twitter, blogs, dvd.

The goal is two-fold and stands on two levels: that of a greater recognition at European and national level, that of larger visibility in the local territories, also through a homogeneous signposting system, clear and readable and should highlight our European network. Increased communication will also aim to involve the social fabric of our local communities.

EHTTA and the network of cultural routes of the Council of Europe represent a great opportunity for development of “minor” territories and sustainable tourism, creating important sustainable economies that can promote employment, welfare and development.

We also know that the European Commission takes into particular consideration our project and our network of thermal towns, not surprisingly, in fact, the Commissioner Antonio Tajani explicitly mentioned it on the occasion of the European Day of Tourism which was held in Budapest in May 2011, indicating the EHTTA as a model of good practice for sustainable and tourist development of territories.

In recent years all over Europe has grown exponentially the value and importance of thermalism that is becoming a very flourishing tourism sector. The European Commission is also actively supporting many initiatives related to the development of the spa industry in all countries of Europe because the latest demographic data show that it is expanding and that it is actually aimed at people of all age groups. There are four categories into which we shall try to extend the tourism sector and the benefits of the thermal waters: 1. young people between 18 and 30 years old, 2. senior, 3. individuals with disabilities, and finally, 4. low-income families who do not have to give up for this short break to relax.

With this I have just concluded my presentation; I am feeling a little emotional but confident and full of expectations.

It is understated that EHTTA is continuously growing and is attracting major attention within the European institutions thanks to the precious commitment carried out by each member of the network.

I thank you for your attention, sure of your collaboration to work together as a TEAM for the following two years of my mandate.

Giuseppe Bellandi

 

The historic thermal towns are recognised as major modern and forward-looking European cultural operators.

 

EHTTA was present at the Council of Europea Annual Advisory Forum of Cultural Routes, held in Colmar, France between 22-23 November 2012. The Forum was attended by around 130 people, representing the 24 certified routes and new projects, member states of the Enlarged Partial Agreement, other international organisations (EU, UNESCO, UNWTO, OECD), NGOs, local and regional authorities, universities and professionals in the cultural tourism sector.

The European Route of Historic Thermal Towns was introduced to the public by the EHTTA delegated, along with the cooperation experience developed by the Route of Spa Towns of Massif Central, EHTTA Associate Member. The network presented also new projects to be developed and participated in the four four workshops on international cooperation, governance, new technologies and methodologies and regional development.

The Forum achieved some great results, which were proposed in a draft “Colmar Declaration” aimed to mark 25 years of existence of the Council of Europe’s cultural routes programme and to set out some clear goals for the future.

Presentations – related documents

• Characters in search of authors – EHTTA – Cultural Routes Forum in Colmar.pdf
• Presentation of EHTTA – Cultural Routes Forum in Colmar.pdf
• Presentation of the Route of Spa Towns in the Massif central – Forum of the Cultural Routes Colmar.pdf
• Promoting the  Massif Central on a European scale through the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe – AROVEMAC -Colmar.pdf

Letter from the new managing director, Michel Thomas-Penette, about the recent activity in our network

Looking back into history, water cures are linked to religious ceremonies. That which is true of the Greeks, celebrating their athletes is also true of the Romans who spread the practice from the center of Italy throughout the entire Empire. The idea of the purifying nature of thermal baths can also be found in Andalusian Spain, under the influence of the Arab-Berber world, and in the Ottoman Empire whose
influence can be seen in Budapest. But it was not until the 18th century up to the beginning of 20th centurythat the most well-known sites were built, where new medical treatments were developed based on the bath, the absorption of water and the manipulation of the body.

The spas of Western and Central Europe have long been frequented by the political and cultural elite, creating centres of cultural exchanges in numerous cities and it could be said that they launched health tourism as a form of modern tourism. These celebrities were at the origin of the prestigious image of these resorts and gave birth to a great success which generated prestigious hotels and a series of leisure activities, with people going from the first casinos to musical theatres, to landscape gardens and promenades where tourists could show off the latest fashions.

This is the story, but also the shared heritage and memory that the European Historical Thermal Towns Association (EHTTA) decided to promote and valorize when inaugurating a European cultural route which received the prestigious certification of the Council of Europe in year 2010.

 

The general Assembly of this Association took place in Bath, United Kingdom on 21 and 22 March

This thermal city, one of the highlight destinations in England with a constant increase of tourists, offers a remarkable unity in the Georgian architectural style, and the entire City has now been a World Heritage Site for 25 years. The Roman Baths which have been rediscovered and perfectly restored attract some one million visitors year.

Bath is not only known for its prestigious heritage but also for its innovation in new technologies. It of course helps visitors interact in their visits. But innovation means also constant improvement in water quality and pumping techniques” said the Leader of Bath&North East Somerset Council, Cllr Paul Crossley.

At this strategic meeting, a series of decisions were made in order to firmly settle a successful common communication policy: design of a web platform to achieve better exchanges between members, creation of a common leaflet and launching of a Facebook page, among others. Beyond that, the Association, on the basis of a previous co-operation of some of its member cities, will answer a multiannual cultural call for proposals from the European Commission next October. It will aim to improve communication towards public at large, to create a Festival of festivals with a series of events: theatre, cinema or musical shows, contemporary art exhibitions and encounters of travel diaries’ writers. It will also focus on professional training of guides who act also as actors during visits, sharing best experiences in building restorations and establishing a research and resource center. Another aim is to help small and medium enterprises working in craft industries linked to gifts and souvenirs to adopt a contemporary design line.

The lively development of the high society of thermal towns brought a perspective to the European interpretation of societies which succeeded each other in thermal cities. Joseph II, after his stay in 1781,named Spa the “Café of Europe”. The Association plans to benefit from some the best Congress Centres of the member cities to launch a kind of “Davos European Cultural Forum” travelling from one city to another along the year. These encounters with personalities who exist in a shared European history and memory, as well as in the future of common European identity should attract various categories of visitors and bring to life, in a democratic and contemporary approach, the very origin of cultural Grand Tour.

Christian Corne, deputy Mayor of Vichy and President of the EHTTA announced his optimistic convictions about the quality and future developments of a network which now involves nine European countries. He insisted on the great potential of increase, especially in Greater Europe. “We have received proposals from cities in Turkey and Armenia” he said. “The great chance for our members is certainly the rapid changes that occur today for thermal cities. The future will be based on a Europe without borders. Europeans could choose the place for their care in the country they prefer, but tourists will also face new offers in a Union of Countries which will benefit of a quality policy and common branding “Destination Europe” keeping the continent at first rank in the world.”

His conclusions underlined that the strategy of the network will have to closely link health and tourism and that the actions have to be based on four pillars:

• A diversification of wellbeing offers in a new dynamic vision of water cures and on a renewedapproach of quality gastronomy involving local producers
• An interactive valorization of thermal heritage, of prestigious buildings, as well as of the immaterial
  heritage carried by creators and intellectuals who were iconic to the resorts;
• A contemporary and innovative answer to cultural demands not only those of adults but also for youngsters through actions which will help a better understanding of the past and a vivid involvement of contemporary creation;
• a proactive policy facing needs of new cultural and multi-sensorial tourism’s trends based on active visits in search of lesser-known places and unusual events.”

 

He ended by the assertion: “If we want to deserve and challenge the prestigious label of the Council of
Europe we certainly have to involve innovation on all fronts.”