Posts in category: News

Download the full press release in English here. 

The European Route of Historic Thermal Towns and the Great Spa Towns of Europe are attending ITB Berlin (the world’s biggest travel and trade fair) together this week.  For both organisations it’s an important milestone for many reasons, and another great example of working together, after several significant joint projects in the last 18 months, including attending ITB online together in 2021 and 2022, where both organisations have developed a strong partnership with the ITB Berlin Organisers and the “Medical and Health Pavilion” partners.

Delegates can attend ITB Berlin in person for the first time in three years, and this is an exciting joint venture for both Associations, as well as their co-exhibitors, Baden bei Wien (Austria), Caldes de Montbui (Spain), Pozar Thermal Baths (Greece), and the Province of Ourense (Spain).  The stand is in the Medical & Health Pavilion in Hall 26c, alongside many big names in the world of spa town travel and accommodation.

Simone Zagrodnik, the Executive Director of the European Historic Thermal Towns Association (EHTTA), which is responsible for running the European Route of Historic Thermal Towns, a Cultural Route of the Council of Europe, said, “All members of the Great Spa Towns of Europe are also members of EHTTA, and this kind of promotional activity is perfect for us all.  We are very excited to have a stand together where we will invite ITB delegates to “Immerse yourself in the Spa Culture of Europe”.  All our spa towns, whether in the 18 countries of EHTTA or the 7 of the Great Spa Towns of Europe are perfect destinations, combining wellness and health, culture and heritage with a centuries-old tradition of welcome.  We also have an entertaining and fun space promoting “Les Acros du Peignoir”, or #Bathrobe Addicts, a movement that originated in the Route des Villes d’Eaux du Massif Central, and is migrating through Europe – first to Spa in Belgium, and then to Ourense in Spain, and next to Baden bei Wien in Austria.  Look out for the bathrobes – a symbol of relaxation and healthy lifestyles the world over!”.

Health and wellbeing are more important than ever before and are proving to be significant themes in tourism right now, and so more visibility in this area was seen to be important.  For this reason both the European Route of Historic Thermal Towns and the Great Spa Towns of Europe will be present as partners at the Media Lunch on Tuesday as well as at the Medical night on Wednesday evening in downtown Berlin. They and their co-exhibitors are also making several presentations and attending panels throughout the three days of ITB, giving delegates a flavour of the breadth of the wellness, cultural heritage and tourism offer available in these remarkable towns (see below in notes to editors for more details). 

Chiara Ronchini, the new Secretary General of the Great Spa Towns of Europe said, “the Great Spa Towns of Europe were inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2021, partly because they tell the story of all spa towns in Europe.  These towns developed around curative mineral and thermal springs and developed a whole way of life based around health, wellbeing, heritage and culture, as well as a very particular urban landscape.  While the “Great Spa Towns of Europe” are the outstanding examples of this phenomenon, the European Route of Historic Thermal Towns represents the wider movement with towns stretching from the Ukraine to Portugal.  We are proud to represent members of a UNESCO World Heritage Site AND a Cultural Route of the Council of Europe side by side – something we believe is totally unique.  ITB Berlin is also a great chance to continue a very special partnership that has already seen us working together with the European Travel Commission on our “Thermal Travels” campaign, with UNWTO for the Thermal Congress and on other press and tourism initiatives over the past few years.  We are looking forward to being together on the stand in person for the first time since our inscription, and to being present with our Chair Mr Stefan Szirucsek, the Mayor of one of our co-exhibitor and sponsor towns, Baden bei Wien.”

Simone Zagrodnik added “As partners at ITB, the European Route of Historic Thermal Towns and the Great Spa Towns of Europe are presenting joint branding, from the stand design to contact cards to a brand-new joint Tourism Packages brochure, which will be presented at ITB for the first time, to inspire tour operators and travel writers to consider our spa towns as the perfect destinations for post-pandemic travel.  As an Affiliate Member of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation, and having recently presented a major international conference on “Thermal Tourism” with the UNWTO, we also welcome the opportunity to connect health and sports tourism, and to show that our destinations, which in some cases have been connected to certain sports since they were invented, and which treat world-class athletes in their thermal spas and clinics have the perfect infrastructure for high-end sports tourism.”

– ENDS –

CONTACT:

European Route of Historic Thermal Towns/European Historic Thermal Towns Association Simone Zagrodnik, Executive Director Email: simone.zagrodnik@ehtta.eu www.historicthermaltowns.eu	Great Spa Towns of Europe: Chiara Ronchini, Secretary General Email: chiara.ronchini@greatspatownsofeurope.eu www.greatspatownsofeurope.eu

 

 

EHTTA/GSTE Programme at ITB

Tuesday 7^th March

14.00     “Health Tourism – A true 365 product for Mediterranean Countries?”  Panel with Ivana Kolar (365 Turizam conference), Markos Danas (H.A.M.T.S. Greece) and Marta Luque (Caldes de Montbui).

Wednesday 8^th March

10.00     “The Bathrobe Addicts” – Marion Vansingle, Route des Villes d’Eaux du Massif Central

12.30     “Promoting Thermal Towns as a Transnational European Product” – Simone Zagrodnik, EHTTA

Thursday 9^th March

11.30     “The world’s most complicated World Heritage Site? Communicating the Great Spa Towns of Europe” – Catherine Lloyd, Great Spa Towns of Europe

15.00     UNWTO Roundtable discussion: “Connecting Sports Tourism to Health”.  EHTTA will be represented by Simone Zagrodnik in ITB Convention Hall 3.1

In its January meeting, the Executive Council of the European Historic Thermal Towns Association has decided to hold the next “European Thermal Heritage Day” in Mondariz-Balneario in Galicia, Spain. The annual event was established by EHTTA’s Scientific Committee in 2018 as a celebration of European thermal heritage and an opportunity to raise awareness of the subject that is at the heart of the Association and its objectives. It is regarded as an example of best practices among the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe and won their Best Practices Award in 2019 for the concept.

“This year, 2023, the Declaration of Public Utility of mineral waters of Mondariz turns 150 years and we take this anniversary as an opportunity to celebrate the thermal heritage of the town and region,” explains Mario Crecente, President of the Scientific Committee of EHTTA, the reasons favouring Mondariz-Balneario as location, where the event will take place on Wednesday, 11th October 2023. 

“We are very much looking forward to hosting the European Thermal Heritage Day 2023,” says Mayor José Antonio Lorenzo Rodríguez of Mondariz-Balneario. “Besides the expert presentations and discussions we will give everyone the opportunity to visit the town and see the great thermal heritage. Being a member of EHTTA and with it a member of a Cultural Route of the Council of Europe brings this great opportunity to share our heritage and the beauty of this place.”

As President of EHTTA, the President of the neighbouring Province of Ourense, Manuel Baltar, welcomes the decision to have another important event held in Galicia this year. “It will foster the communication about the importance of thermal heritage and thermal tourism in this part of Europe, giving leading examples,” he comments. 

Background: History related to thermal waters

The historical origin of Mondariz Balneario is related to the value of its thermal waters. There is evidence of human occupation in the surroundings of Mondariz Balneario since prehistoric times. Archaeological remains from Iron-Age settlements and a wide collection of Roman amphora’s, coins, vessels and an old road in the vicinity of the spa have been discovered, proving the continuous settlement over thousands of years. The real boost to the Thermal Town of Mondariz Balneario was the rediscovery of the hot springs in 1862 and 1870. In 1880, Queen María Cristina gave to Mondariz the title “supplier of the Spanish Royal House” and with it the license to use the royal coat of arms. The success of this new-found impetus generated the construction of the “Gran Hotel”, designed by Jenaro de la Fuente and opened in 1898.

In the 1990s began a restoration phase of important buildings and sites, followed by the opening of the new spa hotel, the congress centre and the recovering of the Gran Hotel building. During the last three decades the process of recovery and repair of the thermal and cultural environment has brought back the splendour of old times, which the town has been famous for. 

More information about the European Thermal Heritage Day 2023 and the programme will be published in due time at https://historicthermaltowns.eu/european-thermal-heritage-day/. 

 

CLICK HERE to download the full press release

In the framework of the implementation of the 7 Most Endangered Programme, run by Europa Nostra in partnership with the European Investment Bank Institute, a team of experts met representatives of relevant Romanian national institutions in Bucharest with the aim to offer expert assistance with the recovery of the endangered Neptune Baths building in the thermal town of Băile Herculane. The expert mission was led by Constantin Christofidis from the European Investment Bank (EIB) Institute and Mario Crecente, President of the European Historic Thermal Towns Association (EHTTA) Scientific Committee, and took place from 31 January to 2 February 2023.

The delegation included Laurent Levi-Strauss, Board member of Europa Nostra, who for personal emergencies had to cancel his trip to Romania at the very last moment but contributed online to the mission. In Romania, the delegation had the support of Oana Chirila, President of Locus Association, which nominated the Neptune Baths to the 7 Most Endangered programme 2022.

On 31 January, the expert team met with Oana Zaharia, General Manager of the National Institute of Heritage and her team; EIB Jaspers Programme managers at the European Investment Bank office in Bucharest; Csilla Hegedus, Secretary of State and representatives of the Romanian Ministry of Investments and European Projects.

On 1 February, the delegation visited the Neptune Baths to examine first-hand the state of the building and its surroundings and to evaluate the risks that affect it. On 2 February, the delegation had talks with Dan Buru, Cultural Inspector and other representatives of the Municipality of Băile Herculane, and Luminita Munteanu, Chief Architect, Caraş Severin County.

The need for urgent action to save it justifies the decision by Europa Nostra, with the support of EHTTA, to put this historic thermal site on the list of the 7 Most Endangered monuments and heritage sites in Europe for 2022. By saving the Neptune Baths, which form the central piece of the thermal urban ensemble of the historical town of Baile Herculane, this Romanian city will recuperate its past splendour and ensure its prosperous future through the use of its cultural heritage as a source of sustainable social and economic development.

The recent approval of Baile Herculane as EHTTA member, which will be confirmed at the next General Assembly of this European network in May 2023 in Baden bei Wien (Austria), will help to further enhance the importance of this site, among others through its participation in the European Cultural Route, and through EHTTA’s role as Affiliate Member of the UNWTO.

The delegation is preparing the mission report which will be submitted to the nominator and all relevant national, regional and local authorities in Romania.

CLICK HERE to download the full press release

Download the full press release in English here. 

Good news from the European Historic Thermal Towns Association: the association, certified as a Cultural Route of the Council of Europe has grown to 52 members in 20 countries! To be precise, it now has 50 members in 18 Council of Europe countries plus two International Partners from countries outside Europe.

During its Executive Council meeting last week, the applications of four thermal towns, regions and associations were accepted: the Romanian historic thermal town Baile Herculane extends the list of member towns and even adds the 18^th country in Europe to the map.  The Catalan Thermal Towns Association and Métropole Grand Nancy have also been accepted as new members.

“Baile Herculane is a significant historic thermal town and we very much appreciate the efforts they have made to join EHTTA, as they seek serious support for the rescue of their thermal heritage which is at risk.  The Neptune Baths in Baile Herculane was one of Europa Nostra’s seven most endangered heritage sites in Europe in 2022 and we are very glad to be able to further promote and help their project.” said Mario Crecente, EHTTA’s Scientific Committee President.

In May 2022 several members of the Catalan Thermal Towns Association impressed the audience of the “Café of Europe” in Caldes de Montbui with their thermal waters and cultural heritage.  EHTTA welcomed their application to join as an Associate Member, and to add some fascinating Catalan thermal towns to the Iberian section of our map. 

The city of Nancy in France looks back on a long tradition of spa culture in its thermal establishments and has lately made impressive investments to develop exciting modern thermal facilities. The inclusion of the Greater Region of Nancy as an EHTTA Associate Members follows the earlier decision to hold the next International Congress on Thermal Tourism there from 8^th – 10^th November 2023.  

The growing international reputation of the European Historic Thermal Towns Association has led to further extension overseas. As a new International Partner, the Saratoga Spa State Park in the State of New York joins as a significant example of a (European model) spa town in the USA. Already its “therapeutic spa landscape” has been the subject of case studies and presentations by EHTTA, and its Director, Alane Ball Chinian was recently appointed as EHTTA’s first “Ambassador of Thermal Tourism”.

According to EHTTA President Manuel Baltar from Ourense Province this new relationship is very important for the association’s goal to reach out to North America.

“As a Cultural Route of the Council of Europe, we are not only keen to promote ourselves as tourist destinations, but have an important task of educating people in the broadest sense, about European culture and heritage. Our historic Thermal towns have a unique package for visitors, with their combination of wellness, health, history and culture, and from our recent campaigns we know that this package is attractive to European and American audiences.”

He continued. “With the addition of new members in Europe and even in the USA, we are able to develop our profile even further, and to give visibility to our historic thermal towns, whether they are large cities such as Nancy or small thermal villages such as the various Catalan towns in the foothills of the Pyrenees.  We are keen to advocate for towns such as Baile Herculane with important but abandoned heritage and to make connections with towns based on our European model, such as Saratoga Springs.  We are looking forward to another successful year in 2023, and the addition of these wonderfully varied members with their different stories and backgrounds is a great start to the year.”

– ENDS –

For further information please contact:
Simone Zagrodnik, EHTTA Executive Director:                     simone.zagrodnik@ehtta.eu

Download the full press release in English here. 

EHTTA announces next International Congress on Thermal Tourism

The European Historic Thermal Towns Association is delighted to announce its next important event, when the Association will be working with the UNWTO as part of its 2023 work package. The International Congress on Thermal Tourism will be held in the French town of Nancy, and will be linked to the annual ‘International days of Thermalism and Wellness’ taking place from 8th to 10th November 2023 at the same time.

The host city of Nancy is opening a new thermal complex in spring 2023, after a 100 million Euro programme of investment. The long-awaited “Nancy Thermal”, based on a 1910s complex in the heart of the Ducal city, also known for the Place Stanislas, a UNESO World Heritage Site, provides the organisers with a good reason to welcome international delegates to a thermal congress. The Nancy metropolitan area, located in the heart of the Grand Est Region, is the most European of France’s regions bordering 4 countries, and is a great choice for the next congress location. It is hoped that the Thermal Congress will become an annual event.

In September 2022 “The Thermal Congress”, as it became known, was hosted by the Province of Ourense (Galicia) attracting 277 delegates and speakers from 22 countries and catching the attention of a wide range of international media.
“For us it is very important to keep the positive spirit and continue the discussion started in Ourense this year.”, said Manuel Baltar, EHTTA President. “We have demonstrated that this is a subject that is becoming increasingly important to wellness and health tourists, and as a sector, we need to be ready to welcome them. Sharing best practice, discussing new trends, improving our offer is essential if our historic thermal towns are to compete with purpose-built destinations. We know that we have a very attractive and unique combination of wellness, heritage, landscape, gastronomy and architecture in our towns, but we cannot be complacent, so meeting together as a sector, more regularly is going to be very important as we move into and era of mindful post-pandemic, environmentally sustainable travel”.
The European Historic Thermal Towns Association is an Affiliate Member of UNWTO, and significantly is the only Cultural Route of the Council of Europe to be associated with UNWTO.
Jean-François Beraud, President of the Fédération Thermale et Climatique Française, which organised the French Days of Thermalism commented: “We are very pleased to be hosting the 2023 International Congress on Thermalism and Wellness in Nancy. The French thermalism sector meets regularly to discuss important issues, and we are glad to have the opportunity to share our experiences and knowledge with a wider audience outside France and of course to learn from others too. We are delighted to see the new complex in Nancy opening this year and hope to see a great audience there in November.”

Looking forward to the event is also Ion Vilcu, Director of the UNWTO Affiliate Members Department:

“We are very happy to be supporting our Affiliate Member EHTTA to raise awareness about the many benefits of thermal tourism. Nancy is a great destination to keep building on the knowledge and experiences already discussed during the latest congress in Ourense. We look forward to meeting in Nancy and further explore how thermalism can be developed in other destinations.”

More details about the 2023 International Thermal Congress in Nancy (France) can soon be found here: www.thethermalcongress.com.

– ENDS –

#thermalcongress23 #thermaltourism #nancythermal #thermaltravels #historicthermaltowns

Download the full press release in English here.

For further information please contact:

Simone Zagrodnik, EHTTA Executive Director:                     simone.zagrodnik@ehtta.eu

Notes to Editors:

1.     EHTTA is a membership organisation representing nearly 50 members in 17
countries. 

2.     EHTTA was certified as a Cultural Route of the Council of Europe in 2010 and is one of 48 Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe which provide a wealth of leisure and educational activities for all citizens across Europe and beyond and are key resources for responsible tourism and sustainable development. The certification “Cultural Route of the Council of Europe” is a guarantee of excellence.  

3.      EHTTA was founded in 2009 with six Founding Members: Acqui Terme (Italy), Bath (UK), Ourense (Spain), Salsomaggiore Terme (Italy), Spa (Belgium) and Vichy (France).

Download the full press release in English here. 

Cultural Routes Best Practices Award 2022 for “Thermal Travels” campaign 

Last Friday, at the 11th Annual Advisory Forum of the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe in Chania, Crete (Greece), the European Route of Historic Thermal Towns received the “Best Practices Award 2022” for its “Thermal Travels” promotion campaign. The Board of the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe (EPA) has recognised best practices implemented by certified routes, which have been drawing attention to the priority fields of action of the programme, one of them being the promotion of Europe’s shared cultural heritage.

 

In the early summer the European Route of Historic Thermal Towns ran an online awareness-raising and promotional campaign with the motto “Thermal Travels – Immerse yourself in the spa culture of Europe” in central European countries and North America. The campaign was co-funded by the European Travel Commission and put this Cultural Route in the spotlight, inviting people to discover the spa towns in Europe as a transnational tourism product and as part of visiteurope’s approach of “inviting the curious”.

“I would like to thank the Board of the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Cultural Routes for this prestigious award”, said EHTTA President Manuel Baltar, “I am proud of the fact that the Historic Thermal Towns have received this prestigious award for a second time. The story of the historic thermal towns of Europe is woven into the story of Europe and its people. It is part of Europe’s shared memory, culture and traditions, and as a Cultural Route
of the Council of Europe its cultural heritage is recognised and celebrated. We are working on raising the awareness for this, in Europe and abroad and this is why we truly appreciated the opportunity to co-operate with the European Travel Commission for the first time”, he explains.

 

The range of activities in the framework of the Thermal Travels campaign included a collaboration with FITReisen, a leading tour operator in health travel, who promoted the historic thermal towns on its German-speaking and French-speaking website and  channels.

Three writers and influencers from the US visited France, Germany, Italy, Czech Republic and Greece, with impressive outcomes: resulting in online articles on vogue.com, various newspaper and travel platforms, plus the reach of the influencers focused on wellbeing and spa travel.

 

“This campaign let us target people interested in cultural travel, with an interest to discover smaller, less known destinations and surprise them. Travellers who look for quality rather than quantity, demanding authentic experiences throughout their trip – from accommodation to gastronomy and excursions – have been addressed with an additional aspect: the one of wellbeing and health-related travel”, explained Simone Zagrodnik, EHTTA Executive Director.

 

The Thermal Travels Campaign of the European Route of Historic Thermal Towns was also supported by the Great Spa Towns of Europe, a UNESCO world heritage site since 2021. All eleven towns united in this prestigious group are also members of the European Route of Historic Thermal Towns. 

 

– ENDS –

 

Download the full press release in English here.

For further information please contact:
Simone Zagrodnik, EHTTA Executive Director:                     simone.zagrodnik@ehtta.eu
Catherine Lloyd, Communications, Projects, Support         communications@ehtta.eu
 

Download the full press release in English here. 

EHTTA signs Memorandum of Understanding with UNWTO in Madrid 

The 5^th September was a significant day for the future development of thermal tourism, as EHTTA President, José Manuel Baltar Blanco met with representatives of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) in Madrid, to sign an official Memorandum of Understanding between the two organisations.

 

The European Historic Thermal Towns Association is an Affiliate Member of UNWTO, and significantly, is the only Cultural Route of the Council of Europe to be associated with UNWTO.

 

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been developed to enhance cooperation between UNWTO and EHTTA. The MoU means that EHTTA and UNWTO will cooperate closely and consult one another on matters of mutual interest in order to achieve their common objectives, which include:

 

*  The promotion of strategies and mechanisms to further develop the contribution of wellness and thermal tourism to the whole sector.

 

*  The exchange of knowledge and good practices aimed to raise awareness on the importance of the spa industry.

 

*  The development of a partnerships between the public and private sectors to exchange experiences at the European level and contribute to the recovery of the tourism sector.

 

EHTTA is delighted to be working with the UNWTO as part of its work package in 2022, developing and running the International Congress on Thermal Tourism, which will take place in Ourense at the end of September.  The Congress, hosted by the Province of Ourense, of which Mr Baltar is also the President, and will attract over 300 delegates, to hear speakers who are joining the Congress from around the globe.

 

 

Speaking in Madrid, Mr Baltar said:

               “The signing of this Memorandum of Understanding between UNWTO and the European Historic Thermal Towns Association is a huge step forward for the whole thermal sector, not just for our own historic thermal spa towns but for thermal destinations in general, and the whole
ecosystem of heath, wellness and thermal tourism.  EHTTA brings an extra dimension too, with its member towns and regions, which not only developed because of the existence thermal and mineral water springs, but which have been in existence for hundreds and even thousands of years, welcoming visitors who came to take the waters and providing them with healing for body, mind and spirit – a tradition which continues to this day.  Our towns are cultural and heritage destinations as well as health and wellness resorts, and I firmly believe that they deserve to be valued and understood more widely, especially as we recover from the pandemic. 

 

As President of EHTTA, I am very pleased to be working with the UNWTO towards a future mutual understanding and benefit, exchanging experiences and best practices, and making this incredible thermal tourism sector in Europe better known on the world stage.  This is a huge honour for EHTTA, and I am happy to sign the Memorandum of understanding on behalf of thermal towns and regions in our Association.”

 

Mr Baltar was accompanied to Madrid by the President of the Xunta di Galicia, Mr Alfonso Rueda.  Galicia is not only an important thermal
region, but also one of the most famous pilgrimage destinations in the world.  The Way of St James, the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela was the first Cultural Route to be certified by the Council of Europe in 1987, and, with the European Route of Historic Thermal Towns and other Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe has a long pedigree in welcoming tourists who travel for their wellbeing and health, be that of body or spirit.

The opportunity was taken to link the Memorandum of Understanding to the International Congress on Thermal Tourism in September, organised with the Participation of the UNWTO, as not only is the host a thermal province, based in a thermal town, but the wider region, Galicia is famous for being a thermal province, with many small spa towns and destinations, and a region where Cultural Routes cross in a rich tapestry of heritage and culture.

 

For his part, the President of the Xunta, Alfonso Rueda, stressed that Galicia “is the first thermal power in Spain and the second in Europe, with authentic destinations such as Ourense”. He also pointed out that this remarkable thermal town is one of the main assets of the quality tourist offer of the autonomous community, which this year is breaking all visitor records thanks to “the indisputable pull of the double Xacobeo”.

 

 

More details about the International Thermal Congress, taking place in Ourense from 27^th to 29^th September 2022, can be found at https://thethermalcongress.com. It will be linked to the 20^th TERMATALIA Fair of Thermal Tourism, Health and Wellness. 

 

– ENDS –

 

Download the full press release in English here.

 

For further information please contact:

Simone Zagrodnik, EHTTA Executive Director:                     simone.zagrodnik@ehtta.eu

Catherine Lloyd, Communications, Projects, Support         communications@ehtta.eu

 

Notes to Editors:

1.     EHTTA is a membership organisation representing nearly 50 members in 17
countries. 

2.     EHTTA was certified as a Cultural Route of the Council of Europe in 2010 and is one of 48 Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe which provide a wealth of leisure and educational activities for all citizens across Europe and beyond and are key resources for responsible tourism and sustainable development. The certification “Cultural Route of the Council of Europe” is a guarantee of excellence.  

3.      EHTTA was founded in 2009 with six Founding Members: Acqui Terme (Italy), Bath (UK), Ourense (Spain), Salsomaggiore Terme (Italy), Spa (Belgium) and Vichy (France).

Download the full press release in English here.

Téléchargez le communiqué de presse complet en français ici.

THE Thermal Congress: Tourism, Heritage, Experience  

The European Historic Thermal Towns Association (EHTTA) is organising an “International Congress on Thermal Tourism” with the participation of the UNWTO (United Nations
World Tourism Organization).  The Congress, hosted by the Province of Ourense (Deputación de Ourense) and Ourense Council, with the support of the Galicia Region (Xunta de
Galicia) will run from 27^th to 29^th September 2022 in Ourense.

 

EHTTA, which is also a Cultural Route of the Council of Europe was delighted to be included in the UNWTO’s work programme for 2022, and with this prestigious Congress, will be reaching a global audience to examine the phenomenon of “thermal tourism”.  Three major themes will run through the Congress:  Tourism, Heritage, and Experience.

 

EHTTA is delighted to announce that Her Majesty Queen Sofía of Spain is the Patron of the Congress Honorary Committee, where all supporting institutions and associations
are represented (see detailed list below). There will also be a very special guest to start the proceedings on the first morning – Andriy Kulchynsky, Mayor of Truskawez (also known as Truskavets), a famous spa resort in Ukraine, close to the Polish border, which dates back to the 15^th century. 

 

Opening with a special event on UNWTO World Tourism Day (27^th September) and connecting to Termatalia (the bi-annual thermal fair in Ourense), the Congress is designed to be a celebration of thermalism and tourism and the combination of the two.

 

The President of the Province of Ourense, and EHTTA President, Manuel Baltar said: 

“The experience and enthusiasm of EHTTA members in this area (Galicia Region, Province of Ourense, and Ourense Council) and the fact that there has not been a “thermal tourism” congress for a few years was part of the inspiration and impetus behind the application to the UNWTO Affiliate Members Department for their support in developing THE Thermal Congress.  As President of Ourense Government and the President of EHTTA I am delighted to be able to welcome delegates to Ourense in September, truly the “main thermal province” of Spain, and Europe during this time!

 

I am also excited about the timing of the Congress, in the 200^th Anniversary year of the Province of Ourense and the Holy Year of the “Camino de
Santiago”, Xacobeo 2021-2022.  This has given us the inspiration to invite delegates to take part in a “thermal camino” – a combination of thermal tourism and pilgrimage, which delegates can experience for the benefit of body, mind and spirit, for a few days before or after the congress.

We also have a new connection to Madrid with the High Speed AVE train, dramatically cutting journey times, and with sustainability in mind, I hope that delegates will consider arriving by train as well as by air.”

 

European Historic Thermal Towns’ members present best practices

One particular highlight within the congress programme will be a “thermal evening event” at the Outariz Spa, on the outskirts of Ourense. That evening the so-called “Bathrobe Addicts” (originally “Les Across du Peignoir” in their native France) will be seen for the first time in Ourense.  EHTTA Member “La Route des Villes d’Eaux du Massif Central”, where this movement originated, successfully launched this promotional brand and movement five years ago, and it was also adopted by the Belgian thermal town of Spa two years later. Now, in 2022, the Bathrobe Addicts “go international” and will be introduced and presented in Ourense.

 

Workshops and discussions with key partners
On the second day of the Congress, delegates have the opportunity to join workshops featuring important partners of Historic Thermal Towns: the network of the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe and the European Travel Commission. A third workshop is dedicated to European funding for tourism. The afternoon will also include the opportunity to learn more about the implementation of certain projects and strategies from around
the world.

For more information and to register for the Congress, go to www.thethermalcongress.com.

– ENDS –

 

Download the full press release in English here.

Téléchargez le communiqué de presse complet en français ici.

For further information please contact:

Simone Zagrodnik, EHTTA Executive Director:                     simone.zagrodnik@ehtta.eu

Catherine Lloyd, Communications, Projects, Support         communications@ehtta.eu

 

Organizer and Host
European Historic Thermal Towns Association (EHTTA)
Deputación de Ourense (Ourense Province)

Supporting Institutions and Associations

UNWTO United Nations World Tourism Organisation, Affiliate Members Department
Galicia Region (Xunta de Galicia)
Ourense Municipality
TERMATALIA International Fair of Thermal Tourism, Health and Wellness
Great Spa Towns of Europe Association
Enlarged Partial Agreement on Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe
European Spa Association (ESPA)
International Society of Medical Hydrology and Climatology (ISMH)

 

Notes to Editors:

1.     EHTTA is a membership organisation representing nearly 50 members in 17
countries. 

2.     EHTTA was certified as a Cultural Route of the Council of Europe in 2010 and is one of 48 Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe which provide a wealth of leisure and educational activities for all citizens across Europe and beyond and are key resources for responsible tourism and sustainable development. The certification “Cultural Route of the Council of Europe” is a guarantee of excellence.  

3.      EHTTA was founded in 2009 with six Founding Members: Acqui Terme (Italy), Bath (UK), Ourense (Spain), Salsomaggiore Terme (Italy), Spa (Belgium) and Vichy (France).