Posts in category: News

The European Historic Thermal Towns Association takes part in its first virtual fair. On the 27^th and 28^th of November the EU Commission organizes the first EU-China Virtual Travel Fair on cultural tourism (VTF) as a contribution to the 2018 EU-China Tourism Year (ECTY).

The fair on Cultural Tourism is an initiative to facilitate the B2B matchmaking of the travel industry between China and Europe via a fully immersive virtual reality platform that ensures meaningful life-like engagement amongst participants via avatar. A huge number of booths are offered to key EU-China non-commercial actors focusing on trans-European products. The Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe are one of the selected exhibitors as well as EHTTA.

With EHTTA’s booth the network has the chance to showcase its members and the thermal heritage to Chinese travel trade in an innovative and interactive way. Brochures, presentations, pictures and web links are presented in a very futuristic way. Every visitor is creating his or her unique virtual profile and 3D avatar. They can seamlessly access the environment on different devices such as computers, smartphones, tablets or VR glasses, and be online simultaneously to engage with each other: people see each other in the environment, meet, exchange business card, chat and talk in virtual reality.

This virtual fair is another new platform for EHTTA to show the richness of history, culture, art and thermal heritage that connects countries and people across Europe.

EHTTA has been invited to the International Workshop “Cultural Routes of the Olive Tree as a model for Europe’s values, heritage and sustainable development”

 Raffaella Caria, EHTTA Executive Secretary, has given a presentation on the Association in the session: “Creative platforms for intercultural dialogue, citizenship and participation”.

A particular focus on the recruitment in these countries, 12 at the moment,  has been the core of her presentation and discussion as EHTTA is now looking at the South East Europe and CEI (Central Europe Initiative) countries. 

A fruitful 2 day working session for the EHTTA network as a whole with the participation of Marcel Medak, Vice Mayor of Daruvar (Croatia) EHTTA active member since 2011, who informed the present CEI and South East Countries on the benefit of belonging to the EHTTA Association and of Gunel Aslanova, Head of Division for Cultural Routes Development at the Ministry of Culture of Azerbaijan, who established future connections with the development of the Olive Route in Azerbaijan.

FOCUS ON:

–  new opportunities to explore themes representative of European history

– discussion on the innovative approaches to promote:

– the European cultural heritage

– sustainable and responsible tourism

– local development

The event has been organized by the Ministry of Tourism of the Republic of Croatia with the support from CEI and of the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe.

The EUROPEAN HISTORIC THERMAL TOWNS ASSOCIATION (EHTTA) was welcomed  as an affiliate member of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), pending its ratification at the 23rd session of the UNWTO General Assembly, to be held in the Russian Federation in 2019.

The Affiliate Members Department recognizes the great potential in collaborating with our organization in generating global sustainable wealth through enhanced tourism knowledge, ethical and responsible principles and joint initiatives.

“Our combined efforts can indeed contribute to the tourism sector for the benefit of the wider international community. UNWTO has long considered the private sector an integral partner in fulfilling its general mandate of promoting sustainable development in tourism through joint collaboration and the establishment of partnerships.
The partnership with the private sector is fundamental to UNWTO and a very important component of the programmatic priorities of UNWTO.”

See more on www2.unwto.org/

EHTTA welcomed Caldes de Montbui as a new active member at the occation of the Autumn General Assembly in Ourense (Spain).

Caldes de Montbui is a thermal village situated in the Vallès Oriental region, in the province of Barcelona. The municipality is located between the massifs of Sant Llorenç de Munt and Montseny, at the foot of the Farell mountain (805 m) and in the Riera valley of Caldes, which crosses the municipality from north to south.

Caldes is a zone of fractures and folding that results in the outbreak of hot springs, which sprout more than 74ºC, one of the highest in Europe.

Thanks to this natural resource, the municipality enjoys a privileged condition that has greatly influenced its urban development and historical, traditional and cultural legacy. The Roman origins have left numerous traces that shape our historical heritage, such as the spa tradition, Roman Baths and the settlement of the old town.

The thermal baths offer the main attractions of Caldes de Montbui, but others are also added: the flora and fauna of the surroundings, sports facilities, centers dedicated to culture, commercial movement, festivals and traditions.

THE THERMAL VIA FRANCIGENA
Well-being on the road in Tuscany along the Via Francigena, a certified Cultural Route of the Council of Europe”

The pilot poject Thermal Via Francigena was presented on 10th October in Florence. The project is realised by the Tuscany Regione, Gambassi Terme city council and the European Association of the Via Francigena ways in cooperation with FEDERTERME.

The “Thermal Via Francigena” project was born in the Tuscan section of the route in order to offer an additional service to travellers who wish to broaden their experience through a proposal devoted to their well-being. The project aims to promote thermal structures in close proximity to the Francigena Way hoping to expand on an international level and to interact with European slow tourism.
Travellers can combine physical relaxation and thermal water with their journey. Thermal structures are committed to welcoming pilgrims with an offer linked to transport, hospitality and thermal treatment with favourable rates for pilgrims and tourists equipped with the European Association of Via Francigena Ways official “Pilgrim Passport”.

The project aims to promote thermal structures in close proximity to the Francigena Way hoping to extend on an international level and to interact with European slow tourism and other cultural routes.

The EHTTA President and Mayor of Montecatini Mr. Giuseppe Bellandi attended the press conference in Florence. Montecatini, as well as the spas of Montepulciano, Chianciano, Fivizzano, Gambassi and Sorano is an important the active partner of this pilot project.

A visibilty event combining culture, spa and hiking will be scheduled in Spring 2019 in Montecatini in cooperation with the European Association of Via Francigena Ways.

http://www.viefrancigene.org/it/resource/news/francigena-termale-parte-il-progetto-toscana/ 

Gellert Spa is one of the most famous thermal spa baths in Europe, and one of the leading natural hot spring spa baths in EHTTA’s member town Budapest (Hungary).

Gellert Bath opened in 1918 offering medicinal water treatments using the same deep underground springs the Knights of St John used in the 12th century, and later on the Turks to feel the invigorating powers of the mineral rich waters.

On the occasion of the Gellert’s 100^th anniversary the scientific committee of the European Historic Thermal Towns Association (EHTTA) has organized a conference and reception on October 12, 2018, First Vice Mayor, Mr. Gábor Bagdy (Mayor of finance) will represent Budapest and the Municipality inviting politicians from all over Europe as well as interested media.

The European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, Mr. Tibor Navracsics, will be present for the ceremony together with EHTTA president Mr. Giuseppe Bellandi, Mayor of Montecatini Terme (Italy) and vice president Manuel Baltar Blanco, president of the Province of Ourense (Spain).

Supporting the European Year of Cultural Heritage and emphasizing the thermal heritage the programme includes presentations and an exchange about European projects like the “Great Spas of Europe” World Heritage candidature or “the atlas”, a GIS (Geoportal Information System) database to be developed by the association.

“Our idea is to declare October 12 as ‘Thermal Heritage of Europe Day’ in the future”, explains the president of the scientific committee, Mr. Paul Simons.

Besides the forum an exhibition about EHTTA and its members will be displayed to show once more the richness of history, culture, art and thermal heritage that connects countries and people across Europe.

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EHTTA’s delegation has arrived in Görlitz to attend the VIII Annual Advisory Forum of Cultural Routes.
The event scheduled in the framework of the European Year of Cultural Heritage 2018, will aim to provide strategies for stronger collaborations between the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe programme and other existing European and global cultural heritage programmes.

“Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe connecting cultural values, heritage sites and citizens: strategies and synergies in a global perspective” will be the theme of the Annual Advisory Forum 2018 organised from 26 to 28 September by the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe, in co-operation with the City of Görlitz, the Saxon Ministry of the Interior and the German Federal Foreign Office.

The Enlarged Partial Agreement on Cultural Routes implements the Council of Europe’s policy guidelines, decides the programme strategy, provides advice and expert assistance for the development, implementation and promotion of Cultural Routes, and supports networking and exchange between Cultural Route operators and other partners in the field of cultural tourism.

This year’s Forum will highlight the strategies and synergies between European Cultural Routes and International Organisations (UNESCO, European Union, UNWTO) concerned with the protection and the promotion of cultural heritage. It will also be an occasion to develop new initiatives and partnerships, as well as a platform for exchange of good practices.

Coinciding with the current European Year of Cultural Heritage, the Forum will explore the possibility of co-operation with the other European programmes, such as the European Heritage Days and the World Heritage List.

 

see more 

The leading international meeting on water and health, TERMATALIA, will reinforce its character as a thermal bridge between Euroasia and America, with the celebration of TERMATALIA BRAZIL in Foz do Iguaçu, between September 12^th and 14^th. The fair will bring together professionals from 30 countries with 200 exhibitors expecting 2.500 professional visitors. Under the slogan “The energy of the waters” it will promote the exchange of experiences between different continents, from a business, institutional and social point of view, to obtain a global perspective of the sector, in order to promote the strategic market of Thermal Tourism and Wellness.

EHTTA will be represented by the Municipality of Ourense, founder members of the Association, and will be introduced to this international professional public during the International Meeting of Thermal Towns, scheduled for October 14^th.  Other EHTTA members participating in the fair are the Region of Galicia, the Provincial Government of Ourense and the Eurocity Chaves-Verin, leading the international water testing contents.

EHTTA promotional material will be available at the Ourense Municipality exhibition stand at the Master Convention Center of the Recanto Cataratas Hotel in Foz do Iguaçu.

“One of the main goals of our network is the exchange of good practices in thermalism and cultural heritage at international level, involving different targets as public, private, associations in order to get a global perspective of this strategic sector”, says EHTTA’s president Mr. Giuseppe Bellandi from Montecatini Terme in Italy.

 

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Pursuant Resolution CM/Res(2013)67, the Secretariat of the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe (EPA) shall update every three years its list of eligible independent experts who may be asked to provide opinions on the award of the “Cultural Route of the Council of Europe” certification and the evaluation of Cultural Routes networks and projects, as well as to provide expertise for the launch and further development and consolidation of cultural routes.

Selected experts will analyse the application and evaluation files submitted by cultural route networks interested in obtaining or maintaining the certification “Cultural Route of the Council of Europe” in accordance with Resolution CM / Res (2013) 67 revising the rules for the award of the “Cultural Route of the Council of Europe” certification.

Working languages for drafting reports will be English or French.

Inclusion in the database of eligible experts will not guarantee selection for consultancy. This will depend, inter alia, on academic and professional experience in the field of cultural routes, knowledge of specific-subject matters related to cultural routes currently applying for certification or under regular evaluation, as well as on the need to ensure gender as well as geographical balance among selected experts.

Selected experts who have been involved in advising applicants on the development of their cultural route projects prior to the application or who have been involved in any capacity in the management, governance or scientific committee of a cultural route may not qualify to asses such an application.

In order to submit their application, interested candidates are invited to:

– Fill in the application form

– attach a CV to the form

Deadline for applications: 31 August 2018

On the occasion of the EHTTA general assembly, Clermont Métropole (France) was welcomed as an associated member.
The territory is centered on the city of Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in central France.
It is most known for its exceptional setting, with the volcanoes and in particular the Puy de Dôme.

Clermont Auvergne Métropole also represents a spa resorts’ territory, including EHTTA’s member Royat – Chamalières, and is engaged in a process of development of the thermal and cultural offer of the whole territory.  Clermont Auvergne Métropole is also applying to be European Capital for Culture in 2028.