European Historic Thermal Towns Association (EHTTA)
Historic Thermal Towns
Acknowledging the influence of European spa culture beyond its continental boundaries, the European Route of Historic Thermal Towns of the Council of Europe has make a step forward on its international relations by welcoming the entrance of the Brazilian town of Poços de Caldas as new member
The European Association of Historic Thermal Towns participated in the meeting of the Alliance on 27 April in BOZAR, Brussels. The event brought together members of this international platform in order to explore new paths of cooperation between organizations towards the celebrations of the European Year of Cultural Heritage 2018.
The program included an exchange of views with the European Commission’s Head of the EYCH 2018 task force, Catherine Magnant, as well as a session for the preparation of the Voices of Culture meeting.
On the same day, the European Parliament adopted the Decision establishing 2018 as the European Year of Cultural Heritage by a large majority, securing an specific budget for cultural projects that will become part of the celebrations. Now the Council shall adopt the text, a decission which is expected to be taken in May.
The EHTTA became a member of The European Heritage Alliance 3.3 in March 2017 following its belief about thermal culture being a core part of European heritage. The Alliance is an informal European sectoral platform composed of more than 40 European or international networks and organisations active in the wider field of cultural heritage.Launched in 2011 on ocassion of the European Heritage Congress organised by Europa Nostra in Amsterdam, bringing together Europe’s civil society organisations, historic cities and villages, museums, heritage professionals and volunteers, etc.
The coordination of the European Heritage Alliance 3.3 is part of Europa Nostra’s network project Mainstreaming Heritage funded by Creative Europe.
+ info about the EYCH2018
+ info about The European Heritage Alliance
The European Route of HIstoric Thermal Towns is one of over 30 Routes certified by the Council of Europe, all based ion themes whic are central to the cultural heritage of Europe. The Cultural Route Programme was launched by the Council of Europe in 1987 with the Route of Santiago de Compostela, and now, in 2017, it is celebrating its 30th anniversary.
On the ocassion of this important date, the EHHTA would like to share the inspiring interview with Stefano Dominioni, Director of the European Institute of Cultural Routes, published on the website Best Cultural Destinations. A vivid narration of the Cultural Routes Programme of the Council of Europe, a journey tohrough space and time to understand Europe’s shared and living cultural heritage:
Over the past 30 years, the notion of cultural heritage has evolved. Once thought of simply as a particular architectural or monumental object which needed to be preserved for future generations, the term now means an appreciation of a broader cultural and territorial heritage context imbued with its immateriality. This evolution has fostered a deeper understanding of the value of a culture and a place, and the meaning its inhabitants attach to its heritage, in both its tangible and intangible manifestations, spanning from churches to local traditions, and from architecture to landscapes.
Continue reading the full interview in BCD website: https://bestculturaldestinations.com
On February 29th a delegation of the European European Historical Thermal Towns Association attended the 7th HTI Conference in Rovinj, Croatia. This meeting point for the health tourism industry, the largest event of this kind in Central and Southeast Europe, welcomed EHTTA representatives in order to showcase the best practices and projects of the network, introducing the European Thermal Route of the Council of Europe to a large professional public.
EHTTA had a busy agenda for this 3 days conference. On the 1st March, Luca Bruschi, in charge of EHTTA international relations, showed off network’s good practices at a dedicated forum, which also included the presentation of the Thermal Atlas, an ongoing project to catalogue European thermal resources from an interdisciplinary approach that has already been developed in some of EHTTA members towns. The project aims to preserve and raise public awareness about abandoned thermal heritage, in the scope of the European Year of Cultural Heritage to celebrate in 2018. Along with the EHTT Forum, the Association was represented as well in the panel “Thermal Spas and rehabilitation centres are going big!”, where President Giuseppe BELLANDI participated as a speaker, introducing EHTTA involvement and goals on thermalism and health tourism.
During the 7th HTI Conference, the Croatian Chamber of Economy organized the European Health Tourism Industry Summit – a closed 120 min session that brought together leaders from European and international institutions, associations and industry. EHTTA was represented by Marcel MEDAK, Medical Director of Daruvar Spa – EHTTA member- at this meeting, which aimed to discuss common challenges and opportunities in creating a joint platform to boost Europe as tourism destination. The outcome document agreed by Summit participants gathers relevant topics and conclusion on the subject, and will be submitted to MEPs and other relevant European institutions to underscore the importance of health tourism in this strategy.
The European Association of Historic Thermal Towns (EHTTA) will attend for the second time the HTI (Health Tourism Industry) conference that will take place in the beautiful city of Rovinj, Croatia, between February 28th and March 2nd. More than 30 European spa destinations will be represented by EHTTA at this prestigious event, one the largest meeting for the spa industry in Central and Southern Europe: an excellent opportunity to showcase their unique historic and cultural heritage, along with their healing mineral-water springs.
On March, 1st EHTTA will hold a dedicated session in the framework of the HTI conference, introducing this network, which runs the Council of Europe’s Cultural Route of Historic Thermal Spa Towns, as its latest projects for the promotion and safeguarding of European thermalism. The forum will be conducted by LUCA BRUSCHI, International relationships and Communitarian policies at EHTTA, and MARCEL MEDAK, Director ar Daruvar Thermal Spa and President of the Health Tourism Clouster of Croatia. EHTTA Scientific Committee Vice-president MARIO CRECENTE will present the Thermal Atlas of Europe, an exciting project to map and document all the spa towns and thermal resources across Europe. The Mayor of Krapinske Toplica (Croatia), ERNEST SVAŽIĆ will also take part in this session.
During the 3-days event, the EHTTA wil have an exhibition stand at the hotel Lone in Rovinj, so visitors can establish further contact with the association.
The EHTTA was created in 2009 in Brussels, and soon after, in 2010 was designated responsible for the European Route of Historic Thermal Towns of the Council of Europe. It features some of the most important spa cities across the continent, including Daruvar (Croatia) Spa (Belgium), Budapest (Hungary), Vichy and Evian (France), Montecatini and Acqui Terme (Italy), Baden-Baden (Germany), Bursa (Turkey) or and Loutra Pozar (Greece), a few among its 38 members in 13 European countries. The aims of this European network are to obtain recognition for the innovative and cultural qualities of European spa towns at the European Union level, in order to develop a new plan for the tourist sector by encouraging cross-border tourism. EHTTA also encourages the economic development of spa towns and the safeguarding of their cultural and built heritage through exchanges of experience and good practices at European level.
Don’t miss the opportunity to meet our association at the HTI conference – Register here:
The first Executive Council meeting of the European Association of Historic Thermal Towns took place between 18th – 19th January in Enghien-les-Bains (France). Participants had the opportunity to attend a fundraising workshop focused on EU Structural Funds, brainstorming potentials projects that may contribute to boost EHTTA’s labour on the safeguarding and protection of European thermal heritage. The session was followed up by a discussion on the work programme and agenda for 2017, addressing EHTTA next public events – HTI conference in Rovinj (Croatia) and Intercare Medical Tourism Trade Fair in Milan (Italy) – and the celebrations of the 30th anniversary of the Council of Europe Routes Programme, marked this year.
On the 19th EHTTA representatives also attended Les Thermalies, France’s most important professional fair on thermalism and wellness, where they held a press conference with the support of the French Ministries of Culture and Communication and Tourism. “We are pleased to hold this very first Executive Council of our association in Enghien-les-Bains, a place not only well-known for its mineral hot springs waters but also for its creativity, as it has been designated a UNESCO City of Media Arts. It is a perfect example of how health, wellness and culture go hand in hand in our member spa towns” said EHTTA President Giuseppe Bellandi.
The European Historic Thermal Towns Association welcomes the election of Mr. Antonio Tajani as the new President of the European Parliament, confident that this decision is a step ahead in the valorization of European cultural heritage as a tool for sustainable development. As Commissioner of Tourism (2009 – 2014), he was a key actor for the implementation of the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Cultural Routes, boosting the cooperation between the Council of Europe and the European Commission which has made possible for this programme to keep growing year by year.
“We know that President Tajani has taken into particular consideration our project and our network of thermal towns, as well the Council of Europe Cultural Routes Programme. We had the opportunity to share with him the celebrations of European Tourism Day in 2010 (Brussels) and 2011 (Budapest), where he explicitly mentioned our thermal route and EHTTA as a model of good practice for sustainable and tourist development of territories” Bellandi said.
The European Historical Thermal Towns Association, responsible for the eponymous Cultural Route certified by the Council of Europe, will take part in Les Thermalies, one of the leading professional event dedicated to wellness and thermalism in France. The international network will hold a press conference and presentation at the fair, scheduled for January 19th, at 14.30 h, at Le Carrousel du Louvre (Paris). The purpose of this meeting is to present EHTTA actions and prospects for 2017, with particular emphasis on the the preparations for European Cultural Heritage Year 2018.
EHTTA Honorary president, Mr. Christian Corne, and Financial Manager, Mrs.Marion Vansingle, will be the speakers introducing the labour of the association, which works for the valorization and recognition of the European thermal culture. They will be joined by the Responsible for Cultural Itineraries from the French Ministry of Culture and Communications, Mr. Phillip Denis-Fee, who will discuss the presence of the European Cultural Routes programme within the French context, highlighting the contribution of the EHTTA to the promotion of French thermal heritage, gathering key agents such as the Fédération Thermale et Climatique Française (FTCF) or the Route des Villes d’Eaux du Massif Central. Mr. Michel Playe, responsible for the tourist office of Enghien-les-Bains, will also take part, proving insight into the experience of this French town, its benefits and possibilities for international positioning. More information about this international association which represents almost 40 historic thermal spa towns in 13 European countries will be available at the Enghien-les-Bains stand in Les Thermalies.
Travel agents, journalists, wellness stakeholders and authorities are welcomed to join EHTTA event on Thursday, January 19th, at 14.30 h at Les Thermalies (Carrousel du Louvre – Paris) – Salle Mezzanine Dali
The stories, buildings, culture, festivals and healing mineral-water springs integral to European thermal heritage will be showcased for the first time at the World Travel Market fair to be held in London on 7-9 November. The European Historic Thermal Towns Association, responsible for the European Cultural Route of Thermal Towns of the Council of Europe, will have a pod at the WTM Wellness Lounge, a dedicated area for the spa industry, which is open to visitors on the 9th November.
The impressive Nouveau building of Berzieri Spa, in Salsomaggiore Terme – one of the most famous spas of Italy, will be the venue chosen for the next General Assembly of the European Historic Thermal Towns Association on October 19th. Delegates from member spa towns will attend this two-days meeting, a great opportunity for networking and sharing experiences but also to follow up last news on the development of EHHTA work programme.
The European Historic Thermal Towns Association (EHTTA) took part last week in two important worldwide tourism exhibitions: the International Exhibition of Thermal Tourism, Health and Wellness Termatalia, in Coahuila, Mexico; and the 6th Business Conference “’Tourism Market of Southeast Europe – SEET 2016”, in Belgrade, Serbia. The Association was invited in order to bring its expertise in managing a cultural route certified by the Council of Europe that comprises almost 40 destinations in 13 different countries. Two great opportunities in terms of visibility, allowed the Association not only to exchange and learn about experiences of health tourism in South America, Asia and Europe, but also to meet and share its passion and understanding of Europe’s unique thermal spa culture with a great number of experts and stakeholders.
Termatalia is one of the biggest specific professional forums for thermal and wellness tourism today, acting as a “bridge” between Europe and South America connecting spa destinations. It’s not the first time that the Association has attended this fair, as once every two years it is held in Ourense (Spain) – one of EHTTA’s founder members- but this edition’s figures, with more than 30 countries represented, has bena major hit in terms of visibility for the network, participating not only as exhibitor but also as a key-note speaker in the 11th International Meeting of Thermal Cities.
On the other hand, representatives from EHTTA also travelled to Belgrade, Serbia, to attend the 6th Business ‘Tourism Market of Southeast Europe”, an event endorsed by the national Ministry of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications of the Serbia Republic. EHTTA was invited as part of the panel “Competitiveness of Thermal, Medical, Wellness & Spa Regional Tourist Offer” and also participated in the dedicated roundtable: “Economic development and promotion of Thermal Destinations of South East Europe”. It was an opportunity to present the network to the government of the Republic of Serbia, state member of the Council of Europe, and to strengthen cooperation with organizers who are planning future editions of the fair.
The European Association of Historic Thermal Towns will be a partner for the upcoming World Hydrothermal Organisation Congress, that will take place the 20-21 October in Levico Terme, Italy. This meeting, under the topic “Thermalism in the third Millenium” will be open to all the organizations and spa centres operating worldwide in the industry, providing an open forum for discussing new challenging facing the sector. President of EHTTA Scientific Committee, Paul Simons will be a speaker on recent innovations in spa architecture, the EHTTA President, Mr Giuseppe Bellandi will also attend the conference.
Check complete agenda for the OMtH Congress at its website: www.omth.com