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EUROPE AND LATIN-AMERICA EXCHANGE EXPERIENCES IN TERMATALIA
2006
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There were presented actions and projects
pertaining to both continents that develop their thermalism according to very
different concepts.
The participating countries in the International Forum of Thermal Tourism
that took place in the framework of the Fair Termatalia 2006, valued very
positively this innovative experience of “interchange and mutual knowledge”
between European and Latin American spas models. There were presented actions,
regulations and projects pertaining to both continents that develop their
thermalism according to very different concepts.
This International Fair of Thermalism, Thalassotherapy and Spas that from 27
to 29 October gathered 3.700 professionals and more than 12.800 visitors and
this achievement place the fair among the most important thermal contests at
european level.
Latin America, with a significant presence, was specially interested in the
therapeutic application of the thermal waters, trying in this way to open new
and different fields to the thermal water use. The intense growth of the thermal
sector has also been verified, although in Peru still as an emergent sector.
Regarding legislative aspect, was conspicuos the presentation of the Law of
 Thermal Baths of the Latin American countries, elaborated by Argentina.
Dr. Mayte Suárez, Internacional thermalism specialist and Chairwoman of the
International Forum, said that to deal with so differente thermal traditions
supposed “a great challenge“. At the same time she expressed her satisfaction,
as organizer and coordinator of the event and she defined the task of selecting
the countries, through the wide range of subjects generated by the thermalism
and the tourism of health, as “an unique experience“.
In this first encounter participated representatives from France, Hungary,
Israel, as invited country, Argentina, Brazil, Peru, Uruguay and Spain.
This appointment was, also, a very good occasion to present Expoagua, the
international event that will take place in the spanish city of Zaragoza in
2008.
The International Forum of Thermal Tourism Europa–Latin América, carried out
during the scientific days that Expourense promoted in collaboration with GRUPO
TERMAS, counted with the presence of some important personalities with a
decisive function in legislative policies related to the protection of thermal
waters and of the sustainable tourism.
EUROPE
Europe was represented by France, country that presented, through the
director of Tourism of Gers, Mr. José L. Pereira, the tourist activity of this
county, where the thermalism is considered one of the pillars of tourism.
Well-known as the Triangle of the Water, including the thermal Baths of Barbotán,
Lectoure and Castéra –Verduzan.
Mr. Ferencs Rózsa Manager Director of the Royal SpaThermal & Wellness of
Sarvar, shows the hungarian thermal tourist development of the Region of the
Western Trans-Danube.
Israel, came as invited country, being represented by Professor Dr. Pedro
Zúñiga, expert in Tourism and Hostelry of the Jerusalen Hebrew University. From
a generic perspective, he exposed the importance of the climate therapy,
specially that of the Dead Sea, in the tourism of health which represents 21
percent of the hotel business in the area of Dead Sea.
Spain, the host country, presented through Marcos Ferrer, Head of Tourism
Department of Zararagoza Fair 2008,“The Water Challengue”, an event of
international relevance born from the water and human comunities relation, in a
global, efficient and caring project. The water and its sustainable development
will direct all the aspects of the fair regarding the management and
distribution in a most efficiently way.
LATIN-AMERICA
Argentina is a reference in Latin America regarding thermal tourism
development and due to so important role, a large delegation participated with
remarkable success in the international thermal contest.
The National Tourism Secretary, represented by Architec Carmen Saravia, shows
the current situation of Thermalism and the future challenges. Representing the
county of Entre Rios, the Undersecretary of Tourism of the County, Architec
Adrián Stur anounced the mark “Thermal Baths of Argentina“ and legislative works,
mainly the Law of Thermal Baths. The environmental aspects, contained in the
normative, were profiled by Secretary of Environment of the County also present
in the Forum.
The bottled water industry, due to its great importante, was the main reason
of the presence of Brazil, whose market of mineral waters grown by 20% in the
last decade. The country was represented by Dr. Marcos Untura, regular member of
the Permanent Commission of Crenología of the Ministry of Mines and Energy that
discourse upon the Code of Waters and Thermalism, and Dr. Petra Sanchez,
scientific president of the Brazilian Association of the Industry of Bottled
Waters. (ABINAM), that spoke over the protection and the internacional labelling
system of mineral waters and, in general, of Brazilian Mineral Waters panorama.
Although the development of the thermal resource is still being an emergent
industry, the National Chamber of Tourism of Peru, participated in the Forum
through its executive member, John Herdin, who speak about tourism of health
from the social-economic perspective in the Region of Cajamarca: “Villa Termal
de los Incas”. After his exhibition, the cajamarquian businessman, requested
participation and investment, specially in the development projects of this
region.
The Latin American participation was completed with the presence of Uruguay,
country invited to the Forum due to the importance of the work that Uruguay
carries out jointly with Argentina which turn this area into of the most
important region regarding thermal development of MERCOSUR.
The director of tourism of the Intendencia de Salto, Antonio Fonticiella
carried out his speech over one of the most interesting plans in Latin America:
the Project for the Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development of the
Guarani Aquifer System, one of the biggest water reservations of the world,
located in the subsoil of four countries: Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and
Uruguay.
On the other hand, Claudio Quintana, Tourism Director of Paysandú centered his
exhibition in the Environmental Administration System in the Thermal Centers of
Guaviyú and Almirón.
CONCLUSIONS
After an intense working day and an open dialogue among all participants, the
conclusions offered by Dr. Mayte Suárez, chairwoman of the forum were the
following:
EUROPE:
- Ratifies its traditional model of thermal culture with a professionalized
thermalism. Appropiate hotels trade in the region, hospitals, means of
communications, high level in technical staffs and a continuous scientific
study of the mineral medicinal waters applications.
- The thermalism is considered one of the fundamental pillars of the tourism
in the counties and regions with thermal resources, spas and the effectiveness
of the research on thermal waters for a better application in therapeutic
treatments.
- To establish a bigger collaboration between the private initiative and the
public one in order to optimize the tourist and thermal resources. The union
between the private capital and those contributed by the State allows, like in
the case of Israel where the tourism of health supposes 21 percent of the
volume of hotel business in the Dead Sea.
- Opening toward a new concept of “healthy leisure “and tourism of well-being.
LATIN-AMERICA:
- Defense of a future model based on the respect to the biodiversity and the
international certification of protection and quality of mineral waters
- To increase the value of thermal resources diversifying and creating new
products and wholehearthed will to adapt these products to the European norms
of quality
- To change the concept of recreation thermalism for another that includes
bigger professional specialization and technique and the scientific knowledge
of the thermal waters for an appropriate therapeutic use
- Mostly of countries have offered investment opportunities and profit-sharing
in the thermal tourist projects currently under development
- Contribution of innovative laws like the first normative of Law of Thermal
Baths and the tourist mark “Thermal Baths of Argentina.”
- The project of “Villa Termal de los Incas” that was presented with an
important complement of alternative options aimed to enjoy the thermal waters,
following the current concept of development of the European Thermal Villas
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