Hot-spring expanding
The world’s thermalism sector is in expansion and its crucial challenged is to reconcile high-level technology with therapeutic and personalized treatments, following the example of successes luxury brands as the motor car industry.
This was the fundamental idea introduce at the World Federation of Hydrotherapy and Climatotherapy congress this November in Batumi, Georgia, by Italian specialist Umberto Solimene, president of the international entity founded in 1937 which brings together worldwide institutions of public and private sectors.
In health care thermalism means the use of the pressure of moving water of various temperatures to massage the muscles and stimulate the circulation.
It is a much related concept to the one of wellness tourism.
«The digital age in the Thermal Centers can lead to an increase in employment, unlike what is happening in other sectors of the economy,» Professor Solimene stressed at the conference. FEMTEC is the only organization of its profile with official relations with the World Health Organization in the field of hydrotherapy.
FEMTEC seeks for new rules of behavior and innovations for thermal centers in its international venues, Florana Menendez, vice president of the organization explained. Menéndez added that currently the entity has several committees active in fields such as medicine, tourism and health, technology, economics and technological innovation.
FEMTEC manages 4 permanent thermal training centers, one in Italy in collaboration with the University of Milan, and another in Russia together with the Russian Academy of Tourism. One more center is in China and finally another in Tunisia.
Batumi, a sea resort
The sunny and modern Batumi, venue of the congress, is a sea resort of the third millennium with high-class luxury hotels. It is located on the Black Sea coast and is framed by exotic subtropical flora. Is also the tourism capital of Georgia.
The city beach is next to the Boulevard. The beaches in Batumi and its vicinities are stony without sand. To the east from the beach there are theatres, cinemas, restaurants, cafes with great food and other entertainments.
The Alphabetic Tower is a special area in Batumi. Is a 130-meter-high structure and symbolizes the uniqueness of the Georgian alphabet and people. Two helix bands rise up the tower holding 33 letters of the Georgian alphabet, each 4 meters tall and made of aluminum.
Experts says thermalism is a very important niche for the tourism industry and it has been a good topic to be discussed in Batumi.
The meeting stressed that in a globalized world, Spas have three areas of development, one of them the European, where national health systems codify and recognize the use of mineral waters at different levels of importance.
In the extra-European area there are «hybrid» structures, that is to say partially medicalized and partially dedicated to well-being in general, and the Far East and Pacific region, mainly dedicated to aquatic and recreational activities.
Mr Solineme, with its comparison about luxury brands, suggested that only with an international exchange of ideas and profitable concrete projects integrated into their respective business, thermalism will find its updated role in the modern society health needs.
Wellness Destiny / Photo Sabu728
