25 Jul 2022
International Congress on Thermal Tourism returns after 11-year hiatus
BY Megan Whitby
The International Congress on Thermal Tourism (ICTT) is returning for 2022 and taking place at Expourense in Spain, from 27-29 September 2022.
The event will mark the third-ever iteration of the congress, following on from events in 1999 and 2011.
As in previous years, the event will be held in the historic thermal city of Ourense known for its ancient hot springs.
Around 300 international delegates are expected to attend and hear from a dynamic line-up of speakers covering a range of topics. These will include:
• How to safeguard thermal heritage.
• Thermal tourism’s socio-economic benefits and opportunities for tourism and development.
• Providing a sustainable, competitive and innovative model for other tourism sectors or products.
• How thermal heritage can be used to offer immersive spa and wellness experiences.
The congress is being organised by the Galicia Region as well as the Municipality of Ourense and The European Historic Thermal Towns Association (EHTTA) – an affiliate members of the UNWTO (United Nations World Tourism Organisation).
The 2022 ICTT is being held in collaboration with annual industry event Termatalia which is an international fair dedicated to thermal tourism, health and wellness.
Hosted on 29-30 September, this year’s conference will mark Termatalia’s 20th anniversary.
Spa Business spoke to Manuel Baltar, EHTTA president and president of Ourense Province (Galicia/Spain), about the upcoming events.
“Following the pandemic, the world appears to be looking for exactly what thermal towns can offer and we’re keen to stress the unique package of benefits that thermal tourism can bring to visitors.”
Baltar says the ICTT will be underpinned by three major themes: tourism, heritage, and experience.
“The schedule is being designed to give delegates a thorough look at the world of historic thermal towns and thermal tourism in general. It involves global speakers and a global audience in order to help delegates compare and learn best practices from thermal tourism around the world as well as Europe.
“With a launch date that coincides with World Tourism Day and the event's connection with Termatalia, the ICTT in Ourense is certainly the place to be this September.”
After 2022, there are plans to make the ICTT a more regular event.
Registration for both the ICTT and Termatalia, are managed by Expourense, which is the organisation behind Termatalia. To find out more information about registering, follow this link.
UNWTO Affiliate Members and members of the EHTTA are being offered special opportunities to exhibit at Termatalia, plus there will be an EHTTA Lounge for members to exhibit and network.
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