>> It is celebrated on September 16 and 17, 2020 in a hybrid format and can be followed in person from Ourense or virtual from anywhere in the world

>> As of today, the congress has more than 300 registrants who come from a score of countries, among which Argentina and Portugal stand out, together with Spain

Ourense, 09/14/2020.- Everything is ready for the celebration of the 1st International Congress on Water and Health organized by Termatalia 2020 International Fair of Health, Thermal and Wellness Tourism. It will be held on September 16 and 17 and is organized in a hybrid format, that is, it can be followed in person by going to the Expourense facilities, located in the thermal capital of Ourense, or followed online through a virtual platform. They will be two days that have the objective of reuniting the thermal community again and of continuing to position Termatalia as one of the most important international forums of knowledge and specialized training in the field of health tourism and spas. This Congress has the support of the Ourense Provincial Council and the Department of Tourism and Thermalism of the Ourense City Council, entities that have been joined by other collaborators such as the Chair of Medical Hydrology, the University of Santiago de Compostela, Tourism of Extremadura, Costa Cálida-Murcia Region, the National Institute for Tourism Promotion of the Argentine Republic (INPROTUR) or the project “A break on the roads.”

The program of this 1st Congress on Water and Health has the participation of 50 renowned international professionals from 9 countries (Argentina, Brazil, Spain, United States, Italy, Portugal, Thailand, Tunisia and Uruguay) and who will also participate in a mixed way . This panel of experts turns this congress into a multidisciplinary event that addresses the future of the sector from the current situation marked by the pandemic caused by COVID-19. The quality and innovation of the program of this congress is evident by the fact that, to date, more than 300 registrations have been received from professionals in the sector from twenty countries on 4 continents and among which stand out, along with Spain, the assistants from Portugal and Argentina.

Program

The scientific program of this congress will treat health tourism from a current multidisciplinary perspective. It will include, among others, the participation of the presidents and directors of the national associations of Spas of Spain (ANBAL), Termas de Portugal, the European Association of Cities with Thermal Historical Heritage (EHTTA), or the International Federation of Hydrotherapy and Climatotherapy (FEMTEC), or from other entities such as the Department of Tourism of the Xunta de Galicia, the Spanish Society of Medical Hydrology or the president of the Porto e Norte de Portugal Tourism Entity.

COVID-19

One of the sessions will pay special attention to the situation experienced by the sector in relation to the pandemic. It will have conferences that will present real cases and experiences that will deal with the security protocols that are being applied in the sector and round tables focused on the reactivation of the sector, on how to face the future with less uncertainty and how to reduce the economic impact. Related to COVID-19 there will be a round table that will analyze the global vision on health tourism in times of COVID-19, a sector for which the global pandemic situation has become an opportunity to recognize Balneology and the importance of prevention in preparing the immune system as part of a healthy lifestyle. This is an advantage for countries that have extensive natural resources such as hot springs, which with the appropriate training, certification and legislation process can represent an opportunity for the development of new health destinations or enhancement of existing ones.

Related to the pandemic, there will also be a panel on “Safety and prevention protocols in spas and thermal centers” which will be moderated by Dr. Juan Gestal. Director of the Chair of Medical Hydrology at the University of Santiago de Compostela. In this panel, the Spanish Tourism Quality Institute (ICTE), Fernando Fraile, who will present the measures to reduce the spread of SARS – CoV-2 in Spas. The “Clean & Safe” seal created by Termas de Portugal will also be presented; the protocol of action against COVID of the Caldaria Group and Termas de Chaves and the situation in Primary Care will also be analyzed.

Medical Hydrology

This Congress will include a session dedicated to medical hydrology that will include the presentation of the 3rd Vademecum of the mineral-medicinal waters of Spain by Dr. Francisco Maraver, director of the Chair of Medical Hydrology at the Complutense University of Madrid and president of the Spanish Society of Medical Hydrology. The mechanisms of action of balneotherapy as a trigger for the immune response will also be discussed, a study that will be presented by researchers from the University of Extremadura. This session also includes the presentation of the latest research in Medical Hydrology carried out by the Termas Centro de Portugal association.

Tourism, Innovation and Sustainability

This session will host the presentation of innovative tourism products in the Iberian Peninsula, such as the Wellbeing program of the Ourense Provincial Council, which will analyze how the pandemic is affecting public programs of social spas. In this panel will be presented other programs such as those developed by: Balnearios de Extremadura; Costa Calida of Murcia; Spas of Galicia and their project “A break on the roads”; EuroCidade da Auga Chaves-Verín (Spain-Portugal) or Turismo Porto e Norte de Portugal.

This event also includes a panel that will analyze the process for the declaration of public utility of a spring in which three experts related to Hydrogeology and Mining Engineering will participate.

 This session will conclude with the celebration of a showcooking organized by the project “A rest on the roads” that has the objective of promoting Galicia as a healthy destination.

Also related to tourism, this congress includes a panel on thermal destinations in Argentina, one of the main health tourism destinations in Latin America. It will be coordinated by the executive secretary of the National Institute for Tourism Promotion of Argentina (INPROTUR), Ricardo Sosa.

Call for Papers / Scientific Communications

Like all scientific congresses, this one will also have a space dedicated to the presentation of the latest research carried out in the water and spa sectors. This session will be coordinated by the president of the Galician Thalassotherapy Society, Lourdes Mourelle, and will host the presentation of 10 research works from 5 countries.

Registration

Participation in this Congress will be free of charge by invitation of Termatalia or the entities collaborating with the fair. The registration form and the conference program can be consulted on the congress website www.congreso.termatalia.com