Asociación Balnearios de Galicia

“Water is industry, wealth, employment and food.” Under this maxim, the Agua de Galicia brand was presented at an event held at the thermal baths of Cuntis, with the participation of the Regional Minister of Economy, Employment and Industry, Fernando Conde, as the entity that supports the launch of this brand. The initiative is from the Cluster of Mineral and Thermal Water of Galicia, which brings together the two Galician business associations linked to the exploitation of the resource: the Association of Spas of Galicia and the Galician Association of Natural Mineral Water Bottling Companies (Agamin). The event was also attended by the general director of Energy and Mines, Ángel Bernardo Tahoces; Álvaro García de Quevedo, vice president of the Cluster; Marisol Espiño, president of the Association of Spas of Galicia and director of Termas de Cuntis; Benigno Amor, manager of the Cluster and José Manuel García, vice president of Agamin.

During the presentation of the brand, a promotional video was shown highlighting the fact that in Galicia, “the Agua de Galicia brand is a guarantee and gives the consumer security in relation to the Galician origin of the water he consumes, whether it be in a drink or in a bath”. In addition, the new website of the Mineral and Thermal Water Cluster of Galicia was launched, together with the improvements in its application for mobile phones; the result of an agreement signed in 2017 between the Cluster and the Ministry of Economy. For its part, the renewed application for smartphones “Agua de Galicia” is intended for the valuation and protection of the aquifers of the mineral waters of Galicia by allowing the geolocation of the protection perimeters of the different mineral water aquifers that exist in Galicia, of great interest for territorial planners and for the Public Administrations.

The aim of this proposal is to “raise awareness among public administrations, the business sector, urban planners and society in general of the importance of protecting mineral water aquifers and the natural environment in which bottling plants and spa establishments are located”, declared the Cluster’s vice-president.
The Cluster highlighted the importance of having a brand that brings together and makes visible the mineral and thermal water companies of the community, ensuring that “it will contribute to differentiate and give value to the Galician origin and to the virtues of the composition and quality of our mineral and thermal waters, also favouring their promotion abroad”. It is a sector that generates 1,400 jobs in Galicia and whose positioning from the point of view of the markets places it as a reference of quality and prestige, which will allow it to grow in jobs and turnover as well as in international recognition.
The Cluster, a unique initiative in Europe
Galicia has 15% of the springs in Spain, 10% of the bottled natural mineral water plants and 19% of the spas, which makes it one of the European regions with the greatest mineral and thermal wealth. The Mineral and Thermal Water Cluster of Galicia was established in 2011, promoted by various associations and the Directorate General of Industry, Energy and Mines of the Xunta de Galicia. It is a unique experience in Europe, as there is no one that brings together spas and bottled water companies. It is made up of the 19 thermal establishments of the Association of Spas of Galicia and the six companies associated with Agamin have six associated companies.