- El mejor turismo de galicia
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- Various thermalism representatives and associations participated last week in an event in which they shared experiences and knowledge.
More than one hundred people participated last week in the expert congress organized by the GDR Condado-Paradanta in collaboration with the European Association of Historical Thermal Cities (EHTTA), on the occasion of the celebration of the sixth European Thermal Heritage Day. This event turned the municipality of Mondariz-Balneario into the epicenter of thermalism on the European Thermal Heritage Day.
The European Thermal Heritage Day is an annual event established by the Scientific Committee of the European Association of Historical Thermal Cities to highlight thermal heritage and place it in the tourist panorama. Since its launch, this was the first time that Galicia was chosen to celebrate the activities, coinciding with the 150th anniversary of Mondariz-Balneario.
In this commemoration, which was held from October 11 to 13, different representatives, professionals and European associations linked to thermalism participated, sharing their experiences and knowledge. Among them were Mondariz-Balneario itself, Portugal’s Caldas de la Rainha, Belgium’s Spa and New York’s Saratoga Springs. Throughout these days, a variety of activities, workshops, tours, guided and dramatized visits were carried out, in addition to the European-wide congress.
Among all the attendees, authorities and experts, was the director of the Galician Tourism Agency, Xosé Manuel Merelles; the president of the Pontevedra Provincial Council, Luis López; the mayor of Mondariz-Balneario, César Gil; and the president of the GDR, Pablo Castillo.
Merelles highlighted the great growth capacity of thermal tourism to economically boost the Galician countryside. Last year alone, this type of tourism generated 150,000 tourists and just over half a million nights, both from Galician visitors and from the rest of the autonomous communities. This is a sector that doubles the general average expenditure of the rest of the tourism sector.
