Termatalia Comes to a Close, Strengthens Position as Space for Health Tourism Professional Training
After three days of intense activity, the 14th edition of Termatalia Argentina drew to a close as the second one held in Latin America, consolidated as a training platform that was used by professionals from 28 countries to learn and increase their knowledge in terms of health tourism.
The attendance of top-of-the-line international experts of the sector as speakers and giving courses made the different activities included in the event be massively followed by thousands of professionals that left no seat empty. All of these elements turn Termatalia into the most important health tourism fair in Europe and Latin America.
This is one of the most outstanding aspects of this edition in which different entrepreneurial delegations from several countries, especially the numerous presence of Brazilian destinations, traveled to Termas de Río Hondo to participate in the fair, showed their satisfaction for the contacts and meetings they had and said to have fulfilled their expectations. The Saturday session targeted the general public and was attended by a significant amount of visitors, considering the commitment of Termas de Río Hondo city and the entire province of Santiago del Estero to this world-class event.
Termatalia Argentina held its official closing ceremony with the participation of authorities from both Argentina and Galicia. Argentina was represented by the national director of Tourism Promotion from the Argentinean Ministry of Tourism, Óscar Suárez; representative of the Argentinean Tourism Council, Ramiro Além; undersecretary of tourism of Santiago de Estero, Ricardo Sosa; and Mayor of Termas, Ricardo Sosa. The Galician delegation was made up of Tourism director, Nava Castro, and director of Termatalia, Alejandro Rubín.
During her speech, Nava Castro pointed out that “Termatalia has fostered the development of a network that interrelates all agents that are the future of a sector we must support, since that’s what will lead us to the quality and excellence as a tourism destination and the development of our territory in terms of sustainable tourism”. She also stressed that “Termas de Río Hondo was the finest scenery to internationally position Galicia in one of the most emerging tourism segments: health and wellness tourism. We have our hopes pinned on the Galician thermal sector because we think it is a constant value, an asset that never fades away".
In line with the words expressed by the Tourism Director of Galicia, it is interesting to see that the presence of Galicia and Ourense city in this international event have contributed to its international promotion as a health tourism destination, especially as a training place for professionals of the sector. The presence of companies linked to the consultancy, training, equipping and research in the community, along with the Water Campus from Vigo’s University, have turned Galicia and Ourense into a benchmark place when it comes to obtaining professional training on health tourism.
12th International Water Tasting Session
The closing ceremony of Termatalia Argentina also included the delivery of the awards related to the 12th International Water Tasting Session, headed by Galician sommelier Mercedes González, with a jury made up of professionals from Spain, Argentina and Brazil. The verdict of this jury places Costa Rica’s “Agua” and Brazil’s “Bioleve” as the top winners.
Still Mineral Natural Water Category:
1st award: Costa Rica’s “Agua”.
2nd award: “Aguas de Sousas” (Galicia – Spain).
3rd award: Brazil’s “Bioleve”.
Sparkling Mineral Natural Water Category:
1st award: Brazil’s “Bioleve”.
2nd award: Água de Vidago (Portugal).
Innovative Bottle Category: Costa Rica’s “Agua”.
Social Responsibility and Environment Policy Category:
Costa Rica’s “Agua”.
On the winning water, the jury analyzed that its bottle is made with recycled plastic and once it’s no longer necessary as a bottle, it becomes a tile for long-lasting roofs. Other recycled materials, such as paper, are used in these bottles. That’s how they deal, in a non-degradable way, with the coal of the plastic tile and the filler, which entails a positive environmental impact”.
Termatalia successfully closes its Argentinean edition and several countries (even different states within the same country) have applied to organize the 2016 edition. The 2015 edition will take place at its regular venue, Ourense.
