On December 9th, a friendship protocol was signed in Amélie-Les-Bains (Els Banys d'Arles) in Vallespir between the Associació de Viles Termals de Catalunya and the Fédération des Stations Thermales d'Occitanie during a knowledge-sharing working session between the two territories, which have completely different management realities.
Protocol text:
THERMALISM
Thermalism is the use of thermal waters for curative and preventive purposes to preserve health capital.
Water used for therapeutic purposes in a thermal establishment must be a natural mineral water of underground origin, defined by its original purity, and distinguished from other waters by the nature and stability of its essential physicochemical elements (minerals, trace elements).
These waters are used for medical and wellness purposes, for the production of dermatological and cosmetic products, as drinking water and marketed as such, as well as for energy production using waters with high emergence temperatures.
The Occitanie Region and Catalonia are strongholds of European thermalism, with 28 and 14 thermal stations, respectively. The thermal municipalities of Occitanie are grouped within the Fédération Thermale d'Occitanie. Among them are the five thermal municipalities located in the Pyrénées-Orientales department. The thermal municipalities of Catalonia are grouped within the Associació de Viles Termals de Catalunya. Occitanie welcomes nearly 200,000 spa visitors each year, while Catalonia hosts 205,000 people annually for wellness and fitness treatments.
MEMBERS
The implementation of this charter involves the delegates of the thermal municipalities that adhere to its objectives. A six-member board is responsible for implementing concrete actions to bring this charter to life (three municipalities from the Occitanie Region and three municipalities from Catalonia). The presidency will rotate every two years.
OBJECTIVES
Establish ties of friendship, exchange, meetings, and cooperation between thermal municipalities. Regular meetings should serve as a means of promotion and information between two different approaches to thermalism and wellness in neighboring territories.
Contribute to diversifying health and wellness offerings while complying with current regulations and enriching the stays of our patients and clients (health education, combating sedentary lifestyles and addictions such as smoking, dietary advice to preserve health capital, proper hygiene, etc.).
Participate in promoting our territories as tourist destinations by enhancing our natural, architectural, cultural, and gastronomic heritage.
Encourage scientific research, particularly in connection with universities in our territories (medical research, biological and physicochemical research on thermal waters, evaluation of medical benefits of treatments, hydrogeological assessments, energy production, etc.).
Help raise awareness of professions related to thermalism, training, and, more generally, all actions aimed at facilitating recruitment in spas and our thermal municipalities.
THIS CHARTER AIMS TO BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE VALUES, REGULATIONS, AND
OPERATION OF OUR PROFESSIONAL SECTORS.
Done in Amélie-les-Bains, December 9, 2022
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