TYPES OF TOURISM ASSOCIATED WITH GROUND-WATER RESOURCES IN THE ADJOINING COUNTIES OF SATU MARE AND SZABOLCS-SZATMÁR-BEREG
BÂTEA (BOTA) CĂTĂLINA MARIA
ABSTRACT. – Types of tourism associated with ground-water resources in the adjoining counties of Satu Mare and Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg. Bearing a long and unceasing history based on harnessing the healing effects of thermal and mineral springs, curative tourism represents one of the earliest forms of travel. Due to its multiple facets of medical, social and economic nature, this form has been aligned on a global upward trend, marking thus a shift towards health tourism. At present, the spectrum of health tourism comprises both the medical and wellness dimensions reuniting several specific types (surgical, therapeutic, medical wellness, leisure and holistic), however the practice of such activities strongly depends on the destination components (natural assets, general and tourism infrastructure). In the case of Satu Mare and Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg counties, spas and localities endowed with therapeutic factors (mineral and thermal springs completed with the bioclimatic component) tardily undertake this trend in an attempt to reorganise their touristic offer. Within this context, the present paper aims to explore the prespectives for health tourism development through ground-water resources by emphasising the touristic potential of thermal and mineral springs from the two neighbouring counties. Furthermore, the study has revealed that therapeutic and wellness tourism represent viable directions to generate revenue and revitalise the economy of the area.
Keywords: balneary offer, mineral and thermal springs, health tourism, wellness.