Giovanni Gurnari, Vice President of FEMTEC spoke at the opening ceremony.

By Xinyi Li, EDITOR

The First International Symposium on Hydrotherapy and Climatotherapy Tourism in China (hereinafter referred to as the Symposium) kicked off on October 16 at Beibei District, Chongqing. The Symposium focuses on gathering at Chongqing, the World’s Capital of Hot-spring to discuss healthy wellness as well as tourism. Numbers of experts from international authorities, such as FEMTEC, are assembled at Beibei District. It is the first time to integrate hot spring tourism and climate for healthy wellness in China.

Wellness Tourism and Hot Spring

It is exciting for Umberto Solimene, the president of FEMTEC, to come to  Chongqing again. He marveled the abundance of hot springs in this city in 2014, which was the first time he arrived at Chongqing. In Solimene’s perspective, Northern Hot Springs in Chongqing is natural and artesian with 1600 years’ history. Otherwise, the hydraulic discharge still reaches 3,000 m³ and keeps around 40 ℃ with the trace element. It is very rare even around the world.

Umberto Solimene, the president of FEMTEC, is talking about wellness tourism and hot springs

At the seminar, Solimene indicated that it had an opportunity to integrate hot spring with wellness tourism. Hot spring treatment is an old method of hydrotherapy. In some developed countries, hydrotherapy is widespread according to the scientific standard. It provides precaution, nursing, and recovery for millions of patients. It would reduce morbidity for most active diseases if it could improve the management organization for hydrotherapy of hot spring, said Solimene.

Treatment and Hot Spring

Meanwhile, Giorgio D’Alessandro, a medical doctor in thermalism, deemed that the landscapes and climate in Chongqing were good for anemia, CVD (cardiovascular disease), metabolic syndrome, plateau obesity, etc. Nature in Chongqing can offer an ideal environment for usual musculoskeletal as well as neurological rehabilitation. He indicated that it could focus on hot springs on the mountain, organizing some activities to solve health problems and satisfy the public. There is a possibility to integrate environment, hydrotherapy, medical treatment, psychology, and social supports.

Giorgio D’Alessandro, a general medicine medical doctor, deemed that the landscapes and climate in Chongqing were good for patients

Moreover, Jacek Chojnowski, the department head of Nicolaus Copernicus University, indicated that it was the legal duty to permit detection of climatic conditions in hot spring areas. In Poland, hot spring treatment areas are divided into 3 parts – low regions, coastal regions, and mountain regions. The senior and kids will take the treatment at low regions, whose climatic conditions are moderate. Others will take the treatment at mountain regions.

Jacek Chojnowski indicated that it was the legal duty to permit detection of climatic conditions in hot spring areas

Fabio Esposito, the professor from the University of Milan, considered when patients enjoyed in hot spring water, it could reduce the prevalence rate of CVD. Giovanni Gurnari, the vice president of FEMTEC, indicated that people in modern society hoped to return to nature.

With the releasing of this seminar, Chongqing stands a chance to become the guidepost in the hot spring tourism industry.

Fabio Esposito lectured on the Symposium in Chongqing.