2008 will be the "Year of Waters" in Hungary

The Hungarian Tourism Company (Magyar Turizmus Zrt.) is launching a Ft 100 million (roughly €400,000) campaign to popularize spa and bathing tourism in the country by designating 2008 the "Year of Waters," reports mfor.hu. The campaign will focus on the surface waters and thermal and medical springs in the regions around Lake Balaton, Lake Tisza, and the Tisza and Kőrös rivers.

Magyar Turizmus CEO Iván Róna stressed the importance of public marketing, as 80% of Hungary's visitors - as a result of the widespread use on the Internet - plan their trips independently of agencies. As a result, he said it was no longer enough to provide information to travel agencies, the wider public also needed to be reached. This is considerably more costly.

Hot water springs are so frequent in Hungary that nearly every settlement could have its own thermal bath, writes vg.hu. The temperature and the composition of the thermal waters determine which medical problems they can be used to treat.

Thermal springs can be as hot as 80 ºC and often need to be cooled before being allowed into pools. Water with a temperature under 25 ºC is appropriate for swimming and watersports, while anything up to 36 ºC is fine for soaking for hours without putting any strain on the body. Bathing in water with a temperature above 37 degrees raises blood pressure and can have adverse effects on inflammation, so soaking for more than 30 minutes is not recommended. This temperature is suitable for loosening stiff muscles and relieving pain. Inhalation of the steam produced by thermal waters can also relieve symptoms of respiratory illnesses such as asthma and allergy.

Hungary's thermal waters are very diverse based on their mineral and radioactive properties: carbonated waters (beneficial to patients suffering from heart diseases), sulphuric springs (relieve symptoms of skin problems) and salty baths (relieve inflammation) can all be found.

Some of Hungary's most popular bath towns, the type of their waters and the medical problems they can heal are listed below.

Balf - hydrogen sulphide - locomotive disorders (arthritis, osteoarthritis, soft tissue disorders and joint pain resulting from metabolic conditions), dermatological disorders, orthopaedic disorders (spinal deformations, irregular posture) and neurological disorders (neuralgia and chronic neuritis, post-traumatic locomotive treatment)

Bükfürdő - alkaline hydrogen carbonate, calcium, magnesium and fluoride - locomotive, gynaecological and respiratory disorders, gastroenterological disorders (as drinking cure)

Debrecen - iodide, bromide and hydrogen-carbonate - locomotive, dermatological, gynaecological and respiratory disorders

Egerszalók - sulphur, magnesium-calcium-hydrogen carbonate - spine and neurology problems, rheumatism, arthritis

Hajdúszoboszló - salty, iodic, bromic - gynaecological and locomotive problems, rheumatism, arthritis

Harkány - sulphur - gynaecological inflammations, dermatological and locomotive problems

Hévíz - sulphur, calcium-magnesium carbonate - rehabilitation after orthopedic operations, osteoporosis, rheumatism

Miskolc-Tapolca - salty karst water - respiratory problems, excessive tiredness, locomotive and dermatological disorders, gastroenterological complaints (as drinking cure)

Parádfürdő - sulphur, iron - gynaecological inflammations, infertility, post-operation rehabilitation, locomotive and gynaecological problems, gastroenterological disorders (as drinking cure)

Zalakaros - iodic, bromic, sulphuric, salty - dental problems, arthritis, post-operation rehabilitation, locomotive, gynaecological and dermatological disorders

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