The Tourism Observatory for Health Wellness and Spa has issued a case study of the Hungarian spa town of Hévíz, “Hot springs, tourism and economic impacts’
Health tourism is the one and only industry in Hévíz. The thermal lake of Hévíz is the world’s largest biologically active natural thermal lake. It is in a unique setting, 6 km from the Lake Balaton, 198 km from Vienna and 193 km from Budapest.
The heat coming from the deeper layers of the earth’s crust heats the waters locked inside the underground deposits, which means that the lake is also heated by geometric energies. Guests can bathe even in the winter months. The steady and constant water flow has a beneficial effect on the body as it keeps bathers lightly massaged during the whole time they spend in the lake. The therapeutic effect has many uses in health prevention and cure., and the basis of balneotherapy is thermal water. It is claimed that the therapy has beneficial effects on rheumatic diseases, osteoporosis, degenerative spinal/joint diseases, chronic and gynaecological conditions.
The healing city of Hévíz attracts some 225,000 guests every year who spend a million guest nights at the destination. There are 23 hotels, many of which are either wellness or medical hotels .In Hungary there is special legislation for medical hotels by law and industry self-regulation is for wellness hotels.
The study estimates that the 225,000 tourists have a significant impact on the local economy with direct and indirect spending .The study report includes details on methodology, economics and healthcare; too detailed to explain fully here.