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waters. It is also home to 40 ‘banjas’ – the word for Serbian spas and also the name for the resorts which have developed around the springs. Now the sector is gaining inter- national attention with privatisation of its state-owned banjas. So, when did spa tour- ism begin in Serbia, how has it developed, and what are the opportunities ahead?
S WELLNESS WATERS
Ancient Romans, as far back as the 2nd cen- tury, used Serbia’s mineral and thermal waters for curative and relaxation purposes. But the majority of banjas weren’t officially noted by the state until the late 19th century. Depending on their geological composi-
tion, the springs were cold, warm and even hot; barely or highly mineralised; enriched with various chemical substances and oligo elements; or even contained curative radi- oactive waters. Other features included medicinal gases and muds. Te springs were used to treat multiple ill-
nesses (see below) as people bathed in them, drank the waters or inhaled their vapours and they were all in beautiful environments sur- rounded by forests, meadows and orchards. Over time, accommodation was added to enable people to ‘take the waters’ and the cen-
erbia is one of the richest sources for natural, therapeutic waters in Europe. Its lands have been blessed with around 500 springs of different curative mineral
SOMETHING ABOUT
Tere’s great promise for medical and wellness tourism in Serbia, a country that is a rich source of healing waters and where privatisation of its traditional spas is gaining momentum
Serbia
tre piece of the complexes were institutions or hospitals which used the waters for treat- ments. Parks, hiking trails, swimming pools and hotels completed the offer. A number of banjas were also situated in
high-altitude areas – typically 450-1,500m (1,470-4,920ſt) above sea level – where the oxygen-rich air led to those institutions establishing their reputations for curative powers, as well as making excellent train- ing grounds for sports people. Te popularity of the banjas was at its peak
between 1914 and 1945 and visitors came from all over Europe to enjoy the waters and
for treatments. But aſter the formation of the former Yugoslavia, spa patronage became more internally focused. Tis situation con- tinued until the end of the troubles under Milošević’s rule. Over the past 10 years though, Serbia has re-emerged as a strong tourism destination once more.
SPA RESURRECTION
A USAID programme based in Belgrade, the Serbian Enterprise Development Project 2003-2007, designed to strengthen the com- petitiveness of Serbian businesses, played a strong role in helping to resurrect the
BANJAS OF NOTE
Te springs in Serbia can treat a plethora of diseases including those related to the car- diovascular system, respiratory organs, the gastrointestinal tract, the pancreas, locomo- tion apparatus, the kidney, the metabolism, gynaecological illnesses, neurological con- ditions, the consequences of trauma and the skin. Some banjas of note include:
n Vrnjačka Banja, central Serbia. Tis spa town has seven mineral springs, four of which are used in medical treatments, with one – the topla voda – hailed as the only spring in the world to exactly match the temperature of the human body (36.5˚C). Its Merkur Institute, with thermal baths and a wellness centre, specialises in treat- ing diabetes and obesity. Other hotels
Te Merkur Institute at Vrnjačka Banja in central Serbia treats diabetes and obesity
boast more modern spa facilities. Details:
www.visitvrnjackabanja.com n Banja Koviljača in the north-west. Hailed as Serbia’s oldest spa town, Banja Koviljača has numerous sulphuric and iron-bear- ing thermal springs. It has a Specialised Rehabilitation Hospital, with the Kovilje
68 Read Spa Business online
spabusiness.com / digital
Banja Koviljača boasts a Specialised Rehabilitation Hospital and a wellness centre
wellness centre, and treatments include hydrotherapy as well as manual, underwa- ter and vibro-massage. Te hospital includes a Children’s Rehabilitation Department.
Details:
www.banjakoviljaca.rs n Sokobanja, east Serbia. The thermal mineral springs of Sokobanja range from
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part two
PHOTOS: NATIONAL TOURISM ORGANISATION OF SERBIA
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