pubblicato nel numero 2020 anno 4

Filippo Cardinale
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The main Sicilian spas managed by the institutions have experienced years of great crisis with the closure of the thermal baths of Acireale in 2010, and the definitive one of the thermal baths a of Sciacca, since 2015.
The crisis was caused by disastrous management caused by the
accumulation of management deficits, as was the case with many other Italian spas which referred to local and regional institutions: Montecatini, Fiuggi, Salsomaggiore, Agnano, Grado and others and others.
The state of affairs is well reported by the author who knows very well the
history of the Baths of Sciacca and has been the author of many articles on
them. "Due to the lack of specialized managers, we have been anchored in a concept of thermalism too oriented to health aspects without knowing how to grasp the novelties of a market increasingly oriented towards wellness and
for this reason in strong development. In fact, the great development of well being has had almost as a counterpoint, in Sicily, as well as in some other region, the crisis and the fall of the traditional thermal sector".
It is mentioned as an emblematic case of what happened that of the Grande Albergo San Calogero. Built 50 years ago, inaugurated three times and never opened.
In this same magazine we have repeatedly argued that the institutions, and
in particular the regions, have not activated real managers for the
management of spas but only political figures. For this reason, there have
been bankruptcy managements for which the market is now blamed while the market has seen the lush growth of wellness and related wellness
establishments. So there is a paradox because the institutions have caused the spa crisis and are now accusing the spa of experiencing the same crisis that
caused it.
It is a vicious cycle which must be taken into account