Core Strategy: Jermuk as a Tourism Destination - CAPS

B. Brief History & Background on Destination Spas and
Jermuk
Definitions of Resorts and Spas
A resort is a place used for relaxation or recreation, attracting visitors for holidays or
vacations. Such resorts usually try to provide most of a vacationer’s wants while on the
premises, such as food, drink, lodging, sports, entertainment, and shopping. A destination
spa, on the other hand, is a residential/ lodging facility with the primary purpose of guiding
individual spa-goers to develop healthy habits and promote relaxation. Such facilities
usually offer a comprehensive program that includes spa services, physical fitness activities,
wellness education, healthy cuisine, stress-relieving activities, and special interest
programming. Guests reside and participate in the program at a destination spa instead of
just visiting for a treatment or pure vacation. Some are located in exotic locations or spa
towns.
Origins and Recent History of European Spas
The current concept of the European spa was born in the famous Roman baths. In the
1900’s, most European spas revolved around hydrotherapy and bathing. They were usually
divided into two categories: 1) mineral spring spas, which supposedly had healing
properties, and 2) thalassotherapy spas, which were based on hydrotherapy using sea
water, seaweed, and mineral bath sea salts. In the 1990s, European spas were forced to
adjust as government support (financial assistance) for visiting spas dwindled due to
financial constraints. European spas have been forced to re-invent themselves to adjust to a
changing market, establishing spas in such areas as ski resorts and by the seaside, and
targeting ever wealthier, upscale customers. Nevertheless, there has been an explosion in
the number of spas and spa-goers in the last 20 years, including those attending destination
spas. This explosion has been accompanied by and has contributed to the level of
sophistication of spa-goers. Today’s spa-goer, with more choices than ever before, is more
discerning and demanding than ever. 1
History of Jermuk as a Destination Spa Resort
Jermuk was originally a fortress dating back to the year AD 189, later becoming the summer
residence of Armenian princes from a neighboring province. In the early 20 th century,
government health officials began closely inspecting Jermuk water, and scientists attested to
its “unquestionable medicinal properties”. By 1945, Soviet officials decided to transform
Jermuk into a health resort of nationwide significance, based on the waters’ healing
properties (incidentally, the word Jermuk originated from the word “jerm” which means “hot
spring”). By 1970, between 25,000 and 30,000 people, including generals and high-ranking
government officials, were visiting Jermuk annually to come to its sanatoriums. Jermuk was
in very high demand at the time, while also suffering from insufficient supply. Like other
spas in Europe, state-sponsored medical treatment represented the bulk of its demand; the
majority of visitors attended as patients, not as tourists. With the decline and fall of the
Soviet Union, demand for the services Jermuk provided also declined, and many of its
facilities and infrastructure fell into disrepair. Spa visitors fell to their current levels,
estimated at 5,000 per year.
1 Information for this section has been taken from Chapter 2, “American and European Spa”, authored by Mary
Tabbachi, and Chapter 5 “Trends in the Global Spa Industry ”by Susie Ellis, of Understanding the Global Spa
Industry, 2008, edited by Cohen and Bodeker.
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