Medical/wellness tourism development in the world heritage caves of the Aggtelek and Slovak Karst

Project title: Medical/wellness tourism development in the world heritage caves of the Aggtelek and Slovak Karst. Due to the abundance of their shapes, the karst objects of the Aggtelek Karst and the Slovak Karst are internationally significant. Annually, more than 200,000 visitors come to see the cross-border cave system, having an appropriate entrance on both sides of the border. The development is aimed at 3 caves of the Baradla-Domica cave system. The therapeutic effect of the air in the cave Béke near Jósvafő has been recognised very early in history - in 1969 it was officially declared the first therapeutic cave in Hungary. Currently, its certification is not valid any more (20 year period), due to the state of the system of passages and various processes it is not active any more. The cave Baradla has the longest history of research and public availability in Hungary. Researchers have recognised the special climate of the cave very early, which - due to the aspects of hygiene and microbiology - has a therapeutic effect; however, its certification has not been performed yet. In the cave Domica - having significant geomorphological values - the construction of a climate therapy facility was started in the shaft of Demek-lápa in 2010, however, its final shape has not been achieved yet. The cave system may be perceived as an attraction operated jointly by the two countries; the therapeutic operation requires even more intense cooperation of the appropriate nature conservancy institutions. The aim of the project is to perform the obligatory surveys required for the certification of the caves of the cross-border cave system of the Aggtelek and Slovak Karst as therapeutic caves. Our further aim is the creation of the infrastructure necessary for the operation of the therapeutic caves, the performance of the necessary internal and external construction works and the procurement of the assets required for the performance of speleotherapy.