Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study explores the role of thermal mineral springs in South Africa in the development of the early tourism sector. Their healing qualities enhanced the country’s reputation as a health resort, and therefore they became a national asset and tourist attraction. The ancient history of thermal mineral springs and the belief in their curative abilities are discussed in order to familiarise one with the rich history of thermal springs and to help determine their role in the tourism sector. By looking at the role of thermal mineral springs in the European and especially British contexts provides a foundation for understanding how the thermal water culture was passed on to South Africa through colonialism. With the colonisation of South Africa, thermal mineral springs became host to British invalids who visited the country since they suffered from consumption, and was hoping to be cured by the country’s health giving natural assets. The influx of invalids and tourists ultimately spawned wide tourism and the modernisation of the springs. The three thermal mineral spring resorts near present day Caledon, Montagu and Citrusdal are used as case studies of how thermal springs in the Cape Colony and later the Western Cape developed from primitive sites to splendid resorts and world famous sanatoriums. Their history is traced from their formation to their modernisation, a time period ranging from the 1700s to 2011. This clearly illustrates the phases of development of each of the thermal mineral water establishments. The curative aspects of the thermal mineral spring water are emphasised, concentrating on how the South African thermal water cure culture was used and developed. This study concludes with discussing how the three thermal mineral spring resorts had to navigate the changing tourism sector in South Africa, as well as looking at their development from the 1980s to 2011. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie verken die rol wat warmwaterbronne in die ontwikkeling van die vroëe toerisme sektor in Suid-Afrika gespeel het. Die genesende kragte van hierdie warm water bronne het die land se reputasie as ‘n gesondheidsoord versterk en van hul ‘n nasionale bate asook ‘n toeriste aantreklikheid gemaak. Die antieke geskiedenis van warmwaterbronne en die geloof in hul genesende kragte word bespreek om bekend te raak met hul ryk geskiedenis en om hul rol in die toerisme sektor te bepaal. Deur te kyk na die rol wat warm water bronne in die Europeuse sowel as die Britse konteks gehad het, dien as ‘n platform om te verstaan hoe die gebruik van die warm water kultuur na Suid-Afrika deur middel van kolonialisme oorgedra is. Met die kolonialisasie van Suid-Afrika het die warmwaterbronne gasheer gespeel vir Britse invalides wat aan tuberkulose gelei het en daarom die land besoek het om deur die land se helende natuurlike bates geneesing te word. Die instroming van invalides en toeriste het wyd verspreide toersime tot gevolg gehad asook die vermoderniseering van die warmwaterbronne. Die drie warm waterbronoorde naby die hedendaagse Caledon, Montagu en Citrusdal is gebruik as gevallestudies om die ontwikkeling van warmwaterbronne in die destydse Kaap Kolonie asook die hedendaagse Wes-Kaap, vanaf primatiewe bronne na pragtige oorde en wêreld bekende sanatoriums te illustreer. Die geskiedenis van die warmwaterbron oorde word bespreek in die tydperk van die 1700’s tot 2011 om so hul ontstaan tot hul vermoderniseering te illustreer. As gevolg van hierdie verlengde tydperk kan die verskillende ontwikkelings fases van die warmwaterbron oorde waargeneem word. Daar word ook gefokus op die genesende aspekte van die warmwaterbron water en hoe die Suid-Afrikaanse warmwaterbron kultuur ontwikkel en gebruik is. Die studie sluit af met ‘n bespreking van hoe die driewarm waterwaterbron oorde by die veranderende toerisme sektor in Suid-Afrika moes aanpas en dek ook hul ontwikkeling vanaf die 1980’s tot 2011.

The objective of this study was to develop turnaround strategies for the Calitzdorp Spa Tourism Resort (herein after referred to as Calitzdorp Spa) to stop the performance decline and put it back on the road of recovery again. The development of turnaround strategies are dependent on establishing the cause of the performance decline and to enable management to plan effective and optimal strategies for the tourism resort focused on the recovery response. An analysis of various sources on strategic management models were undertaken to find a theoretical framework for the development of a strategic management model that could be applied to a tourism resort. The following model for the strategic management of a tourism resort was consequently developed and consists of the following main components: • Mission, objectives and stakeholders; • Strategic position; • Strategic choice; and • Strategic implementation. A second model for the Turnaround Process of a tourism resort was proposed to assist management in guiding the resort to recovery, consisting of two main phases, namely: • Turnaround situation; and the • Turnaround response. The research methodology followed included: • a literature survey to define the important concepts of tourism, resorts, strategic management and turnaround strategies; • a questionnaire survey to determine customer satisfaction at the Calitzdorp Spa; • telephone interviews to determine the marketing and positioning strategies of the Calitzdorp Spa; and • a focus group discussion session to determine the current situation at the resort and to plan future management strategies of the Calitzdorp Spa. Specific conclusions were made and specific actions recommended based on the results obtained.

This history of the Rockbridge Alum Springs near Lexington, Virginia, covers the entire development of the spa from 1790 through its rapid growth and popularity in the nineteenth century, its final death in 1919, its restoration in the 1940's, and its present state in the 1970's. The Cult of the Spa was an important social element in the South during the nineteenth century, and the Springs of Virginia served the nation with their various health-giving waters and their social opportunities. Rockbridge Alum Springs developed from a small, one-hotel enterprise, into a sprawling establishment with two major hotels, several smaller hotels and numerous cabins, serving at its height almost 1,000 people. In the 1850's, and again in the 1880's, it was second in popularity only to the White Sulphur Springs, however, its fame has generally long been forgotten. The effects of the Civil War, the death of the Age of Belledom and the coming of the automobile so changed southern society that, along with ninety percent of the spas, the Rockbridge Alum Springs met its death after the turn of the century. The Alum, however, was partially restored in 1940 as the owners hoped to turn it into a wild life refuge and a retreat for scientists. Although its nature had changed, the Alum has been fortunate enough to survive, while many other watering places have long since been absorbed into the earth. / Master of Arts

American tuberculosis sanitarium architecture developed largely from trends set by European health spas and sanitarium design. The first American tuberculosis sanitariums largely resembled European health spas and resorts and catered to rich clientele. The spread of the White Plague, however, urged American states to develop sanitarium institutions that could provide for all classes. These first sanitariums melded nineteenth century resort architecture with radial prison designs and Kirkbride insane asylums to create large hospital complexes devoted exclusively to tuberculosis treatment and research. By the 1920s and 1930s, the European modernist movement had created modern tuberculosis sanitariums that inspired American sanitarium design. Despite the important role these institutions played in curing consumptives and limiting the spread of the White Plague, the increased use of drug therapy made sanitariums obsolete by the 1970s. Today, many of these sanitariums have been abandoned, demolished, or rehabilitated for new uses. / History of the disease -- The European and American health spa movements -- The development of the European sanitarium movement -- The development of the American sanitarium movement -- The American sanitarium movement : borrowing from European modernist innovation. / Department of Architecture

Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Technology: Tourism Management Faculty of Business at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2012 / There are 11 thermal springs in the Western Cape, seven of which have been developed into eight resorts. Only one of these resorts has a focus on health and wellness, with appropriate facilities, with the others functioning primarily as family leisure resorts. Internationally there has been a move by traditional thermal spring resorts to begin offering a combination of health (medical and wellness) services in combination with leisure activities. In light of current international trends, as well as perceived domestic needs, it appears that the Western Cape‟s thermal spring resources are not being optimally utilized as tourist attractions, neither for domestic nor for international tourist markets. This research sets out to evaluate the potential for health tourism development of thermal springs in the Western Cape. It analyses relevant aspects of both the supply and demand sides of thermal spring tourism in the Western Cape. A database is compiled of thermal spring resorts and undeveloped thermal springs in the Western Cape, which includes facilities and services, and relative locations with respect to tourist attractions and tourism routes. The mineral and radon gas contents of the respective thermal waters are measured and discussed in relation to known medicinal properties. A questionnaire-based survey was undertaken, involving 383 respondents at six resorts, and activity-based market segmentation was carried out using k-means cluster analysis. A four-segment user profile (typology) of current visitors, based on activity preferences, was compiled. It was found that there is considerable potential for the development of thermal spring health (medical and wellness) tourism products in the Western Cape, based on available resources. A framework for thermal spring health tourism product development in the Western Cape is proposed, and recommendations are made for future development and marketing. Key recommendations include the development of balneological treatments, and radon therapies, at certain resorts, and investigating of the availability of local resources that could be incorporated into medical or wellness tourism products.

published_or_final_version / English / Master / Master of Philosophy

Mineral springs were a popular aspect of American culture prior to World War II. In conjunction with the rest of the United States, Texas offered visitors numerous locations for people to “take the waters.” Unfortunately, for various reasons, the springs fell out of favor and the buildings associated with them were largely abandoned. I briefly discuss the history of the springs through the ages and then move onto a discussion of the different styles of architecture associated with the springs in the United States and how these styles differed in Texas. Due to the loss of architecture associated with the mineral springs in Texas, this paper uses Heath, Oc, and Tiesdell’s five forms of obsolescence to analyze the reasons for failures in adaptive reuse, discusses the successes, and presents some extant buildings where futures are undetermined. In order to answer these questions, I gathered a collection of case studies, focusing on locations in Texas, but including several from the United States and Europe. I analyzed these case studies and gathered information from the result of the studies to deduce why the forms of obsolescence could not be overcome, and how some sites differed and successfully surmounted these difficulties. / text