A model proposition about the planning and design principles of thermal tourism facilities in Turkey (an example in Çanakkale)

Thermal springs and hot water treatments have been used since early Roman times and were in fact the first examples of tourism accommodations. These accommodations, with latest researches in balneology, started to merge with hotels to result in what is called ?thermal tourism facilities?. The expressions ?wellness? ? meaning well being ? and ?spa? which refers to hot thermal springs, have become internationally accepted and entered the tourism literature. ?Spa&wellness? hotels emerged as a new dimension by enriching and improving planning programs of thermal tourism facilities by the new concepts of today. It is possible to add ?spa&wellness? as a new dimension to the existing tourism potential and extending Turkey?s six months tourism season to a whole year and thus doubling the tourism income. While this potential is high both qualitatively and quantitatively, it has been observed that both existing traditional facilities and newer ones exhibit problems and need organizational, architectural requirements. It has also been observed insufficient design standards and hygiene criterias in existing traditional spas. There are macro level problems in conserving natural environment and obeying protection zone limits. Moreover; it is inevitable to isolate thermal torism facilities from new trends. ?Spa&wellness? concept has been added, either in the correct way or not, to micro planning programs reshaping the sector. It has become necessary to prepare a design guide for thermal tourism facilities. This guide is expected to comprise of the design principles and insert the milestones from macro to micro planning, and also to determine and direct the actors. This architectural study looks at the problem of the thermal tourism facilities from a designer?s point of view. Existing thermal facilities both in Turkey and around the world, are analysed, information about new techniques are obtained and a model for planning and design principles for thermal tourism facilities in Turkey is proposed. In this model, macro and micro level steps and actors who participate in designing a thermal torism facility are analysed and facility types special for Turkey, are developed. Consequently, architectural and general informative part of this model is applied to Canakkale, a city with trivial geographic location and having a rich and unused potential of thermal tourism, and multi-dicipline work and actors in related fields to take part in further research is encouraged. Key Words: Spa&wellness hotels, thermal tourism facilities, hot springs, macro and micro planning, Canakkale