Health, wellness, spa and thermal are among twelve selected niches that Argentina’s tourism organisation Inprotur is looking to highlight as part of its Argentina Authentic campaign.

Other niches selected by the board are polo, 'Jewish experience', educational visits, patrimony of mankind, rural urban environments, culture and cruises.

In all these sectors - and in a separate campaign on luxury tourism - Argentina has changed its focus from price competition to quality, comfort and care.

To promote thermal spa tourism, the country is pushing its 40 thermal spas with water that has volcanic, magmatic or telluric origins to help treat ailments such as illness of the skin, bones, digestive, breathing and circulatory systems.

Spa tourism in the country offers relaxation for both local and international tourists, with health and beauty treatments with specialist medical staff and a medical director to assure quality of care and treatments.

For wellness tourism, beauty treatments, anti-stress and weight loss clinics and cosmetic surgery are all being promoted.

Meanwhile, for health tourism, Inprotur is emphasizing the quality, professionalism and high-tech services of its hospitals and clinics.

Argentina will have eight additional spas opening by 2014, while most of its existing facilities are new or have been recently upgraded.

Between 2008 and 2012 spa and health tourism in Argentina has grown by 38 per cent. the country’s tourist organisation sees huge potential in luxury travel, with with the niche aimed at those who can afford to stay in a five-star hotel and want tailor-made services as opposed to package travel.

The global wellness tourism sector was recently valued at US$1.3tn (£810bn, €970bn) a year and countries around the world are beginning to realise the sector to national economies.

During the course of the year several countries have looked towards spas in an effort to boost visitor numbers, with Georgia, Spain
, Greece, Serbia and Bulgaria all identifying the spa sector as key for bringing in additional tourism revenue.