Natural Hot Springs Research Articles

Probability-based classifications for spatially characterizing the water temperatures and discharge rates of hot springs in the Tatun Volcanic Region, Taiwan.

Accurately classifying the spatial features of the water temperatures and discharge rates of hot springs is crucial for environmental resources use and management. This study spatially characterized classifications of the water temperatures and discharge rates of hot springs in the Tatun Volcanic Region of Northern Taiwan by using indicator kriging (IK). The water temperatures and discharge rates of the springs were first assigned to high, moderate, and low categories according to the two thresholds of the proposed spring classification criteria. IK was then used to model the occurrence probabilities of the water temperatures and discharge rates of the springs and probabilistically determine their categories. Finally, nine combinations were acquired from the probability-based classifications for the spatial features of the water temperatures and discharge rates of the springs. Moreover, various combinations of spring water features were examined according to seven subzones of spring use in the study region. The research results reveal that probability-based classifications using IK provide practicable insights related to propagating the uncertainty of classifications according to the spatial features of the water temperatures and discharge rates of the springs. The springs in the Beitou (BT), Xingyi Road (XYR), Zhongshanlou (ZSL), and Lengshuikeng (LSK) subzones are suitable for supplying tourism hotels with a sufficient quantity of spring water because they have high or moderate discharge rates. Furthermore, natural hot springs in riverbeds and valleys should be developed in the Dingbeitou (DBT), ZSL, Xiayoukeng (XYK), and Macao (MC) subzones because of low discharge rates and low or moderate water temperatures.

English

Alkaline proteases are used in food industry, leather tanning and processing industry, preparation of pharmaceuticals and also in the fiber industry. An alkaline serine protease producing strain was isolated using soil sample from a natural hot water spring in Sri Lanka. It was identified based on morphological, biochemical and 16s rRNA identifications as Bacillus licheniformis NMS-1. The extacellular protease enzyme was purified by two steps procedure involving ammonium sulfate precipitation followed by DEAE-Sephadex A-25 gel chromatography. The purification gave a 56 fold increase of the specific activity with a yield of 16%. The optimal pH and optimal temperature of the protease were pH 9 and 60°C, respectively. The protease was relatively stable between 20– 80°C. The enzyme was stable within the pH values of 8 – 12. The Km and Vmax values calculated from Lineweaver – Burk plot were 2.7x10-3 mg/ml and 263 mU/mg. Among the protease inhibitors that were tested, PMSF completely inhibited the enzyme activity indicating that the protease is a serine protease. The enzyme retained more than 50% of its activity after 60 min incubation at 60°C. The major protease types used commercially are heat stable alkaline proteases. Alkaline serine proteases are enzymes that cleave peptide bonds in protein in which serine serves as the nucleophilic amino acid at the enzyme active site. Properties of this protease have shown it’s suitability for industrial applications such as detergent industry. Key words: Alkaline protease, purification, characterization, Bacillus licheniformis NMS-1, thermophilic, serine protease.

British and Roman Names from the Sulis-Minerva Temple: Two Solutions to an Old Problem

Any personal name found within a charm fits into one of two categories: background name (a name of a deity/saint, referring to the author’s confessional identity) or subject name (the particular name of a person for/against whom the charm is intended). By the ‘subject name’ we understand any proper name in the text of a charm, which transforms a ‘recipe’ (the term of J. G. Gager) of a potentially magical text into a real magical performance. According to the observation of V. N. Toporov, introducing a personal name into a charm is mandatory: “A text of a charm is a mere text and nothing more, until a name is incorporated into its large immutable body. It is only adding the name, uttering it turns a verbal text into a ritual performance, that is, into an actual charm that works as such.” However, in many cases putting a name (subject name) into the charm is impossible, because it is not known either to the charmer or to his/her customer, the charm not being intended against a particular person. This is exactly the case with charms against thieves, which are quite widespread. Charms of this type are generally referred to as ‘Justice Prayers’. Tablets of that type were found in abundance during the excavations at the Bath site of the Roman temple dedicated to the goddess Sulis Minerva. This site, with its natural hot spring that has been believed to have healing properties up to now, had already been worshipped in the pre-Roman era and was associated with the goddess Sulis whom the Romans would later identify with Minerva. Among the multiple archaeological findings made at the site (such as coins or votive images of body parts allegedly healed by the goddess), there are 130 lead tablets of diverse contents. Along with name lists and commendations addressed to the goddess, there is a considerable proportion of tablets that can also be categorized as Justice Prayers. Their authors address Sulis in order to return stolen things. The explainable absence of subject names in these texts seems to indicate that they were replaced in the charms (Graeco-Roman defixiones being indeed charms) by the formula identifying the potential victim as ‘the one who has stolen my property’. Therefore, the invariable rule of introducing a personal name into the body of the charm, predicted by Toporov, seems to be fulfilled: we can suggest that the formula the man who took it might be classified as a substitute for the unknown subject name and is functionally aimed at creating the kind of uniqueness a charm needs to be actualized. But it is to note, that Justice Prayers, unlike conventional defixiones, contain, as a rule, the name of the aggrieved party. Conceivably, it is their name that stands for the subject name of the charm. The analysis of the use of verbal tenses in the tablets discovered a strange tendency: people with Roman names use the perfect of the verb involare ‘to steal’ (involavit), but persons with Brittonic names prefer to use the second future of the same verb – involaverit. We could suggest, the Brittons used to write their tablets not post factum, but ante factum and transformed Roman curse tablets into a kind of protective amulets. Their use of Latin letters wasn’t a real ‘writing’, but rather an ‘iconic’ use of symbols characteristic to the stage of epigraphic. In this context, the tablet N 18 (with supposed Brittonic words) deserves a special attention.

Synthesis of cube-like Ag/AgCl plasmonic photocatalyst with enhanced visible light photocatalytic activity

Cube-like Ag/AgCl plasmonic photocatalyst was successfully synthesized through a one-pot precipitation method by simply adding an aqueous solution of AgNO3 into the natural hot spring, wherein the hot spring acted as the chlorine source. The cube-like Ag/AgCl with a size of 0.5–0.9μm exhibited enhanced visible light photocatalytic performance for the degradation of organic MO dye due to the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of the photoexcited Ag species. The trapping experiments confirmed that O2− and h+ were the main active species during the photocatalytic process.

Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) Pattern Analysis and Chlorine-Resistance of Legionella pneumophila Isolated from Hot Spring Water Samples

For a microbial ecological analysis, 20 strains of Legionella pneumophila isolated from both unchlorinated Noyu (unattended natural hot spring) samples and chlorinated hot spring bath water samples collected throughout Japan were subjected to a clustering analysis on the basis of a Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) pattern analysis. The PFGE patterns obtained from 19 strains of L. pneumophila after digestion with SfiI were used to divide the strains into two groups (Groups A and B), although the similarity level was very low among the groups. Group A consisted of 8 strains, and all of these strains were isolated from hot spring bath water samples. Group B consisted of 11 strains, and all but two of these strains were isolated from Noyu samples. The chlorine resistance (99.9% CT values) of these isolates was experimentally confirmed, and we attempted to define the relationship between chlorine resistance and the geno-cluster. The average CT value of group A (8 strains from hot spring bath water) was 0.49 mg･min/l and the average of group B (9 strains from Noyu samples) was 0.29 mg･min/l. No remarkable differences in the CT values for the groups were found. A chlorine-sensitive Noyu strain (0.14 mg･min/l) and a chlorine-resistant strain (0.62 mg･min/l) from hot spring bath water were then compared to identify any differences in their lipid composition. There was no notable difference in the ratio of saturated to unsaturated fatty acids between the chlorine-sensitive and chlorine-resistant bacteria. However, the chlorine-sensitive and chlorine-resistant bacteria demonstrated differences in the relative percentages of cell wall and cell membrane fatty acids.

Paenibacillus marinumsp. nov., a thermophilic xylanolytic bacterium isolated from a marine hot spring in Tunisia

Among a large collection of Tunisian hot springs bacterial isolates a bacterial strain, THE22(T) , with xylanolytic properties was identified. The bacterium was isolated from a natural hot spring "Ain Echefa" at Mediteranean sea (Korbous, North-Eastern Tunisia). The novel strain was Gram positive, spore-forming, rod-shaped, facultatively anaerobic and grew optimally under conditions of 55 °C, 1% (w/v) NaCl and pH 7-8. The 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that strain THE22(T) fell within the radiation of the cluster comprising Paenibacillus species with Paenibacillus phyllosphaerae PALXIL04(T) as the closest phylogenetic neighbour (95.8%). The predominant components in the fatty methyl ester profile were iso-C16:0 (34.46%), C16:0 (19.64%), anteiso-C15:0 (19.18%) and anteiso-C17:0 (18.11%). The major respiratory quinone was menaquinone-7 (MK-7). The diamino acid found in the cell-wall peptidoglycan was meso-diaminopimelic acid. The base composition of DNA was 56 mol%. Based on the polyphasic taxonomic data, strain THE-22(T) (=DSM 18499(T) = LMG 23758(T) ) was recognized as a novel species within the genus Paenibacillus. The name Paenibacillus marinum sp. nov. is proposed.

Experimental Simulation of Evaporation-Driven Silica Sinter Formation and Microbial Silicification in Hot Spring Systems

Evaporation of silica-rich geothermal waters is one of the main abiotic drivers of the formation of silica sinters around hot springs. An important role in sinter structural development is also played by the indigenous microbial communities, which are fossilized and eventually encased in the silica matrix. The combination of these two factors results in a wide variety of sinter structures and fabrics. Despite this, no previous experimental fossilization studies have focused on evaporative-driven silica precipitation. We present here the results of several experiments aimed at simulating the formation of sinters through evaporation. Silica solutions at different concentrations were repeatedly allowed to evaporate in both the presence and absence of the cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus. Without microorganisms, consecutive silica additions led to the formation of well-laminated deposits. By contrast, when microorganisms were present, they acted as reactive surfaces for heterogeneous silica particle nucleation; depending on the initial silica concentration, the deposits were then either porous with a mixture of silicified and unmineralized cells, or they formed a denser structure with a complete entombment of the cells by a thick silica crust. The deposits obtained experimentally showed numerous similarities in terms of their fabric to those previously reported for natural hot springs, demonstrating the complex interplay between abiotic and biotic processes during silica sinter growth.

Isolation of Legionella Species from Noyu （Unattended Natural Hot Springs in Mountains and Fields） Samples in Japan

In order to understand the habitation conditions of the bacteria of the genus Legionella in Noyu (unattended natural hot springs in mountains and fields) in Japan, isolation of Legionella spp. was attempted in the Noyu samples from 11 prefectures nationwide between May and September 2012, and the following results were obtained. Overall, Legionella spp. was isolated from 16 of 43 samples (37.2%). The species was isolated from the Hokkaido region to the Chugoku region but not from the Shikoku region to the Kyushu region. The number of bacteria detected was usually small, less than 5.0 × 10(1) CFU/100 ml, as found in 11 samples (68.8%), while counts of 10(2) or more to 10(3) or less CFU/100 ml were found in two samples (12.5%). Legionella pneumophila was the most commonly found strain, with 19 strains (90.5%) found, and was the dominant species. Regarding the serogrouping, four strains (21.1%) fell under group 1, the most common grouping, followed by three strains (15.8%) in group 3, two strains (10.5%) in group 5, etc. Moreover, the detected bacterial strains other than L. pneumophila included two strains (9.5%) of L. londiniensis. The temperature of the Noyu from which Legionella spp. was isolated was between 33.1°C and 41.5°C with a pH ranging from 5.2 to 8.1. The present report is the first report to clarify the habitation conditions of strains of Legionella spp. isolated from Noyu in Japan.

The Water as one Wishes, Ecological Flower Town - Chun Lei Town Concept Planning in Daqing City

This paper used “3S+3L+AVC” tourist town development concepts framework, it imported the beautiful natural waterfront landscape features, unique ecological agriculture condition, natural geothermal hot spring resources and convenient transportation advantage into the small tourism town design. By the analysis of town features, project position, the key design points, it described the theory application in Chun Lei town concept planning from slow system, ecological planning and commercial walk street design three aspects.

Arsenic speciation and transport associated with the release of spent geothermal fluids in Mutnovsky field (Kamchatka, Russia)

The use of geothermal fluids for the production of electricity poses a risk of contaminating surface waters when spent fluids are discharged into (near) surface environments. Arsenic (As) in particular is a common component in geothermal fluids and leads to a degradation of water quality when present in mobile and bioavailable forms. We have examined changes in arsenic speciation caused by quick transition from high temperature reducing conditions to surface conditions, retention mechanisms, and the extent of transport associated with the release of spent geothermal fluids at the Dachny geothermal fields (Mutnovsky geothermal region), Kamchatka, Russia — a high temperature field used for electricity production. In the spent fluids, the arsenic concentration reaches 9 ppm, while in natural hot springs expressed in the vicinity of the field, the As concentration is typically below 10 ppb. The aqueous phase arsenic speciation was determined using Liquid Chromatography (LC) coupled to an Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (ICP-MS). The arsenic speciation in the bottom sediments (< 65 μm fraction) of the local surface waters was analyzed using X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (XAS). Arsenic in the geothermal source fluids is predominantly found as As(III), while a mixture of As(III)/As(V) is found in the water and sediment of the Falshivaia River downstream from the power plant. The extent of elevated arsenic concentrations in water is limited by adsorption to the bottom sediment and dilution, as determined using Cl − from the deep well fluids as a tracer. Analysis of the Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (EXAFS) spectra shows that sediment phase arsenic is associated with both Al- and Fe-rich phases with a bi-dentate corner sharing local geometry. The geothermal waste fluids released in the surface water create a localized area of arsenic contamination. The extent of transport of dissolved As is limited to ~ 7 km downstream from the source, while As associated with bottom sediment travels ~ 3 km farther.

Regional variations in the chemical and helium–carbon isotope composition of geothermal fluids across Tunisia

Tunisia has numerous thermo-mineral springs. Previous studies have shown that their chemical composition and occurrence are strongly influenced by the regional geology. However little work has been done so far to study the isotopic composition of volatiles associated with these geothermal manifestations. Here, we report on the results of an extensive survey of both natural hot springs and production wells across Tunisia, aimed at investigating the spatial distribution of thermal fluids' geochemical characteristics and He–C isotopic composition. The chemistry of the analyzed samples highlights the heterogeneity of the water mineralization processes in Tunisia, as a consequence of the complex geological and tectonic setting of the country. In terms of chemical composition, we are able to conclude, however, that dissolution of halite and gypsum plays a key control on groundwater chemistry. Helium and carbon isotope systematics confirm the prevalently crustal origin of the volatiles interacting with the aquifer systems, consistent with the absence of any recent magmatism. Most samples are characterized by crustal-type helium (3He/4He in the range 0.02 Ra–0.4 Ra) associated with a CO2 predominantly metamorphic in origin (with the exception of the Saharan platform where the carbon content is low and mostly organically-derived). In Eastern Tunisia, however, a few samples have He–C isotope compositions which suggest (at least partial) mantle derivation of the dissolved gas phase : the 3He/4He ratio reaches 2.4Ra (corresponding to 30% of mantle-derived helium) at the Ain Garci site, a CO2 rich mineral spring located some 30km south of the city of Zaghouan. This mantle signature is consistent with the fact that the Pelagian Block, to which Eastern Tunisia belongs, has been deeply affected by extensional and transtensional tectonics since the opening of the Tethys, a process which is still ongoing in the Sicily channel (Pantelleria Rift). As a whole however, our results show that the Italian mantle gas anomaly only marginally extends to Northwestern Africa.

Hydrogeochemical study of the thermal and mineralized waters of the Banaz (Hamamboğazi) area, western Anatolia, Turkey

The Hamambogazi spa in western Turkey was built around natural hot springs with discharge temperatures in the range of 30–54°C; the waters have near neutral pH values of 6.50–7.10 and a TDS content between 2,694 and 2,982 mg/l. Thermal water with a temperature of 47.5–73°C has been produced at 325 l/s from five wells since 1994, causing some springs to go dry. A management plan is required in the study area to maximize the benefits of this resource, for which currently proposed direct uses include heating in the district and greenhouses, as well as balneology in new spas in the area. The best use for the water from each spring or well will depend on its temperature, chemistry and location. The thermal waters are mixed Na–Mg–HCO3–SO4 fluids that contain a significant amount of CO2 gas. The chemical geothermometers applied to the Hamambogazi thermal waters yield a maximum reservoir temperature of 130°C. Isotope results (18O, 2H, 3H) indicate that the thermal waters have a meteoric origin: rainwater percolates downward along fractures and faults, is heated at depth, and then rises to the surface along fractures and faults that act as a hydrothermal conduit. The basement around the Banaz Hamambogazi resort is comprised of Paleozoic metamorphic schist and marbles exposed 8 km south and 15 km north of Banaz. Mesozoic marble, limestone and ophiolitic complex are observed a few km west and in the northern part of Banaz. These units were cut at a depth of 350–480 m in boreholes drilled in the area. Overlying lacustrine deposits are composed of fine clastic units that alternate with gypsum, tuff and tuffites of 200–350 m thickness. The marble and limestones form the thermal water aquifer, while lacustrine deposits form the impermeable cap.

Periodic and transient radon variations at the Tiberias hot spring, Israel during 2000^|^ndash;2005

Radon has continuously been monitored at the Roman spring of Tiberias, Israel since 2000 in the frame of an earthquake research project. However, there was no apparent earthquake related radon anomaly in 5 years of monitoring. Physical mechanisms behind periodic as well as transient radon variations were investigated. The radon signal contained periodic daily and non-periodic multi-day variations as well as seasonal patterns with maxima during winter. Spectral analysis showed diurnal and semidiurnal periodic constituents while tidal effects were absent. In 2003 the long-term average radon concentration dropped by 35%. Coevally, the diurnal and semi-diurnal radon variability considerably decreased. In contrast, the intensity of large-scale signals, corresponding to multi-day radon variability, increased. At this stage the level of the Kinneret Lake is suspected to be the driving force for the radon drop. Until 2003 the lake level hovered around –214 m below sea-level. In spring 2003 the lake level had risen by 4 m. The distance between the monitoring station and the lake shore is about 50 m. The radon concentration inversely followed the lake level with a time delay of about 3 months. Radon measured at a natural hot spring should depend on the flow rate of the hot water rising on the border faults of the pull-apart basin. Increased flow means less time for radon to decay and thus a positive correlation between the flow rate and the radon concentration is expected. Flow velocity is controlled by (i) the pressure at depth, and (ii) the fracture width. Both are affected by the loading forces of the graben filling to which the water column of the lake contributes. Due to the lack of data about the mass flow rates from the spring, a direct link between the flow rate and the radon concentrations cannot be proven. In fact, the hot water discharge seemed to be very stable in time. So, either minor changes of the flow rate affect the radon concentration or another mechanism is needed to explain the observations, e.g., the pressure-dependent gas solubility or the pressure-dependent mixing of different groundwater components. Nevertheless, this does not explain the appearance of long-periodic, intra-seasonal radon signals (with periods in the order of 1 month) which were practically absent before 2003. Such long-periodic radon signals were not reported till today.

International Competitiveness in Hot Springs Tourism: An Application of the Analytical Hierarchy Process Approach

This study provides an evaluation of the potential of Taiwan's hot springs tourism sector by proposing a model of competitiveness that has broad applicability to hot springs destinations. Using the analytic hierarchy process method to generate weightings for the various elements which contribute to destination competitiveness, the study prioritizes aspects of hot springs tourism which would benefit from further development. A panel of experts commented on the relative competitiveness of hot springs tourism in Taiwan and Japan, and concluded that hot springs proprietors need to reinforce their conservation efforts and engage in the sustainable use of hot springs and surrounding environments. They noted that governments should formulate and implement strategic destination planning and development to avoid a repetition of previous mistakes. The increasing Taiwanese preoccupation with good health and longevity and Taiwan's rich endowment of high-grade natural hot springs produces a favorable environment development of the hot springs tourism sector. It also offers business opportunities to extend the appeal of hot springs tourism into health protection and medical treatment. The article concludes that Taiwan's hot springs tourism sector has a promising future, but that concerted effort will be needed to match the product offerings of its competitors.

Brevibacillus laterosporus strain BPM3, a potential biocontrol agent isolated from a natural hot water spring of Assam, India

A bacterial strain designated as BPM3 isolated from mud of a natural hot water spring of Nambar Wild Life Sanctuary, Assam, India, strongly inhibited growth of phytopathogenic fungi ( Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceri, F. semitectum, Magnaporthe grisea and Rhizoctonia oryzae) and gram-positive bacterium ( Staphylococcus aureus). The maximum growth and antagonistic activity was recorded at 30 °C, pH 8.5 when starch and peptone were amended as carbon and nitrogen sources, respectively. In greenhouse experiment, this bacterium (BPM3) suppressed blast disease of rice by 30–67% and protected the weight loss by 35–56.5%. The maximum disease protection (67%) and weight loss protection (56.5%) were recorded when the bacterium was applied before 2 days of the pathogen inoculation. Antifungal and antibacterial compounds were isolated from the bacterium which also inhibited the growth of these targeted pathogens. The compounds were purified and on spectroscopic analysis of a purified fraction having R f 0.22 which showed strong antifungal and antibacterial activity indicated the presence of C–H, carbonyl group, dimethyl group, –CH 2 and methyl group. The bacterium was characterized by morphological, biochemical and molecular approaches and confirmed that the strain BPM3 is Brevibacillus laterosporus.

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複数の粘膜溢血斑を伴った吸血性ヒルによる鼻出血例

Only one bleeding point is typically seen in the local mucosa in most cases of nasal bleeding. We report here a rare epistaxis case suspected of multiple bleeding points on unilateral nasal cavity. A 64-year-old male had a one-week history of chance left-sided epistaxis. Multiple mucosal eruptions were seen on the inferior and middle turbinates and nasal septum of the left nasal mucosae. A dark brown mass was recognized near the frontal recess and removed. This mass was determined to be a live nasal leech. This patient had an history of leech exposure three months earlier while bathing in natural hot spring. Patients with a nasal foreign body usually have symptoms of foul-smelling purulent secretion and nasal stiffness with mucosal swelling. These symptoms are the result of rejection reactions by neutrophills against the foreign body. However, this reported case had no such symptom. This finding was supported that a live leech moves around the nasal cavity to escape human immune reactions.

Using the Delphi method to assess the potential of Taiwan's hot springs tourism sector

AbstractThe purpose of the present study is to identify the various factors that influence the competitiveness of the hot springs tourism sector. The research draws on the models of Ritchie and Crouch, Dwyer and Kim, and Enright and Newton, who concluded that destination competitiveness is determined by three major components: resources and attractors, destination strategies and environments. The investigation produced both qualitative and quantitative data using the Delphi technique. An expert panel reached consensus about priorities for the development of Taiwan's hot springs tourism sector and provided written justifications for their responses. This paper reports on the qualitative findings of the three‐round Delphi survey and provides a supply‐side perspective on Taiwan's hot springs tourism sector. An examination of the expert comments concluded that the Taiwanese are increasingly concerned with good health and longevity. This emerging characteristic offers new business opportunities for the providers of hot springs tourism experiences to extend their appeal into health protection and medical treatments. However, if they are to achieve sustainable development and ensure high‐quality visitor experiences, hot springs proprietors will need to work closely with local governments and communities to promote sustainable use of natural hot springs and to conduct routine inspections of spa premises. Overall, the future of the hot springs tourism sector appears to be promising. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley and Sons, Ltd.

Determination of As(III) and As(V) in hot spring and river waters by neutron activation analysis with pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate coprecipitation technique

The concentrations of As(III) and As(V) in natural hot spring and river waters collected in the Kusatsu-Shirane volcano area, Gunma, Japan, were determined by neutron activation analysis (NAA) preceded by the pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate (PDC) coprecipitation. The PDC coprecipitation technique using Pb(PDC)2 as a collector of As(III) was applicable to the determination of As(III) at μg/L to mg/L levels. It was found important that the sufficient amount of PDC must be added to sample waters to accomplish the quantitative coprecipitation of As(III), taking the amounts of coexisting metal ions into consideration.

The geographical characteristics of the New Valley Governorate and its role in diversifying the Egyptian tourist product

This paper focuses on highlighting the geographical features ( Natural and Social) of New Valley Govemorate and its role to Create or develop new patterns of tourism activities, to vary the Egyptian Tourism Product, So as to achieve greater competitiveness in the international tourism market, resulting in an increase of Egypt's share in global tourism inflow. The objective of this paper was to highlighting the natural and social geographical features of The New Valley Govemorate, to assess the New Valley as a tourist destination and identify the difficulties and problems facing the tourism industry in the region and to create or develop new patterns of tourism activities based on the variety of geographical features. The main results of this paper were as follows: 1-The New Valley (al-Wade al- Gadded) is rich in the Natural Geographical Features, which can be used to create new patterns of Tourism activities such as: -Natural Hot Springs to be used in Therapeutic Tourism. -Unpolluted Pure Environment to be used in Recreation and Therapeutic Tourism. -Sand Dunes to be used in skating on sand, treatment burials in sand and sport tourism. -Depressions to be used in Rural Tourism. -Mountains to be used in flight sail sport, camping on Mountain and Adventure Tourism. 2-The New Valley (al-Wade al-Gadded) is rich with its people’s Social Features, which can be used to create new patterns of tourism activities such as Distinct Habits and traditions of The New Valley, which can be used to attract tourists who would like to study or to know Bedouin life style. The paper also highlights the following recommendations:- -Develop a strategy for tourism development in the New Valley Govemorate, taking into account all geographical features (Natural and Social), beside the historical and cultural features. -Setting up a data center containing publications and booklets about The New Valley and Translated into multiple languages. -Setting up Investors Federation of The New Valley. -Establishment of Eco-lodge, Hotels and camps.