From illness to wellness-has thermal spring health tourism reached a new turning point? (original) (raw)
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Empirical analysis of health tourism - Băile Herculane, WHERE TO? -
Tourism is an activity practiced in our times at a large scale, with more and more people wanting to be part of this phenomenon, aware of its benefits: cultural, emotional and even health benefits. Spa tourism has a long tradition in Europe: the curative properties of water were highly valued by the Greeks and Romans, who turned the habit of bathing into a social occasion. This form of tourism is no stranger to Romania, being practiced here since 2000 years ago, the most important evidences being the Roman built resorts such as Băile Herculane. Spa tourism is of significant importance for employee recovery after occupational stress, helps with recovering from injuries, provides a life extension and improves specific ailments associated with ageing. This paper attempts to foray into health tourism over time - from the earliest records of the use of curative thermal waters in Europe until present, suggesting ways that we believe are beneficial for future research. The second part of the paper focuses on Băile Herculane, with an analysis of the resort tourism indicators, its present condition and possible improvements.
2024
The volume of wellness tourism in the world was rated at 639.4 billion US dollars in 2017. This is one of the fastest-growing segments in tourism, and it grew by 6.5% annually from 2015 to 2017. In 2017, 830 million wellness trips were made, which is 139 million more than in 2015. Throughout the millennia, numerous different cultures have used the power of water and warmth for cleanliness and treating their ills. In ancient times, both water and warmth were considered luxuries and were scarcely available. On the outskirts of Dzalisa village in Georgia, an ancient settlement was found, where a bath made with hewn stones was discovered within part of a palace complex. The Roman-type bath was constructed at the beginning of the 3rd century and consisted of three sections, with cold, warm and hot water tubs, and a well-preserved heating hypocaust system. The floors of the cold and warm baths and the dressing room were covered with mosaics. The origin of Roman thermal baths, Turkish hamams, Finnish saunas, Japanese onsens, and other hydrothermal spa procedures led to the custom of body cleaning and cleansing. Today, however, the health and aesthetic benefits of hydrothermal bathing are more widely recognized. In recent years, medical scientists have been researching the effect of cold action on high temperatures and the body, and have determined that a key benefit of such a temperature change is detoxification. body heat and sweating rid the body of toxins, and the extreme change in temperature improves blood circulation and gives a positive boost to organism function.
Wellness and Thermal Tourism: An Insight from Italy
International Thematic Monograph. Modern Management Tools and Economy of Tourism Sector in Present Era, 2019
Wellness and thermal tourism is changing at national and international levels even taking in account the growth rates of, and changes in, global consumption patterns. In this context, the objective of this study is to track a view on thermal tourism in Italy, focusing on a case study in the Apulia region. The primary function is therefore to establish important territorial safeguards aimed at satisfying the health demands of the population, while complying with the principles of therapeutic appropriateness and managerial efficiency. The analysis highlights the need to continue developing knowledge in a sector with great growth potential, especially in European countries.
Health and Wellness Tourism: An Overview of Thermal Tourism in Portugal
Journal of Tourism, Sustainability and Well-being, 2023
Over the last decades there has been a growing concern about health, mainly from the population of more developed countries. Health and wellness tourism are growing exponentially and show a great potential worldwide, having also become a strategic product in Portuguese tourism. This study carries out a general approach to health and wellness tourism, its evolution and segmentation worldwide, with special attention to the case of thermal tourism in Portugal. The study object is the potentiality of Portugal as a thermal tourism destination, through the characterisation of its history, supply and demand and aims to evaluate the thermal resources present in the intervention area. The methodology adopted was based on an exploratory and mixed methods approach that integrates qualitative elements and quantitative research, specifically based on a bibliographical review and a case study based on a qualitative and quantitative analysis of secondary data concerning the subject. The findings allow an in-depth understanding of the evolution and current state of thermal tourism, providing a comprehensive basis for the development of strategies adapted to the present demand of thermal spas in Portugal.
Health And Recreation Tourism In The Development Of Mountain Spas And Resorts
Economic Themes
The positive achievements of the globalization process is the awareness of the imminent protection and preservation of the environment, and the consequent health tourism, as a kind of organized movement of people to meet the needs of living in a “pristine nature” and satisfying the need for clean water, food and air. It is a little-known, easily accessible wilderness areas in the world. Environmental values through such places, such as the specific characteristics of space, good climate, hydrographic resources and other natural features can be a good basis for the development of health and recreational tourism in the future. In this sense, national, and increasingly local communities should be responsible for the selected type and pace of tourism development in terms of directing the long-term quality and complex interaction between the tourist offer, tourist demand and the environment in general. Strategic vision, in this context, involves the application of eco-management, both in...
Preferences of Those Who Utilize Thermal Springs About Spa Tourism
2017
Objective: Health tourism has been in the agenda recently, and our country is considerably rich in respect to thermal tourism. Therefore, the society especially tends to prefer thermal tourism. It is aimed in the study to determine the reasons why people prefer thermal tourism and which diseases they intend to cure of. Methods : The study was carried out in 2012, in two provinces famous for Turkey's thermal tourism. The sample of the study was formed the tourists who resorted these two provinces for thermal tourism in May-July. The volunteers to take part in the study were requested to fill the questionnaires prepared by the researchers by themselves. In the questionnaires there were questions such as the socio-demographic characteristics, reasons for preferring thermal tourism, diseases for which they would benefit from spa treatment, and who they have been informed about the spa before coming to the spa. In the analysis of the data descriptive statistics and chi-square test w...
International Journal of Spa and Wellness
International Journal of Spa and Wellness, 2023
This paper examines the relationships between happiness, wellness tourist motivation, and tourism destinations among Finnish wellness travellers during crises, "the happiest country in the world". Qualitative and quantitative data were collected from Finnish wellness travellers via a survey (n = 520) in fall 2021. The findings highlighted that Finnish happiness is largely based on eudaimonic-oriented meaning-seeking focusing on long-term happiness rather than hedonic-oriented and short-term pleasureseeking: relationships, nature, rest and relaxation, and health and well-being. These motivations echo Finnish wellness travellers' destination preferences: spas, urban destinations, national parks, and outdoor recreation areas. This paper contributes to previous tourism literature by providing the industry with new insights into travel motivations and the sources of happiness, especially in Finland.
The Potential of Hot Springs in the Western Thailand for Health Tourism and Sustainability
This research aims to examine the potential of hot spring sites in the Western Thailand for the purpose of sustainable tourism. The research applied qualitative methods and the participation of communities was included in the study's approach. The fieldwork consisted of the development of in-depth interviews, focus groups, field survey, and participation observation. Participants were stakeholders in tourism development. The data collected from interviews were analysed, interpreted, and reported with content and descriptive analysis. It was found that the hot spring destinations had their outstanding resources, based on their natural surrounded. The resources were used for tourism purpose in terms of health tourism. The potential of the various hot spring areas was divided into four groups. The first group included hot spring location where tourism data had not been gathered. The second group encompassed hot spring where tourism data had been gathered. The third group was hot springs where some tourism details had been gathered, but the hot spring sites were faced with some problems. The last group included well-developed hot spring locations where tourism data had been gathered before. All locations could be promoted for health tourism, and educational tourism could be added for tourist and the local community. Such development would need to be controlled by the community committees formed by representatives of all stakeholders directly and indirectly related to tourism development. Tourism development generated by community committees can result in sustainable development of hot spring destinations.