Abstract
The health and wellness tourism sector is one of the most dynamic in Europe and has experienced a significant worldwide increase in the last decades. It emerges as a key element of lifestyle, due to a set of circumstances and restrictions imposed by contemporary life. In this sense, health and wellness activities may be revealed as a means capable of satisfying the needs of the consumers, that constitute the modern wellness tourists. Although the pandemic of COVID-19 may have an impact on individuals' visits to health and well-being destinations, it may, on the other hand, contribute to an increase in health concerns, both from the perspective of cure and prevention, supported by a continuous search to raise QoL levels. The aim of this study is to identify the contribution of health tourism to the quality of life of the demand, identifying the satisfaction levels on its' different dimensions, and presents the results of a comparative study developed in Thermal Spas in Portugal and in Hungary, providing theoretical and practical contributions to this research field.
TopIntroduction
Health and wellness tourism is one of the most dynamic in Europe and has experienced a significant worldwide increase in the last decades, where wellness emerges as a key element of lifestyle (GWI, 2018). The importance of this type of tourism is due to a set of circumstances and restrictions imposed by contemporary life. The stress accumulated during the working day, as well as the increase in average life expectancy, are some of the factors that converge to a greater concern with well-being issues. Consequently, the demand looks more and more for benefits to their own health. In this sense, health and wellness activities may be revealed as a means capable of satisfying the needs of a sum of educated middle and upper-class consumers (Deesilatham & Hosany, 2016), which constitutes the modern wellness tourists. Although the pandemic of COVID-19 may have an impact on individuals' visits to health and well-being destinations (Majeed & Ramkissoon, 2020), it may, on the other hand, contribute to an increase in health concerns, both from the perspective of cure and prevention, supported by a continuous search to raise the levels of quality of life (QoL) (Pocinho et al., 2022).
Wellness is a multidimensional concept, composed of several touristic components, that may include also medical tourism, nature, and environment, spirituality, and sports (Dini & Pencarelli, 2022). This widespread global trend is followed by wellness service providers, who are offering increasingly innovative products as well as investing in the diversification of spa facilities (Langviniene & Sekliuckiene, 2014). However, there is room for improvement regarding the development of wellness programmes in inland European destinations, where thermal springs with spa facilities are mainly located (Antunes, 2012; Plzáková & Crespo, 2019; Quintela et al., 2017).
The development of this study started with a theoretical underpinning on the constructs under analysis, contributing to the understanding of the concept of quality of life in its various dimensions, from a perspective applied to the tourism context. Quality of Life is a theme that has gained space in the literature, associated with different areas of study covering many sectors of society, including health and, more recently, tourism that has been conceptualized through research focused on its contribution to the quality of life (Dillette et al., 2018). Conceptuality, the construct of Quality of Life has been an improvement in the research on Tourism. There is possible to find many studies regarding the impact of Tourism – regarding travel and vacation periods – mainly applied to the aspects of QoL in a general approach (McCabe & Johnson, 2013; Sirgy, 2010) or related to the impact on residents of touristic destinations (Andereck & Nyaupane, 2011; Chen & Petrick, 2013; Kim et al., 2013; McCabe, 2009; Moscardo, 2009; Michalkó & Ratz, 2010; Weaver, 2012). Although there is less abundant literature when referring specifically to the case of Health and Wellness Tourism, both at the conceptual (Majeed & Ramkissoon, 2020) and empirical levels (Deesilatham & Hosany, 2016; Luo et al., 2018).
Key Terms in this Chapter
Quality of Life: QoL is a relative concept that has applications in a wide range of contexts, including international development, health care, politics, and employment. This concept is based on a set of dimensions, including the value system in which you live and in relation to your goals, expectations, standards, and concerns. QoL can be measured through each individual's perception of each of these dimensions.
Well-Being: Well-being is a positive outcome for human beings in which their living conditions ( e.g. , housing, employment) are crucial. However, the concept should be extended to the quality of his emotions, the opportunities to realise his potential. In this way, well-being can be measured through overall satisfaction with life.
Wellness: Wellness is the holistic quality or state of health of the body and mind, which comes especially because of deliberate effort. This effort includes the practice of a set of habits which can include, namely, a balanced diet, frequent physical exercise, and access to a set of complementary technical services, such as relaxing massages in spas, yoga and mindfulness.
Comparative Studies: Comparative studies are applied in different areas of study. This type of study is based on an analysis technique, developed in quantitative and qualitative research methods, and used to identify similarities and/or differences between phenomena, facts, or situations.
Thermal Baths: Thermal baths are often associated with spas or a set of facilities where you have access to thermal water treatments. These treatments can be of a curative or preventative nature, according to the needs of their users. To define the therapeutic action of these treatments, two important qualities are considered: the temperature and the chemical composition of the water.
Thermalism: Thermalism is based on the therapeutic use of hot springs. These waters are used in health care, by water pressure and temperature, as well as their chemical properties. These properties can be used to cure or eliminate the symptoms of some musculoskeletal, respiratory, and digestive illnesses.
Health and Wellness Services: an establishment that offers health services for the body and mind, including but not limited to fitness, personal training, nutrition consulting, skin care services, massage, holistic and herbal therapies, therapeutic application of cannabis products including oils, tinctures,
Health: Health is a state that goes beyond the absence of disease or infirmity to one of complete physical, mental and social well-being and balance. A full state of health will enable the individual to cope adequately with all the demands of daily life.