Abstract
Health and wellness tourism should be particularly valued in the post-pandemic phase. It has the potential to be a strategic product that enhances the population’s well-being and quality of life, on social, physical, and environmental levels. Different proposals for specialized experiences that complement what the destination offers allow to position regions as health and wellness destinations. Thermal tourism should thus be encouraged as a specific product designed on the innovation and diversification observed in the related services and the benefits recognized for all ages. Considering the relevance of thermal springs and thermal tourists for the image, positioning, and development of touristic destinations, this research aims to identify the specific motivations of tourists that attract them to the practice of thermal tourism, to understand how the benefits for which thermal tourists search and their sociodemographic profile influence the motivations of tourists, and how those motivations determine the characteristics of travel. This research was developed on the North and Centre of Portugal for their relevance in the context of thermal springs and related touristic activities. To achieve the research objectives, a questionnaire survey was conducted among thermal tourists, through a non-probability by convenience sampling, using bivariate tests, such as Pearson’s chi-squared test, one-way ANOVA, and t-Student test. The results highlight that most respondents practiced thermal tourism due to leisure and relaxation benefits, such as the escape from daily stress, spend time with family, and being “pampered”; relaxation is the most valued motivation, followed by the search for psychological and physical well-being. The research found relations between the benefits expected by thermal tourists and their travel characteristics, such as the composition of the group, the general travel motivation, the chosen thermal destination, and the number of nights spent at the location. In thermal tourism, new challenges emerge, demanding the development of strategies, products, and services that respond to the needs of specific market sections.
Highlights
IntroductionDue to the technology of work and life systems, wellness imbalances are prominent, leading to a need for time away from sources of stress in the workplace, school, and other life settings
Research that analyzes the particular motivations of thermal tourists is lacking, as most studies focus on the motivations of spa tourists [8,9,10,11,12]. Bearing this in mind and considering the relevance of thermal springs and thermal tourists for the image, positioning, and development of touristic destinations, this paper aims to identify the specific motivations of tourists that attract them to the practice of thermal tourism, to understand how the benefits for which thermal tourists search and their sociodemographic profile influence their motivations, and how those motivations determine the characteristics of travel
The conclusions of the present research can be framed in similar perspectives to those of previous studies [14] since studying the motivations, within the scope of health and wellness tourism practice, and recognizing the motivations related to health and relaxation, are determinant as starting points for both thermal hotels, thermal infrastructures, and equipment, as well as for their marketing departments, due to the need for marketing professionals to assume greater flexibility and adapt to the changing desires and needs of tourists, in addition to improving communication about the health and wellness experience offered and its benefits [14]
Summary
Due to the technology of work and life systems, wellness imbalances are prominent, leading to a need for time away from sources of stress in the workplace, school, and other life settings. Consumers are turning to vacation travel to improve health and wellness. The tourism and hospitality industry can design experiences and services that support optimal health and wellness outcomes for consumers [1]. Wellness has become an expression that represents a new way of life. Once used only for its attractiveness, the term—and what it means—has become a serious trend and an important dimension in tourism. People are nowadays more conscious about their health and are defining what quality of life means from various perspectives [2]
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