Taking your Life into your own Hands? New Trends in European Health Tourism

Abstract

This paper will focus on European trends in health tourism, in particular the shift away from medically-orientated, curative treatments for the physical body, towards a greater degree of self-responsibility through lifestyle-based, preventative wellness activities. Many spas and wellness hotels have been quick to embrace these new trends, and consumers appear to have been receptive. However, there are clearly national and regional variations. The research will start with a discussion of geographical and cultural differences between Northern, Western, Southern, and Central and Eastern European (CEE) regions and countries. Case studies of two European countries in Western Europe and CEE—the UK and Hungary—will be used to exemplify different attitudes to health tourism. The UK is mainly focused on holistic body-mind-spirit products and services in addition to beauty-based luxury spas, whereas Hungary has traditionally focused on medical baths which cure and rehabilitate physical illnesses. This will be followed by an overview of one of the key markets for health tourism in Southern Europe, the traditional thermal or medical spa market. Data collected from a pilot survey of around 500 health tourists in Portugal and Italy will be used to identify profiles, motivations and activities of visitors. Although the primary data in this paper is based on a limited number of countries in Western, and Southern Europe and CEE, secondary data derived from extensive desk-top research is used to profile others.