Spa Tourism Research Articles

Problems and prospects of spa tourism development in Ukraine (in comparison with Central European countries)

Problems and prospects of spa tourism development in Ukraine (in comparison with Central European countries)

Strategic Analysis of the External and Internal Environment of Sport Tourism at the “Banja Vrućica” Spa

Abstract Introduction . Numerous international and local organisations and agencies have in the past 15 years dealt with various issues and problems related to tourism in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Often, they have accentuated the large potential for tourism development and improvement, particularly when it comes to spa tourism. Although all elements necessary for development (tradition, accommodation capacities, natural resources, and traffic connections) are present, the “Banja Vrućica” spa is still unable to respond to modern tourism market demands so that it can contribute to the economic growth and development in the national and local economies. The successful running of a tourist destination requires the formulation of long-term goals and decisions, reached through a process of strategic management. The aim of this article is to use strategic analysis as a means of identifying the possibilities of introducing new sport-recreational offers with a higher quality of service provision aligned with consumer needs, which would help the Vrućica spa to become more attractive and profitable. Material and methods . After selecting factors of the internal and external environment which influence sport tourism at the spa, the intensity of the impact of each factor was determined through the use of SWOT analysis. Then, by multiplying the average impact of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats matched in the SWOT Matrix, a polygon SWOT analysis of the strategy was carried out. Conclusion . Having analysed the “Banja Vrućica” spa’s environment and having quantified the results, we reached the conclusion that the best solution is to form and implement a WO strategy with regard to sport tourism at the spa, meaning a shift in strategy aimed at keeping the existing activities and structures and developing new products and a new approach to the market.

Dwory i pałace powiatu poddębickiego jako potencjał rozwoju turystyki uzdrowiskowej

Rozwój funkcji uzdrowiskowej w Uniejowie zainicjował aktywizację funkcji turystycznych w całym regionie. Ważną rolę w kształtowaniu turystycznej atrakcyjności obszarów uzdrowiskowych mogą odgrywać dwory, zamki i pałace. Są to obiekty charakterystyczne, wyposażone w sens i znaczenie, często odznaczające się indywidualnymi cechami architektonicznymi. Ponadto, wykazują one podatność adaptacyjną na nowe funkcje, zwłaszcza z zakresu spa i welness, które uznać należy za wspomagające dla turystyki uzdrowiskowej. Niniejszy artykuł koncentruje się na analizie (ilościowej i jakościowej) dworów, zamków i pałaców w powiecie poddębickim. Analiza dotyczy rozmieszczenia obiektów, a także oceny ich wartości architektonicznych oraz stopnia zachowania i/lub przetworzenia. Uzupełnieniem badań jest identyfikacja istotnych elementów dziedzictwa niematerialnego, które mogą być postrzegane, jako ważne dla tożsamości miejsca (i/lub regionu) oraz znaczące dla kształtowania innowacyjnych produktów turystycznych. Wyniki badań pozwoliły ocenić ogólną kondycję zasobu kulturowego, jakim są dwory, zamki i pałace powiatu. Dokonano oceny poszczególnych obiektów pod kątem ich turystycznej atrakcyjności, klasyfikując je w 4 grupach: o wybitnym, znaczącym, umiarkowanym oraz znikomym potencjale turystycznym. Na zakończenie, opracowano rekomendacje w zakresie zarządzania obiektami i zespołami dworskimi regionu, z uwzględnieniem potrzeb ochrony dziedzictwa kulturowego oraz rozwoju gospodarczego obszaru.

Potential of solid phase formation from thermal water in the region of Velingrad

The Velingrad geothermal field is one of the largest in Bulgaria. Its water is widely used for balneology, spa tourism, sports, heating and other purposes. An interesting problem related with the operation of thermal water is the process of scaling or corrosion of equipment when the water passes through it. Specifically, for the geothermal field, a saturation index is used to assess whether the water is saturated or unsaturated, with regard to the respective mineral phase. The obtained results for this coefficient are compared with those for the existing water sources from the geothermal field and, depending on the location, temperature and other physicochemical differences, their variation is analyzed.

Past themes and future trends in medical tourism research: A co-word analysis

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the evolution of medical tourism (MT) research from a longitudinal perspective (period 1931–2016). A co-word analysis was applied to themes found in published research listed in the Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus database services.The results reveal six clusters of themes: a) issues regarding ethical implications, trust and accreditation; b) health, wellness, spa tourism and service quality; c) health-related issues, medical treatments and tourism; d) “sensitive” practices in MT; e) medical tourism destinations and marketing; and f) globalization, policies and the effect on international patients. This study is one of the first attempts to use a bibliometric approach and co-word analysis so as to offer powerful insight into the conceptual structure of MT research from academic literature and to visualize all the underlying and interconnected subfields. It also provides a guide to researchers by improving the understanding of the current state of the art and predicting the direction of future research.

The role of wellness spa tourism performance in building destination loyalty: the case of Thailand

ABSTRACTDespite the considerable growth of the wellness spa tourism market, little research has examined the intricate procedure involved in travelers’ loyalty toward Thailand as a wellness spa tourism destination. This research aimed to explore such loyalty formation by investigating the relationships among performances of wellness spa tourism in Thailand, affective experiences, and overall satisfaction. A field survey methodology was used for data collection. Findings of the structural analysis revealed that product performances, affective experiences, and satisfaction were in general significantly associated, and that these variables contributed to a satisfactory prediction for destination loyalty. In addition, the adequacy of the second-order structure of the performances of Thai wellness spa tourism was demonstrated. Moreover, the relative effectiveness of satisfaction in building loyalty was identified. Both affective experiences and satisfaction were also found to have a significant mediating impact. Implications for destination researchers and practitioners are discussed.

Możliwości rozwoju turystyki uzdrowiskowej w województwie lubelskim

Celem prezentowanego opracowania jest ukazanie stanu i kierunków rozwoju turystyki uzdrowiskowej oraz prognoza rozwoju tej dziedziny gospodarki turystycznej w województwie lubelskim, na podstawie kompilacji danych Głównego Urzędu Statystycznego w zakresie jednostek lecznictwa uzdrowiskowego w Polsce w latach 2010–2015 oraz bazy noclegowej województwa lubelskiego. Dane o lecznictwie uzdrowiskowym obejmują szpitale i sanatoria uzdrowiskowe (w tym szpitale i sanatoria dziecięce), przychodnie uzdrowiskowe oraz zakłady przyrodolecznicze.

Investigating customer loyalty formation for wellness spa: Individualism vs. collectivism

Visitor retention is undeniably a major issue for every destination marketer. This study was an attempt to develop an international tourists’ loyalty framework for wellness spa tourism destination by considering quality and value of spa tourism in Thailand, affect, satisfaction, desire, and culture. Our proposed framework and hypothesized relationships were evaluated by using a structural analysis. A field survey was used. Results indicated that our conceptual model included a satisfactory fit to the data. Quality and value were found to have a critical role, and other study constructs were identified to act as direct/indirect driving forces of loyalty intentions. In addition, mediating role of affect, satisfaction, and desire was found. Moreover, moderating impact of culture (individualism vs. collectivism) on the loyalty formation was identified. Overall, our theoretical framework was demonstrated to be capable of explicating wellness spa tourists’ destination loyalty formation. Implications for destination marketers in Thailand are discussed.

Business tourism a means of dynamising the life of local communities

Abstract The touristic expansion happens easier in a balanced climate, with standards that guarantee a constant ecologic balance and avoid the overuse of resources, pollution and any other negative impacts on the environment. MICE – Meeting, Incentive, Convention and Exhibition Industry – represents one of the industries with the highest rate of growth in the world, but unfortunately it is poorly developed in Romania. In Romania, the tourism, as a socio–economic phenomenon, integrates in the country’s economy, having the necessary conditions for accentuated growth and the optimisation of the degree of usage of the touristic stock. According to the recommendations of the World Tourism Organisation, Romania should focus on the cultural, ecologic, events and spa tourism. The prognosis of the World Tourism and Travel Council from the United States of America show that by the year 2020, the rhythm of growth of the business and events tourism in Romania will be of about 8% yearly. In this context, our country may occupy an important position in the MICE touristic activities market, if it would use the existing touristic potential and future investments in order to create favourable conditions for this type of tourism. We bring into the debate the existence of equipment which could help the business tourism, the presence of beautiful landscape areas (the Danube Delta, the Black Sea seaside, medieval cities and monasteries, touristic resorts from the Carpathians also.), presentation of the local folk traditions and crafts, the chromatic spectrum of the seasons in Romania and not lastly the folklore and gastronomy. These could be joined by the existence of a rich cultural life – especially in the large cities and touristic resorts-, the presence of museums and memorial houses, and we could not exclude the areas which have preserved their natural potential and rare fauna species. This work aims to emphasize business tourism as a sustainable form of tourism, which can lead to a relaunch in services and economic development of the local communities in a competitive international economy.

Resort Project Selection by Using Compromise Programming

Serbia is a landlocked country deprived of the possibility of developing maritime tourism. On the other hand, it has the opportunity to develop the other types of tourism, such as: mountain tourism, spa tourism, rural tourism, etc. Serbia has to improve its tourism infrastructure in order to achieve better quality and meet tourists’ requirements. In that sense, it is necessary to enhance the number of the accommodation facilities that will meet set standards. The selection of the type of the accommodation facility, as well as its location, is a very delicate issue because the right choice influences future operations and revenue. Making a decision without considering the problem from every available aspect could lead to making the wrong decisions. Multiple Criteria Decision Making methods are imposed as the logical approach to solving problems in an effective manner. In this paper, the ranking and selection of the optimal resort project focused on the tourism development of Backa and is performed using compromise programming.

Spa, Spa Tourism and Wellness Tourism in the Czech Republic

Abstract The aim of this paper is to compare and assess the position of the spa and wellness sector in the structure of tourism in the Czech Republic. In this context, the article deals with the brief history of the Czech spa tourism and the development of spa tourism in the spa resorts, including the focus of specialized literature review. The methodological part consists of an explanation of the existing statistical information about the spa sector. The main part of the paper deals with the geographic analysis of current spa centres (the capacity of spa and total collective accommodation facilities, the number of spa patients and guests, guest attendance and their geographical structure). The assessment also includes the determination of the importance of the spa for overall spa tourism. Furthermore, the paper also deals with the development and localization of the selected forms of wellness tourism. As a pilot example, aquaparks built especially in the last 20 years in the Czech Republic were chosen.

Spa and Wellness Tourism in Slovakia (A Geographical Analysis)

Abstract Spa industry is presently an inherent part of Slovak tourism. For this reason, it has become a major interest of scientific and professional literature (economics, management, sociology, or geography). The main topic of this paper is the evaluation of tourism in Slovakia through a geographic analysis. This paper briefly evaluates the development and the importance of spa, spa tourism and wellness and their main research areas and issues. Furthermore, the primary sources of tourism development, the overview of spa tourism and the wellness resorts, the accommodation establishments and the visitation rate are evaluated as well. In conclusion, functional and spatial typification of spa tourism and wellness in Slovakia is presented. The structure of the paper is designed to be appropriate for a comparison with V4 countries.

Spa and Wellness Tourism in Poland - A New Geographical Analysis

Abstract The aim of the paper is to present the situation of the spa resorts in Poland from the geographical point of view, emphasizing especially the tourist context of their existence. This article firstly deals with the brief history of spas in Poland and the definition of the phenomenon, presented in the Polish literature and legal acts. The main part of the paper presents the geographical analysis of the phenomenon: spatial distribution of the activities allowed by law, localization concerning the different kind of landscapes that accompanies the spas, natural and curative resources and the medical treatments based on their potential. In addition, the tourist context analysed with the support of the statistical data of the accommodation units, tourist sand its preferences, and health tourist establishments in the spa resorts and its usage is also crucial. The perspectives of the spa tourism development in Poland concerning the potential and obstacles are presented.

TOURIST DESTINATION BRANDING IN FUNCTION OF MARKET POSITIONING AND INCREASED COMPETITIVENESS OF SPA TOURISM

Tourist destination branding is a process that distinguishes a particular destination according to its unique attributes, creating its distinctive image and identity. In fact, the greatest success is achieved by emphasizing and promoting authentic tourism values. The research focuses on spa tourism destinations as the most developed forms of domestic tourism. Based on the theoretical premises and for the purpose of the research, ZTC "Banja Vrućica" was the best suited for empirical analysis as a successfully branded and market-recognized destination that can serve as a model and an example for the branding of less renowned destinations. The study uses the test method by survey research of the attitudes and opinions of the visitors on the elements of the destination brand and statistical methods for the treatment of primary and secondary sources of data and information. The research gave clear indications of the close connection between the destination brand development process and strategic positioning of a developed destination. In a special way, this study reveals some of the essential components of branding destinations that are highlighted in the literature and that are intertwined with the process of formulating destination strategies and it forms the basis for improving the image and destination attractiveness experience with potential market segments.

Diagnosis of the socionic temperament of personality and creating a psychological portrait of the Western European SPA and wellness tourists in Bulgaria

AbstractHuman personality is a set of psychological characteristics that distinguishes it from others. However people can be classified as congenital personality types, interactions that are precisely defined. The aim of this article is to characterize the socionic temperament and psychological profile of the spa and wellness tourists in Bulgaria. The study is based on a survey of 460 tourists who visited Bulgarian spa centers in the summer and autumn of 2015.

Spa tourism as a factor of demographic change of spa settlements in Serbia

Spa tourism, as one of the leading forms of tourism in Serbia, is a significant factor in local and regional socio-economic phenomena and processes. This paper deals with the impact of spa tourism on local demographic changes. The analysis includes nine most important spas in Serbia, in accordance with the achieved tourist traffic. The influence of tourism in different spas, in the last four decades, on dynamic changes in their population is taken into account. The paper analyzes the extent to which the change in the population of spa settlements have taken place differently from changes at the wider municipal and republic level. Furthermore, in order to fully understand the importance of tourism for demographic processes, a change in participation of the employed local population in the tourism sector was also analyzed. The results show that tourism has a significant impact on the population of spa resorts. In forty years that were observed, regardless of general depopulation trend in Serbia, in most of the analyzed spas there was an increase in the number of inhabitants, and the highest growth rates were recorded in periods of the most intensive tourism development. The increase in the number of inhabitants of spa settlements was accompanied by the increase in the economic activity of the local residents in the tourism sector.

Wellness and Spa Tourism

Wellness and Spa Tourism

The position of Sokobanja on the Serbian tourism market

In global terms, tourism is one of the most important economic activities. This is confirmed by the relevant international institutions’ data (The World Tourism Organization UNWTO, The World Economic Forum, The World Travel & Tourism Council), but also the national authorities (statistical institutes, tourism organizations). At the Serbian level, there is a growing number of destinations, where Sokobanja is one of the pillars of the tourism industry. Therefore, the aim of the paper is to point out the factors that have influenced the creation of supply and the position of Sokobanja in the tourist market. We used the available literature and statistics data and the survey was conducted during 2014, as an additional method. The paper is divided into five chapters. In the first part, the role of tourism on the global level is discussed. In the second part, the historical preconditions of Sokobanja tourism are pointed out, while the third and fourth part are related to characteristics of tourism turnover and the material basis of economic activity. In the final section, the relationship of the spa visitors towards tourism industry is discussed. The results pointed out several facts: spa tourism is one of the leading tourist products of Serbia, tourism turnover has seasonal characteristics with the domination of domestic guests, the natural resource base is present, but the infrastructure is obsolete and the offer is incompatible with market trends.

Business Performance of Health Spa Tourism Providers in Relation to the Structure of Employees in the Republic of Croatia.

Health spa tourism services are provided in special hospitals for medical rehabilitation and health resorts, and include controlled use of natural healing factors and physical therapy under medical supervision in order to improve and preserve health. Health tourism is a service industry and therefore labor-intensive industry in which human resources are one of the key factors of business success. The aim of this study was to analyze business performance of special hospitals for medical rehabilitation and health resorts in Croatia in relation to the structure of employees, specifically the number of physicians and total medical personnel, as well as the share of physicians and medical personnel in the total number of employees. The assumption was that those who employ more physicians and medical employees are more successful. The empirical research was conducted and the assumption was tested firstly by correlation analysis and afterwards by regression analysis. The total number of employees in the researched health resorts and special hospitals amounted to 2,863, of which the share of physicians specialists accounted for almost 7%, while the share of total medical staff was almost 53%. From the results of our research, it can be concluded that special hospitals for medical rehabilitation and health resorts, which employ more physicians and medical personnel, are achieving better financial business performance. Based on the results obtained, it is possible to provide guidance for further growth and development in the direction of basing the primary offer on medical-health offer, rather than on wellness offer, which is a strong trend in the world. These findings are important for planning the health and tourism policies in Croatia and similar countries.

The position of Sokobanja on the tourist market of Serbia

The aim of the paper is to define the significance of natural and anthropogenic tourist values of Sokobanja and to point out its analysis of the material base of tourism in its overall position and especially in the spa tourism of Serbia. The richness of natural values and favorable geographical position conditioned the development of the spa in the initial period of development, while the anthropogenic resources were activated as a supplement to the total tourist offer. The main tourist resource, around which the brand and image of Sokobanja is being built, are thermo-mineral resources. An analysis of the number of tourists and tourist nights indicates the tendency of reducing the average number of overnight stays. Particularly prominent is the example of foreign tourists who stay on average only slightly more than 2 days, which indicates the transitability of this area and the fact that Sokobanja is not the final destination for these tourists.