Health Tourism Destination Research Articles

An Innovative Mobile Application for Wellness Tourism Destination Competitiveness Assessment: The Research and Development Approach

Objectives: This research developed and evaluated the effectiveness of an innovative mobile application for wellness tourism destination competitiveness and also studied the adoption effectiveness of this application. Methods/Analysis: A mixed-methods research and development approach was applied to construct a wellness tourism destination competitiveness evaluation model for qualitative research using in-depth interviews, followed by quantitative research using a questionnaire. Weighted scores of criteria and indicators for wellness tourism destination competitiveness were evaluated by the DEMATEL method. The cut-off points for classifying the competitiveness level were set by K-means cluster analysis, while the internal and external accuracy of the model were validated by the confusion matrix technique and the Kruskal-Wallis test. The innovative mobile application was developed using a linear waterfall conceptual design consisting of five software development phases: requirement, design, implementation, verification, and maintenance. A questionnaire was also used to assess the adoption and commercialization of the innovative mobile application. Findings: Results showed that 1) the model gave high accuracy with the confusion matrix technique at 85.42% and the Kruskal-Wallis test classified destination competitiveness at a significance level of 0.0001; and 2) the level of adoption of the innovative mobile application was high. Target users were interested in purchasing a license as the commercial mode of the program. Novelty/Improvement:This research provides a tool to assess the overall competitiveness of wellness tourism destinations. Results can be used to support decision-making and provide practical suggestions for wellness tourism cluster users to adapt when conducting their own competitiveness assessment. The competitiveness assessment results were accurate and in line with the research objectives. Doi: 10.28991/HIJ-2023-04-03-010 Full Text: PDF

Spatial matching relationship between health tourism destinations and population aging in the Yangtze River Delta Urban Agglomeration

In order to address population aging and the healthy China strategy, this paper takes three provinces and one city in the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration as the empirical target. Firstly, using the 2010 and 2020 census data, and taking the aging coefficient and the density of the elderly population as the basic research indexes, this paper adopts the center of gravity migration model and the standard deviation ellipse to outline the spatial evolution path of the aging coefficient and the density of the elderly population. Second, using the data of recreational tourism sites in each prefecture-level city of the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration from 2016 to 2022, the closest neighbor index is used to judge the overall distribution characteristics of recreational tourism sites, and the judgment results are further verified with the help of Tyson polygonal analysis. Finally, based on the cross-section data of the elderly population in 2020, the spatial distribution of recreation and tourism sites and the elderly population are matched by the geographic concentration index, the center of gravity model and the matching coefficient. The results show that (1) the degree of population aging is deepening, and the characteristics of spatial Agglomeration are obvious, but the development speed among regions is inconsistent; (2) the distribution of health tourism destinations is wide and uneven between regions, showing the characteristics of ‘overall dispersion and local concentration’; (3) the spatial distribution of health tourism destinations and the elderly population shows a certain matching relationship, but the matching degree is not high. With the Yangtze River as the boundary, the distribution of health tourism destinations is ‘high in the south and low in the north’ and assumes a ladder shape from south to north, with obvious regional differences. Overall, health tourism lags behind the development process of aging.

Electronic word of mouth for the choice of wellness tourism destination image and the moderating role of COVID-19 pandemic

PurposeInformation technology as a source of information and decision-making has wider acceptance in contemporary times. Studies have identified the importance of electronic word of mouth (eWOM) and its impact on decision-making. The primary objective of this research is to investigate the relationship between eWOM (pre-travel), destination image (post-visit), tourist satisfaction and eWOM intentions post the COVID-19 crisis. This study is important as it is anticipated that in the post-pandemic world, tourists would seek well-being-enhancing experiences more often than any other form of tourism.Design/methodology/approachData were collected through an online questionnaire circulated over a period of six months from November 2020 to April 2021. Non-probability purposive sampling technique was used.FindingsThe results depicted that wellness destination’s image has a significant influence on wellness tourists’ satisfaction level and their eWOM intentions. Furthermore, it also came to light that the satisfaction level of wellness tourist satisfaction was found to be significantly influencing their eWOM intentions. The mediating role of wellness tourists’ satisfaction was found to be significant from destination image (post-visit) to eWOM intentions. COVID-19 pandemic perceived health risk was also found to be significantly moderating the relationship between eWOM (pre-travel) and eWOM intentions.Originality/valuePre-travel online information about a wellness destination is an important determinant of travel decisions, especially during the COVID-19 crisis. This empirical study proves that effective use of this information can advance a destination’s marketing efforts and ensure future demand.

Causal Modelling of the Key Competitiveness Assessment Factors of Wellness Tourism Destinations: A DEMATEL Approach

Objectives: The objectives of this study are 1) to identify and prioritize the significant competitiveness factors that need to be considered in the context of wellness tourism destinations and 2) to identify the causal interrelationships between competitiveness factors that need to be considered in the context of wellness tourism destinations. Methods/Analysis: The theoretical framework of this research began with documentary research of secondary data, followed by semi-structured interviews and quantitative research using questionnaires to collect primary data from wellness tourism clusters and experts. Based on these responses, a multiple-criteria decision-making framework using the Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) method was implemented to prioritize wellness tourism destination competitiveness factors and their relationships. Findings: The destination strategy and roadmap for wellness tourism were the most important competitiveness factors for wellness tourism destinations, and the wellness service experience and activities factor was the most significant cause factor, with strategies to improve service and restoration being the most significant source of effect. Novelty/Improvement:This research sheds light on wellness tourism destinations' competitiveness assessment factors and indicators and how to improve them to attract wellness tourists seeking preventive health care or health promotion services. Doi: 10.28991/HEF-2023-04-02-01 Full Text: PDF

Session Assessment of Seaplane Operations: The Case of Marine Tourism Development on Gili Iyang Island, Indonesia

The development of marine tourism in Indonesia aims to promote economic growth, enhance the well-being of the citizenry, and conserve the environment. Gili Iyang Island in East Java Province has the second highest oxygen concentration in the world and is a popular health tourism destination. The transportation industry plays a crucial role in facilitating access and connectivity between islands and other regions. Seaplanes are an alternative mode of transportation for reaching tourist destinations on small islands with limited land area that are surrounded by water. This study aims to determine the optimal conditions for reaching the island and the number of effective days for seaplane operations. In assessing seaplane operating factors, water conditions such as current speed (1), wind speed (2), waves height (3), and tides (4) have a significant impact. Therefore, seaplanes cannot effectively operate for an entire year. Using a comparative methodology, the characteristics of the seaplane mode of transportation in the waters of Gili Iyang will be examined to determine the optimal operational time. The results of the study indicate that the 19-seat seaplane can operate 258 days per year and recommend the use of air-sea transportation modes for the growth of tourism in Gili Iyang Island.

Exploring tourist citizenship behavior in wellness tourism destinations: The role of recovery perception and psychological ownership

Although tourist citizenship behavior (TCB) has attracted increasing scholarly attention, wellness tourism has remained relatively underexplored. Therefore, a theoretical framework was established, drawing on feelings-as-information theory to examine structural relationships among perceived restorativeness, tourist engagement, psychological ownership, and TCB. A total of 400 valid questionnaires, collected in two popular wellness tourism destinations in China, were analyzed using partial least square structural equation modeling. The results indicated that perceived restorativeness and tourist engagement are significant predictors of psychological ownership and TCB. Moreover, psychological ownership exerts a significant effect on TCB and mediates the relationship between tourist engagement and TCB. Recovery perception plays a moderating role, enhancing the effect of tourist engagement on psychological ownership. This study marks a pioneering attempt to explore tourists’ TCB and its antecedent variables in the context of wellness tourism. Its practical implications for the promotion of TCB are discussed.

Bangunan Sehat sebagai Penunjang Health Tourism di Bali

Title: Healthy Buildings as Supporting Health Tourism in Bali
 
 Bali is known as a tourist destination, and tourism in Bali has fallen due to COVID-19. The government plans to revive Bali tourism by establishing it as a health tourism destination. Support for health tourism is the healthy buildings that can minimise the transmission of COVID-19. In addition to health in tourist attractions, houses and areas where people live must also be healthy. The facilities in traditional Balinese villages have generally changed their function to become new buildings to accommodate the number of families and changes in activity patterns. These changes cause buildings to become unhealthy and impact the health of the village. Based on these problems, it is necessary to ask that healthy buildings in traditional Balinese villages can support health tourism. The research objective was to conduct an initial study of healthy buildings in traditional villages. The benefit of the research is preventing transmission of COVID-19 and other outbreaks that may occur in the Bali region. The research method is a literature study and observation. The study results are recommendations for repairing buildings in traditional villages to reduce the risk of transmission of the COVID-19 virus.

An Investigation of the Key Attributes of Korean Wellness Tourism Customers Based on Online Reviews

With its fast-growing trend, wellness tourism is transforming the client base and service and product offerings, and it is attracting new suppliers. The purpose of understanding the customer experience as portrayed in online reviews is to sustainably maintain customer loyalty and satisfaction. The objective of this research is to identify the critical attributes and their structural relationships to Korean wellness tourism. The study analyzed 24,060 Google-based customer reviews on 11 wellness tourism destinations in South Korea. Following the calculation of word frequencies in a matrix, UCINET 6.0 was utilized to analyze the centrality of the network and perform a CONCOR analysis. Based on the findings of the CONCOR analysis, the review data were sorted into four distinct categories. Following the quantitative analysis led to the identification of six variables that were grouped together through exploratory factor analysis.: wellness, tangible, value, F&B, purpose, and service. Whereas value, F&B, and service negatively affected the satisfaction of guests, the study also revealed that wellness, tangible, and purpose all had positive impacts and contributed to increased trust among wellness tourism customers. In terms of managerial implication, the results will enable wellness tourism destination managers to focus more on improving the factors of value, food, and service.

BETONG: A POTENTIAL WELLNESS TOURISM DESTINATION IN THE DEEP SOUTH OF THAILAND

According to the world wellness tourism trend, Thailand has promoted wellness tourism to boost its competitiveness. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the potential of Betong district in Yala province to be a wellness destination in the deep south of Thailand serving both domestic and international tourists. This study applied qualitative analysis to primary and secondary data on tourists’ demand for wellness tourism services and the standard of wellness tourism services supplied in Betong. The findings revealed that Betong’s wellness tourism services, found to have high market potential, include gastronomy services, Betong hot springs, and historical and community-based tourism destinations. These indicated that Betong has the potential to become a wellness tourism destination. However, Betong has to develop new services like herbal tourism and halal tourism as well as creative tourism products and services to increase its competitiveness and achieve inclusive income distribution and sustainable growth.

Assessing the determinants of time banking adoption intentions in wellness tourism destinations: a unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT)

ABSTRACT With the rapid explosion of deep aging, Time Banking (TB) has been prevalent in recent years and attracts much research attention. Although intensive studies have investigated the factors of users’ acceptance of TB service, much less research has further explored the usage behaviour intention of TB service in wellness tourism destinations (WTD). This study focuses on the TB service usage behaviour intention by examining the role of tourists` psychological perceptions (e.g. attitude, trust, anxiety) in improving their usage behaviour intention of TB service. This study employs the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) to analyze the pathways in which usage experiences (e.g. cognition, effort expectancy, self-efficacy, facilitating conditions, motivation, and social influence) affect psychological perception and then the usage intention of TB service. This model was tested using online survey data from 197 tourists with several times of volunteer experiences. The results confirm the contribution and mediating effects of attitude, trust, and anxiety on TB service usage behaviour intention in WTD. This study presents useful suggestions for WTD management in retaining new customers.

Forest wellness tourism destination branding for supporting disaster mitigation: A case of Batur UNESCO Global Geopark, Bali

Indonesia is a beautiful nation prone to natural disasters. The attractiveness of a place is the potential for its people to prosper through tourism, particularly natural tourism. As part of an effort to preserve nature and safeguard the source of human prosperity, it is necessary to implement disaster mitigation strategies, such as preserving forests to prevent landslides. Disaster mitigation includes increasing community participation and awareness of disaster risk management. Likewise,Batur Geopark, Kintamani, Bali, protected forest areas with caldera and lakes can be utilized with good and sustainable management. This research is a potential branding destination for Batur Geopark as a mental recreation area by adopting the theme “forest bathing”. The formulation of forest bathing as a branding strategy is also an effort to maintain a sustainable forest and optimize the participation of the local community. This research is qualitative with case study method. Data was collected from June to August 2021 by means of field study and desk study in implementing destination branding concepts. The results show that there is potential to create destination branding with the theme Geoforest-Bathing. This branding is expected to be applied to forest-wellness attractions which can provide great benefits for visitors, the local community, and as part of landslide disaster mitigation efforts in the geopark area.

AYURVEDA’S ROLE IN BOOSTING HEALTH TOURISM IN INDIA

Ayurveda is one of the world’s oldest medical systems that originated in India. There are so many people in world who experiences Ayurveda for their wellbeing. Ayurveda in Sanskrit means "Knowledge of Life" ( Ayur - lifespan, and Veda-knowledge). The basis of this medical form is solid Indian writings of old, compiled over a 2 century period between 2500 BC and 400 AD, when many experts put down their observations and experiences. In past few years, India has originated as one of the most important hubs for Health Tourism. The country is emerging as a great destination for Health Tourism People from across the world now come to India for Ayurveda, yoga and meditation, that is practiced since centuries. In fact India has fast emerged as a health tourism destination because of these. Since time immemorial, India has been known for its spirituality, religious and yoga tolerance and its secular character. India is internationally renowned for its ancient healing practices and alternative therapies. For more than thousands of years now, we have followed our own indigenous healing systems and medicinal practices such as Ayurveda, Naturopathy, and Pranic Healing to name just a few. It is no wonder then that people from all over the world are turning to the Indian sub continent for guidance towards a more spiritually satisfying way of life. Health/Medical tourism is a booming niche tourism market in the tourism industry. This research paper aims to profile the tourists visiting India for Ayurvedic treatment and to identify the key factors responsible for affecting the Ayurveda’s role in Boosting Health tourism. In order to analyse the objectives, the Descriptive Statistics, Factor Analysis and One-way ANOVA were employed and the results revealed that Ayurveda has important role in boosting health tourism in India The present study identifies the perceptions of residents towards the Ayurveda’s role in Present Health tourism status in India.

The Opportunity of Eco-Spa Wellness Tourism Development in Surakarta, Indonesia

Tourism and the creative economy are combinations that can become a sustainable source of welfare and boost the economy to increase the country’s foreign exchange. Therefore, developing the tourism sector is one of the priorities in President Joko Widodo’s leadership framework for the 2019-2024 period. In the pandemic era pandemic, each party is required to be able to implement strict health protocols to slow the rate of SARS-Cov2 infection, or what is known as the coronavirus, but on the other hand, the need to turn the wheels of the economy must continue. Therefore, an effort is needed to develop tourism activities full of experiences that add health benefits. Anticipating this, the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy collaborated with the Ministry of Health to offer an innovative development model: wellness tourism. The development of wellness tourism is an alternative that can make a positive contribution to the development of Indonesian tourism during the pandemic. This research seeks to synergize efforts to develop national tourism into the regional sphere; in this case, Baluwarti Tourism Village, which is located within the walls of the Surakarta Sunanate Palace, has the potential to be developed into a wellness tourism destination in Surakarta City. Considering that a village that is near a palace certainly has a variety of potential attractions for royal wellness tourism. The main objectives of this study are 1) to identify the potential for palace-style wellness tourism in Baluwarti Tourism Village and 2) to formulate development in the form of tour packages in Baluwarti Tourism Village. Of course, the development of the wellness tour package is still based on local wisdom, namely a tour package that raises local potential as a palace-style wellness tourism attraction that can improve the economy of the local people through the tourism sector in the post-pandemic era.

The Influence of Functional Attributes of Forest Wellness Tourism Destination on Tourists' Behavioral Intention Based on SOR Theory

The Influence of Functional Attributes of Forest Wellness Tourism Destination on Tourists' Behavioral Intention Based on SOR Theory

Upaya Peningkatan Kunjungan Wisatawan Wellness Tourism di Desa Adat Bindu, Kabupaten Badung, Bali

Bindu Traditional Village (Desa Adat Bindu) is an emerging health and wellness tourism destination in Balithat features a variety of spiritual activities and traditional herbs and seasonings. Unfortunately, as a result of adearth of marketing and the COVID-19 restrictions, the number of tourists visiting the area dropped to as low as zeroin 2020. This issued has raised some concerns regarding resilience, necessitating the identification of Bindu Village’swellness tourism product, its visitors’ characteristics, and the efforts of stakeholders to increase visitor numbers.This research employs a qualitative methodology, gathering data through interviews, observations,documentation, and a review of the relevant literature. To obtain primary data, interviews with the head of BinduVillage and the head of Bindu’s POKDARWIS Group were conducted. The data are analyzed using the SWOT (Strength,Weakness, Opportunities, and Threats) framework to structure a promotion strategy.This research revealed that Bindu Traditional Village’s tourism products are comprehensive, encompassing,attraction, amenity, accessibility, and ancillary products. Middle-to-upper class travelers, both international andlocal, dominated the village. To increase the number of visitors, stakeholders must use social media to promote ahealthy, clean, and content lifestyle that is sustained by wellness tourism. This research also suggests collaborationas a promotional strategy.Keyword: Wellness tourism, Strategy, Bindu Traditional Village, SWOT, Tourism Recovery.

MAPPING RESERCH TRENDS IN MOBILE TECHNOLOGY IN WELLNESS TOURISM DESTINATINATION: A BIBLIOMETRIC AND VISUALIZED ANALYSIS

The study aims to explore and review the literature published on the use of mobile technology in wellness tourism destinations, finding a total of 656 papers published between 2001 and 2021 to determine the thematic direction of the related research flourish. This study created a bibliometric and visualisation map of research trends in mobile technology in wellness tourism destinations using the Scopus database, PRISMA, VOSviewer and Harzing’s Publish or Perish software. Results showed that United States published the most articles on this topic and co-occurrence of keywords revealed eight clusters: technological breakthroughs, mobile tourism adoption, tourist mobile applications, destination marketing, smart destination, tourist experience, data intelligence and analytics and service innovations. This study could elucidate this research topic and help researchers forecast its dynamic paths.

Application of a Decision-Making Tool for Ranking Wellness Tourism Destinations

One of the tourism industry’s segments with the strongest growth rates today is health tourism. Health tourism includes two subgroups: medical tourism (traveling outside one’s country of residence for the purpose of receiving medical care, such as surgery and health services) and wellness tourism (travel to specific locations for health promotion in a preventive way). The economic strength and sustainable growth of nations can both benefit from health tourism. This study applies a methodology to quantify the potential of Portuguese wellness tourism (thermal spas in Northern Portugal) using a multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) tool, namely the preference ranking organization method for enrichment evaluations (PROMETHEE) and geometrical analysis for interactive aid (GAIA), to achieve a robust evaluation and ranking the alternatives. Therefore, in this study, the aim is to rank ten thermal spas in Northern Portugal in terms of fifteen indicators, mostly related to digital services, containing the tourism data obtained between 2020 and 2022. The suggested approach offers trustworthy and reliable outcomes for any qualitative or quantitative criteria to assess thermal spas, which is crucial for consumers, businesses, and even governments. The results showed that PROMETHEE and GAIA can be implemented as an effective method in wellness tourism destinations evaluation.

Salient health goal, salient restoration? A transformative model of wellness tourism

ABSTRACT Although pursuing health and restoration has become a salient motivation for contemporary tourists, the transformative process of how health-seeking tourists achieve restoration in wellness tourism destinations remains unclear. Grounded in goal systems theory and cognitive appraisal theory, this study investigated wellness tourists’ recovery-acquisition process. Through analyses of 390 on-site survey questionnaires collected in Dujiangyan, China, the result revealed health goal salience significantly predicted perceived destination restorative qualities and tourist engagement. Besides, perceived destination restorative qualities positively influenced tourist engagement, and together, these two constructs exerted a positive impact on recovery perceptions. Additionally, resource uniqueness perception further enhanced such impact.

The Influence of Message Framing on Elderly Tourists' Purchase Intentions of Health Services: A Case Study of Guangxi Bama.

Traveling has become an increasingly important lifestyle for the elderly to realize active aging. The elderly are more inclined to pay attention to wellbeing-related products whilst on vacations, representing a market opportunity for providers of tourism health services. This study conducted an experiment to explore how message framing affects intentions to purchase health services in elderly tourists over the age of 59 years. A total of 216 elderly tourists from Bama, a famous wellness tourism destination in China, were recruited as participants for a single-factor (message framing: positive versus negative) experiment. Our results indicate the following: (1) message framing has a significant impact on elderly tourists' intentions to purchase health services. Compared with messages that are negatively framed, positive messages are more persuasive. (2) Perceived benefits mediate the above relationship. (3) Perceived susceptibility moderates the impact of message framing around perceived benefits, as well as the indirect effect of perceived benefits on purchase intention. Theoretically, this paper clarifies the mechanism and conditions of message framing in relation to its effects on consumer intentions, enriching knowledge about the intersection between tourism and health consumption. This paper also provides guidance for providers of health tourism who are seeking to capture the market of elderly tourists.

빅데이터를 활용한 웰니스 관광에 대한 인식과 태도 분석

This study used big data to conduct text mining and sentiment analysis on individuals' perceptions and attitudes toward wellness tourism. From October 8th, 2018 to October 7th, 2021, web documents containing keywords such as 'wellness tourism' and 'wellness travel' were collected from Naver, Daum, and Google. A total of 23,770 documents were used to analyze keywords frequency, TF-IDF, N-gram, degree centrality, CONCOR, and sentiment analysis after duplicated posts and meaningless words were removed. The findings revealed that the words most frequently appearing and having high TF-IDF values were mentioned in the context of wellness tourism destination selection and development, purposes and types of wellness travel, and information on domestic wellness tourist spots. Words associated with wellness, tourism, tourism destinations, selections, and so on played critical roles in the network, according to degree centrality measures. Six clusters emerged from CONCOR analysis, including core attributes, projects, wellness tourism development, and so on. Finally, sentiment analysis revealed that people had a generally positive impression of wellness tourism. This study contributes to a better understanding of wellness tourism perceptions and aids in the development of marketing strategies to revitalize wellness tourism.