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Health Tourism Lecture 11
Product development in health tourism (globalised and individualised services and products) products)
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The journey’s end is only the beginning of another journey: the rediscovery of both home and ourselves, our perceptions of which have been subtly or dramatically transformed by our absence. (Chaline, 2002:285)
• The globalization of health has meant that many health activities and techniques can be easily exported. • This is true of most forms of massage, spa and beauty treatments, medical processes and fitness regimes. • Multimedia communications and mobility in the form of travel and tourism have revolutionized international product development.
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Product development: • the way in which health and wellness tourism products are changing • in order to adapt to the – increasingly diverse needs of consumers and – other factors which influence their development.
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1. The globalization of health and wellness tourism products •
The proliferation of spa and wellness hotel developments around the world means that – it is possible to experience a large number of health and wellness products almost anyplace where there is a reasonable infrastructure for tourism.
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Products can include national and regional assets and resources, such as – – – – –
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mineral waters, mountain chains, seas, or rivers, indigenous and local traditions and treatments, or site-level facilities and packages.
Medical, mainly surgical tourism usually takes place in countries which are perceived as being cheaper than the tourists ’ own country. The language skills, professionalism, cleanliness, and friendliness of the people will also largely determine where people go for medical treatment. Most day spas which offer cosmetic and beauty treatments could technically be anywhere, except in cases where they use products which are derived from local plant or flower extracts.
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Case Study: Problems of Product Development in Budapest – The Spa Capital •
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Budapest or the area has been renowned for its baths for nearly 2000 years. From tribal periods to the former bathing buildings and the barracks of the 2nd Roman legion in Acquincum (part of the province of Pannonia). Already back to 1178 the present area of the Lukács and Császár thermal baths was used by the order that Saint John created to cure the sick, which founded a bath and hospital here. The next era of development was brought by the Turkish who occupied most of Hungary for 150 years. Community buildings were built on the healing waters, and incorporating a culture of individual bathing. Still today, visitors and citizens can enjoy these historic baths. The third period of developments dates back to the fi rst half of the 1700s (e.g. studies about the healing impacts of the Buda hot springs). In 1772, a decree was issued by Maria Theresia, Empress of Austria stating that all mineral waters should be analysed and recorded in a list at the expense of the Treasury. In the early 1930s, Budapest, as the capital possessing the most healing thermal water springs in the world, was awarded the title ‘Spa City ’ and initiated by the Budapest Spa City Association, the first International Balneological Congress was organized in Budapest in 1937. Today the city has bathing establishments in various styles: neo-classical, art-nouveau, turkish or baroque. The architecture is so unique that many films used the spa buildings as locations (even if the film suggested that the spa was actually in Paris!). The Budapest Spas Corp., however, or consequently faces lots of problems, that is how to introduce new services, how to renovate heritage buildings, and how to upgrade existing facilities under the rooves of listed properties with lots of limitations. Most of the regulations prioritize the conservation of the existing buildings and that leaves tensions between the involved parties. One of the new initiatives is to open one of the heritage spas for young visitors (The Rudas), who can participate in the programme called ‘ Cinetrip ’ , where they can enjoy films and music from the thermal water. The Tourism Office of Budapest has been placing a lot of emphasis on the communication of the rich spa heritage. The positioning of Budapest is very much based on the spa culture, highlighting the unique mix of spa types. (Budapest Tourist Offi ce, 2008)
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2. Towards an integrated approach to health and wellness product development • In Western Europe, the focus has traditionally been on physical and medical wellness. • This is especially true of Central and Eastern Europe where medical tourism in spas was subsidized in part by the state.
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3. Product innovation and new experiences •
The proliferation of spa hotels and purpose-built spas around the world has been exponential in recent years, therefore there is a growing need for new product development in order to give destinations and businesses unique selling propositions. 3.1 What features make a spa or wellness centre exceptional? Case Study of Six Senses • As the company summarizes ‘The pyramid of six spheres used to identify Six Senses Spas, represents the philosophy that is fundamental to the human experience ’: – ‘ The foundation spheres represent the three primary senses of sight, sound and touch. – The second level balances upon this foundation by satisfying the more acute senses of taste and smell. – The apex sphere symbolises a sense of elation discovered only by balancing the first five – the unique experience of all senses elevated beyond expectations. – It is our mission to deliver spa experiences that are both unique and memorable, and very much beyond expectations ’. (Six Senses, 2008)
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3.2 Contemporary developments in spas The International Spa Association (ISPA, 2007) lists some of the new trends that exist in spas.
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3.3 Selfness and mindness: A new wellness trend?
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A wellness hotel should contain the following elements:
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movement/ fitness, water, warmth, beauty, nutrition and relaxation, but not only as infrastructure, also in the philosophy of the whole organization, which should be guided by the mindness principle.
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3.4 New niche products in health and wellness • • •
One of the most recent products in tourism is the development of wellness or holistic cruises. Many of these depart from American ports and tend to cruise the Caribbean. The facilities on board include –
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A number of destinations are offering massage holidays, either for those people who are already masseurs and want to learn a new form of massage, or for those who want to learn massage for the first time. There are numerous retreat centres which now offer special dietary programmes, not only vegetarian but also vegan, organic, ‘ live ’ and raw food. Art therapy has a long history among the practices of psychotherapists. –
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Recently, however, different forms of art therapy, for example music, dance or painting has found its way to tourism, too (the first World Congress on Art Therapy was in 2003 in Budapest, Hungary).
Resonance therapy, under which we can find, for example, music therapy, dates back to Ancient Times. During prehistoric times they already used sounds of nature for stimulation. Many health and wellness products have traditionally used animals to assist healing, for example –
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spas, saunas, steam baths, massage rooms and beauty salons, healthy and organic food, yoga, and meditation classes, and a variety of specialist lectures and workshops.
swimming with dolphins, whale music for relaxation, animal spirit guides in Native American traditions. Therapeutic riding can also be used almost anywhere.
There are many other new products being developed in the health and wellness sector, especially for a wider market. –
The growth of gay and lesbian spas and , there are also spas developing which are specifically designed to accommodate disabled visitors.
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Conclusion • Although health and wellness products are becoming more standardized and globalized on the one hand, there are also numerous new and unique products being offered in a range of health and wellness destinations and centres around the world. • It is important to tap into new leisure and lifestyle trends and to understand the changing needs of contemporary consumers: – importing products from elsewhere in the world which are new and attractive, – or developing signature treatments which make use of local traditions or ingredients.
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