Wellness Tourism—New Challenges and Opportunities for Tourism in Salou

Marta Gemma Nel-lo Andreu, Alba Font-Barnet and Marc Espasa Roca
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Marta Gemma Nel-lo Andreu: GRATET, Department of Geography, Rovira i Virgili University, 43480 Vila-seca, Spain
Alba Font-Barnet: GRATET, Department of Geography, Rovira i Virgili University, 43480 Vila-seca, Spain
Marc Espasa Roca: Tourist Board of the City Council of Salou, 43840 Salou, Spain

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 15, 1-13

Abstract: Following a long history of using various strategies and policies for diversification and seasonal adjustment in the face of the challenges of achieving economic, social, and environmental sustainability, sun and beach destinations should also consider targeting the wellness tourism market as a post pandemic opportunity and long-term solution. Salou is a mature sun and beach destination in the Mediterranean, but one which, for some time, has had an increasing commitment to family and sports tourism as a result of a strategic renewal process. Now, with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, the destination management organization is considering the evolution of the model, the internalization of sustainability as a fundamental value, and the impact of different markets. In this study, we examined the challenges the Salou Tourist Board has faced during the development of a post pandemic model for sustainable tourism and what strategies it has adopted in response. We also considered the opportunities and competitive advantages that Salou has in the field of wellness tourism. The results obtained should encourage the continuation of work that promotes the environmental axis of sustainability and adds value to the natural resources on which it depends, including the sea and the landscape, while maintaining the environmental quality of the resources.

Keywords: pandemic consequences; destination management; innovative strategies; wellness tourism; Salou; coastal destination (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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