Geography Matters, But… Evolving Success Factors for Nature-Oriented Health Tourism within Selected Alpine Destinations

Jürgen Schmude, Markus Pillmayer, Maximilian Witting and Philipp Corradini
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Jürgen Schmude: Department of Geography, Ludwig Maximilian University Munich, Luisenstrasse 37, 80333 Munich, Germany
Markus Pillmayer: Department of Tourism, Munich University of Applied Sciences, Schachenmeierstrasse 35, 80636 Munich, Germany
Maximilian Witting: Department of Geography, Ludwig Maximilian University Munich, Luisenstrasse 37, 80333 Munich, Germany
Philipp Corradini: Institute for Regional Development, Eurac Research, Viale Druso 1, 39100 Bolzano, Italy

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 10, 1-18

Abstract: This paper analyzes the success factors of health tourism based on natural attractions in selected European spa and health destinations. The natural resources included in the offers, such as water, salt, and air, play a central role in this context, as their evidence-based effects have a high relevance for the health and wellbeing of tourists. Due to its specific geographical location and considering the threat of climate change, however, this offer is facing increasing challenges which make adaptation strategies necessary. In addition to a conceptional introduction to the topic, this paper contains a descriptive analysis of tourism statistics and the results from self-administered questionnaires with six selected representatives from alpine health destinations (DE, FR, IT, AT, CH, SI). The results show varying forms of health tourism based on natural attractions, which are also reflected in online marketing, with potential for optimization. The web research and the responses to the questionnaire revealed that evidence-based studies hardly play a role in promoting health touristic offers. Furthermore, climate change effects on natural attractions are considered extremely small and tend to prompt the development of new offers. Health destinations are advised to generate a clearer focus on the risks of climate change regarding natural resources.

Keywords: health tourism; natural attraction; man-made attraction; evidence-based products; climate change; adaptation; alpine tourism; Alps (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (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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