Natural Resources in Health Tourism: A Systematic Literature Review

Elena Pessot, Daniele Spoladore, Andrea Zangiacomi and Marco Sacco
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Elena Pessot: National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Intelligent Industrial Technologies and Systems for Advanced Manufacturing, 20133 Milan, Italy
Daniele Spoladore: National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Intelligent Industrial Technologies and Systems for Advanced Manufacturing, 20133 Milan, Italy
Andrea Zangiacomi: National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Intelligent Industrial Technologies and Systems for Advanced Manufacturing, 20133 Milan, Italy
Marco Sacco: National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Intelligent Industrial Technologies and Systems for Advanced Manufacturing, 20133 Milan, Italy

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 5, 1-17

Abstract: Natural resources are recognized among the key determinants for the improvement of wellness, and thus the development and sustainability of health tourism destinations. This study applied a systematic review to investigate the contributions mapping and analyzing under different perspectives the value of the natural resources of a destination and related activities for health tourism. The main research topics identified from a review of 52 papers include the analysis and exploitation of natural resources in health tourism, the nature-based factors considered in clustering of tourists and their motivations, the development of value offer and marketing, as well as the cultural issues. Research gaps and future directions are summarized in a research agenda laying the foundations for the development of a multidisciplinary research stream focused on nature-based health tourism. Results also represent a key reference for managers and policy makers to identify key issues, areas of intervention and practices for industry development in the health tourism destinations through an effective and sustainable exploitation of natural resources.

Keywords: health tourism; natural resources; wellness tourism; spa tourism; medical tourism; well-being; nature-based tourism (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 (11)

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