Wellness tourism: Evaluating destination attributes for tourism planning in a competitive segment market

Citation:

Didascalou, E., Lagos, D. & Nastos, P. Wellness tourism: Evaluating destination attributes for tourism planning in a competitive segment market. Tourismos 4, 113 - 125 (2009). Copy at http://www.tinyurl.com/y3pnojud

Abstract:

The purpose of the present study is to identify the various factors that decision makers must take into account when ranking destinations for placing a spa resort/hotel in the thriving health and wellness industry. The study will suggest a decision support system (DSS) based on key factors as climate, tourism development and attractions. The DSS, using a computer based information system, will evaluate the aforementioned factors and will propose a hierarchical structure for rating destinations, useful for private or public planners in the wellness market. The research categorized the prefectures of Ahaia, Arkadia, Ilia, Korinthia, Messinia in the region of Peloponnese. © University of the Aegean.

Notes:

Cited By :9Export Date: 2 November 2015Correspondence Address: Lagos, D.; University of the Aegean, Department of Business Administration, Chios, Greece; email: d.lagos@aegean.grReferences: Amelung, B., Nicholls, S., Viner, D., Implications of Global Climate Change for Tourism Flows and Seasonality (2007) Journal of Travel Research, 45 (3), pp. 285-296;Cheng-Fei, L., Brian, E.K., Using the Delphi Method to assess the potential of Taiwan's hot springs tourism Sector (2008) International Journal of Tourism Research, 10 (4), pp. 341-352; Didaskalou, E.A., Nastos, P.T., Matzarakis, A., Spa destination development using a decision support system-the role of climate and bioclimate (2007) Developments in Tourism Climatology, , A. Matzarakis, C.R. de Freitas and D. Scott (Eds.), Freiburg: Commision on Climate, Tourism and Recreation, International Society of Biometeorology; Didaskalou, E.A., Nastos, P., The role of climatic and bioclimatic conditions in the development of health tourism product (2003) Anatolia, 14 (2), pp. 107-126; Holloway, J.C., (2006) The Business of Tourism, , England, Pearson Education Limited; García-Altés, A., The Development of Health Tourism Services (2005) Annals of Tourism Research, 32 (1), pp. 266-268; Goodrich, N., Goodrich, E., Health-care Tourism- an explanatory study (1987) Tourism Management, 8 (3), pp. 217-222; Kaspar, C., A new lease of life for spa and health tourism (1990) Annals of Tourism Research, 17 (2), pp. 298-299; Lund, J.W., "Taking the waters": Introduction to balneology (2000) Geo-Heat Center, Quarterly Bulletin, 21 (3), pp. 2-5; McNeil, K.R., Ragins, E.J., Staying in the spa marketing game: Trends, challenges, strategies and techniques (2005) Journal of Vacation Marketing, 11 (1), pp. 31-39; Monteson, P.A., Singer, J., Turn your spa into a winner (1992) Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly, 33 (3), pp. 37-44; Mueller, H., Kaufmann, E.L., Wellness tourism: Market analysis of a special health tourism segment and implications for the hotel industry (2001) Journal of Vacation Marketing, 7 (1), pp. 5-17; Turban, E., Aronson, J.E., Liang, T.P., (2005) Decision Support Systems and Intelligent Systems, , New Jersey, Pearson Education; Piccoli, G., Wagner, E.L., The Value of Academic Research (2003) Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly, 44 (2), pp. 29-38; Smith, M., Kelly, C., Wellness tourism (2006) Tourism Recreation Research, 31 (1), pp. 1-4; Wöber, K., Gretzel, U., Tourism Managers' Adoption of Marketing Decision Support Systems (2000) Journal of Travel Research, 39 (2), pp. 172-181

Website