Experience Creation in Health, Wellness and Spa Tourism

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1 Experience Creation in Health, Wellness and Spa Tourism Dr Melanie Smith (PhD) Lecturer, Researcher and Consultant Budapest Metropolitan University, Hungary Pärnu College, University of Tartu, Estonia

2 What I observed on my summer holidays... People still love beaches People still love sunbathing and doing nothing on the beach People like sitting around in cafes drinking iced coffee and beer Were the Brits, Greeks, Italians or Germans doing anything very different? No! Many people have similar needs which can be met within one location There are some universal needs/likes...? Peoples needs can be relatively simple...? The ubiquity of technology has nurtured a longing for a 'slower', more simple life, a lifestyle with a less instant and connected nature, more local in feel (Euromonitor, 2012)

3 Universally popular

4 The Universal and the Global Globalisation pertains to techniques, the market, tourism, information. Universality pertains to values, human rights, freedoms, culture, democracy. There is no value system which claims to speak with a single voice for all cultures and their difference (although there have been many attempts!) (after Jean Baudrillard) Are there products, services and experiences which are universally appealing and can be made globally available? Everyone loves sunsets Most people prefer sandy beaches Everyone would prefer to receive friendly rather than rude and abrupt service Everyone likes a clean, comfortable bed Many people would prefer to play Angry Birds than listen to a long boring talk, etc.

5 Is wellbeing a universal concept...? Health is always included in definitions of (human) wellbeing (e.g. ; OECD Better Life Index, 2012; Eurofound Quality of Life Survey, 2013; Gallup Well-being Index, 2013; Human Development Index, 2014; World Happiness Report, 2015) The word happiness is rarely included in wellbeing studies (instead subjective wellbeing or more recently hedonic wellbeing ). Ideally combining the hedonic and the eudaimonic. Subjective versus objective evaluations of wellbeing. Seligman (2002, 2011 proposed five essential elements of wellbeing: pleasure, engagement, meaning, relationships and accomplishment. Meaningfulness matters more than happiness (Frankl, 1946). Vacationers happiness does not increase long-term wellbeing (Nawijn, 2011). Research should focus on tourism and authentic happiness rather than Subjective Wellbeing (Filep, 2014). What about more eudaimonic forms of tourism or those that promote health enhancement?

6 Wellbeing is not a universal feeling...? Many Western tourists like sunbathing, drinking a beer and relaxing in the sun Nordic people like sitting in a hot sauna then jumping into cold water Eastern Europeans like sitting in warm thermal waters for hours Middle Eastern tourists like going from the desert to rainy places Women like spas and beauty treatments in spas more than men Young people like water parks with lots of slides BUT, what is subjectively good for wellbeing is not necessarily objectively good for health... e.g. Eating what we like in the short term can cause obesity and health risks in the long term Many people choose to live in and visit cities but their bodies crave nature and green spaces Sunbathing and getting a tan feels good in the short term but can cause skin cancer Many cosmetic procedures have short term benefits but long term risks

7 Some activities are not universally popular...

8 How to create optimum wellbeing for the greatest number of people long-term? Maybe not on holiday? Stick to hedonic activities and save the eudaimonic for home? Or go to a spiritual retreat instead of a beauty spa (Voigt et al., 2011) Counter Nature Deficit Disorder by being in the countryside (Louv, 2005; the work of Konu, Tuohino & Komppula) Visit a therapeutic landscape (Huijbens, 2013) Learn healthy living in a Longevity Centre (e.g. Pritikin)

9 Where in the World?

10 Where in the World?

11 The most popular spa treaments are: Massage (90%) Facials (54%) Body treatments (49%) Manicures and pedicures (38%) People know what they like and like what they know...? (Good Spa Guide, 2014) Nothing too weird...? According to several sources the most popular types of massage are Swedish massage, Aromatherapy massage and Deep Tissue

12 Differentiating Spas Sometimes the work of starchitects or world-famous architects is used to create uniqueness and appeal as in the case of Wine Therapy Spa Marques de Riscal in northern Spain, designed by Frank Gehry or Hundertwasser s Bad Blumau in Austria Other differentiating features can be decorative, such as the vertical garden by Patrick Blanc in the Six Senses of Paris or Swarovski crystals on the bottom of a black-gold pool at the Hotel Espa Ritz-Carlton, in Moscow. In spas themes are used which often refer to local culture or to ancient traditions related to wellbeing (e.g. Aboriginal Australians, Native Americans, Mayans). Rituals may be used (e.g. Roman baths, sauna ceremonies, Turkish bath, rasul).

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14 Aboriginal spa treatments Yoga in an Indian spa African bush massage Nordic / Baltic saunas Maori water and mud treatments Mayan sweat lodge

15 Cross-Cultural Issues in Spas Design varies from country to country including colour symbolism, feng shui, décor, music, etc. (compare for example Scandinavian minimalist design versus opulent Middle Eastern style). Spa menus often feature diverse cultural treatments. Some are global (e.g. Thai massage, Ayurveda) and some are local (e.g. signature treatments using local herbs, minerals, etc) What do spa guests expect according to their culture and background? (e.g. medical spa, nudity, silence, mixed men and women?) Are spas used for business or pleasure only? Which languages should be used? Should certain nationality guests be separated?

16 10 Sauna Tips for Beginners (VisitFinland.com) There is nothing more Finnish than sauna, and many Finns think you can not grasp Finland or its culture without bathing in a sauna. What exactly do you do in a Finnish sauna and what not? However, Finns understand that foreigners have certain inhibitions and concerns when it comes to stepping in a heated box with no clothes on! 10-sauna-tips-for-beginners/

17 Islamic Hospitality Timetric (2014) suggests that Muslims will look for services in accordance with their religious principles, such as hotels which do not serve alcohol or pork, separate swimming pools for men and women, no television channels which are considered un-islamic and provision of prayer rooms. Eid and El-Gohary (2014) found that Islamic attributes are very important to Muslim travellers when choosing a destination or a hotel. In many ways, Islamic hospitality is complex and diverse, in the same way that the Muslim population is by no means a monolithic group. There are also variables of age, gender, ethnicity and nationality; especially within the context of specific countries and regions. Yamam, Alias and Ishak (2012) describe how Islamic spas should follow certain principles of ISP (Islamic Spa Practice): Designing the space so that it is closed and hidden from the view of non-muslims Segregation of men and women Employees and therapists in a womens spa should be women Women can beautify themselves but in moderation Beauty products should be from halal sources

18 Conclusions Peoples needs may be simpler than we thought (some experiences are almost universally popular) Too much choice can confuse and ovewhelm people (e.g. they prefer simple spa treatment menus) Some cultural needs may be stronger than others (e.g. Islamic hospitality) Fulfilling hedonic needs on holiday (short term) is not as harmful as leading an hedonic life long-term! But there is still plenty of room for (more) eudaimonic experiences in tourism The challenge(s): Combining the universal and the unique Providing modern comforts as well as ancient rituals Introducing the eudaimonic as well as the hedonic Focusing on long-term and not only short-term wellbeing

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