Health and Wellness Tourism

Health tourism is similar to medical tourism, but health tourism is generally used as the term for when people travel for health related reasons but are not undergoing a procedure or surgery. Sometimes however, the terms are used interchangeably, and health tourism can also refer to medical tourism. Health tourism is typically selected for the purpose of prevention, whereas medical tourism is generally a reactionary treatment for a pre-existing disease or condition. Health tourism can involve rehabilitation, spa treatments, hot spring therapy, or other type of therapy. Health tourists travel for a variety of different reasons including spa treatments, beauty, exercise, relaxation, meditation, yoga, herbal therapy, homeopathic medicine, alternative treatments, hot springs therapy, thalassotherapy, Ayurvedic therapies, and more. There are a number of hotel companies that now offer services catering to health and wellness tourists and an estimated 17 million Americans take a health and wellness tourism trip each year. Many hospitals offer health and wellness tourism services in addition to traditional medical care. These programs focus on physical fitness, lifestyle improvement, prevention, and health screening. Some providers of health and wellness tourism programs do not include services offered by clinics, hospitals, and medical facilities and do not classify those services as health and wellness tourism. Resorts and retreats are also popular health tourism destinations. Hungary and Turkey in particular are chosen for their thermal resorts. Europe and North America make up the largest groups of health and wellness tourists, with Asia coming in third.

The Increasing Popularity of Health and Wellness Tourism

Health and wellness tourism makes up approximately half a trillion dollars worth (around 15%) of all tourism expenditures per year. There are two types of health and wellness tourists, the primary health and wellness tourist– someone who travels solely for the purpose of health and wellness therapies and the secondary health and wellness tourist– the individual who travels for other reasons but who engages in health and wellness therapies while they are travelling. The majority of the health and wellness tourism industry can be classified as secondary, however, there is still a significant section of the tourism market that travels exclusively for health and wellness therapies. Health and Wellness Tourism is becoming a popular choice for people who are looking to get relief for their conditions without the help of pharmaceuticals or the traditional healthcare industry.

Common Types of Health and Wellness Tourism

Spa therapy
Anti-Aging Clinics
Hot springs and thermal treatments
Thalassotherapy
Ayurvedic (TCM)
Rehabilitation
Respiratory relief

How Much Does Health and Wellness Tourism Typically Cost?

Depending on where you travel for your health and wellness tourism, the costs of your trip, therapy, and accommodations can vary greatly. Western European countries, North America, and some South Pacific Islands usually have higher costs than comparable treatments in South America, India, Asia, and Eastern Europe.