Health, Wellness and Tourism: healthy tourists, healthy business ...

City of Budapest is seen as a tourist destination, and the famous spas in Budapest are the
tourism products.
First change, competition and the concept of area life cycle and product life cycle will be
presented as a theoretical foundation, followed by a short overview of the spa heritage in
Budapest and the specific characteristic of the product. In addition four famous historical spas
in Budapest, namely the Gellért Spa, the Széchenyi Spa, the Lukács Spa and the Rudas Spa
will be presented separately according to the empirical case studies of these four spas in
Budapest. The selected case study research method has several methodological limitations
(Yin, 2003), namely limited rigor, and limited potential for generalization. To weaken the
limitations we analyze each case both separately and in cross-case comparison. The case
study reflects national context with nowadays political, economic and cultural settings.
In the process interviews were conducted with managers of spas and questionnaires were
filled out by guests visiting the spas which provided the basic data for the results shown in the
article.
Thus, the article aims at responding to the following questions: What challenges do the
management of the spas in Budapest have to face nowadays. Which role has an area and a
product life cycle model in this context?
Literature Research
In our global world economy every district (settlement, region) is forced to compete with
other districts in order to gain economic advantage over them. They are endeavouring to
provide the most favourable conditions for business corporations, industrial establishments,
consortiums, scientific research centres, investors, tourists, conventions and conferences, in
order to increase the number of jobs, income, to boost commerce, investments, and growth.
(Kotler/Raider/Rein, 1994, p. 24) „In countries with a market economy the communities
themselves are markets. In consequence they must find ways to market their resources in a
way to benefit from a competitive advantage in order to establish new companies and thus
survive economically.” (Blakely, 1989, p. 57)
The trends mentioned above sharpen the competition between individual settlements and
regions, which is realised on different levels and fields throughout Europe, consequently in
Hungary as well. Settlements and regions are competing with each other at an ever increasing
rate as economic zones; residential areas; locations for work, shopping, and recreation; and
finally holiday resort areas. (Horner, 1991, p. 394) Economic factors can only achieve success
for settlements and regions when they are coupled with social and cultural factors. The extent
to which this is influenced and formed by the communities becomes part of the settlement and
regional marketing concept. Besides the economic strength, the standard of living in the
settlements and regions must also be improved, in order to make them attractive industrial,
commercial, and recreational areas (Nemes, 2010, 11.).
The Hungarian settlements and regions need innovative development and promotion concept
to take advantage of the global competition and change for residence to encourage economic
growth. The increasing attractiveness of settlements and regions, the boosting of the image
and thus the development of a unique profile is only possible through the integrated
assessment and proper handling of the needs of the participants (Nemes, 2010, 11.)