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

Table 1 Sample of the Classification Requirements for the Medical Spa Category
Requirement * ** *** **** *****
1.1. The licence to provide X X X X X
specialised outpatient medical care
6.2. Separate reception for treatment
and spa services
X X X
7.1. Reception by the attending
doctor is quaranteed for every client
if necessary
X X X X X
7.2. Treatment places per 100 bed 10 10 13 13 15
7.5. Swimming pool (at least 25 m
long)
X X
7.7. Availability of spa services X X X
8.1. Special diet therapy menu X X X X X
11. Number of different types of
saunas
1 1 2 3 3
In all categories, the classification (stars) the hotel is applying for is granted if the
classification requirements for hotels and spas of the relevant category have been met. The
following documents were prepared in the process of development of categorisation criteria:
Classification Requirements for the Medical Spa Category, Statutes of the Spa Hotel
Classification Committee, and Classification Procedure (Categories of spa hotels and
classification...). The Spa Hotel Classification Committee is the committee created by the
management board of Estonian Spa Association (ESPAL) whose task is to determine the
categories of spa hotels and develop relevant classification requirements and their
amendments, to decide on granting and removing classifications and to organise all other
work required for maintaining a functioning classification system. A committee includes the
representatives of the Estonian Spa Association, Estonian Hotel and Restaurant Association
and the Estonian Association of Travel Agents. Application for a category is voluntary.
Implementation of the system of categories of Estonian spa hotels contributes to the
organisation of the market and to the communication of clear and reliable messages to
potential visitors.
Conclusions
Fast development of the spa and wellness sector can be regarded as a phenomenon of the
beginning of the 21. century. There are different reasons for this, including increased health
awareness of people which has led to a very fast development of spa and wellness products
and services. No newly opened full service or upscale hotel is without wellness or spa
services, and almost all hotels are adding spa facilities and services. On the one hand,
traditional spa hotels fear sophisticated competition, while on the other hand they could
capitalize on the fact that consumers already consider spa services to be standard offerings
and that these consumers have been accustomed to them and are familiar with individual
procedures.
Estonian spas have traditionally been medical spas but numerous new spa hotels have been
opened during the last decade which do not provide medical services but offer various
invigorating and relaxing procedures. In some of the hotels which have come to the market
the number of the respective services is very limited, however, and the quality standards are
questionable. As health tourism and spa business are very important aspects of the Estonian