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

The actual responses were compared with the data base classifications in regard to location
and wellness tourism provider category. The distribution of business location of the sample
was consistent with the distribution within the supply data base, suggesting that there was no
significant sample bias on the basis of respondent’s business location. A comparison between
the distribution of wellness tourism provider category within the sample and the supply data
base revealed an over-presentation of the beauty spa resort/hotel and the lifestyle resort
categories and an under-representation of the day spa category. The higher non-response rate
among day spa providers might be explained by their major focus on local residents rather
than tourists, so that they may have perceived that the study was not applicable to them.
Results
The Three Core Wellness Tourism Provider Categories
The main focus of Beauty Spa Hotels/Resorts is on body and beauty treatments such as
facials, massages and body wraps. Of the three provider groups, Beauty Spa Hotels/Resorts
are most likely to offer some form of water-based treatment. In this regard, some beauty spa
facilities have an intrinsic geographic advantage as they are based on or around mineral or
thermal pools. Spas that do not have this advantage also offer water-based treatments, for
instance in the form of steam rooms, saunas, whirlpools, hot tubs and wet treatments rooms
(e.g. for baths and hydrotherapy massages such as a Vichy shower). Day spas are very similar
to Beauty Spa Hotels/Resorts, however they do not include or are not attached to
accommodation facilities.
Some beauty spas are managed independently but are still physically located on the premises
of hotel or resort accommodation suppliers. In recent years, many beauty spas have been
added to existing tourism resort properties, considerably increasing their marketing
advantage, revenue per occupied room, occupancy and perceived value for room rate
(Monteson & Singer, 2002). Indeed, it seems that hotel or resort guests nowadays expect fouror
five-star properties to encompass spa facilities.
Based on the discussion with stakeholders and through the audit of wellness tourism provider
service offerings it can be argued that Australian Beauty Spa Hotels/Resorts seem to follow
one out of three different thematic approaches.
In the first approach, spa services, facilities and décor are reminiscent of traditional
European-style spas. One example is the Aqua Day Spa located in the Sheraton Noosa Resort
& Spa in Queensland. A central focus of this establishment is the use of water with an ‘Aqua
Therapy Centre’ including indoor pools with a range of resistance pressure treatments,
submerged water-lounges, a Vichy shower, a steam room and Roman outdoor spas. The décor
consists of Roman-like statues and the tiled floors and walls as well as the crisp, white
uniforms of the staff, reminiscent of doctors’ coveralls evoke the image of a luxurious
sanatorium. The Aqua Day Spa also includes eight treatment room, including a couple’s room
in which only European cosmetic brands (the Swiss La Prairie and the French Thalgo) are
used for the therapies.
In the second approach, the spa theme is strongly based on Asian healing techniques and
philosophies. An example is Shangri-La’s signature spa brand CHI, which was launched only
this year at the Shangri-La Hotel in Sydney. The concept of CHI spas was developed by
recognised specialists and its treatments and products are based on Traditional Chinese
medicine with its concept of ‘chi’ or ‘qi’ which represents the life force or energy flow that
sustains health, well-being and personal vitality. Guests visiting CHI spas fill out a