Sustainable Health Tourism

Dear Colleagues,

Sustainable Health Tourism, a current phenomenon, can be broadly defined as tourism that contributes to physical and mental health through medical and wellness activities that increase the ability of individuals to meet those needs.

Although health tourism has grown significantly in recent years, it is understudied. Effectively exploiting this niche market and grasp its growth potential in the development of sustainable tourism further research is warranted.

Wellness tourism and Medical tourism comprise different categories within health tourism. Whereas Wellness Tourism aims to improve and balance the physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual aspects of individuals through activities that improve lifestyle—such as physical activity, relaxation, personal care, and healthy eating habits—Medical Tourism refers to a tourism activity that involves the use of medical resources and services for the diagnosis, prevention, treatment, cure, and subsequent rehabilitation from illness.

Presently, society spends an increasing amount time on leisure activities, and resources are employed in actions that promote and encourage healthy lifestyles. These factors contribute to the growth of health tourism; the strained and overloaded condition of medical care in a large number of developed countries, where aging and chronic illnesses take an ever-larger percentage of total health expenditures, sets the stage for medical tourism.

In addition, life in cities poses a challenge to public health which, together with chronic diseases, leads to a growing demand for health-related travel, natural alternatives, and escapism. Technology and innovation also facilitate health-related travel, such as minimally invasive technology (e.g., laparoscopy), or novelties in aesthetic treatments.

Despite the expansion of health tourism, estimating its growth and market size is presently difficult due to limited, fragmented, and often unreliable data.

Sustainability and social responsibility have become key criteria in health tourism. Destinations must consider the impact of health tourism on the quality of life of local residents, as the wellbeing of local residents should be considered as important as the health of tourists.

Amongst the strengths of health tourism, in its capability to match demand and offer during the year, and when compared to other tourism classifications heavily dependent and associated with specific times of the year, is combating the strong seasonality tendency of the tourist industry. The dispersal and relocation of tourism centers throughout urban and rural areas promotes regional development otherwise lacking under general conditions.  

The Topical Collection welcomes papers focused on the latest knowledge in this area of research. The papers must show originality and give a significant contribution to the scope of the Topical Collection.

Prof. Dr. Mercedes Rodríguez-Fernández
Prof. Dr. Yvon Bryan
Dr. Eva M. Sánchez-Teba
Collection Editors

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