Emerging trends in wellness tourism: a scoping review

Abstract

PurposeWellness tourism is complex due to the varied expectations and perceptions of tourists. This study attempts to explore components that shape tourist expectations of health treatments and tourist attractions, which have not been deeply explored in the extant literature.Design/methodology/approachA scoping review of the literature published between 2000 and 2021 was conducted to reach the conclusions of this study. Out of 303 literature sources, a total of 105 literature sources were retained for the final analysis.FindingsFindings show that tourists expect a mix of health treatments, such as conventional medical treatments and alternative health treatments and tourist attractions, as part of wellness tourism to improve their health and well-being (HWB). A favorable trade-off between tourist expectations and their perception of wellness tourism impacts tourist HWB and behavioral intention.Practical implicationsThe proposed wellness tourism conceptual model and wellness tourism matrix may help wellness tourism service providers to understand tourist expectations for health treatments and tourist attractions in a recent context. Wellness tourism service providers may follow the guidelines outlined in this study to offer health treatments and tourist attractions according to tourist expectations, which may result in the favorable behavioral intentions of wellness tourists.Originality/valueThis study unravels the previously under-explored role of conventional medical treatments, which arguably fall under the category of allopathic medical treatment, in wellness tourism. Destination marketing organizations may focus on the wellness philosophies of health treatments and tourist attractions to meet the growing expectations of wellness tourists for HWB, as outlined in the literature review. This study provides insights into the different components of contemporary wellness tourism those impact wellness tourists' cognitive responses, HWB and behavioral intention.