PREFERENCES AND CHANGING NEEDS OF WELLNESS TOURISTS: A STUDY FROM INDIAN PERSPECTIVE POST COVID-19

Abstract

On a global scale, people are resorting more to travel in order to invigorate, relieve stress and lead a healthy life. Therefore, there is a great desire to add wellness component to their travel itinerary post COVID-19. The study aims to find the preferences and changing needs of wellness tourists post COVID-19. The study was conducted on 400 foreign tourists visiting India and find their preferences and changing needs pertaining to various variables of wellness tourism post COVID-19. Factor Analysis was applied to reduce the 12 variables identified through scholarly literature into 3 factors i.e., Core Wellness services, Allied Wellness Services, Ancillary Wellness services. Multiple regression was used to determine the factors impacting the preferences and needs of wellness tourists. The study indicates that core wellness services i.e., yoga, Ayurveda, spirituality, meditation has stronger impact contributing to the satisfaction level of wellness tourists.