Year: 2020
Type: dissertation
Abstract: This study's purpose is to clarify wellness tourism service providers' perceptions in Eastern Finland, more accurately the North Karelia, North Savonia and Kainuu region, of the concept "wellness tourism" in the region of Karelian wellness project and to create a definition and content for Karelian wellness tourism offering.Today wellness and health related tourism is growing faster than the tourism business as a whole, and target group is larger than ever before.Wellness tourism is contextual and changes according to time, culture, and place.In Finland, wellness tourism perception is wide, and nature has significant role in product and services.The terms which are related to wellness tourism are overlapping between concepts.Part of the reason for this are linguistic problems.Especially in Finland there is only one term "hyvinvointimatkailu" for all wellness-, wellbeing-and health tourism.This study utilize definition of previous studies for wellness concept and present definition for wellness tourism product from Eastern Finland.The research was carried out using qualitative methods and data consist of half structure interviews, which were in total 18.The data was analyzed with qualitative content analysis, where clear themes were repeated as the study progressed.According to research results Eastern Finland service providers perception was that the term "wellness" means hedonic and overall wellbeing, which consist of mind, body and spirit well-being.Karelian wellness product should consist of lakes, sauna, quiet and peaceful nature and it surroundings, local food, relaxing time in forest, also Karelian culture and Karelian hospitality.Compared to previous studies importance of Karelian culture and local food were remarkable.This study offers a confirmation for that wellness concept is multidimensional and means different things in different countries and context.
Author: Sulkinoja, Elisa
Institution: University of Eastern Finland
Language: English
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7037630734