A model for developing evidence-based health tourism – The case of the "Alpine Health Region Salzburg, Austria"

The rapid market development in health and wellness tourism in recent years has quite often led to a neglect of quality and evidence indicators (Populorum, 2008). For this reason, evidence-based services with scientifically... [ view full abstract ]

The rapid market development in health and wellness tourism in recent years has quite often led to a neglect of quality and evidence indicators (Populorum, 2008). For this reason, evidence-based services with scientifically proven health benefits are seen today as the state-of-the-art approach within the health and wellness tourism industry (Smith & Puczko, 2014). Additionally, natural resources are viewed as an excellent base for developing evidence-based health tourism. This is due to the fact, that these location-bound natural resources are geographically specific and cannot be exported and are therefore likely to develop a unique health tourism appeal (Smith & Puczko, 2008).

Consequently, health tourism strategies are now more and more integrated in tourism strategies of several countries and tourism destinations. Especially destinations with a rich heritage of natural health resources (such as Alpine regions) provide excellent prerequisites to develop evidence-based health tourism products and to integrate them into economic value chains. However, from a European point of view, their healing potential as well as the resulting health tourism potential still seem underestimated. Secondly, a lack of systematic and scientific process models to develop sustainable evidence-based health tourism products and destinations can be ascertained.

This case study on the initiative “Alpine Health Region Salzburg, Austria” analyses the product and destination development process in a mountain region following an evidence-based approach using location-bound natural resources. The present paper especially investigates the offer of “Hohe Tauern Health”, a holiday offer targeting allergic and asthmatic guests. The product is based on the location-bound natural health resource of the Krimml waterfalls and their scientifically proven positive health effects on allergic and asthmatic people. With this case the study aimed at designing a model for developing a destination using an evidence based health tourism approach.

To do so, medical research and tourism industry research by carrying out guest surveys and expert interviews was undertaken. Within this case study, a generic five-step model for developing evidence-based health tourism was designed. The final model provides a structured approach for the development of evidence-based health tourism, ranging from the analysis and selection of natural resources to product development.