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1 – 5 of 5Cornelia Voigt, Graham Brown and Gary Howat
The purpose of this paper is to explore and compare the benefits sought by three different types of wellness tourists: beauty spa, lifestyle resort, and spiritual retreat visitors.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore and compare the benefits sought by three different types of wellness tourists: beauty spa, lifestyle resort, and spiritual retreat visitors.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on the findings from 27 semi‐structured interviews with wellness tourists a benefits of wellness tourism scale (BWTS) was developed. It was used to measure 46 benefit items and was mailed to people included on the client/member lists of three Australian wellness tourism organisations.
Findings
In total, six benefit factors emerged from a principal axis factor analysis: transcendence; physical health and appearance; escape and relaxation; important others and novelty; re‐establish self‐esteem; and indulgence. A one‐way MANOVA, followed by a series of ANOVAS, revealed significant differences between the three types of tourists regarding the importance attributed to each of the six benefit factors. While all participants in the study sought transformation of the self, each identifiable group of tourists placed different emphasis on physical, psychological or spiritual transformations. Moreover, each group differed significantly in terms of demographic and travel behaviour characteristics.
Originality/value
The relevance of this paper lies in its adoption of a comprehensive approach to the investigation of the potential differences between three wellness tourist groups regarding the socio‐demographic profile, travel behaviour, and the benefits sought. Previous studies have focused on a single particular wellness tourist group. Furthermore, the BWTS may be applicable for use in future comparative studies of wellness tourist motivation.
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Kasturi Shukla and Avadhut Patwardhan
Medical tourism demands tremendous responsiveness and accountability. The triple bottom line in medical tourism indicates that these organizations must emphasize on economic…
Abstract
Medical tourism demands tremendous responsiveness and accountability. The triple bottom line in medical tourism indicates that these organizations must emphasize on economic profits, environmental protection, and conservation of social resources. Developing a resilient medical tourism ecosystem is another critical necessity after the COVID-19 pandemic. The present study attempts to study the various aspects of medical tourism while synthesizing the relevant theories. This synthesis was used to propose a framework for developing a resilient medical tourism system. The outcomes of the chapter also propose the long, medium, and short-term goals. These goals focus on relevant stakeholders for developing highly integrated and resilient medical-tourism destinations.
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The purpose of this paper is to propose and test a theoretical framework to identify the specific aspects of the guest experience at a wellness facility that contribute to…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to propose and test a theoretical framework to identify the specific aspects of the guest experience at a wellness facility that contribute to well-being. Self-determination theory (SDT) is used as the theoretical framework. According to SDT, basic needs must be met in order for psychological well-being to be achieved. Thus, in addition to the services and amenities offered, the quality of interactions with staff and service providers are integral to wellness vacation outcomes or basic need fulfillment.
Design/methodology/approach
Psychological precursors, or basic needs, were estimated using structural equation modeling, and these precursors were significant with the model explaining considerable variation in the outcome variable, well-being.
Findings
The results suggest that guest experiences can be enhanced if management facilitates guest autonomy, helps guests develop a sense of mastery with respect to activities and encourages positive interactions between guests.
Research limitations/implications
Study limitations include the single venue used for data collection, sample size and a focus on exercise activities as a proxy for staff–guest interactions.
Practical implications
This study sheds light on an under-researched area, providing managerial guidelines for wellness tourism destinations with respect to service delivery.
Originality/value
This study extends the wellness tourism literature by suggesting a framework to assess the service product and optimize guest experiences within the niche wellness sector of the tourism and hospitality industry.
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Environmental research professionals, occupational health professionals, and safety engineers rely on fast access to data on chemical substances known to be hazardous to human…
Abstract
Environmental research professionals, occupational health professionals, and safety engineers rely on fast access to data on chemical substances known to be hazardous to human health and the environment. Such factual substance data can be found in Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) provided by manufacturers of chemicals, traditional databases such as the Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances (RTECS) or the Hazardous Chemicals Data Base (HSDB), and with the help of search engines or portals on the free Internet. The questions investigated in this paper are: can the WWW be used as a source for reliable data on chemical compounds? And can particular search services be recommended for particular questions? Recommendations for searching information about chemicals on the Internet are given.
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Cornelia Rauschenbach, Stefan Krumm, Markus Thielgen and Guido Hertel
The ongoing demographic changes in many industrialized countries affect managerial decisions in many ways, and require sound knowledge of systematic age differences in central…
Abstract
Purpose
The ongoing demographic changes in many industrialized countries affect managerial decisions in many ways, and require sound knowledge of systematic age differences in central work-related variables. The current paper aims to address age differences in the experience of work-related stress. Based on life-span approaches, the authors focus on age differences in different components of the work-related stress process and meta-analyze existing empirical studies on the relationship between age and short-term indicators of work-related stress (i.e. irritation).
Design/methodology/approach
The authors conduct both a literature review and a meta-analysis of age and indicators of work-related stress.
Findings
The literature review revealed that age might affect several components of the stress process at work. However, as these effects are partly conflicting, they might nullify each other in the overall relation between age and stress. Indeed, the conducted meta-analysis showed no general correlation between age and irritation as a short-term indicator of work-related stress. Instead, this relationship was significantly moderated by type of occupation and gender.
Research limitations/implications
The meta-analytic results are limited to short-term indicators of stress. Based on both the literature review and the meta-analytical findings, the authors introduce a research agenda for future research, including a call for more thorough research on the whole work-stress process and the integration of life-span theories.
Practical implications
A more differentiated understanding of age differences in different stages of the stress process at work facilitates the implementation of age-differentiated stress prevention and intervention strategies.
Originality/value
This study is the first meta-analysis on the relationship between age and short-term consequences of work-related stress.
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