Wellness and healthy lifestyle in tourism settings

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the concept of wellness as a form of healthy lifestyle in tourism settings.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected through a self-complete questionnaire administered to a sample of guests staying in wellness hotels in Croatia. These data were processed using univariate statistics (general description of the sample), cluster analysis (segmentation purposes), multinomial regression analysis (profiling the clusters) and confirmatory factor analysis (confirmation of wellness-related lifestyle).

Findings

Six wellness-related lifestyle dimensions (diet, fitness, social interactions, cultural diversity, health awareness and personal development) were confirmed, and four segments emerged (high-level wellness, diet- and health-oriented, fitness-oriented and low-level wellness clusters). They differed in their travel motivation.

Originality/value

This paper suggests a wellness-related lifestyle scale that integrates the elements of wellness intervention models and healthy lifestyle, confirms the link between healthy lifestyle and travel motivation and establishes the importance of the social, intellectual and spiritual dimensions of a tourist’s lifestyle.

Citation

Težak Damijanić, A. (2019), "Wellness and healthy lifestyle in tourism settings", Tourism Review, Vol. 74 No. 4, pp. 978-989. https://doi.org/10.1108/TR-02-2019-0046