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Munich-based Institute for Leisure Economics survey

Thailand, Sri Lanka and India rising on the charts for German health and wellness tourists

Thailand, India and Sri Lanka are rapidly gaining popularity as non-European destinations for Germans pursuing health and wellness treatments, according to a survey by the Munich-based Institute for Leisure Economics. The survey results were discussed at the ITB 2009 Experts’ Forum on wellness. The topic was “Latest Developments of Wellness & Spa in Europe with Focus on the German market.” The German Health and Spa tourism is one of the most booming market segments within the whole tourism sector. According to the survey, the number of prospective…

Thailand, India and Sri Lanka are rapidly gaining popularity as non-European destinations for Germans pursuing health and wellness treatments, according to a survey by the Munich-based Institute for Leisure Economics. The survey results were discussed at the ITB 2009 Experts’ Forum on wellness. The topic was “Latest Developments of Wellness & Spa in Europe with Focus on the German market.”

The German Health and Spa tourism is one of the most booming market segments within the whole tourism sector. According to the survey, the number of prospective German customers for health, spa and beauty treatments is projected to increase from 10.2 million in 2007 to 18.6 million in 2020. Numerous demographic, social and economic factors expected to drive demand for health and spa services and products include: Availability of a wider range of products; Increased life expectancy; Low birth rate; Increasing mobility; Increasing levels of education; Increasing occupational demands; Reduced benefits of health insurance; Better, more accessible sources of information, and motivational lifestyle choices.

The survey says that most health, spa and beauty customers are within the 30-59 age groups of 30 to 59 years; the share of self-employed and freelancer is disproportionately high; and the majority lives in households of 2 persons. Though the number of women customers so far has been considerably higher, the number of men is increasing steadily. For instance, the share of men with 49% has nearly equalled with that of women with 51% for both Medical Spa and Anti-Aging treatments.

Although the number of vacationers in the health and spa sector has grown significantly, the survey reports that there is a difference between health-orientated short vacation trips and vacation trips. It projects that the number of vacation trips will grow from 2007 to 2020 by 90%, well above that of short vacation trips by 71%.

The two main categories are described as Medical Spa vacations in which the guest completes a consistent medically supervised program in the course of a comfortable spa vacation; and Passive Spa vacation in which the guest relaxes physically and mentally, designed to “recharge the batteries.”

Although suppliers in Germany and in German speaking countries are the “biggest winners,” foreign destinations are gaining importance for German health care and spa tourism. Remarkably, within the Top 11 States, two non-European destinations increased their share considerably in the last five years: India doubled its share, whereas Thailand even tripled it. Sri Lanka ranks eighth as newcomer, even ahead of the Czech Republic,” the survey says.

The study is designed to help domestic and foreign government authorities, tourism organizations, tour operators, sanitaria, Spa resorts and hotel complexes to align their offers and marketing measures accurately to the future German demand. It is divided into four key segments:
– Health Care vacation (with cures, applications and treatments for prevention or easing or removal of certain health problems)
– Anti-Aging vacation (in which a guest does a consistent program of measures which helps guests to remain physically and mentally fit)
– Spa vacation (in which one relaxes physically and mentally)
– Beauty vacation (with treatments, programs and consultation which help to improve the appearance).

A second objective of the study is to provide suppliers with extensive information about the behaviour, desires, requirements and needs of the guests, again divided into the several categories of Health Care Tourism. The study claims this is the first time that this topic has been researched and analyzed in detail. In addition the prospects and growth potential for German Health Care Tourism until 2020 are analyzed and predicted in the survey – on the basis of a realistic scenario of the demographic, economic and social developments until 2020.

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