Choice of Spa

International Journal of Humanities and Social Science

Vol. 1 No. 20; December 2011

Classifying the Hotel Spa Tourist: A M ultidimensional Qualitative Approach
Rami F. Tawil Philadelphia University Faculty of Administrative and Financial Sciences Department of Hotel and Tourism Management Jordan. Abstract
There is a sense of uncertainty regarding the classification of spa tourists that makes forecasting problematic. A qualitative study was undertaken to provide a greater level of insight, this required developing a framework that was divided into three dimensions based on the destination facility choice process. Coding was used as an appropriate analytical tool that resulted in developing 10 types of spa tourists. The results were further funnelled and a 4 type broad typology was constructed, its significance lies in its consideration of the spa destination choice process as a whole, rather than a heavy emphasis being placed merely on reasons people visit spas, which has dominated many of the previous spa typologies.

Keywords: Spa, Spa Tourist, Qualitative Approach, Tourist Typology, Destination Choice, Tourist Behaviour,
Health Tourism.

1. I ntroduction
The worldwide spa industry is worth in the region of US $40 billion and has grown at a phenomenal rate in the past ten years (Haden, 2007). The growth of health food, gyms and the investment in leisure facilities proves that consumers are looking for more than relaxation during a break or holiday; this is unsurprising given time is so precious to contemporary consumers (Lynch, one of the fastest growing leisure sectors, where societal trends and aspirations find instant reflection in the developments on both the demand and supply sides. The market is very fragmented, each segment catering for The current study aims to determine the nature and significance of spa-related tourism, and the characteristics and requirements of spa tourists in relation to the destination facility choice process.

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