experiences of a swiss thermal business auditor€¦ · lymphatic drainage, medicinal massages,...

Experiences of a Swiss Thermal Business Auditor

Grotta Giusti, 4. October 2018

Institute of Tourism ITWLucerne University of Applied Sciences and ArtsRoland Lymann, lic. oec. HSGLecturer on destination management and health tourism

Tel: +41 41 228 99 85roland.lymann@hslu.ch

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Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts

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School of Engineering and Architecture

School of Social Work

School of Music

School of Information Technology

School of Art and Design

School of Business (incl. Institute of Tourism)

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Institute of Tourism ITW

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Tourism

Core topics in tourism:• destination management

• online marketing in tourism• sport tourism

• tourism and sustainable development• Health and wellness tourism

Mobility Sustainable development

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Health and wellness tourism at ITW

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Lecturing

ITW Forum

Research & consulting

Auditing

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The actors in the auditing process

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Organizations

Auditor(s)Thermal

businesses and destinations

Swiss Tourism

Federation (label

“Wellness Destination”)

Association of the Swiss

Thermal Baths and Health

Resorts

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What are the goals of facility auditing?

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Customer expectations

=

The reality on-sitea)

b) An external viewpoint = A possibility for optimisation

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Who benefits from the auditing process?

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Organizations

Auditor(s)Thermal

businesses and destinations

Swiss Tourism

Federation Association of the Swiss

Thermal Baths and Health

Resorts WIN!

WIN!WIN!

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The whole place is dedicated to wellness

Infrastructure

Services

Features of the destination

Strategy

The label “Wellness Destination”

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• Most of the destinations see wellness and thermal water as addition and not their main offer

• Unclear positioning in the wellness market through thermal water, culture, natural features, thermal bath / wellness facilities

• Networking between the stakeholders in the destination could be improved

• A gap between the stakeholders in the destination and their guests when it comes to success factors

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Auditing process of the wellness destinations –results and comments

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Reasons which prevent guests from recognizing a destination as health and wellbeing destination:

What stakeholders believe that guests think

What guests actually think

Source: Illing, K. T. et al. (2014). WelDest Research Report 2014: Health and Well-Being in Tourism Destination

Auditing process of the wellness destinations –results and comments

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Positioning - examples from practice

Bad Ragaz

Thermal waterNatural resources

Grand Resort Bad Ragaz

Pictures from https://www.resortragaz.ch/

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Positioning - examples from practice

Destination X

EventsRich / luxury

Car-free village center

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Thermal baths – rehabilitation – cure - prevention

Infrastructure

Medicalaspects

Services and treatments

Accommodation and hospitality

Association of the Swiss Thermal Bathsand Health Resorts

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Auditing process of the thermal and cure businesses – results and comments

• Broad positioning: little bit of everything for everyone no business can offer all kind of treatments in a good quality

• Dealing with the health insurance companies

• Hotel staff or managers do not always know the needs of their own customers / their own offer

• Differences between what is published on the brochures or internet pages and what the business actually offers

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Positioning - examples from practice

Sunnehus in Wildhaus

Pictures from https://sunnehus.ch/

Burnout

Psychosomatic and mental diseases

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Positioning - examples from practice

Business X in Eastern Switzerland

Hotel business

Therapeutic offers: acupuncture, breathing therapy, electro-therapy, endurance training, fango, gymnastics, hayflowers, lymphatic drainage, medicinal massages, medical training therapy, movement therapy, physiotherapy, reflex zones massage, Traditional Chinese Medicine, ultrasonic therapy, water gymnastics, etc.

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Conclusion

orientation for guests / a tool for development for

destinations and businesses

Market success = profiling, focusing, quality, knowledge

of the guests’ needs

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Conclusion

Credible, convincing

overall offer

Location

region / destination

resources / substance

competition

demand / guests

€

€

Regular guests

guests

guestsemployees

Success factors of thermal businesses and destinations:

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Roland Lymann, lic. oec. HSG

Institute of Tourism ITWLucerne University of Applied Sciences and ArtsLecturer on destination management and health tourism

Tel: +41 41 228 99 85roland.lymann@hslu.ch

Thank you!

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