Foundations of Wellbeing Tourism in Finland

Henna Konu

WelDest – Health and Wellbeing in Tourism Destination

Turku 16th of September 2014

Background for defining wellbeing tourism

•Health and wellness tourism have become important topics in tourism research and the tourism business

•Wellness tourism is tourism where the main motive for travel is to promote and maintain one’s own health.

– It aims to highlight holistic wellness, which includes wellbeing of body, mind and soul (see e.g. Müller & Lanz Kaufmann, 2001; Smith & Puzckó, 2009, p. 9.).

•Wellness tourism has increased in popularity among tourism companies because products and services connected to it are not dependent on any particular tourism season.

• In addition to health and wellness tourism, several other forms of tourism related to physical and mental wellbeing have been introduced.

– E.g. spiritual tourism, spa tourism, medical tourism, Thalasso tourism, occupational wellness tourism, and yoga and meditation tourism

– These can be seen as sub-sectors of health tourism.

•The concept of wellbeing tourism

– This term has mainly been used as an advertising concept (e.g. by the Finnish Tourist Board).

– In the academic literature, the concepts of wellness tourism and wellbeing tourism have in many cases been used as synonyms (e.g. Huijbens, 2011), but some differences between the concepts have also been addressed (e.g. Björk, 2011).

Position of wellbeing tourism

WELLNESS TOURISM TYPES

Medical Health Sport/ Fitness Adventure Wellbeing Transformation

Basic typology of wellness tourism (Sheldon & Bushell, 2009, p. 9)

Destinations: core and supporting wellbeing

arrtactions and resources (managed and marketed

efficiently)

Supply: services ranging from physical activities to services enhancing mental wellbeing, e.g. pampering, refreshing body and mind,

spiritual awareness, exercise and experience of

luxury

Demand: seeking personal wellbeing, enhancing and promoting health and self-

indulgence; expect to relax, enjoy the possibility to escape from the daily

routine and have a physically activating break

Wellbeingtourism

Characterising wellbeing tourism(Konu, 2014)

Developing wellbeing tourism in Finland

•The Finnish Tourist Board has advocated wellbeing tourism as one of the main future areas of tourism

the development of ‘Development strategy for Finnish wellbeing tourism in international markets, 2009-2013’

Development of the following strategy is on progress

•Aim to attract more international wellbeing tourists

•http://www.visitfinland.com/silence-please/

Wellbeing tourism seen by Finnish Tourist Board

Finnish health tourism Finnish wellbeing tourism

Finland Care Green CareFinRelax®

Health and fitness

exercisePampering

Finland as a wellbeing tourism destination(Konu, Tuohino & Björk, 2011)

FinRelax®

•Finrelax® is a registered (by Finnish Tourist Board) wellbeing tourism trademark. Products and services under the theme are targeted for international markets. The content builds around Finnish specialties and strengths – especially natural resources.

•The product line emphasizes diverse issues and themes that are connected to Finnish wellbeing holiday: e.g. activities in nature, relaxation, silence

•Connection with nature has a strong role in Finrelax ® products and services offered in rural areas have a central role in the offering.

•There is a need to find out:

– How to better utilize the possibilities and resources of Finnish countryside in the content of wellbeing tourism products and services

– How Finnish countryside and wellbeing tourism supply match to the FinRelax® content and quality criteria

FinRelax®

•According to the Finnish Tourist Board a basic wellbeing holiday offering in defined as FinRelax® brand and includes elements such as:

– getting away from everyday routines, enjoying peace and nature, relaxing and “recharging your batteries”;

– outdoor recreation, exploring nature, events related to Finnish culture and retreats;

– traditional Finnish forms of sauna bathing;

– a pleasant, aesthetically pleasing, and authentic environment;

– personal service;

– healthy, preferably locally produced food with information available to the customer on the origin and nutritional content of the food;

– attention to the environment and sustainable development in the offering;

– consideration for the aging customer base and people with impaired mobility;

– and an aesthetically pleasing, well maintained environment.

Composition of FinRelax® holiday (FTB, 2014)

FINNISH SAUNA AND SAUNA TRADITIONS Everyone who comes to Finland should be able to experience an authentic sauna experience both in

countryside or in a city. The tourist will learn the health benefits of sauna by hearing or reading stories

about Finnish sauna culture. A customer gets the most genuine sauna experience when he/she spends a

holiday in a cottage.

WELLBEING HOLIDAY IN A COTTAGE A wellbeing holiday in a cottage includes several elements that are connected to Finnish wellbeing tourism:

sauna, peace and quiet, nature and clean water. In a cottage holiday a tourist has a possibility to relax in the

middle of nature and to refresh oneself by doing different activities. There might also be a possibility to get

wellbeing/wellness treatments nearby.

WATER Clean water is one of the most valuable natural resource. In Finland the clean waters and beautiful

landscapes relieve stress and different water activities enhance both physical and mental wellbeing.

FOREST AND NATURE ACTIVITIES Forest has always been an important place for recreation, experiencing the joy of exercising and a place of

empowerment. The natural resources of forests, such as berries, are important elements of wellbeing

tourism (Finnish power food).

SILENCE, SPACE AND LIGHT Mindfulness is becoming more popular in wellbeing tourism. The Finnish natural environment and the

peace and silence relieve stress and help to break away from the hectic everyday life. The surrounding

silence and especially polar nights enhance good and refreshing sleep.

FOOD Food is an essential part of a trip and a bad food can ruin the whole travel experience. In wellbeing tourism

the meaning of food is even bigger. A tourist that takes care for ones health and wellbeing wants to enjoy

healthy food that is made from pure ingredients that are produced close by.

Basic guidelines and suggestions already exist

•Finnish Tourist Board’s recommendations that are connected to wellbeing tourism are:

1. Product recommendations for wellbeing tourism products

2. Product recommendations for wellbeing cottages

3. Recommendations for products targeting international markets

•However, more detailed information and guidelines are required

Ongoing research to find out how to better utilize the possibilities and resources of Finnish nature and countryside in the content of wellbeing tourism products and services

•Phase 1 – Defining the content, characteristics and recommendations of FinRelax® based on business survey and interviews (suppliers) and tour operator survey/interviews (distribution)

•Phase 2 – Developing and drawing the unique selling points (USP) for the FinRelax® products and developing and improving the communication of it Enhancing the profile of Finnish wellbeing tourism

Supports the development of the second

Finnish Wellbeing Tourism Strategy

Themes from business survey and interviews

•Similar to the elements that are presented by Finnish Tourist Board (Composition of FinRelax® holiday), however some differences existed

•Elements

– Nature

– Silence and peace

– Sauna

– Food

– Cleaness

– Finnish culture

•Traditional treatments?

Examples of wellbeing tourism product concepts developed around the recognized wellbeing resources

A wellbeing product concept that is build starting from the lake resource

Sensing the lake,

feeling relaxation

and comfort

Activities of spirit and mind,

and self-development

Health promoting

services

Healthy cuisine

Treatments and services of inner

and external beauty

Activities aiming to relaxation and

comfort

(Tailor-made) movement/

fitness services

Accommodation

Company image/Image of

business network

Hospitality

Professional staff

Lakes and nature

Eastern Finland as Lake

Wellness destination

Network of entrepreneurs

providing wellbeing services

Forest-based wellbeing tourismproducts

“I really felt relaxing and calming down when I was lying on the rock with my eyes closed at the same time feeling the soft breeze and sun on my face. I heard just the wind. During this exercise I felt very relaxed and was surprised that I did not think anything else but that particular moment.”

Opportunities (and challenges?) in future

• Increasing co-operation between industries to develop content of new wellbeing tourism products

– Technology

– Cosmetics

– Manufacturing

•Focusing on local national specialities

•Concentrating on new service development processes

Thank you!

Henna Konu

henna.konu@uef.fi