From forests to saunas: everyday urban wellness practices and their tourism potential in cities. A qualitative exploration of holistic well-being

This qualitative, exploratory study examines how urban-dwelling Finns sustain holistic well-being and how these everyday practices can inform tourism marketing and urban planning. Grounded in Dunn’s [Dunn, H. L. (1959). High-Level Wellness for Man and Society. American Journal of Public Health and the Nations Health, 49(6), 786–792. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.49.6.786] body–mind–spirit model and Baer and Gesler’s [Baer, L. D., & Gesler, W. M. (2004). Reconsidering the concept of therapeutic landscapes in J D Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye. Area, 36(4), 404–413. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0004-0894.2004.00240.x] therapeutic landscape framework, the research analyses how natural, built, social, and symbolic environments support urban wellness. Data were collected from focus groups in Espoo and Turku (n = 13) and specialist interviews with destination management organisations and urban planners (n = 4). The findings show that Finnish urban wellness is deeply rooted in nearby forests and parks, strong social ties, locally produced food, and regular sauna use. Both cities emphasise sustainability, nature stewardship, and community well-being, despite differing institutional roles. The results also indicate that many resident well-being practices are routine-based and culturally embedded, meaning they do not automatically translate into tourism offerings and must be considered selectively and contextually. Although the small sample limits generalisability, the study provides valuable insight into the lived experience of urban well-being. It contributes to wellness tourism literature by illustrating how urban environments may serve as wellness destinations that support both resident and visitor well-being when development aligns carefully with local needs, environmental limits, and everyday practices.