Identifying and understanding spa tourists’ wellness attitudes

As an increasing number of people in affluent societies are trending toward more health-conscious lifestyles, tourism consumer behavior has changed considerably, especially in the spa and wellness industries. By concentrating on spa visitors’ attitudes toward healthy living – in other words, wellness attitudes – this paper highlights the underlying factors influencing people’s behavior in relation to spa visits and wellness consumption in general. The data were collected through an online survey completed by Finnish spa visitors (N = 698). Data analysis revealed a five-dimensional structure of respondent wellness attitudes, along with their connections to demographic variables. Overall, the results indicate that Finnish people with very different demographic profiles value a more holistic approach to their health. Different perceptions related to wellness enhancement can partly be explained by demographic characteristics, particularly gender, age, level of education, employment, household type, and area of residence.