Misch Ke Medical Wellness

8/13/2019 Misch Ke Medical Wellness

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/misch-ke-medical-wellness 1/28

Diploma Thesis:

„Customer Expectations in Tourism – the Example of Medical Wellness"

Sabine MischkeErnst-Moritz-Arndt-University Greifswald

June 6, 2008



Outline

1. Introduction

2. Health Tourism

3. Health Tourism in Mecklenburg-

Vorpommern

4. Motives and Expectations of Guests

5. Methods of Thesis

6. Outlook



1. Introduction

Background of the thesis

project GesundTour MV: Health tourism in MV – research on expectations of guests with a special

focus on the market segment of “Medical Wellness”

duration: January 2008 – March 2009

average age of the population rises

expenses of the health care system increase number of contributors decrease

prevention is getting more important (Medical

Wellness)



1. Introduction

Background of the thesis

project goals:

• to identify deficits of prevention offers

• to find out about the needs and expectations of(potential) tourists

• a scientific evaluation of preventive health

tourism offers and the identification of their

deficits and potentials



1. Introduction

Central questions of thesis

Key indicators of personal health What is the Germans idea about a health

vacation?

What expectations do they have about health

tourism (with special focus of Mecklenburg-

Vorpommern)?

Are the Germans familiar with “Medical

Wellness”? Key indicators of socio-demographic data





Health (Definition the WHO 1946):

“Health is a state of complete physical, mental

and social well-being and not merely the

absence of disease or infirmity.” (www.who.int)

but: everybody has their own definition of healthand well-being

2. Health Tourism



Health promotion & prevention

health promotion:

all preventive oriented activities and measures,

which affect the quality of one‘s life(cf. LANZ KAUFMANN 2002, p. 18)

prevention:to prevent, minimize and avoid unpleasant

mental and physical disorders

(www.forumpraevention.de)

2. Health Tourism



Health tourism (definition of UNWTO):

“Tourism associated with travel to health spas or

resort destinations where the primary purpose is

to improve the traveller‘s physical well-being

through regimen of physical exercise and therapy,

dietary control, and medical services relevant tohealth maintenance.“

(cf. RULLE 2004, S. 20)

2. Health Tourism



Relevance of health tourism

its market development is evaluated positively 2004: 2.1 million Germans (3.2 %) went on a

health vacation

main destinations: Bavaria, Mecklenburg-

Vorpommern, Lower Saxony

the interest in health-oriented vacationsincreased constantly over the past years

recent studies: 7.2 million potential guests in

2008 (2002: only 4.1 million)

2. Health Tourism



2. Health Tourism

MedicalWellness

Source: modified according to BÖHM 2007, p. 4

Health Tourism

MedicalTourism

CureTourism

Wellness(-tourism)

HealthorientatedHoliday



Medical Tourism (Patients)

treatment of foreign patients in Germanhospitals and rehab clinics

medical treatment of Germans abroad

treatment of German patients in hospitalswithin Germany, but distal to their permanentplace of residence

target group: sick people

in Germany: market niche

2. Health Tourism

www.adpic.de



Cure Tourism

history of cure tourism dates back for centuries cure: „A correctly indicated, structured and measured

form of therapy using special local resources.“

(www.visiteuropeanspas.com)

3 columns (= reasons for travelling): prevention, the

cure of chronic illnesses, rehabilitation duration: 2-4 weeks

originally targeted at sick people – today

also healthy people are a target group

2. Health Tourism



Wellness (Tourism)

“(...) describes an active and self responsiblestrategy towards complete health that enables

the subject to live healthy and productive as a

result of scientifically proven actions, methods,and techniques thus being widely immune

against chronical illness and disease as well as

living in the pursuit of happiness.“

(www.wellnessverband.de)

or: to live pleasurable healthy

2. Health Tourism

www.adpic.de



Medical Wellness

combination of established medical-therapeuticapplications and (wellness) elements

foremost goal: “(...) to promote an optimal state of

health through practicing an active wellnesslifestyle and preventing disease and illness.“

(www.medicalwellnessassociation.com)

definition within the project: comprises offers forthe prevention of specific disease patterns and forcommon health promotion

well-being and enjoyment play a central role

2. Health Tourism



Medical Wellness

addresses private guests/patients

offered by hotels and rehabilitation clinics

requirements:

• high service quality

• medically educated staff • a physician in the facility

increasing interest in Medical Wellness (see figure)

2. Health Tourism

www.adpic.de



2. Health Tourism

Source: www.medialine.de,

2007(Focus Magazine)



goal: to become Germany‘s No. 1 region for health

(and Germany‘s premier health spa region) long tradition of health tourism

infrastructure:

57 stately certified healthresorts

120 wellness hotels at a highstandard (4/5 star category) 50 certified for wellness

63 rehab clinics (10.558 beds)

3. Health Tourism in MV

www.baederarchitektur.de



natural resources: unspoiled nature, white beaches,

healthy climate, natural remedies

employees in health tourism 2003: 3.300 (3,9%)

¼ of the enterprises of the health related section (such

as wellness, fitness, health tourism) in MV make a

turnover of 10%

regional marketing campaignlaunched 2004: „MV tut gut“

(„MV is good for you“)

3. Health Tourism in MV

http://www.mv-regierung.de/stk/land_bild/logo/f_wahl.htm



(Travelling) Motives

the entirety of individual reasons, which form thebasis of travelling (cf. BRAUN 1993, p. 199)

4. Motives and Expectations

Source: F.U.R. 2005, p. 6



(Travelling) Expectations

demands on the product „holiday“ determinates of expectations


Service provider

• the product• the price• direct communication

about the services(image, performancein public)

Customer related

• individual needs• previous experiences• knowledge of other

options (offers ofcompetitors)

Interference by a

third part

• interpersonal com-munication (mouth-

to-mouth)• indirect communica-tion about the service(independent media,i.e. hotel guide)

Source: BASTIAN et al. 2000, p. 13ff.



source region: social surrounding conditions,

physical and social environment

destination: social, natural, cultural,economic surrounding conditions

motive motivationimagementalmap

travelling

manners

travellingexperience/satisfaction

options of information


travelling

decision (when,where, how, etc.)

Source: STEINECKE 2006, p. 54



Questionnaire (telephone survey)

1.000 useable interviews interviewees: resident population (older than 18

years) living in Germany

external company, specialized in tourism surveys

4 sub-areas:

• health during vacation• health & prevention

• vacation in MV

• socio-demographic data


www.adpic.de



Questionnaire

health during vacation

• accommodation

• maximum distance to destination

• desired services

• medical and non-medical offers• costs of a health holiday

• awareness of Medical Wellness


www.adpic.de



Questionnaire

health & prevention

• importance of health

• own activities for health

• disorders

• prevention offers


www.sayc.de



Questionnaire

vacation in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

• stay at MV?

• opinion of MV and experiences• MV as a health tourism destination

socio-demographic data

• gender, age, profession,

education, income, etc.


www.gfw-mv.de



successful pre-test (May, 2008) end of telephone survey: middle of June

analysis and interpretation of the data recommendations

deadline: December 1st

, 2008

6. Outlook



Questions, suggestions, ideas?

Thank you for your attention!

www.adpic.de

Documents

Misch Ke Medical Wellness