WELLNESS: A NEW MODE OF TOURISM

Like all other sectors of the world economy, tourism is also feeling the pinch of the crisis that has resulted from the global economic turmoil. World economic situation since 2007/2008 has put an extra pressure on people's psycho-physical state of health. People are increasingly looking forward to new ways of relaxation and re-energizing themselves. Some modes of tourism, globally, due to the economic downturn, have slowed down, but the tourism sector itself has done remarkably well during the last two-three years by offering the new model i.e. facility generally called Wellness. Within tourism, wellness is relatively a new trend that has registered an impressive growth rate. World-wide more and more people are traveling to destinations that provide wellness facilities. The rise of 'wellness' concept can be attributed to two factors. First, the WHO has now long been pushing forward an integrated concept of "well-being" and "fitness" into its global health policy. Second, the overall education of people has increased the human awareness of personal health. Tourism service providers, especially the luxury hotels were quick to cash upon these facts and created a palette of wellness services such as spa and health treatments, occupational health therapy, beauty treatments, sports' facilities, spiritual activities, massages, and rehabilitation programs, etc. Since sufficient data on the subject have not yet emerged, the paper basically discusses some conceptual aspects of wellness tourism only.