CURRENT STATE AND DEVELOPMENT TRENDS OF "SPA" AND "WELNESS" TOURISM

Abstract

The article examines the concepts of SPA and wellness tourism, its role and significance for tourism. The current state and trends in the development of SPA and wellness tourism are characterized. Proposals are offered regarding further prospects for the development of SPA and wellness tourism. Wellness is a term that recently entered the dictionaries of many languages of the world and means a state of physical and mental well-being, a beautiful state of mind and body, relaxation, restoration of the body's strength through active health activities. That is why, due to the main functions and the growing demand for wellness, at the beginning of the current century, a new subspecies of medical and health tourism appeared – wellness tourism, which is currently one of the leading trends in the tourism industry. Spa and wellness tourism is at the stage of active rapid development. Spa and wellness vacation is an integral part of the life of the population in most countries around the world, it has such a great potential that it now stands out as an independent segment of the tourism market with a wide range of investment opportunities: from large-scale hotel projects adjacent to clinics and located within cities, to already existing specialized complexes with some modifications in the structure of services. Consumers who have chosen spa and wellness tourism will be able to relax, undergo a comprehensive examination and treatment, rejuvenate and improve their appearance at the same time. Hotel enterprises do not ignore the trend towards wellness and SPA services and increasingly increase their complex for guests not only by expanding additional services and entertainment, but also by including the services of a general health complex, i.e. a combination of the hotel business and the beauty and health industry, resulting in wellness hotels and hotels with wellness centers. In Europe, guests of high-class wellness hotels have the opportunity to choose between modern and ancient healing methods, classic and non-traditional medical recipes, they are offered an individually designed program of physical training and, of course, a full range of body care services. Visitors to these hotel enterprises are involved in yoga classes, drinking herbal teas, tempering and active recreation in nature. They have a chance to learn a lot about themselves by visiting individual consultations of a sports coach, a physiotherapist, a cosmetologist, and experts in the field of wellness services. In addition, wellness hotels give a rare feeling of complete detachment from reality.