Experiences of a Swiss Thermal Business Auditor
Grotta Giusti, 4. October 2018
Institute of Tourism ITWLucerne University of Applied Sciences and ArtsRoland Lymann, lic. oec. HSGLecturer on destination management and health tourism
Tel: +41 41 228 99 [email protected]
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Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts
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School of Engineering and Architecture
School of Social Work
School of Music
School of Information Technology
School of Art and Design
School of Business (incl. Institute of Tourism)
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Institute of Tourism ITW
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Tourism
Core topics in tourism:• destination management
• online marketing in tourism• sport tourism
• tourism and sustainable development• Health and wellness tourism
Mobility Sustainable development
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Health and wellness tourism at ITW
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Lecturing
ITW Forum
Research & consulting
Auditing
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The actors in the auditing process
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Organizations
Auditor(s)Thermal
businesses and destinations
Swiss Tourism
Federation (label
“Wellness Destination”)
Association of the Swiss
Thermal Baths and Health
Resorts
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What are the goals of facility auditing?
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Customer expectations
=
The reality on-sitea)
b) An external viewpoint = A possibility for optimisation
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Who benefits from the auditing process?
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Organizations
Auditor(s)Thermal
businesses and destinations
Swiss Tourism
Federation Association of the Swiss
Thermal Baths and Health
Resorts WIN!
WIN!WIN!
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The whole place is dedicated to wellness
Infrastructure
Services
Features of the destination
Strategy
The label “Wellness Destination”
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• Most of the destinations see wellness and thermal water as addition and not their main offer
• Unclear positioning in the wellness market through thermal water, culture, natural features, thermal bath / wellness facilities
• Networking between the stakeholders in the destination could be improved
• A gap between the stakeholders in the destination and their guests when it comes to success factors
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Auditing process of the wellness destinations –results and comments
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Reasons which prevent guests from recognizing a destination as health and wellbeing destination:
What stakeholders believe that guests think
What guests actually think
Source: Illing, K. T. et al. (2014). WelDest Research Report 2014: Health and Well-Being in Tourism Destination
Auditing process of the wellness destinations –results and comments
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Positioning - examples from practice
Bad Ragaz
Thermal waterNatural resources
Grand Resort Bad Ragaz
Pictures from https://www.resortragaz.ch/
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Positioning - examples from practice
Destination X
EventsRich / luxury
Car-free village center
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Thermal baths – rehabilitation – cure - prevention
Infrastructure
Medicalaspects
Services and treatments
Accommodation and hospitality
Association of the Swiss Thermal Bathsand Health Resorts
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Auditing process of the thermal and cure businesses – results and comments
• Broad positioning: little bit of everything for everyone no business can offer all kind of treatments in a good quality
• Dealing with the health insurance companies
• Hotel staff or managers do not always know the needs of their own customers / their own offer
• Differences between what is published on the brochures or internet pages and what the business actually offers
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Positioning - examples from practice
Sunnehus in Wildhaus
Pictures from https://sunnehus.ch/
Burnout
Psychosomatic and mental diseases
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Positioning - examples from practice
Business X in Eastern Switzerland
Hotel business
Therapeutic offers: acupuncture, breathing therapy, electro-therapy, endurance training, fango, gymnastics, hayflowers, lymphatic drainage, medicinal massages, medical training therapy, movement therapy, physiotherapy, reflex zones massage, Traditional Chinese Medicine, ultrasonic therapy, water gymnastics, etc.
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Conclusion
orientation for guests / a tool for development for
destinations and businesses
Market success = profiling, focusing, quality, knowledge
of the guests’ needs
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Conclusion
Credible, convincing
overall offer
Location
region / destination
resources / substance
competition
demand / guests
€
€
Regular guests
guests
guestsemployees
Success factors of thermal businesses and destinations:
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Roland Lymann, lic. oec. HSG
Institute of Tourism ITWLucerne University of Applied Sciences and ArtsLecturer on destination management and health tourism
Tel: +41 41 228 99 [email protected]
Thank you!
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