Table of Contents

1 Introduction: The Development of the Health and Wellness Spa Industry 2 The Health and Wellness Concept: A Global Overview 3 The Use of Natural Hot and Mineral Springs throughout History 4 The Cultural and Religious Use of Water 5 The Geological Background of Natural Hot and Mineral Springs 6 The Health and Wellness Spa Tourism Industry Environment 7 The Technology and Economics of Health and Wellness Spa Tourism 8 Aspects of Management and Marketing in Health and Wellness Spa Tourism 9 Case Studies from the Contemporary World 10 Conclusions: Retrospect, Challenges and the Future

About the Author

Patricia Erfurt-Cooper lectures in tourism resource management at Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University in Japan. Her research interests include geothermal resources for human use and geotourism in volcanic and geothermal environments with a focus on risk management.Malcolm Cooper is Vice President (Research) at Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University in Japan and lectures in tourism law and tourism development and planning. His research interests include tourism development and planning, sustainable development and management of environmental resources.

Reviews

Hot springs are a global phenomenon but until now there has been no account of the global nature of hot spring tourism. This book fulfils the need for a comprehensive account of the significance and nature of hot spring tourism and how hot springs impact on the global spa and wellness industry. Professor Marc Cohen, RMIT University, AustraliaIn a book vividly recapitulating the evolving episodes in an emerging travel market, authors render their pilot endeavor on many issues of health tourism that trace the formation of wellness concept and its usage. It also provides instructive guideposts to tour recent developments in the spa business.Professor Joseph Chen, Indiana University, USAOverall, the book's strengths lie in the authors' global coverage of spas and hot springs, their history, geography and geology. There is evidence of detailed research and an impressive range of resources are presented.Melanie Smith, Tourism Competence Centre, Corvinus University of Budapest, Hungary, Tourism Recreation Research Vol. 35(3), 2010: 315-323