IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/vrs/ejothr/v15y2025i2p208-222n1003.html

Health Tourism Niche and Visitors’ Particular Interests of Needs as a Factor of Rural Destination Development

Author

Listed:
  • Vujko Aleksandra

    (Associate professor, Ph.D. Faculty of tourism and Hospitality management, Singidunum University, (Danijelova 32, Belgrade 11000, Serbia))

  • Stanišić Nemanja

    (Faculty of Tourism and Hotel Management, University for Business Studies, (Jovana Dučića 23a, Banja Luka 78000, Bosnia and Hercegovina).)

  • Radojević Tijana

    (Full Professor, Ph.D. Singidunum University (Danijelova 32, Belgrade 11000, Serbia))

Abstract

Modern tourists are looking for rural destinations that provide various ‘anti-stress’ services, compatible with the wellness philosophy. The present study examines the complex relationship of the dry spa - Sofia’s springs and its tourism potential for rural destination development assessment, using the modified GAM framework and data obtained from the 687 tourists of six European nations between 2018. and 2023. For robustness checks, the study additionally deploys structural equation modelling (SEM) to validate the estimates. The analysis of responses regarding the geo-site Sofia’s spring in Serbia reveals that it is highly regarded for its health benefits, with a significant number of respondents rating it positively for rehabilitation and tranquillity. However, the location lacks adequate promotional activities and tourism infrastructure, which limits its touristic appeal despite its natural beauty and potential for rural tourism development. The findings suggest that while health and scenic values are strong attractions, there is a pressing need for improved tourism services and facilities to enhance the overall visitor experience and ultimately fostering rural development.

Suggested Citation

  • Vujko Aleksandra & Stanišić Nemanja & Radojević Tijana, 2025. "Health Tourism Niche and Visitors’ Particular Interests of Needs as a Factor of Rural Destination Development," European Journal of Tourism, Hospitality and Recreation, Sciendo, vol. 15(2), pages 208-222.
    • Handle: RePEc:vrs:ejothr:v:15:y:2025:i:2:p:208-222:n:1003
    DOI: 10.2478/ejthr-2025-0015
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.2478/ejthr-2025-0015
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.2478/ejthr-2025-0015?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Heung, Vincent C.S. & Kucukusta, Deniz & Song, Haiyan, 2011. "Medical tourism development in Hong Kong: An assessment of the barriers," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 32(5), pages 995-1005.
    2. Han, Heesup, 2013. "The healthcare hotel: Distinctive attributes for international medical travelers," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 257-268.
    3. Wookhyun An & Silverio Alarcón, 2020. "How Can Rural Tourism Be Sustainable? A Systematic Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-23, September.
    4. Hsiao-Yun Lu & Wann-Yih Wu & Shu-Hui Chen, 2016. "Influences on the perceived value of medical travel: the moderating roles of risk attitude, self-esteem and word-of-mouth," Current Issues in Tourism, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(5), pages 477-491, April.
    5. Nchimbi, Hamisi Yunus & Alawi, Mikidadi Hamisi, 2024. "A discourse of african traditional healing tendencies with medicinal plants: An ethnobotanical study of the sukuma of Tanzania, 1922–1960s," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 358(C).
    6. Timothy J. Lee & Ji-Sook Han & Tae-Gyou Ko, 2020. "Health-Oriented Tourists and Sustainable Domestic Tourism," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-16, June.
    7. Gao, Jing & Wu, Bihu, 2017. "Revitalizing traditional villages through rural tourism: A case study of Yuanjia Village, Shaanxi Province, China," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 223-233.
    8. Connell, John, 2013. "Contemporary medical tourism: Conceptualisation, culture and commodification," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 34(C), pages 1-13.
    9. Aleksandra Vujko & Tamara Gajic, 2014. "Opportunities for tourism development and cooperation in the region by improving the quality of tourism services – the ‘Danube Cycle Route’ case study," Economic Research-Ekonomska Istraživanja, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 27(1), pages 847-860, January.
    10. Chuang, Thomas C. & Liu, John S. & Lu, Louis Y.Y. & Lee, Yachi, 2014. "The main paths of medical tourism: From transplantation to beautification," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 49-58.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Han, Heesup & Hyun, Sunghyup Sean, 2015. "Customer retention in the medical tourism industry: Impact of quality, satisfaction, trust, and price reasonableness," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 20-29.
    2. Peiman Ghasemi & Amir Mehdiabadi & Cristi Spulbar & Ramona Birau, 2021. "Ranking of Sustainable Medical Tourism Destinations in Iran: An Integrated Approach Using Fuzzy SWARA-PROMETHEE," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-32, January.
    3. Salman Majeed & Changbao Lu & Mahwash Majeed & Muahmmad Naeem Shahid, 2018. "Health Resorts and Multi-Textured Perceptions of International Health Tourists," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-26, April.
    4. Milka Bubalo Živković & Bojan Đerčan & Predrag Mlinarević & Marija Cimbaljević & Zorica Pogrmić & Tamara Lukić & Bojana Kalenjuk Pivarski & Goran Balotić & Dejan Pljuco & Milan Lalić & Nikola Lopatić, 2025. "Rural Tourism as a Factor of Rural Revitalization and Sustainability in the Republic of Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-24, June.
    5. Ruggeri, Kai & Ivanović, Nevena & Razum, Josip & Kácha, Ondřej & Menezes, Igor G. & Zafari, Zafar & Garcia-Garzon, Eduardo, 2018. "An evidence-based policy for improving choice in global health access through medical travel," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 122(12), pages 1372-1376.
    6. Ricardo Pagan & Daniel Horsfall, 2020. "Medical Tourism Markets: Models of Sustainability. The Case of Spain and The Costa del Sol (Malaga)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-17, October.
    7. Neha Malhotra & Kartik Dave, 2022. "An Assessment of Competitiveness of Medical Tourism Industry in India: A Case of Delhi NCR," International Journal of Global Business and Competitiveness, Springer, vol. 17(2), pages 215-228, December.
    8. Nafiah Ariyani & Akhmad Fauzi, 2023. "Pathways toward the Transformation of Sustainable Rural Tourism Management in Central Java, Indonesia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-19, February.
    9. Aleksandra Vujko & Darjan Karabašević & Drago Cvijanović & Svetlana Vukotić & Vuk Mirčetić & Pavle Brzaković, 2024. "Women’s Empowerment in Rural Tourism as Key to Sustainable Communities’ Transformation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(23), pages 1-19, November.
    10. Skountridaki, Lila, 2017. "Barriers to business relations between medical tourism facilitators and medical professionals," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 254-266.
    11. Huizhan Wang & Xinru Lu, 2025. "A Comparative Study on the Promoting Effects of Different Tourism Development Models on Rural Revitalization: Case Studies from Two Typical Villages in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(2), pages 1-32, January.
    12. Dalia Perkumienė & Milita Vienažindienė & Biruta Švagždienė, 2019. "Cooperation Perspectives in Sustainable Medical Tourism: The Case of Lithuania," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(13), pages 1-15, June.
    13. Hallow Al-Talabani & Hasan Kilic & Ali Ozturen & Suhad Othman Qasim, 2019. "Advancing Medical Tourism in the United Arab Emirates: Toward a Sustainable Health Care System," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-15, January.
    14. Yanan Li & Muhammad Azzam Ismail & Asrul Aminuddin & Rui Wang & Kaiyun Jiang & Haowei Yu, 2025. "The Lost View: Villager-Centered Scale Development and Validation Due to Rural Tourism for Traditional Villages in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(6), pages 1-20, March.
    15. Israel Ayenigbara & Andrew Fadoju, 2020. "Determinants of Eatery Choice," Journal of Tourismology, Istanbul University, Faculty of Economics, vol. 6(2), pages 249-268, December.
    16. Fetscherin, Marc & Stephano, Renee-Marie, 2016. "The medical tourism index: Scale development and validation," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 539-556.
    17. de la Hoz-Correa, Andrea & Muñoz-Leiva, Francisco & Bakucz, Márta, 2018. "Past themes and future trends in medical tourism research: A co-word analysis," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 200-211.
    18. Han, Heesup & Kim, Yunhi & Kim, Chulwon & Ham, Sunny, 2015. "Medical hotels in the growing healthcare business industry: Impact of international travelers' perceived outcomes," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 68(9), pages 1869-1877.
    19. Evaristo Haulle & Credo Simbert Nchimbi & Gabriel Kanuti Ndimbo, 2024. "Engendering Rural Tourism as a Viable Strategy for Poverty Alleviation and Rural Development in the Southern Tourist Circuit of Tanzania," SAGE Open, , vol. 14(4), pages 21582440241, October.
    20. Wei Zheng & Hongliang Qiu & Alastair M. Morrison, 2023. "Applying a Combination of SEM and fsQCA to Predict Tourist Resource-Saving Behavioral Intentions in Rural Tourism: An Extension of the Theory of Planned Behavior," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(2), pages 1-23, January.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:vrs:ejothr:v:15:y:2025:i:2:p:208-222:n:1003. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Peter Golla (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.sciendo.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.