Wellness Tourism: A Journey into Health & Wellbeing “A journey of a thousand miles starts with one step.“


This familiar phrase dates back thousands of years, although it takes on a special new significance in contemporary society. Originally attributed to Chinese philosopher, Lao-tzu,


the lesson within this


saying can be simply stated as no matter how large the task, how far, or how insurmountable something seems, it all begins with just one step. In an age of global connectivity,


virtual at relationships,


and a constantly diminishing need to walk


all, Lao Tzu’s saying


serves as an appeal to the will, a reminder of the importance of beginning something new, and an invitation


to physically, impulse to travel, mentally, and emotionally start a journey.


Many images come to mind about the


to leave


comfortable surroundings and every day life


to go out searching for


new experiences, either aimlessly or with a specific goal in mind. We are reminded of the challenge and thrill of meeting strangers along the way and eventually, or inevitably, meeting other aspects of one’s self.


protagonist in Paolo Coelho’s, The Alchemist, whose quest to


Like Santiago, the learn


the true meaning of life eventually leads him from Spain to Eqypt to understand that the treasures in life are not in riches, but within hearts and minds. Or Elizabeth Gilbert’s romantic voyage in Love,”


“Eat, Pray, in which we identify with


her anxiety and fear about leaving her comfort zone, only to feel the sense of passion and exhilaration when she finds along the way what is most valuable to her life. We should not forget the wanderlust and humanity of Jack Kerouac’s iconoclastic


Road” which have inspired more than a few road trips.


adventures “On The This is what


is at the heart of wellness travel, to explore and experience, to reach beyond one’s existing identity and limitations, and to meet head-on with a new and improved self, no matter how long the road ahead may be.


The concept of Wellness also dates back thousands of years, providing the basic philosophy for most traditional medicine practices around the world. The modern term “Wellness” was coined by Dr. Halbert Dunn in 1961 in a little-known book he authored called High-Level


Wellness. The novelty of the term and its subsequent trendiness has much to do with how “Well-ness” has been positioned as in direct opposition the modern medical model of


“Ill-ness.” Illness can


almost be viewed as an industry, the business of being ill, a condition that can be perpetuated as much as it can be alleviated. Wellness assumes that the standard condition in the human body is one free of illness or dis-ease, and maintaining well-ness is life’s journey.


The World Health Organization’s


definition of health aspires to place the conditions for health as much on the functioning of the physical body as on the mental and social states in which the body is exposed…“a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” (WHO, 1948).


This has led the


way in modern times for continued thinking


of the wellness concept.


about and development Several


factors are considered to be common threads across the variety of definitions of wellness:


- Wellness is multi-dimensional - Wellness is holistic - Wellness changes over time, and along a continuum - Wellness


is individual but also


influenced by the environment - Wellness is a self-responsibility


(Global Spa and Wellness Summit / The Global Wellness Tourism Economy 2013)


With this understanding, a solid trend has emerged around the world, one that is defined by the individual


interest to change the


way we take care of ourselves – not just our bodies, but also our minds, spirits, communities, and planet. In conjunction with this


interest,


there is a direct shift towards taking more personal responsibility rather than being a reactionary participant subject to external factors affecting health - personal or planetary. This is what wellness is about, and it is where Wellness Tourism is able to make such an impact.


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