This book uniquely focuses on the supply side of wellness tourism from a destination perspective in terms of the generation and delivery of wellness tourism products and services to cater for tourists who seek to maintain and improve their health. By doing so this provides a better understanding of the way in which wellness tourism destinations develop, explore the specific drivers of that growth in a destination context and how destinations successfully compete against each other in globalised market place. This timely volume will be of interest to tourism and hospitality students and academics internationally.

Cornelia Voigt has worked as a researcher and lecturer at different universities. Her research on wellness tourism won several additional awards and she has published in leading international tourism journals.

Christof Pforr is Course Coordinator for Tourism and Hospitality and Group Leader of the Research Focus Area 'Sustainable and Health Tourism' with the School of Marketing, Curtin Business School, Australia.

Part One: Introduction 1. Wellness Tourism from a Destination Perspective: Why Now? 2. Towards a Conceptualisation of Wellness Tourism 3. Wellness Tourism and Destination Competitiveness Part Two: The Role Of Stakeholders In Wellness Tourism Destinations 4. An Examination of the Extent of Collaboration Between Major Wellness Tourism Stakeholders in Australia 5. Wellness Tourism: The Factors and Processes that Drive Regional Destinations 6. Health Regions: Building Tourism Destinations Through Networked Core Competencies 7. Identification and Development of Core Competencies as a Basis for Regional Development with Special Focus on Health Tourism 8. Fit for Purpose: Delivering Wellness Tourism Through People Part Three: Relationships Between Nature, Wellbeing and Destinations 9. Researching the Links Between Parklands and Health 10. Exploring Visitor Wellbeing in Parks and Nature Reserves 11. Nature-Based Wellness Tourism: The Case of the Margaret River Region in Western Australia 12. The Kneipp Philosophy - A Healthy Approach To Destination Development Part Four: Drivers of Wellness Tourism Development: International Experiences 13. Regional Trends and Predictions for Global Health Tourism 14. Fantasy, Authenticity and the Spa Tourism Experience 15. Wellness Tourism: A Perspective from Japan 16. Health Tourism in the Context of Demographic and Psychographic Change: A German Perspective 17. Australia's Approach to Health Care and its Implications for Health Tourism Part Five: Conclusion 18. Concluding Discussion: Implications for Destination Development and Management