We aim at a relaxing holiday to unwind and forget about the stress of our everyday life. But many people want more: a vacation that strengthen their health also after the vacation. As a result, more and more hotels and resorts are not just offering a spa, but are focusing on specific treatments, exercises and health traditions that are beneficial for the health of their guests. This led to a new line of business: health tourism. Marina Schütt is a health tourism graduate and on MS Welltravel she reports about her experiences and travels. Here you can read about the concept behind it.

Green Pearls: “Dear Marina, on your blog you’re dealing with the topic of  “health tourism”. Can you briefly explain to us what health tourism is and why you decided to study health tourism?”

Marina: “Health tourism refers to touristic travel offers that focus on medical treatments or health services. These can be travel deals in the area of medical wellness or wellness in general, health care, health or rehabilitation, as well as surgical interventions. Another big factor for me is preventive travel – I want to travel when I’m older and be able to experience new cultures, enjoy my holidays and feel good. That’s why I have to strengthen myself and live a healthy life today. Therefore, I studied “Health Tourism Bachelor of Arts” – I just wanted to learn more about living and traveling healthy.” 

Green Pearls: “What made you start your own blog?”

Marina: “I believe that the lifestyle of our society will evolve to pay more and more attention to health and healthy traveling. This is also shown by the demographic change: Increasing health awareness is to be expected in our society and the demand for health-related products and services is rising. That’s where I want to come in and share my passion and my experiences with the readers.

I’d love to show that health travel can also be a modern way of traveling, hence the connection with recreational and active travel. Whether it’s a classic health trip or not – treatments like thermal baths, medical massages, mud baths, nutrition-conscious food, Ayurvedic fasting, yoga, hiking or biking tours are in demand on holiday. My passion is to demonstrate to everybody how divers healthy traveling is. Prevention has become a modern lifestyle for me.”

Green Pearls: “What does a hotel or a destination have to offer so that one can speak of health tourism?”

Marina: “Of course, I can only speak for myself, but for me the offers should be a combination of recreational, active and health travel. Nutrition, exercise and the general recreational factor play an important role here. Hotel restaurants should offer a healthy and light diet with many regional, seasonal and best certified organic foods. In addition, there should be exercise offers for outdoor and indoor, but also modern prevention courses. There are many possibilities, from Pilates to yoga to mindfulness training, but also Nordic walking, aqua jogging or a biking are great.That is surpassed when the hotel is situated in a health resort or approved climate environment. The relaxation factor for the guests comes through spa and wellness treatments. Whether medical massages, Thalasso, thermal water or mud baths, Kneipp, saunas or mineral water pools – there are so many great ways for a hotel to specialize.”

Green Pearls: “What is for you of great importance when it comes to traveling?”

Marina: “For me, exercising in nature is an absolute must on my travels. I used to be the typical beach vacationer, however, today I am more an active vacationer who wants to see a lot of the country and likes to stay away from the tourist paths. Getting to know the cultural diversity widens my horizon and enriches me as a person. I want to get to know the country and the people – respectfully and sustainably. Incidentally, this also includes a regional cuisine for me.”

Green Pearls: “What was your most extraordinary travel experience?”

Marina: “It’s really hard to choose one extraordinary adventure – every trip is extraordinary for me and worth the experience. But I do especially like to remember my three months in Africa. I’ve seen so much, got to know and love the nature as well as the animals and people. I traveled from South Africa to Namibia and on to Zimbabwe and Madagascar. I’ve seen hippopotamus grazing on a property, enjoyed an outdoor massage amidst the pristine nature, had breakfast in the Sossusvlei desert, saw the Mighty Victoria Falls, flew with a Cesna over the Okavango Delta and slept in a tent and in Andasibe a lemur sat on my shoulder. It was just indescribable!”

Green Pearls: “You recently traveled to our partner hotel SCHWARZWALD PANORAMA in Bad Herrenalb. What did you particularly like there and what were your impressions of the hotel and the location?”

Marina: “Yes, that’s right, I recently got to know Bad Herrenalb and the SCHWARZWALD PANORAMA. It’s a very special place, where a lot of activities in the wonderful nature are possible. Whether forest bathing, walks or bike rides, the northern Black Forest offers plenty of active recreational opportunities. The hotel impressed me a lot, because they care about nature very authentically and with passion. The staff and the hotel with its great facilities, its philosophy and the perfect location accompanies guests and suppliers alike in a (new) lifestyle called “sustainable consciousness”. The concept works and, in my opinion, is the future, where the hotel industry, but also each and every one of us, should live by.”

Read about Marina’s recent trip to Bad Herrenalb and the SCHWARZWALD PANORAMA and further adventures on her blog MS Well Travel. Also visit her Instagram and Facebook channels to stay in touch. 

Looking for some inspirations for your next healthy and relaxing vacation? Check out this article: 

Healthy and relaxed on vacation – and afterwards!

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