128
M. Ranˇ ci´ c Demir et al.
(Wendry et al. 2019). The needs for wellness services are increasing nowadays, especially due to the modern pace of life and lifestyle. Everyday life habits of every person
are reflected in their health, and consequently in their need for a health treatment.
Such reasons result in the obvious connection between a person’s behaviour, i.e. their
everyday life habits, and the reasons for visiting a wellness centre, i.e. the choice of
its services (Ranˇ ci´ c et al. 2016).
The modern business environment is characterised as consumer-oriented; it is
directed to the consumer of tourism services, which would mean—in the context
of wellness tourism—that the hospitality facilities should adjust to the life habits of
their guests. The key factor of the development of business is the implementation of
the management of the relations with clients, in such a way that there is a constant
and direct influence on their satisfaction and loyalty, as well as on their feeling
of well-being (Watson 2018). Successful business organisations do not apply the
consumer-oriented concept alone, but they also direct their development toward longterm relationships with them. The application of such a concept can significantly
affect the overall business result of a company. The application of such a strategy
can significantly affect the sense of value in the end users of services, as well as
maximize the overall profit of a company (Wu and Chen 2012).
2 Wellness as an Aspect of Leisure Industry—Theoretical
Background
2.1 The Definition of Wellness
The term ‘wellness’ is usually used to describe a healthy balance of mind, body
and spirit, which results in the overall feeling of well-being. In alternative medicine,
this term was first used by Halbert L. Dunn, an American medical practitioner,
in the mid-fifties of the twentieth century. After his theory, various scholars and
organizations have recently been able to provide a definition of wellness (Chi et al.
2019). Wellness, as it was defined by the Foundation for Wellness Professionals,
is considered the prevention of health problems without using medicines, which
cannot make health problems disappear, but can prevent them. Wellness is focused
on minimizing the three dimensions of factors that cause stress: physical stress (which
causes the irritation of the nervous system), chemical stress (which causes the toxicity
of the body), and mental damage (which can cause hormonal changes, mainly in
adrenal glands). Based on that, it can be concluded that wellness has a beneficial
effect on the human organism: it ensures the preservation of health and a better
quality of people’s lives (Cherry 2006; Hashemi et al. 2015).
Furthermore, Mueller and Kaufman (2001) tried to unite the term of wellness in
North America and Europe by describing wellness as a health state which is characterized by the harmony of body, spirit, and mind, including the self-responsibility,
as well as physical activity, beauty care, healthy nutrition, relaxation, meditation,
M. Ranˇ ci´ c Demir et al.
(Wendry et al. 2019). The needs for wellness services are increasing nowadays, especially due to the modern pace of life and lifestyle. Everyday life habits of every person
are reflected in their health, and consequently in their need for a health treatment.
Such reasons result in the obvious connection between a person’s behaviour, i.e. their
everyday life habits, and the reasons for visiting a wellness centre, i.e. the choice of
its services (Ranˇ ci´ c et al. 2016).
The modern business environment is characterised as consumer-oriented; it is
directed to the consumer of tourism services, which would mean—in the context
of wellness tourism—that the hospitality facilities should adjust to the life habits of
their guests. The key factor of the development of business is the implementation of
the management of the relations with clients, in such a way that there is a constant
and direct influence on their satisfaction and loyalty, as well as on their feeling
of well-being (Watson 2018). Successful business organisations do not apply the
consumer-oriented concept alone, but they also direct their development toward longterm relationships with them. The application of such a concept can significantly
affect the overall business result of a company. The application of such a strategy
can significantly affect the sense of value in the end users of services, as well as
maximize the overall profit of a company (Wu and Chen 2012).
2 Wellness as an Aspect of Leisure Industry—Theoretical
Background
2.1 The Definition of Wellness
The term ‘wellness’ is usually used to describe a healthy balance of mind, body
and spirit, which results in the overall feeling of well-being. In alternative medicine,
this term was first used by Halbert L. Dunn, an American medical practitioner,
in the mid-fifties of the twentieth century. After his theory, various scholars and
organizations have recently been able to provide a definition of wellness (Chi et al.
2019). Wellness, as it was defined by the Foundation for Wellness Professionals,
is considered the prevention of health problems without using medicines, which
cannot make health problems disappear, but can prevent them. Wellness is focused
on minimizing the three dimensions of factors that cause stress: physical stress (which
causes the irritation of the nervous system), chemical stress (which causes the toxicity
of the body), and mental damage (which can cause hormonal changes, mainly in
adrenal glands). Based on that, it can be concluded that wellness has a beneficial
effect on the human organism: it ensures the preservation of health and a better
quality of people’s lives (Cherry 2006; Hashemi et al. 2015).
Furthermore, Mueller and Kaufman (2001) tried to unite the term of wellness in
North America and Europe by describing wellness as a health state which is characterized by the harmony of body, spirit, and mind, including the self-responsibility,
as well as physical activity, beauty care, healthy nutrition, relaxation, meditation,