Thermal Tourism as an Option for Wellness Tourism in Colombia: An Exploratory Study

Abstract

Colombia has identified tourism as one of the sectors of national economy with the greatest potential to improve national productivity, making the wellness and health tourism subsector one of the strategic areas of particular interest. However, the knowledge about the alternatives of wellness tourism in the country is still emerging, and therefore the national academy must generate answers that help to encourage this need for knowledge. In this context, through the application of an exploratory qualitative research methodology, and through participant observation, the present study analyzes the offer of hot springs and medicinal waters as alternatives that may have a potential for wellness tourism in Colombia. For this, towns such as Nuquí, Aguascalientes and Machetá were chosen and analyzed as study cases. The research allows us to compare the environments explored and to offer preliminary recommendations as a result of such study.