Health And Wellness Tourism: Spas and Hot SpringsBy Patricia Erfurt-Cooper and Malcolm CooperAspects of Tourism aims to be an innovative series of reference books examining global tourism regions linked to latest trends and developments in tourism product development. The series is edited by Chris Cooper from Nottingham University Business School, UK, C Michael Hall from University of Canterbury, New Zealand and Dallen J Timothy from Arizona State University, USA.This book is fundamentally about geothermal springs and their historic and contemporary contribution to the development of spas and wellness. The authors, based at the Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University in Japan, clearly have a deep interest in this subject that is reflected in the comprehensive nature of this text.Our contemporary interpretation of the wellness concept has its origins in the use of natural hot and mineral springs. This linkage is interestingly explored in the introduction and the following chapters that provide a global overview of current trends in wellness, together with a rather lengthy discourse on the use of natural hot and mineral springs throughout history, including its religious associations.Chapter 5 on the geological conditions giving rise to naturally occurring geothermal and mineral waters is extremely helpful. It should be positioned earlier in the book as it provides the essential understanding of the geography of the occurrence of these resources, and the development of spas around the world.Having established the spatial and historic context of spa development, the authors then provide what can only be described as a basic introduction to the management, operational, technical and economic environments within which spas are developed."Case Studies from around the World" provides examples of spas and hot springs from different regions. This is probably the weakest section of the book. This is primarily due to the fact that, in such a fast moving, dynamic marketplace, changes in market trends and product development effectively make any textbook, based on case study material, superfluous.However, to end on a positive note, this book does provide practitioners, as well as students, a good understanding of spas and hot springs. The bibliography is extensive and the overall breadth of coverage is impressive. It is a very useful addition to any library on this subject.
