2023

HEALTH AND WELLNESS TOURISM

CHALLENGES PROBLEMS OPPORTUNITIES

 In recent years, Portugal has have increased, there is more The result of this effort is the

THE
strengthened its position as the best demand, more supply, more entrepreneurial community that we 2
tourism destination in the world and investment and more tourists. now find in Portugal, united to
for the 5th time in the last six years, develop new approaches to the

FUTURE OF
Portugal was once again considered Although the Tourism sector feels increasingly demanding tourist, to
the "Best Tourist Destination in that its territorial distribution is still conquer new markets and business
Europe", in the European edition of not equitable throughout Portugal, models.

TOURISM the World Travel Awards 2022.After

2019 the Tourism sector represented
more than 14% of GDP, placing
the internal and external market has
considerably increased the demand
for rural tourism options. Nature
With the increase in tourism
startups, there is a need to create a
Portugal among the top 5 European immersion experiences now take a match between market needs and
countries where Tourism contributes step towards new development startups' products and services.
the most to GDP, in 2020 this sector opportunities.
had a tremendous stoppage due to Thus, this need impels us to create
the pandemic. However, the digital transformation platforms and build bridges that can
of the Tourism sector is crucial, and identify market needs and ensure
Despite two years of consecutive creating a qualified offer for the new that the entrepreneurial ecosystem
stops and challenges, the Tourism tourist profile will be the key to is aligned with the real challenges of
sector was able to respond and sustainable growth. More and more its customers.
adapt. Thus, August 2022 was the initiatives have been organized with
best month ever for tourism in a national effort to bring new and Specifically, the health and wellness
Portugal, data from the National innovative approaches to the tourism sector, as a tourist niche, is a
Institute of Statistics (INE). Income traditional Tourism that we knew. developing sector with great
for August 2022 represented an From identifying challenges and potential for growth and
improvement of 25% compared to creating startups to helping development due to investments in
August 2019, which was so far the companies grow, many contributions the medical area and wellness
best month for Tourism in Portugal. have been made to keep the sector treatments that are increasingly
growing in a disruptive yet present in the tourist offer.
With the immense growth of the sustainable way.
sector in recent years, with the
highest values ever, tour operators
WHAT TO 3

EXPECT ONE
________CONTEXT
Why are we here?

TWO
___________SURVEY RESULTS
What are the challenges?

THREE
________THINK TANK
Thinking the sector

FOUR
____________CONCLUSIONS
Thoughts and opportunities
WHY ARE
______WE HERE?
CONTEXT
WHY ARE 5

WE HERE? NEST – Tourism Innovation Center of Portugal joined forces with Fábrica de Startups to create
a diagnostic cycle of Think Tanks aiming to study the Portuguese Tourism market and identify
main challenges, needs, and opportunities within the Tourism innovation processes.

Until now ten main areas of the Tourism sector were identified to conduct the study:
Gastronomy & Restaurants, Hospitality, Tourism Activities, Points of Interest, Wine Tourism,
Digital Nomads, Nautical Tourism, Health and Wellness Tourism, Travel Agencies and Mobility.

Each cycle was divided into 3 steps, firstly a survey, secondly a Think Tank, and thirdly a report.

SURVEY THINK TANK REPORT

On the first step, a survey was conducted For the Think Tank, we have invited This report intends to portrait the
and distributed through a selected group a selected group of people, including results regarding identifying new opportunities
of specialists who are decision-makers, decision-makers and operational for the future of the Tourism sector,
responsible for defining strategies, and workforce with proven experience in mainly, the Health and Wellness Tourism.
ensuring operational processes within the sector, to participate in a dynamic
each of the vertical areas. Throughout workshop. The Think Tank was conducted
the survey, we have collected information to identify specific internal and external
regarding the main challenges in the sector and struggles in the sector in order to generate
the future opportunities regarding a set of potential opportunities for new
innovation, digitalization and sustainability. products, services and businesses.
VERTICAL 6

AREAS

GASTRONOMY AND RESTAURANTS HOSPITALITY TOURISM ACTIVITIES

Considered as a cultural patrimony, The success factor is to differentiate your
Breaking records in the occupancy rate solution and correctly targeting it.
gastronomy is proven to be one of in 2022, the hospitality sector has grown
the main factors when choosing a rapidly, at the point of attracting
touristic destination. international investment in Portugal.

How is the sector adjusting to the online What is the future customer journey?
What has changed in the hospitality sector?
channels? How to become more sustainable?
How to leverage new technology?
Are restaurants taking advantage of the How to add value and create an unforgettable
What are the new trends and customer
new technologies? and repeatable experience?
behaviors?
How to engage with their communities?

REPORT AVAILABLE
REPORT AVAILABLE REPORT AVAILABLE
VERTICAL 7

AREAS

POINTS OF INTEREST WINE TOURISM DIGITAL NOMADS

The patrimony of Portugal is equally As an emergent sector and part of the Portugal has become one of the most preferred
spread through its territory, whether cultural patrimony Wine Tourism is proven destinations for this segment. Offering
we are talking about museums, palaces to be one relevant area when choosing a everything that nomads seek while working in a
or nature. touristic destination. foreign country.

How to analyze the fluxes of tourists? How to diversify customers? Can we create a national incentive plan?
How to guarantee an easy and sustainable How to guarantee a personalized service? How can insurance companies develop new
How to create successful campaigns? products?
mobility of tourists?
How to train the workforce? How to create more engagement on the local
How to leverage tech solutions? communities?
How can we create new digital products and
REPORT AVAILABLE REPORT AVAILABLE services?

REPORT AVAILABLE
VERTICAL 8

AREAS

NAUTICAL TOURISM HEALTH AND WELLNESS TOURISM TRAVEL AND TOURISM AGENCIES
The Portuguese coast is one of the great Health and Wellness Tourism is a sector on Travel and tourism agencies carry out
assets of Portugal and is increasingly sought the rise in Portugal, which has specialized multiple activities that include organizing
after by tourists from all over the world. and gained importance in the international and/or selling tourist trips and booking
market. accommodation services.

How to ensure accessibility for all How to diversify customers? How to diversify customers?
customers? How to guarantee a personalized service? How to guarantee a personalized
How to ensure sustainable efficiency? service?
How to add value and create an
How to communicate to other markets? unforgettable and repeatable experience? How is the sector adjusting to the online
How to guarantee the customer's demand channels?
levels?
REPORT AVAILABLE REPORT AVAILABLE
REPORT AVAILABLE
HEALTH AND
In recent years Portugal has been appointed as one of the great tourism destinations, the landscapes 9
and heritage combined with the gastronomy and the rich culture have brought a large number of
tourists every year and with a proneness to continue to grow.
WELLNESS Thus, by taking advantage of and combining the various natural resources such as thermal waters
TOURISM throughout the country, with medical tourism offers, there is potential for Portugal to be differentiating
in this tourism sector. For many tourists, Portuguese health care is an alternative with an excellent
quality-price ratio that, combined with the climate and excellent hospitality services, makes it a
rewarding experience.

On the other hand, over the last few decades, the high-quality healthcare system has become
increasingly competitive, with equipment and technological solutions, a modern hospital network and
highly qualified professionals. In recent years, Portugal has been internationally recognized in areas
such as neuroscience, oncology, ophthalmology, orthopedics, and regenerative medicine, which has led
to investment in the medical tourism sector.

Technology is also important to help the sector quickly adapt to new behaviors and trends, keeping in
mind that tourists are looking for a quality, differentiating and personalized experience.

How to create innovative How to improve customer How to increase workforce

concepts applied to the health experience to became a productivity to guarantee
and wellness tourism sector to worldwide reference in a costumer service of
diversify customer segments? health and wellness tourism excellence?
sector?
WHAT ARE THE
______CHALLENGES
SURVEY RESULTS
THE The survey was sent and answered by
a group of 42 people to make a
50% of our participants in the event
are managers and/or top
11

SURVEY
diagnosis regarding the current management of the Health and
situation of the Health and Wellness Wellness Tourism business and 26%
Tourism sector. are owners of this tourism sector
business.
Among the selected group of people,
there were decision-makers in the The goal of this survey was to have a
Health and Wellness Tourism sector, qualitative approach to the
owners, directors and managers and challenges and opportunities of the
representatives of municipal services sector while shaping the approach
such as Spa, Wellness Resorts during the Think Tank. The following
Assisted Living and Medical Tourism, pages represent the main results of
among others. the survey, by pointing out the main
challenges, problems and
opportunities.
The diversity of the groups was
crucial to identify the main challenges
across the chain value of the sector.

Most of our invited experts were

Portuguese (98%), 40% were working
in the center region, 21% in Lisbon
region and 21% in Oporto and North,
although we had representativeness
of the whole country.
PROFILE 12

Most survey responses were Portuguese.

Azores; 2%

Alentejo; 2% Algarve; 12%

Lisbon and Tejo
Valley; 21%
Other; 2%

Oporto and North;

21%

Center; 41%

Portuguese;
98%

More than 40% of the Think Tank responses were from Center,
however, we had representation from the whole country.
PROFILE Most of the survey responses small
sized and medium companies.
13

* *

City councilor
2%

Technical Staff Owner * * *

17% 26% Most survey responses were focused on both national and
international customers.

National
Clients
Manager 12%
55%
Both
48%

International
Clients
40%

More than half of the sample are top management of Health and
Wellness Tourism business.
13%

47%
PROFILE 14

Most of our experts are service providers related to Health and Wellness Tourism sector and they classified their offer
specially by doing wellness tourism and health tourism where we can find thermalism (52%) or medical tourism (12%). The
average price for most of the services is up to 300€.

Thermalism 52%
Other
10%
Medical Tourism 12%
Both
12%
Health & Wellness Resorts and Assisted Living 12%
Wellness Tourism
40% Wellness and Sports 5%

42,9%
Beauty Tourism 2%
38%
Health Tourism
38% Thalossotherapy 2%

Medical Spas 2%

Water Spas 2%

Other 10% 12%

7%

0%

Under €100 Between €100 Between €300 Between €500 Above €1,000
to €300 to €500 to €1,000
Average price per service
CUSTOMER 15

PROFILE
The majority of the international customers come from, Spain, France and United Kingdom.
Most of them are individuals (50%) and couples with no children (29%).

Organized
Groups /
Excursions Others
5% 2%

Friends Groups
Couples with 0%
children
14%

Childless Couple
29%

Individuals
50%
MAIN From a list of specific challenges, these are the most representative challenges of the sector.
Participants were asked to pick 3 specific challenges from a giving list.
16

CHALLENGES The numbers presented in the chart represent the percentage of participants which picked a specific
challenge. This representation method was adopted throughout similar questions of the survey analyzed
in the following pages.

Improve customer experience

Reinvent the concept of Health and Wellness Tourism

Define a strategy to compete with international destinations with more Health and Wellness Tourism

Improve communication with customers

Enhance digital marketing strategies

Obtain and maintain quality of service parameters

Diversify the service offer

Enhance the management of qualified resources

Improve and automate operations

Improve customer service

Develop environmental sustainability

Ensuring safety during the activity/experience

Ensure maintenance and operational improvements

Sector credibility

Improve booking management

NEW 17

BEHAVIOURS
Most of the participants of the survey consider that the main
concerns of the Health and Wellness Tourism customer are the
world economic situation (23%), the need of market positioning
(20%) and the lack of product diversification (16%).
World Economic Situation 23%

Market positioning 20%

Product diversification 16%

41%
Credibility 8%

Skilled labor 8% 26%

21%
Product demand 7%
10%
Access to Public Grants 4% 2%

Seasonality 4% 1 2 3 4 5

Sustainability 4%
NOT MATURE AT ALL EXTREMELY MATURE
Infrastructure 2%

Digital transformation 2%
Our experts perceived the digital component of their businesses
Commercial and Payment Channels 2%
in a medium stage of maturity, tending to be considered as “less
Service Quality 2% mature”.
BUSINESS 18

DIGITALIZATION
The majority (74%) have made some investments related to technology on the past 2 years mainly related to social
media and digital marketing (more than 43%) and financial software (14%).

Social Media and Digital Marketing 43%

Financial Software 14%

No; 26%
No Investment 12%

Data Analysis Tools 10%

GDPR and Database 7%

Yes; 74% Microsoft office 5%

App Creation and Management 5%

Planning Programs 2%

Other 2%
BUSINESS 19

DIGITALIZATION
The areas were there’s still no digitalization improvement or investment are mainly the booking
channel (29%) and the internal operations management (19%).

Booking Channel 29%

Internal Operation Management 19%

Sales Channel 17%

The Product Itself 12%

Marketing 12%

Communications channel 7%

None 5%
RESOURCES & 20

TECHNOLOGY
Digital marketing and social media 17%
They evaluate the stage of technical skills of the 71%
team developed in an average way (52%). CRM Solutions 14% 37%

Operations management systems 13%

App creation and management 12%

Website creation and management 11%

Booking systems 11%

Data analysis tools 10%

52%
Planning programs 7%
33%
7% GDPR and Database 4%
2%

5% The most important technologies to adopt urgently are: digital marketing

1 2 3 4 5 and social media (17%), CRM solutions (14%) and operations management
NOT DEVELOPED AT ALL EXTREMELY DEVELOPED
systems (13%).
OPPORTUNITIES 21

The most relevant opportunities for the sector were considered: sustainability (23%), new consumer profile (23%) and
quality of service (22%).

Sustainability 23%

New Consumer Profile 23%

Quality 22%

Test New Products 16%

Digital Transformation 14%

Individual Spaces 2%

18%
STRATEGIES 22

& SOLUTIONS
The most considered strategy to innovate on circular and sharing economy was the positive impact on local
communities and cultural aspects (e.g., employment generation) (60%).

12%

Agile resource sharing and transfer

14%

Neutral or positive impact on the

environment
60%
14% Search for local suppliers and
resources

Positive impact on local communities

(employment generation), cultural
aspects
STRATEGIES 23

& SOLUTIONS
The most considered technological solutions for the health and wellness tourism sector were digital
platforms (26%), automation of operations (23%), data processing (22%) and artificial intelligence
(9%).
THINKING
______THE SECTOR
THINK TANK RESULTS
JOSÉ VASCONCELOS-
SOUSA

“
Health and Wellness, despite being linked, are two distinct areas with
autonomous challenges. The first linked to the health systems of the
European Union, and the other as a new health trend in the general
population.

” CATÓLICA BUSINESS SCHOOL

CONCEPT 26

The Think Tank was an online session with the presence of a group of experts in the field of Health and Wellness Tourism sector, coming together to think
about the main struggles of the sector and explore future opportunities to solve them.
A group of 17 people was invited to participate in a dynamic workshop regarding the future of the sector.
The workshop was conducted by Fábrica de Startups using a design thinking approach to identify challenges, find main struggles and detect possible
solutions. Before to the think tank, Fábrica de Startups selected the main 4 challenges the sector is facing at the moment, based on the results of the
survey. These challenges represent the foundation of the exercise where each team is assigned a specific challenge.
Subsequently, each team will have to choose a specific customer segment and go through the customer journey to find the key frustrations.
After identifying the main pains for the customer segment, participants are invited to evaluate and select only one problem to which they will, later, find
possible solutions.

During the think tank the following metrics were taking into consideration:

SEVEN FOUR SIXTEEN EIGHT

Customer segments Different contexts Problems and pains Opportunities/solutions

On the next pages, we will show you the process that each team went through and the main conclusions. The outcome is specific enough to be more than
just a theorical exercise but broad enough to allow different approaches to the identified problems and opportunities.
FOUR 27

CHALLENGES
Prior to the Think Tank and taking in consideration the results of the survey, Fábrica de Startups selected the main 4
challenges the sector is facing currently. These were the challenges that shaped the Think Tank focused on the Health and
Wellness Tourism sector.

ONE TWO
IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE REINVENT THE CONCEPT OF HEALTH AND WELLNESS TOURISM
Safety and quality procedures Attract more market segments to this type of tourism
Service trust relationship Promote new differentiating services
Customer requirement levels Position the offer for new markets

THREE FOUR
IMPROVE THE STRATEGY TO COMPETE WITH IMPROVE HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
INTERNATIONAL DESTINATIONS Ensuring the quality of specialized service
Plan a strategy for entering new markets Maintain cohesive teams facing seasonality
Increase new customer conversion
Communicate to compete with international destinations
IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE: 28

OPPORTUNITY #1
CHALLENGE #1

MAIN OPPORTUNITY:
BOOKING 2 The solution involves the digital
This context deals with booking the treatment transformation of each Stakeholder's
or medical act of the tourist. This reservation services through a platform or application.
can be online or offline.
PROBLEMS thus, the customer will have greater
visibility of the services offered. likewise,
this platform may also, in the future, allow
not only online booking but also the
MAIN PROBLEM: respective payment and sharing of
How to address the low level of opinions.
1 digitization in this sector, which leads to
a lack of information about products
SECONDARY PROBLEM:
How can you combat the delay
and services, increasing the difficulty of
CONTEXT knowing schedules in real-time? When
between booking and paying
for the service? This delay
customers want to book a specific
service, such as a massage or a wellness
could be a stress factor
and a dissatisfying
3
FAMILIES WITH treatment, there is still no quick customer experience.
CHILDREN information to know the available times,
(UPPER-CLASS) requiring a phone call to make the OPPORTUNITIES
reservation.
IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE: 29

OPPORTUNITY #2
CHALLENGE #1

MAIN OPPORTUNITY:
BOOKING 2
The solution involves creating a
This context deals with booking the treatment supply/demand platform for specific
or medical act of the tourist. This reservation professionals in the area, to break
can be online or offline. resistance to digitization. In this way, in
PROBLEMS real-time, the space in question, such as a
hotel, needed a massagist, through this
platform the hotel could provide the
MAIN PROBLEM: customer with a service that suits their
needs.
1 How to suppress resistance to change and
poor digitalization in the reservations SECONDARY PROBLEM:
department? The lack of automation and How to recruit or train human
resources aligned with customer
CONTEXT human resources available for the service
that the customer wants can generate a bad needs?
experience for the consumer. 3

RECEPTION
OPPORTUNITIES
PAULA THOMAS

“
There is enormous potential in the Health and Wellness Tourism sector
when also linked to the more classic cultural tourism. The pursuit of
well-being is increasingly appreciated.

” TURISMO DE PORTUGAL
REINVENT THE CONCEPT OF HEALTH AND WELLNESS TOURISM: 31

OPPORTUNITY #1
CHALLENGE #2

MAIN OPPORTUNITY:
RESEARCH 2
The solution involves creating protocols
This is the step where customers start looking for with health entities that reinforce
the offers available in the market. confidence in the destination and through
PROBLEMS co-payment facilitate the choice of the
existing offer in Portugal.
With a marketplace, in a single place, they
can access the existing offer that has
protocols. These protocols would
1 MAIN PROBLEM: also serve as a service quality credit.
How to convey to the customer the SECONDARY PROBLEM:
confidence in choosing innovative products How to distinguish the service
CONTEXT and new experiences in Portugal given the at the time of booking
high offer that already exists compared to the extensive
current offer?
internationally? 3

COUPLES WITH
NO CHILDREEN OPPORTUNITIES
(MIDDLE-CLASS)
REINVENT THE CONCEPT OF HEALTH AND WELLNESS TOURISM: 32

OPPORTUNITY #2
CHALLENGE #2

MAIN OPPORTUNITY:
ACTIVITY 2 The solution goes through the benchmark of
This is the step where customers do the health and the main markets in the sector with missions
wellness treatment or medical act. open to operators. Through this study,
PROBLEMS develop an offer that fits the needs of the
international customer segment. Creation of
a national network that allows for more
effective communication, and if possible,
even shared services that
1 MAIN PROBLEM: strengthen the offer.
SECONDARY PROBLEM:
How to get to know the costumer segment
How to frame the possibility of
CONTEXT from Europe, namely the offer of products co-participation of several
aimed at the target market with the partners for a more
possibility of being offered in Portugal? consistent offer
3
of services?

BUSINESS PERSON OPPORTUNITIES

MAFALDA PAIS

“
Health and wellness tourism is really a promising market but it still
needs a lot of work to be differentiating.

” TERMAS DO CARVALHAL
IMPROVE THE STRATEGY TO COMPETE WITH INTERNATIONAL 34

DESTINATIONS: OPPORTUNITY #1
CHALLENGE #3

MAIN OPPORTUNITY:
BOOKING 2
This context deals with booking the treatment The solution involves the development of a
or medical act of the tourist. This reservation booking platform that allows to monitor
can be online or offline.
PROBLEMS the customer (via AI or chatbot) and gives
confidence and advice at each stage of the
booking, to ensure that you are making the
most appropriate and competitive options.
MAIN PROBLEM:
How to facilitate the customer's
1 decision-making process and make the
reservation more efficient? There is SECONDARY PROBLEM:
difficulty in conveying confidence in the How to help the customer with
CONTEXT necessary information (program, prices, difficulties when booking?
payment conditions, etc.) for the client
to make a decision. 3

YOUNG ADULTS OPPORTUNITIES

IMPROVE THE STRATEGY TO COMPETE WITH INTERNATIONAL 35

DESTINATIONS: OPPORTUNITY #2
CHALLENGE #3

MAIN OPPORTUNITY:
RESEARCH 2 The solution is to hire specialized marketing
and communication partners in the health
This is the step where customers start looking for
and wellness tourism sector in priority
the offers available in the market.
PROBLEMS destinations in order to have a more
relevant international presence.

MAIN PROBLEM:

1 How to attract more international clients

to health and wellness tourism programs, SECONDARY PROBLEM:
either through their Platforms or with the How to have more effective
CONTEXT help of partners? distribution channels?

SOLO TRAVELER OPPORTUNITIES

ANA JORGE

“
I see the future of health and well-being tourism as an opportunity to
be worked on and growing rapidly.

” TERMAS SÃO PEDRO DE SUL

IMPROVE HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: 37

OPPORTUNITY #1
CHALLENGE #4

MAIN OPPORTUNITY:
ACTIVITY 2 The solution is to find tools and means to
analyze Customer Decision Journey (e.g.,
This is the step where customers do the health and
open innovation program) to generate
wellness treatment or medical act.
PROBLEMS innovative ideas with the internal team and
from there align internal processes.
Involving the team so that it is an internal
improvement engine and value creation
MAIN PROBLEM: for the company and therefore to offer
How can better understand the client's better customer service.
1 needs and expectations? In this regard,
how to help teams to generate more SECONDARY PROBLEM:
How to increase business
value for the company and the
CONTEXT customer?
profitability through better
human resources?
3

MANAGER OPPORTUNITIES
IMPROVE HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: 38

OPPORTUNITY #2
CHALLENGE #4

MAIN OPPORTUNITY:
FEELING THE NEED: 2 The solution affects involving
This context deals with the feelings of need or
desire of the customers doing the health and
employees in decision-making on
human resources policies, realizing
wellness treatment or medical act. PROBLEMS what benefits are for them and
aligning the company's values with
its practices. Employees are the
main benefit of the company and
MAIN PROBLEM: their satisfaction is directly related
1 How to attract and retain talent in to productivity.
the area of health and wellness SECONDARY PROBLEM:
tourism, considering the specificities How to attract younger
CONTEXT of the wellness market? employees to specialized
training in the health and
wellness tourism sector? 3

YOUNG ADULTS OPPORTUNITIES

THOUGHTS AND
______OPPORTUNITIES
CONCLUSIONS
NUNO ALEXANDRE

“
I see a disruption in healthcare and medical tourism. We try to do
different things because Portugal needs to take advantage of this
opportunity to position itself on the world map so that we can
compare and compete with other countries in the rest of Europe.

” HPA HEALTH GROUP

MAIN 41

CHALLENGES
IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE REINVENT THE CONCEPT OF HEALTH AND WELLNESS TOURISM

FOCUS: address the low level of digitization in the health and wellness FOCUS: convey to the customer the confidence in choosing innovative
tourism products and new experiences in Portugal

How to attract more market segments to this type of tourism?

How to promote service trust relationship?
How to promote new differentiating services?
How to guarantee safety and quality procedures?
How to position the offer for new markets?
How to guarantee customer requirement levels?

Digitization of Stakeholders through a platform or application so the Creation of protocols with health entities that reinforce confidence in the
customer can have greater visibility of the services offered; destination;
Creation of a supply/demand platform for specific professionals in the area, Benchmark of the main markets in the sector with missions open to
to break resistance to the digitization. operators.
MAIN 42

CHALLENGES
IMPROVE THE STRATEGY TO COMPETE WITH INTERNATIONAL IMPROVE HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
DESTINATIONS

FOCUS: attract more international clients to health and wellness tourism FOCUS: promote customer satisfaction through an efficient operational
programs performance

How to plan a strategy for entering new markets? How to ensure the quality of specialized service?
How to increase new customer conversion? How to maintain cohesive teams facing seasonality?
How to communicate to compete with international destinations? How can the team deliver more value to the company?

Development of a booking technology platform that allows to monitor the Hire specialized marketing and communication partners in the health
customer (via AI, Artificial Intelligence, or chatbot) ; and wellness tourism sector in priority destinations;
Hire specialized marketing and communication partners in the health and Involving employees in decision-making on human resources policies.
wellness tourism sector.
CONCLUSIONS 43

The survey combined with the results of the It was also mentioned in strategic protocols that In conclusion, there is a great opportunity to
Think Tank session made it possible to recognize present national offers of health and wellness define a more robust communication strategy to
and categorize various challenges and trends tourism certified with a quality seal. promote the Health and Wellness Tourism sector
currently facing the health and well-being sector. as a trusted destination, capable of
In both phases, specialists in the field gathered distinguishing itself and not only taking
The specialists also mentioned the opportunity
to create a reflection on the main struggles that advantage of national customers but also
and importance of digitizing the sector, either so
need to be resolved in the short and medium reaching an audience increasingly international.
that the offer is more effectively visible to the
terms.
tourist, as well as with platforms using AI
(Artificial Intelligence) or chatbot that allow for
Our experts concluded that the health and greater monitoring of the customer journey.
wellness industry has enormous potential. It is
an emerging sector, increasingly sought after by
During the Think Tank, internal processes that
tourists and, therefore, with high potential for
indicate the need for training in teams that are
growth and development – a world full of
increasingly capable of understanding the needs
possibilities, however still with some challenges
of these types of tourists were touched upon.
ahead so that it can be differentiating.

Recruitment of qualified human resources and

One of the most pointed priorities was the need
the creation of automation processes is also an
for this sector to be seen as a reliable destination
important topic that must be considered to
by the destination so that it is an increasingly
ensure the quality standards of this tourist
present competitor in the international
sector.
competition. To this end, emphasis was placed
on the need for greater investment in
communication and marketing on a national
basis to promote Portugal as a preferred
destination.
THANK
YOU

nestportugal.pt fabricadestartups.com