Spa Tourism as a Development Driver of Rural Destination

Looking at rural destinations as places that have the potential for tourism development, it is necessary to see in which direction they can be developed and what advantages the destination has from such development. Particularly highlighted are the potentials for the development of spa tourism, as it has been shown that health care has become a primary need, and the health motive is one of the primary factors of attraction. The paper is based on research on the Vrdnik health resort and their visitors’ opinions. Respondents from five countries, 322 of them, participated in the research. The conclusion was reached that the respondents very well distinguish wellness and spas as a part of health tourism from medical places where sick people go, and that together wellness and spa tourism represent a sustainable product of rural destinations. In other words, prevention is much more important than rehabilitation.