Examining the information provided on websites: an application to the thermal spas from the Central Region of Portugal

Abstract

Wellness and Spa Tourism represents a leading role in the tourism industry. According to a study conducted by the Global Wellness Institute (2013) this niche tourism is growing faster than the overall tourism industry. In Portugal, health and wellness tourism has also had a significant growth and is considered one of the ten strategic products of the country. According to information available from Turismo de Portugal (2015), there are 41 spas in Portugal, 19 of them located in the Central Region. The aim of this paper is to analyze the use of Information and Communication Technologies, more specifically, websites, as an essential tool for advertising the health and wellness offer of the Spas in the Central Region. Thus, the quality of these Spa’s Websites were analyzed using various indicators. The information obtained is a basis for the implementation of strategies to make the Spas more competitive.