Consumption Tendencies in Health Tourism Services
Chapter from the book: Yavuz, E. (ed.) 2025. Next-Generation Marketing: Reconnecting with Consumers in the Digital Age.

Senem Uçan
Balıkesir University
Mehmet Emin Akkılıç
Balıkesir University
Mehmet Selim Dikici
Balıkesir University

Synopsis

Consumption habits are considered in the literature as a dynamic phenomenon that undergoes change and transformation over time. Today, consumers are increasingly moving away from traditionally utility-based (utilitarian) consumption behaviors; instead, pleasure, experience, and emotional satisfaction-oriented (hedonic) consumption trends are coming to the forefront. This transformation is particularly evident in certain sectors. One such sector is health tourism. Some of the services offered within the scope of health tourism are related to elements such as aesthetics, well-being, and improving quality of life, beyond direct medical necessities. However, a review of the literature and existing academic studies reveals that the concept of "hedonic health tourism services" is not clearly and systematically defined. Nevertheless, there are significant similarities between the motivations leading to hedonic consumption and the motives influencing the preference for health tourism services, particularly those aimed at aesthetic purposes. In this context, the main objective of this study is to develop a scale that will classify consumption trends towards health tourism services according to their intensity, considering both utilitarian and hedonic dimensions. The research was conducted using a qualitative research methodology, including a literature review; in this context, in-depth interviews were conducted with nine doctors specializing in the field of health tourism. Based on the findings, a scale was created to position health tourism products and services within a continuum ranging from utilitarian to hedonic consumption. The results of the study offer strategic implications for stakeholders operating in the health tourism sector; they also develop theoretical and practical recommendations for future academic research on the subject.

How to cite this book

Uçan, S. & Akkılıç, M. E. & Dikici, M. S. (2025). Consumption Tendencies in Health Tourism Services. In: Yavuz, E. (ed.), Next-Generation Marketing: Reconnecting with Consumers in the Digital Age. Özgür Publications. DOI: https://doi.org/10.58830/ozgur.pub1132.c4656

License

Published

December 29, 2025

DOI