Abstract
The perception of health changed during the mid-twentieth century from simply being considered an absence of physical illness to including notions of wellness. As quoted in other chapters in this book, the World Health Organization (2010) states that health is 'a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity'. Good health and wellbeing are promoted as important values in many societies and this has subsequently influenced the travel sector (Erfurt-Cooper and Cooper 2009). The integration of health and tourism has become a significant aspect of modem tourism in a number of new and long-established destinations. Health tourism is however a heterogeneous market segment embracing a variety of products and services that range from wellness tourism to medical tourism (Voigt et al. 2010). The focus of this chapter will be on nature-based wellness and spa tourism, including spa hotels as well as day spas in Margaret River, Western Australia.