What Is Wellness Tourism? Sweden Becomes The 1st Country To ‘Prescribe’ Travel For Good Health

Sweden is the first country to have prescribed travel as a destination. Here’s what it means.
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What Is Wellness Tourism? Sweden Becomes The 1st Country To ‘Prescribe’ Travel For Good Health


Whenever we feel exhausted, we crave a trip. And many times, we feel relaxed and rejuvenated after coming back from a trip. This clearly indicates that travel has a strong relation with wellness. Do you know doctors sometimes prescribe travel as medicine? Now, to take this even a step further, Sweden is allowing doctors to prescribe travel for wellness to their country. Sounds interesting, isn’t it? To know more about this, read on.

What is Wellness Tourism?

Wellness tourism refers to travelling, which is associated with the pursuit of maintaining or enhancing one’s personal wellbeing. It is a type of tourism which is focused on enhancing one’s physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Wellness tourism involves activities like yoga retreats, meditation, spa vacations, and healthy eating. It does not restrict itself to traditional sightseeing; rather, it prioritizes self-care with ventures like Ayurveda to holistic therapies.

How Wellness Tourism Differs From Heath Tourism

Wellness tourism is often confused with medical tourism. But, let us make this clear — both are different. Medical tourism refers to the practice of traveling across borders to receive medical care. This is often for elective or complex surgeries and treatments.

A better way to understand the difference between the both can be through this:

  • Medical tourism treats poor health, injury and illness. It refers to traveling to another place to receive surgery or a treatment because it is more affordable, higher quality, or not available at home or in one’s city.
  • Wellness tourism is an activity one engages in to maintain a healthy lifestyle, reduce stress, prevent diseases or enhance one’s wellbeing. This is the main motivation behind wellness tourism.

Sweden is Offering Wellness Travel on ‘Prescription’

Sweden is the first country to have prescribed travel as a destination. Under the initiative, known as ‘The Swedish Prescription’, Sweden is allowing doctors to prescribe travel for wellness. This offers a unique solution for those looking for restorative experiences. This initiative has been taken in collaboration with medical professionals. Its official marketing company, Visit Sweden, has set up a framework – under which patients can be issued a prescription for a visit to Sweden. This will allow them to benefit from the country’s varied wellness offerings, but this won’t be paid for.

Patients can download a medical referral from the tourism agency's website. The travel site states, “Patients worldwide can bring the document to their doctor and use it as a basis for having a visit to Sweden prescribed.”

The country partnered with leading health experts, including Swedish senior professor Yvonne Forsell, for this purpose. They curated a plethora of activities to promote wellness across three core areas: nature, lifestyle, and culture.

Also Read: https://www.onlymyhealth.com/holiday-travel-health-guide-dos-and-donts-to-follow-12977839090

The Final Word

Sweden is the first country to have prescribed travel as a destination. The country partnered with leading health experts to promote wellness across three core areas: nature, lifestyle, and culture.

 

FAQ

  • What is the meaning of wellness tourism?

    Wellness tourism is a type of travel focused on improving or maintaining one's physical, mental, and emotional well-being through activities like yoga, meditation, spa treatments, and healthy lifestyle coaching. 
  • Which is the biggest market of wellness tourism?

    The U.S. still remains the leader in terms of tourism revenue.
  • What is a wellness journey?

    Health and well-being are much more than the absence of illness or disorders. Unlocking well-being is the active pursuit of activities, choices and lifestyles that lead to a state of physical, mental and social well-being.

 

 

 

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Disclaimer

How we keep this article up to date:

We work with experts and keep a close eye on the latest in health and wellness. Whenever there is a new research or helpful information, we update our articles with accurate and useful advice.

  • Current Version

  • Oct 18, 2025 19:47 IST

    Published By : Shruti Das

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