Forest Therapy and Well-Being Tourism Literature Review – With Assessment of Potential for Slovenia

The Physiological and Psychological Effects Benefits of Forest Therapy (FT) on Tourists in the Kranjska Gora Destination

“…Based on the findings of the literature review, especially regarding the design of the research protocol recommendations and limitations [14] (p. 31,38), we devoted special attention to the protocol design. However, due to limitations in the conducted research, positive findings are disputable.…”

“…Numerous studies and systematic reviews found and published many various health and well-being effects and benefits from FT as a specific type of exposure to nature [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15]35]. At the same time, they indicate a lack of high-quality studies with clear scientific evidence, for example on the immune system, endocrine system, nervous system, etc.…”

“…shinrin-yoku), a type of forest relaxation theory, combined with recreation [1,11], and a touristic activity [12], a new type of tourist product could be created. An integration of tourism and health services could lead to the development of a forest therapy tourist product [13], and subsequently also to the quality development and institutionalization of forest tourism as a specific type of tourist activity [14,15]. FTT therefore has two aspects: it can be used for patients in support of therapy and for tourists in pursuit of wellness tourism.…”

“…Therapeutic forest activities that are already carried out in tourism practice, include naturopathic elements, such as water immersion (e.g., Kneipp therapy) and climatotherapy (climatic terrain cure, heliotherapy, and fresh-air rest cure) to enhance the health benefits of forest mindedness and nutritional therapy [7,15,16]. Some countries, among the first of which were Japan and China [17], as well as Sweden [18], carry out public health promotion Forests 2022, 13, 1670 2 of 21 in the forest in addition to forest tourism activities, while in Germany, FT is incorporated into the national health system [13].…”