Stakeholders’ Knowledge, Attitudes and Practises towards Health Tourism Development in Zimbabwe.

Abstract

This research explored the feasibility of developing health tourism in Zimbabwe using knowledge levels, attitudes of stakeholders and current practises as barometers of the destination’s potential. Researchers conducted in-depth interviews with tourism experts, hoteliers and tour operators in Harare (capital city of Zimbabwe). The major findings of the study on knowledge, attitudes and practices were that knowledge level on health tourism was high among hoteliers and tourism experts, with tour operators exhibiting little knowledge. In terms of attitude, hoteliers were quite positive about the adoption of health tourism while tourism experts were pessimistic about health tourism’s potential to provide a return on investment. On current health tourism practises the study revealed that there were health packages offered by hotels to a limited extent and only as a requirement for their grading. Nevertheless, an overarching insight from the study was that development of health tourism was a possibility in Zimbabwe if marketed in tandem with existing `anchor’ attractions such as Victoria Falls and others of a similar international stature and appeal.

"Methodological Complexities in the Study of Health Tourism: A Study of the Appropriation of Indigenous Herbal Sexual Stimulants and Fertility Enhancers in Zimbabwe"

“…This manuscript sought to showcase the methodological challenges associated with surveys that seek to explore the dynamics involved in the use of herbal substances for sexual stimulation and fertility enhancement. Traditional herbal medicine has become symbolic, an alternative that ensures satisfaction and healthy living in the life of today's "health conscious generation" [10]. observes that a health tourist traveler is driven by a burning longing to consume possible alternatives that guarantee satisfaction and a healthy living.…”

“…Traditional medicine through the ages has continued to play this part in healthcare [11][12]. Several scholars such as [10,11,[13][14] define herbal medicine differently. However, in this paper, the definition by the University of Maryland [15].…”