The Concept and Application of the Healing Industry: A Scoping Review

Background and objective: This study explores and clarifies the concept and characteristics of the healing industry through a scoping review. Given growing interest in related fields—such as forest therapy, marine healing, agro-healing, garden therapy, and healing tourism—it examines how the healing industry is conceptualized across academic and gray literature, aiming to build a theoretical foundation and inform policy. Methods: A scoping review methodology was employed to analyze academic publications and gray literature related to the healing industry. The review focused on identifying trends and thematic patterns across adjacent domains to synthesize a comprehensive perspective on the field. No formal quality appraisal of sources was conducted, in line with the typical limitations of the scoping review method. Results: The analysis revealed significant variation in how the healing industry is defined across studies. By integrating insights from multiple sectors, this study proposes a unified and comprehensive definition: the healing industry is a convergence-based sector grounded in a public-interest-oriented and institutionally supported framework that provides nature-based healing and wellness services—such as forest healing, marine healing, agro-healing, garden therapy, and healing tourism. Key characteristics of existing research were identified, and emerging trends and gaps were mapped to outline strategic directions for future research and development in this evolving domain. Conclusion: This study contributes to academic discourse by offering a foundational understanding of the healing industry and presenting an integrated conceptual framework. The proposed definition highlights the integration of physical, psychological, emotional, social, and environmental dimensions to promote healing and wellness. The study offers insights for policymakers and stakeholders aiming to develop and expand healing-related sectors. Given the broad review scope and absence of formal quality appraisal, future research should pursue focused, subfield-specific investigations, meta-analyses of outcomes, and interdisciplinary collaboration to deepen understanding and strengthen the field’s impact.