President of the Health Tourism Association at the Croatian Chamber of Commerce emphasizes that health tourists travel throughout the year, regardless of weather, and have the highest spending.
According to Ivana Kolar, president of the Health Tourism Association at the Croatian Chamber of Commerce (HGK), who appeared on HRT's central news program, Croatia has significant potential in health tourism that could attract visitors throughout the year. Currently, the highest revenues are recorded in medical tourism, while rehabilitation, wellness, and preventive care represent a large untapped potential.
Health tourism includes wellness and preventive programs, specialized hospitals, and medical services. Although statistical data are incomplete, Kolar points out that the highest revenues come from medical tourism, particularly dental medicine, aesthetic surgery, and ophthalmology, as well as rehabilitation.
Croatia, she noted, is rich in natural healing factors, which is why it should attract guests who come not only for treatment but also for health preservation.
Health tourism is the main reason why guests travel and visit destinations throughout the year. These visitors travel regardless of weather conditions, have high purchasing power, and spend the most money.
Given the effort to extend the tourist season and develop year-round business, Kolar believes that health tourism should be one of Croatia's key assets.
Kolar assessed that Croatian health tourism is currently undergoing its largest investment cycle to date. Alongside projects like Terme Wellovar in Bjelovar, 18 special hospitals and spas are being transformed.
They will soon receive new accommodation and health facilities and become competitive on the international stage. It is important not to stop there but to continue investing in human resources, services, quality, and product development.
In private medical tourism, consolidation is also taking place, with many smaller clinics merging to be more successful in the market.
Kolar singled out connecting various services into a unified product as one of the biggest challenges. Health tourism encompasses the health and tourism sectors, travel agencies, insurance companies, and other activities.
It is crucial to remove barriers to their integration so that the provision of a joint service runs smoothly and without difficulties. The goal is to consolidate all existing services and develop new joint products.
Tax incentives can also help, but Kolar believes the biggest challenge is removing obstacles between different systems.
Croatia has an advantage in highly educated and skilled medical staff, but a shortage is already being felt, which could increase in the future. Kolar also emphasized the need for additional staff training to ensure they are familiar with all aspects of the service, including tourism, culture, and guest communication.
According to her, Croatia is still not well branded as a health tourism destination. HGK and the Croatian National Tourist Board (HTZ) have connected many domestic companies in joint appearances at European fairs, but a clear strategy for presenting Croatia to foreign markets is lacking.
We need to craft a story about what Croatian health tourism is, where we are strongest, and how to bring that to the market.
A discussion on the development of health tourism as a driver of year-round business will be held in early October at the Tourism 365 conference in Zagreb.
