Health tourism refers to the provision of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, health care, and medical rehabilitation, often combined with the use of natural healing factors, along with hospitality and/or tourism services. This type of tourism includes medical tourism, spa (thermal) tourism, and medical wellness.
The global trend of health-motivated travel has significantly influenced the development of health tourism in the Republic of Croatia, a country with a long-standing tradition as a health tourism destination in this part of Europe. Croatia offers a range of comparative advantages for the further development of this sector, including high-quality healthcare services, skilled and qualified medical professionals, natural beauty and a favorable climate, a long history in tourism, proximity to major European markets, high levels of safety, and competitive prices. These factors make health tourism a product with strong growth potential.
Croatia is already recognized as a desirable destination for medical tourism, particularly in fields such as dental and aesthetic medicine, ophthalmology and optometry, orthopedics, oncology, and other medical specialties.
Healthcare services within the scope of health tourism can be provided by:
- healthcare institutions,
- companies registered for healthcare activities,
- private healthcare professionals.
Spa and rehabilitation services may be offered exclusively by special hospitals and spas.
Medical wellness services can be provided by:
- healthcare institutions,
- companies engaged in healthcare activities,
- private healthcare professionals,
- tourist clinics,
- other legal entities which, in accordance with specific regulations, perform hospitality and/or tourism activities.
It is important to note that healthcare institutions and private healthcare professionals may provide health tourism services only outside the capacities contracted with the Croatian Health Insurance Fund (HZZO).