Crikvenica is turning to health tourism
Health tourism, as a special form of tourism is growing globally at a rate between 15% and 20% per annum and is of strategic importance for Croatian tourism. For example, medical tourism, as one of the segments of health tourism, is making between 44 and 60 billion dollars a year. - The Tourism Forum '' Crikvenica - Riviera health '' held on Wednesday the 25th of September 2013 in Thalassotherapia in Crikvenica on the occasion of the 125 years of tourism.
The Action Plan for the development of the croatian health tourism and for the establishment of minimum standards for equipment, security, quality of service and environmental sustainable green business is curently in making by the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Tourism - said Ivo Basic on behalf of the Ministry of Tourism. Primorje- Gorski Kotar County has adopted a strategy for the healthcare industry 2013 - 2020. said professor Vladimir Mićović , Director of Teaching Institute of Public Health of the PGC, working intensively on an appropriate action plan.
Crikvenica , which is particularly emphasized Damir Rukavina , Mayor of the City of Crikvenica and Chairman of the Crikvenica Tourist Board has been recognized in the 19th century , in 1888th year as one of the most quality health tourism destination, which led the construction of the first public maritime wooden bath facilities to profill Crikvenice as a spa destination. About these historical and contemporary specialties spoke Ph.D. Amir Muzir from the School of Medicine in Rijeka , specifically pointing the historical process of the establishment of a joint stock company in Crikvenica , the opening of the first resort and hotel , the start of recording meteorological data and the support of members of the former royal family .
The gradual development of the potentially significant revenue
Speaking about the development of tourism, Edvin Jurin from Weber Shandwick Group McCann Zagreb stressed that there is a potential from the so-called '' tourism of another residence'' as part of the '' Croatia - Europe´s Florida '' makes more than $ 1.2 billion, and aditionally within adequately structured and modernly designed clusters more than 2.8 billion euros a year, so the system of health tourism is gradually evolving from the level of mental and physical restoration to complex surgery medical tourism .
The distinctive air along with geographic location, topography and flora and fauna made - said a significant contribution to all – said Dr. Ksenija Zaninović the State Hydrological Institute in Zagreb, which was confirmed in his presentation by prim. mr. sc. Goran Ivanisevic in the name of the Academy of Medical Sciences in Zagreb.
The need for the real brand story
If Crikvenica wants to brand itself as a '' Riviera of health '' , a feasible and true ''brand'' story must be made - warned Marijana Biondić, director of the Tourist Board Crikvenice. In the strategic marketing plan for Kvarner 2009 - 2013 it was found that the destination brand Riviera Crikvenica - Vinodol should rely on high-energy, healthy, sporty and youthful spirit and the fact that Crikvenica has historically been an innovative wellness destination.
The approach of positioning the Riviera Crikvenica as a destination for health tourism in a way that the identity and image resulting from the guiding ideas and the possibility of development of wellness and spa have to be followed - spoke on behalf of the Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management in Opatija Ph.D. Dragan Magas.
Synergy Health and proficiencies
Further development of health tourism is based , according to Dr. Milena Persic , on the synergy between health and specific knowledge that can be acquired in postgraduate specialist study '' Health Tourism'' , as a result of successful cooperation between the Faculty of Tourism and Hotel Management in Opatija with the Medical Faculty and the Faculty of Philosophy in Rijeka.
A key role should play travel agencies specializing in medical tourism , which have to be transformed in the receptive DMC agencies , noted Prof. Romana Lekic from the University '' Vern '' in Zagreb.
About the sea as a complex medium with healing and soothing antiseptic, antibacterial and antiviral effects spoke Anna Maria Donadić from the Research Institute of the Adriatic Sea Aqua Maris Galenic laboratory from Rijeka.
In the end , their specific knowledge and specific experiences were presented by: dentist MA Domagoj Žabrović from the Clinical Department of Prosthodontics in the University Hospital Dubrava , Damir Loncaric and Silvia Šegulja fromThalassotherapia Crikvenica , Damir Avdagić from Polyclinic '' Katunar '' and Vlasta Brozičević from Terme Selce, in which, according to her, many teams and clubs from Croatia and abroad and over 120 champions and olympic sportsman were treated and undertook recovery .
