As Novac writes on the 31st of July, 2020, according to all strategies for the development of Croatian tourism's offer, health tourism has a priority role, but this segment has also suffered a heavy blow due to the coronavirus pandemic. On the other hand, The appearance of the new coronavirus has forced us to become much more aware of the importance of health on a global scale, which could be a great advantage in the development of Croatia as a leading destination for health tourism in the future.

Marcel Medak, president of the Health Tourism Association of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce (HGK) and director of Sunčane toplice, agrees. He believes that in the future, the demand of patients for certain services, such as for the rehabilitation of chronic diseases, will fall, but he also sees this as a great chance for institutions that are ready to turn more strongly towards the health tourism market.

"I'd especially like to emphasise thallasotherapy, it uses marine natural healing factors that have a beneficial effect on the respiratory system, which is especially important in these pandemic times. This is an opportunity to use all our of potential and put a lot of hotels along the coast into the function of health tourism, which would significantly extend the existing tourist season. However, one of the key preconditions for that is the privatisation of special hospitals and health resorts, which is stated in the Action Plan for the Development of Health Tourism in the Republic of Croatia prepared by the Institute for Tourism,'' Medak points out, adding that it is crucial to connect all stakeholders, and that the HGK's Health Tourism Community should play a key role.

Terme Tuhelj Management Board Advisor Ivana Kolar believes that the Law which enables the registration of economic activity in health tourism brings great benefits with it, primarily for special hospitals and health centres that have not operated as companies and were as such not in the VAT system.

"Private entities operating on the open market and financing their business exclusively from sales activities depend on the quality of their services, communication with the market and their innovation, which motivates them to go forward with vcontinuous development and is the only long-term sustainable business model. It's necessary to soften the borders between special hospitals, rehabilitation and wellness centres in order to get closer to European standards of health tourism and provide guests with a richer service,'' said Kolar, and Medak agrees that such regulations bring about much more transparent business, simpler tax policies and a simpler employee recruitment procedure.

Krešimir Škof, deputy director of the Special Hospital for Medical Rehabilitation Stubičke Toplice, which is also registered for health tourism, emphasises that the new legislative framework is good because there is no need to establish a subsidiary, but everything is done "under the same hat". However, he says that the registration of the activity itself means nothing if it isn't accompanied by an adequate offer.

"If the facilities are old and of poor quality, if the service doesn't meet the criteria of a demanding market and if there's no evidence of quality, then there can be no progress in the market. We've invested in our workers, services and facilities for years - over 80 million kuna has been invested in the last ten years,'' said Škof.

Another great strength of health tourism for Croatian tourism is that most of the facilities are located in the interior of Croatia and provide great potential for the development of continental tourism, and good examples of such development can be seen in Croatia's neighbouring countries. Strengthening continental tourism capacities would bring about more balanced economic development and reduce seasonality, but the precondition for all this is a quality and well-educated workforce. All our interlocutors agree with this, so they're paying special attention to their employees and their education.

In addition to the existing educational institutions, the Regional Centre of Competence in Tourism and Hospitality in Zabok will soon be established. The centre should contribute to the education of future staff needed in this sector, adult education and the monitoring of new technologies and trends across the rest of Europe and the world, and this is especially welcomed in the already popular Terme Tuhelj.

"Terme Tuhelj has always actively cooperated with the hospitality school in Zabok, which is the foundation of the development of the competence centre, and we'll be very happy to involve all those who actively participate in the development of tourism in its work and activities. It's difficult when it comes to staff working in tourism in the whole of Croatia, and Zagorje is no exception, so Terme has developed internal protocols for training, education and the further development of its employees, from the point of their employment to their entire career. There have been cases of hiring foreign staff, but in small numbers, so for now the team is managing to fill up with staff from Croatia, mostly from Zagorje and the surrounding areas,'' said Horvat, and Medak thinks similarly, pointing out that in Sunčane toplice they had no problems finding workers, as well as other employers in health tourism.

"The biggest staffing problem is the chronic shortage of specialist doctors that we had in Sunčane toplice, so we imported two doctors from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia," explaind Medak, concluding that currently, the biggest challenge is the promotion of health tourism, especially through the Croatian National Tourist Board (HTZ), for which it is necessary to significantly increase funds.

For more on Croatian tourism in the coronavirus era, follow our travel page.

September 21, 2019 - Could Biograd na Moru be Croatia's next big health tourism destination?

HRTurizam writes that the last session of the Biograd City Council discussed the strategy of developing medical tourism in Biograd na Moru.

The Strategy of Development of Biograd na Moru has defined tourism as one of the main drivers of economic development, especially health tourism, where Biograd na Moru sees a great opportunity. The backbone of all is the Biograd Special Orthopedic Hospital in the heart of the Adriatic, with an ideal climate according to the Koppen classification.

As Biograd na Moru points out, the proposal for a Decision on adopting the Strategy for the Development of Medical Tourism in Biograd na Moru was presented by a Ph.D Branko Vitale, MD. 

“Biograd has an ideal climate for climate therapy and medical-rehabilitation tourism, which includes a gerontology and geriatric center. The project is being prepared for an international competition in Norway, and we have a lot of support from the Ministry of Health and the Association of Croatian American Professionals (ACAP), an association of American professionals from Croatia,” said Vitale, who launched the Biograd Initiative for the Medical-Tourism Center project.

Namely, the US mega clinic Cleveland Clinic, which is led by Croatian Tomislav Mihaljevic and employs over 60,000 people, has 7.5 million patients and annual revenues of about $10 billion. The annual ACAP conference will be held on September 21, which will present the Biograd project of medical-rehabilitation tourism within a 15-minute presentation. 

“Biograd na Moru, with its health and tourism facilities, has all the preconditions to develop into the leading gerontology and geriatric center of the European Union, by providing a fully-rounded medical-rehabilitation, tourism, and cultural center. All these activities additionally ensure the use of all quality accommodation facilities and thus year-round employment, not only in Biograd, but also in the wider region,” says Vitale, pointing out the construction of a large retirement village not far from the Adria Hotel.

Vitale adds that the center will be operated according to the Scandinavian model. Moreover, the Orthopedic Hospital is the backbone of the development of Biograd, and in four years, it must be at the EU level, or it will not be, according to Vitale.

The climate therapy and medical-rehabilitation tourism project, which also includes the gerontology and geriatric center in Biograd, is supported by the Association of Croatian American Professionals (ACAP), an association of American professionals from Croatia, whose members represent all sides of the international professional community, such as scientists, doctors, engineers, lawyers, artists, journalists, business executives, accountants, and more.

The newly reconstructed system of the hospital as an integral part of the cluster envisages the Center for Geriatric Orthopedics, the first Croatian Center for Gerontology and Geriatrics, the Rehabilitation Center, the Specialist Counselling Center and the Education Center.

"We have potential investors, primarily Norwegians. We have already been to Norway, and they will come to Biograd twice by the end of the year, so that we can receive lessons for applying for an international competition to the Government of Norway and the University Hospital in Oslo for the construction of a gerontology and geriatric center in Biograd. The Germans are interested in Red Harbor for their health needs, mainly respiratory diseases and asthma. Here, as in the Adria Hotel, there is excellent accommodation for the patients of the gerontology and geriatric center. A retirement village will be built near the Adria Hotel, which will accommodate over 500 people, and a tourist complex with thousands of beds will be built on the island of Pasman. These are all potential users of the Gerontology and Geriatric Center, and flight connections with Norway, America, and other countries will be established,” says Vitale, adding that it is necessary to form a Dalmatia cluster to enter the world market in cooperation with Kvarner.

The mentioned medical content is aimed primarily at the treatment of diseases of the third age, which requires a lot of professionals, emphasizes Vitale, and concludes: “The project of the medical-tourist orthopedic-rehabilitation center in Biograd is bound to succeed. We have Norwegians and Americans, and the City of Biograd. We also have good personal relationships with people who want to help Biograd and Croatia. All heads should go under one cap. We in Biograd, Zadar County and the Republic of Croatia must be unique in this project of the century. If there is a setback, the project can slow down but not stop.”

Finally, it should be noted that the Decision on submitting a letter of intent to exercise the founding rights and obligations of the Special Orthopedic Hospital was made at the City Council of Biograd na Moru.

To read more about travel in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

ZAGREB, May 9, 2019 - Health tourism is a great opportunity for Croatia to extend the tourist season, increase its off-season services and attract higher-profile tourists, it was said on Thursday at the formal opening of the annual meeting of the European Spas Association (ESPA), the umbrella organisation that promotes health tourism, which is taking place in the north-western spa town of Tuhelj until May 10.

The conference has brought together representatives of 21 European countries who will be discussing the latest trends and innovation in health tourism. The event was co-organised by the Croatian Chamber of Commerce (HGK) in partnership with the Croatian National Tourism Board (HTZ).

It was said that health tourism was the fastest growing segment of the tourism industry, growing at an annual rate of between 15 and 20 percent.

HTZ director Kristjan Staničić said he was confident that health tourism would grow considerably in the years ahead and that Croatia could definitely be competitive in this sector. He said that health tourism did not depend on the sun and sea and could help extend the tourist season, both along the Adriatic coast and in continental Croatia.

Citing the TOMAS Summer 2017 survey, Staničić said that seven percent of tourists visiting Croatia did so for health reasons and eight percent to visit spas.

Dragan Kovačević, the HGK vice-president for agriculture and tourism, said that health tourism was a great opportunity for Croatia to increase its tourist services in the off-season, adding that a mild climate and the high quality of health services were the country's advantages in that regard.

Assistant tourism minister Olivera Šarić that 15 percent of all tourist travels were motivated by health reasons. She said that the potential for the development of health tourism as a year-round business was extraordinary and that health tourism was included in the Croatian Tourism Development Strategy until 2020, noting health tourists spent between 20 and 30 percent more than the average.

The ESPA conference is taking place under the motto "Secrets of life balance - A life full of well-being". It will discuss new trends and innovations through presentations of best practice and new market niches in spa and wellness tourism. ESPA Innovation Awards will be presented for innovation and excellence in providing medical spa services.

More health tourism news can be found in the Travel section.

For a long time now, we've been trying to show and tell people that Croatia is far, far more than just the sun and the sea. Sure, the sparkling Adriatic and the warm climate is of course a big draw for many who take to Croatia's beautiful coastline every summer, but those who think that's all that this incredible little country has to offer are sadly mistaken.

I'm not just talking about the more encouraging numbers of tourists starting to uncover continental Croatia, Eastern Croatia and the country's various hidden gems, but about the Croatia which lies outside of the tourism bubble entirely, well... almost.

Tourism makes up a large part of Croatia's GDP and there's no denying that it is by far the country's strongest economic branch, this is not always a particularly positive thing and owing to it, Croatia has been plagued by enormous seasonality in terms of the economy and the labour market. Unemployment traditionally drops quite suddenly and by a significant amount during the run up to the bustling summer tourist season, especially on the coast, and then rises once again come the end of October thanks to the attempted lengthening of the tourist season, if not before.

Now a victim to a demographic crisis, mass emigration thanks to the country's membership of the EU's single market and a strange paradox in which there are no jobs but plenty of would-be employees but also many jobs and nobody who wants to do them, it's becoming more and more obvious that despite it being the country's strongest economic branch, relying almost entirely on tourist money might not be the best plan. 

So, what else does Croatia have? It has some excellent doctors and nurses and many truly outstanding medical facilities. As Croatia tries to position itself as much more than ''just sea and sunshine'', medical tourism, or perhaps better to say ''health tourism'' has begun to take off, and with some promising results. Just recently, Donald Trump's first wife, Ivana, was in Zagreb for eye surgery at the well known Svjetlost clinic, where she underwent a procedure to restore her vision to normality and afford her a life without glasses and/or contact lenses. People like Ivana catch people's attention, and she's just one of many who have found their way to Croatia for a procedure of some sort.

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Marija Crnjak writes on the 29th of April, 2019, tourists from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are increasingly travelling to Croatia and love luxury hotels and villas, and the Croatian National Tourist Board (HTZ) is set to present Croatia's rich tourist offer at the ATM Arabian Travel Market in Dubai on May the 1st, 2019.

In the scope of the above, HTZ Director Kristjan Staničić met with media and partners such as WEGO, Medical Ozone, AVIAREPS, Jordan's Tourism Organization, Meetin and Think Strawberries.

"Presenting Croatia on this market and cooperation with the UAE has multiple effects for Croatian tourism and for the economy, and the direct air link between Zagreb and Dubai with Emirates has led to an increased demand from business travellers, as well as tourists from East Asian countries such as South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore and then even Australia,'' he said.

There are also high expectations from the new Fly Dubai line, which will link Dubrovnik and Dubai from June the 2nd to October the 13th.

Citizens of the UAE realised 25.5 thousand overnight stays in Croatia last year, and most of them came to Zagreb, Dubrovnik and Split. They are typically demanding guests who love a touch of luxury and are travelling more and more.

In addition to HTZ, there are seven co-exhibitors, TZ Zagreb, TZ Dubrovnik-Neretva County, NP Plitvice Lakes, HUP, Amathus Travel Croatia, Abacus Tours and Jung Sky.

Zagreb will be presented in Dubai as a city break, as well as a health tourism destination.

Make sure to follow our dedicated travel and lifestyle pages for much more. If it's just the Croatian capital you're interested in, give Total Zagreb a follow or check out Zagreb in a Page. Find out more about Croatia's blossoming health tourism story, as well as the health system in general, here.

Click here for the original article by Marija Crnjak for Poslovni Dnevnik

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 26th of April, 2019, Ivana Trump, President Donald Trump's first wife, has been staying in Zagreb over the past few days, and one of the main reasons for her visit to Croatia is for her to undergo eye surgery that has now been safely and successfully performed at the Zagreb's well known Svjetlost Clinic.

Owing to the intervention of Svjetlost Clinic, the first wife of Donald Trump has permanently resolved her vision problems.

Ivana Trump is an internationally known public fiture who decided to entrust the health of her eyes to Croatian experts from the Svjetlost Clinic, more specifically to prof. dr. sc. Nikica Gabrić, who personally operated on her.

''I was told about the top ophthalmic clinic in Zagreb by friends from New York who had already had their operations here. With them, I noticed that their operations had totally raised their quality of life,'' said Ivana Trump after surgery.

Ivana Trump visited Zagreb's Svjetlost Clinic last year when she arrived in Zagreb to participate as an honorary guest of the Miss Universe Croatia competition. Then, she underwent an examination with Professor Gabrić, who advised her to install Symfony intraocular lenses to solve her vision problems. Back then, she couldn't undergo the surgery due to obligations she had, but that's why she visited Zagreb again to get rid of the need to wear glasses forever.

"The operation was fast, painless, and I can see today without any problems without glasses. I have a completely different and glorious view of the world I'm going to discover again,'' added a satisfied Ivana Trump.

"With the arrival of patients like Ivana Trump, the perception of Croatia is beginning to change as a country that offers guests just the sea and the sun. Such events create the story of Croatia as a desirable destination for health tourism and the country where the most demanding patients can get top medical services. The Svjetlost Clinic crossed over the borders of Croatia long ago and has become a brand known out there in the world, and this can only be achieved if you have modern technology, top-notch experienced specialists, but also a special approach for every patient,'' stated dr. sc. Nikica Gabrić.

Make sure to follow our dedicated lifestyle page for much more. If it's just Zagreb you're interested in, give Total Zagreb a follow, or find out everything you need to know in one page here. Interested in health tourism in Croatia? Click here.

The Croatian National Tourist Board focuses their efforts on health tourism. 

Year-round tourism is a term on everyone's lips, but just how do we go about actually achieving it?

Wine roads, bike routes, numerous events and a rich gastronomical offer, coupled with the immediate vicinity of the City of Zagreb and the opening of several new hotels have transformed Zagreb County into a year-round destination. A 34 percent increase in tourism confirms that fact.

A somewhat different kind of health tourism for Medjimurje.

The first hotel for health and fitness in Dalmatia is in full swing.