New push to increase the quality of health tourism in Croatia
The city of Rovinj is one step closer to becoming a health tourism destination capable of catering to all the needs of visitors with disabilities and their families. As stated in a press release issued on March 31, 2016, Rovinj hospital and the City of Rovinj have signed an agreement to develop the first luxury medical- therapeutic beach project in Croatia.
The Ministry of Tourism will ensure 800 000 kunas for this project from its Tourism development fund. The project will include two beaches: Val de Lesso and a beach with a working title Hospital 1 which is located within the Orthopedics and Rehabilitation hospital Prim. dr. Martin Horvat. After the completion of this innovative project, beach in question will become the first of its kind in the Adriatic.
This is a unique therapeutic beach which could, considering its size and scope, completely change Croatian medical tourism paradigm. The project is worth 1,5 million kunas, and along with the already mentioned funds secured by the Ministry of tourism, the rest will be covered by Istrian county.
With its architectural and design characteristics, the entire hospital beach, including all sports and recreational facilities, will be fitted to suit the needs of persons with health problems. Along with adaptations that will enable easy use to persons with disability, all visitors will be under the constant surveillance of lifeguards and full medical staff for urgent interventions.
- Prim. dr. Martin Horvat is the only hospital in Croatia that managed to secure the funds from the Tourism development fund and I would particularly like to thank the Istria county that helped us with the candidature and with additional funds to make this project possible – hospital director dr. sc. Marinko Rade stated.
Construction works will include the restoration of the entire concrete floor surrounding the beach which was badly damaged due to wear and tear and years of weather influence. A so-called contact belt will be constructed and all auxiliary buildings will be refurbished while the existing park surrounding the hospital will remain intact since it is a protected Park architecture monument. All materials used in this project will meet the latest safety and environment protection requirements, have high weather resistance and enable easy use and maintenance.
Existing public swimming area within the hospital grounds was constructed back in 1908 as a children’s bathing area and it kept the characteristics of an original Austrian public bath of that period. That is why architects worked closely with the Conservation department in Pula and all Special conditions for the refurbishment of the hospital’s beach have been obtained.
Restoration will introduce many technological improvements, all designed in accordance with the instructions given by hospital staff in order to offer high-quality rehabilitation treatments for all interested parties. Showers and changing rooms will be categorized to suit persons with various degrees of disability; they will all have an SOS button connected to the lifeguard station while the beach will have all the necessary equipment to ensure safe and comfortable use of the beach even for persons with the highest level of disability.
The beach will also have a luxurious feel with aluminum construction parasols with built-in sensors, stainless steel ramps, complete signaling system throughout the beach as well as two digital watches measuring humidity, temperature and UV index.
- Once the project is completed we expect that the number of visits to the rehabilitation hospital will increase by 14% in the first year, and the number of tourists in Rovinj by 1,8% considering it is the first beach of its kind on the entire Adriatic – hospital director dr. sc. Marinko Rade stated.
– Our patients and tourists deserve the very best. That is why we nominated the beach project. There are many beaches on the Adriatic that can be used by people with disability, but there’s always a question what if something happens. The presence of lifeguards, physical therapists, 24-hour medical assistance and possibility to react within 5 minutes, all these things work to our advantage. It is important to note that this will remain a public beach and as such it will be available to all Croatian patients covered by the Croatian health insurance and all visitors of Rovinj - dr. sc. Marinko Rade concluded.
