November 20, 2019 - Croatia may be famous for its sun and Adriatic Sea, but as the New York Times notes, there is a new rising star - medical tourism.
Medical tourism experts have been saying for some time that Croatia has the potential to be one of the top ten countries in the world in the industry within ten years. And it seems that the message is spreading, with the New York Times the latest international publication to talk of a new focus in tourism excellence in the Adriatic country famous for its pristine coast and more than 1,000 islands.
Officials estimate that some 10% of tourists to Croatia come for healthcare. On average they spend almost four times more in the country than other tourists, at almost 300 euros ($332.01) a day.
"We see the health tourism as our key product for strengthening our offer and income before and after the packed summer season as health tourists spend more than the summer holiday-makers," said Slavija Jacan Obratov from the Croatian state tourism board HTZ.
While I think that 10% number is a little generous, as it would account for 2 million of the 20 million tourists this year, there are encouraging signs that Croatian medical tourism stakeholders are getting its act together. The recent Crikvenica International Health Tourism conference, CIHT 2019, was the most cohesive conference I have been to in a while (learn more in Croatian Medical Tourism Stakeholders Beginning to Gel at CIHT 2019).
You can read the New York Times article in full here.
A key driving force for change and greater international visibility has been Bagatin Clinic from Zagreb and Split, the leading clinic in the region, and easily the most active Croatian medical tourism business on the international circuit. Not content with merely promoting his own clinic, CEO Ognjen Bagatin is working tirelessly to put Croatia on the global map for medical tourism. His most ambitious project yet is EPIC 2020, the first European Patient Experience and Innovation Conference, to be held in Dubrovnik in March, 2020. Organised by his own Bagatin Clinic, with collaborative international presenter, Cleveland Clinic, the conference has already has some renowned speakers confirmed, including Joe Sweet, Director of International Development and Experience at Cleveland Clinic; Lori Kondas, Executive Director for the Office of Patient Experience for the Cleveland Clinic Health System; Mario Skugar, Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine CCLCM of CWRU and Director of Education- Cleveland Clinic; Keith Pollard, Editor in Chief of International Medical Travel Journal; and Irving Stackpole, President of Stackpole & Associates. To learn more about EPIC 2020, click here.
To learn more about why Croatia is one of the top emerging medical tourism destinations in Europe, follow the dedicated TCN medical tourism section.
