Health Tourism Trends and Development Potential of Northwestern Croatia

Health tourism is one of the fastest-growing tourist branches in the world. Population aging, health awareness, globalization, sport and recreation are fundamental reasons for the positive trends of health tourism. Croatian health tourism is at the early stages of development and the implementation of specific business models, content, and strategies can become competitive if appropriately managed. The topic of this research paper is to determine and analyze the development potential of health tourism in Northwestern Croatia, current tourism trends, as well as the financial results of the health-tourism industry. The research aims to identify and analyze the offer and infrastructure of northwestern Croatia as well as the potential essential for the successful placement of the health tourism product on the market. The paper aims to identify the current situation of health tourism products in northwestern Croatia, the success of resource valorization and the status of development projects that should qualify Croatia as a competitive health-tourism destination. The methods used in this paper are historical, desk research, analysis, synthesis, and deduction. The contribution of the research paper is manifested through the methods used and the obtained results which can be beneficiary to practitioners and scientists dealing with the development of tourism. The findings can be a source of ideas and guidelines for further development, especially in the continental and northwestern Croatia.