Review article
https://doi.org/10.20867/thm.2.2.7
Thalassotherapy and health tourism
Tonka Pančić Kombol
; Hotelijerski fakultet Opatija, Sveučilište u Rijeci, Hrvatska
Abstract
Health tourism has been very little researched. Tourism literature, both foreign and Croatian, still does not offer a defined and widely accepted definition of health tourism. For this reason, hospitals (thalassotherapy, spas, etc.) receiving patients from distant regions for convalescence,
are often included in health tourism.
The history’ of the development of mankind shows that the better he has lived, the more concern he has shown towards his health and the need to feel well. Mineral, sea and fresh water have held a special position in the recuperation of human health, especially thermal water, a fact
well know'll from ancient times.
Thalassotherapy was established during the end of the last century, and from its very beginning held a health resort character. The discovery of positive health benefits of sea water for different illnesses, increased its medical offer, as well as the offer of treatments without sea water. Thalassotherapy developed in Croatia as hospitals. 'Hie move into developing 'tourism thalassotherapy' started with defining thalassotherapy in the tourism offer according to market demand. Ths paper endeavours to define at which market segment offer it can be directed and developed.
Keywords
health tourism; thalassotherapy thermal waters; balneologia; Croatian tourism offer
Hrčak ID:
182411
URI
Publication date:
30.12.1996.
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