Original scientific paper

Health tourism in Croatia – characteristics of demand of users of health – tourism services

Željka Mesić orcid.org/0000-0002-9349-1560 ; Sveučilište u Zagrebu Agronomski fakultet, Zavod za marketing u poljoprivredi, Svetošimunska cesta 25, Zagreb, Croatia
Damian Hercigonja ; Sveučilište u Zagrebu Agronomski fakultet, diplomski studij Ekološka poljoprivreda i agroturizam, Svetošimunska cesta 25, Zagreb, Croatia
Lari Hadelan ; Sveučilište u Zagrebu Agronomski fakultet, Zavod za agrarnu ekonomiku i ruralni razvoj, Svetošimunska cesta 25, Zagreb, Croatia
Marina Tomić Maksan ; Sveučilište u Zagrebu Agronomski fakultet, Zavod za marketing u poljoprivredi, Svetošimunska cesta 25, Zagreb, Croatia

Abstract

The aim of this study is to examine the preferences and behavior of users of health tourism services in Croatia, and to determine the profile of users in relation to their sociodemographic characteristics. A survey was conducted on a convenient sample of 303 respondents. According to the results of this research, the most of respondents are familiar with the concept of health tourism, with the majority defining it as “Traveling within their country and / or abroad to improve their health”. Respondents with higher education and higher monthly income are more familiar with the concept of health tourism, compared to those with lower education and income. Of the total number of respondents, only one third of them use health tourism services, mostly once or twice a year. The most commonly used forms of health tourism are medical and wellness tourism, and less spa tourism (SPA). Respondents mostly use health tourism services in continental Croatia, and them are quite satisfied with the same. Results show that more educated respondents with higher monthly incomes in the age of 46-55 years, use health tourism services more than younger, lower educated and lower income respondents. The results of the research could help health tourism service providers in improving marketing strategies, selecting appropriate promotion channels, and improving certain characteristics of the offer to make customers even more satisfied.

Keywords

health tourism, types of health tourism, satisfaction with the offer

Hrčak ID:

269940

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/269940

Publication date:

25.12.2021.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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