Development of Health Tourism Promotion – The Case of Kvarner Health Tourism Cluster

Abstract

This paper examines the Croatian region of Kvarner as one of the most popular tourism destinations in Croatia and the way in which health tourism contributes to a better image of the destination. The promotional activities of health tourism are examined from a communication and economic perspective. Using the example of the Kvarner Health Tourism Cluster, authors are examining which promotional tools the cluster uses to popularize health tourism in Kvarner, but also how the organizations that belong to the cluster contribute to the destination attractiveness. The Kvarner Health Tourism Cluster was chosen as a case for the analysis as it enjoys a high status and recognition in the international environment, which is confirmed by the fact that it is a multiple finalist and winner of the IMTJ Medical Travel Awards and selected for some other prestigious awards in health tourism. The development of the Kvarner Health Tourism Cluster in promotional activities and economic indicators are tracked from 2016 to the present days. The authors want to find out how promotional tools and strategies have changed over the years and how this has affected the economic success of the cluster and associated organizations. The contribution of this paper is reflected in the identification of the most important promotional approaches and strategies for creating an image of an attractive destination for health tourism, as well as the most important economic indicators of health tourism success. Health tourism is also analyzed through examining different forms of health tourism, such as dental tourism. By comparing different forms of health tourism, the authors aim to describe the similarities and differences in promotion and economic indicators in relation to each form of tourism within the cluster. The “architecture” of the cluster is examined to show how the organizations are connected and contribute to the success of the cluster in general.