IMPACT OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF MEDICAL TOURISM FOR THE EUROPEAN HEALTH TOURISM DESTINATIONS. GERMANY – GOOD PRACTICE

This article builds on existing knowledge of the European medical tourism industry and its impact on European health tourism destinations. It explores how medical tourism can be developed for customers and the European tourism industry. Firstly, the authors aim to present the important role of medical tourism for Europe as a continent with a tradition of longevity. Secondly, they aim to showcase Germany as a leading world-renowned tourism destination with an excellent international reputation in the field of medical tourism. Germany is renowned for its high healthcare standards, specialised medical professionals, and cutting-edge medical technology. Thirdly, the rising trend of patients travelling to Central and Eastern Europe, as well as the Baltic countries, for affordable treatments and procedures is further propelling the market, coupled with increased accessibility due to improved transport links and visa policies. Countries such as Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Lithuania are emerging as popular destinations thanks to their specialisation in various medical procedures and competitive pricing. The authors' suggestions will enable countries looking to develop medical tourism or seeking new opportunities to offer year-round tourism to develop as sustainable health tourism destinations, such as Bulgaria. These countries will be able to receive know-how from the best European practices. Developing medical tourism enables destinations to retain medical specialists without changing the industry. The aforementioned tourist product is designed to promote the destination, with the intention of showcasing the quality of the medicine, the clinical and hospital infrastructure, and the medical competence of the doctors and medical specialists who provide care to patients. The phenomenon of medical tourism has been shown to exert a multifaceted influence on both social and economic domains, in addition to its impact on the image of the nation.