Health Tourism: Kvarner Dental Clinics Visited by Over 50,000 Foreigners Annually

Health tourism in Kvarner extends the pre and post-season, and currently, Kvarner dentists hold a leading position in this area, with their services estimated to be used by around 50,000 foreigners annually, mostly Italians.

According to the cluster manager of the Kvarner Health Tourism Cluster, Alfred Franković, it is estimated that over 50,000 services for foreign clients are performed in all dental clinics in Kvarner, primarily in Rijeka, with the majority of clients staying in Kvarner for one day, while some come several times throughout the year.

Franković emphasizes that foreigners come for the quality of services provided by local dental clinics, but also due to the prices of services, which are lower than in their home countries. The majority of clients are from Italy, about 90 percent, where, he says, prices are approximately 40 percent higher, and there are also clients from Slovenia, Austria, Germany, and Scandinavian countries where dental service prices can be up to three times higher than in Croatia.

The Kvarner Health Tourism Cluster currently has five clinics, with around 400 employees, Franković said, noting that these are larger clinics, with the largest among them and the largest in Kvarner serving around 30,000 foreign clients annually, and up to 150 Italians visiting daily.

Some clinics have already developed their own accommodation capacities, but for the most part, they provide accommodation for their clients in cooperation with hotels or private renters. However, the multiplication and consumption of foreign guests do not stop there, as transportation is organized for them, and they use taxi services, restaurants, and other services, he emphasizes.

Franković assessed that the dental “industry” in Kvarner did not develop overnight, that it has been growing for about 20 years, and that it is now a completely integrated service. The institutions are certified, working with top materials and quality staff, Franković said, emphasizing that Kvarner’s health tourism has also developed in other areas, particularly in rehabilitation – physical, cardiac, and bronchial rehabilitation.

Speaking about the comprehensive development of health tourism in Kvarner, Franković highlighted that support is also expected from the state level, in terms of greater promotion of health tourism and extending the pre and post-season, which, he says, is also indicated in the national tourism development strategy.

The director of the Kvarner Tourist Board, Irena Peršić Živadinov, also emphasizes that health tourism is significant for extending the Kvarner tourist season, that Kvarner tourism has developed on the foundations of health and spa tourism, and that there are now many modern clinics in this area that can compete in the European and global markets.

She noted that the Kvarner Tourist Board initially gathered all those willing to enter foreign markets, which is why a cluster was established that includes health institutions, hotels, tourist boards, agencies, and others, and that they are now working on joint promotion of the destination.

Dental clinics play a very significant role in this regard, and our common goal is to provide clients with additional facilities or attractions to keep them longer at the destination, said Peršić Živadinov, noting that in this area, it is expected that travel agencies will develop as many “packages” as possible in their offerings that simultaneously provide both tourist and health services. She added that numerous tourist products and offerings are being designed in Kvarner, which offer all guests programs for healthy eating, hiking, cycling, and other activities related to health.

For now, it is easier to keep guests longer in the area of prevention and especially in the area of rehabilitation, added Peršić Živadinov, stating that in such clinics, foreign patients stay or use services for more days, and that the fact that patients from the European Union are allowed to choose a destination for certain treatments favors their presence in foreign markets.