July the 30th, 2025 – Croatia has plenty to boast of when it comes to health and wellness tourism, particularly across the continental part of the country. Is it truly tapping into its full potential, however?
As financije.hr/Vladana Kovacevic writes, the global medical tourism market was estimated to be worth an 26.61 billion euros in 2024. It is expected to reach an even higher 32.55 billion euros this year, increasing to an expected (and staggering) 138.75 billion euros by 2032, according to Fortune Business Insights, a market research firm. This translates to a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of a highly significant 23 percent over the aforementioned forecast period.
Europe dominated the medical tourism market last year with a market share of 36.41 percent. Given that people are increasingly concerned about their health, as indicated by previous data, it isn’t really surprising that Croatia is also investing in its ample medical tourism offer. Those efforts, however, need to be stronger going forward.
“Health tourism is the provision of health services – diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, healthcare and medical rehabilitation procedures. That often comes with the possibility of using natural healing factors, along with the provision of hospitality services and/or tourism services. Health tourism includes medical tourism and spa or wellness tourism. For Croatia, the global trend of health travel has influenced the development of health and wellness tourism,” the Croatian Ministry of Health states on its website.
extending the season in croatia with health tourism
It isn’t news to anyone that the Croatian economy is heavily reliant on tourism, but the tourist season itself doesn’t last long (despite efforts to extend it). It is only at its busiest for a few hot summer months, making it more than necessary to invest in segments that can make a significant contribution outside of this season. One of these sectors for Croatia is of course, wellness and health tourism.
Back in March, the topic of health tourism was discussed at length with Lana Petrović Blajić from the Tourism Sector of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce (HGK).
“In Croatia, all three main forms of wellness and health tourism are well developed. In this country, the largest number of arrivals and revenues are generated by polyclinics that provide dental services, perform medical procedures and offer rehabilitation. Medical tourism includes a wide range of services, from cosmetic surgery to more complex medical treatments, and Croatia is still best known for dental tourism. Health and rehabilitation tourism focuses on the recovery of patients after surgery or illness, as well as on disease prevention. Such services are carried out by a number of special hospitals and health resorts, and most often medicinal natural factors are used during these processes,” she revealed.
“Spa or wellness tourism is however less represented in Croatia. It involves the use of natural healing resources, such as thermal springs and mud, in combination with wellness programmes to maintain health and fitness. The longest tradition in Croatia’s immediate region is that of health tourism, dating back to the Roman Empire when the first mineral water sources began being used, an example of which is Varaždinske Toplice. The golden age was certainly during the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, when destinations such as Opatija, Hvar, Lošinj and Crikvenica were winter destinations for the aristocracy who came for the healing effects of the sea and the mild Mediterranean climate,” she added.
increased demands and steady growth
She also pointed out that in Croatia, wellness and health tourism currently accounts for between five and ten percent of total tourist revenues. She added that this share is continuously growing due to the increased interest of international tourists.
As a reminder, the Croatian Chamber of Commerce participated in the leading ITB Berlin tourism fair back at the beginning of March this year. The focus was on health tourism. At that time, 11 companies, members of the Health Tourism Association of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce, travelled to Berlin to hold B2B meetings with the aim of strengthening the competitiveness of health tourism as a strategic Croatian product.
The Croatian Chamber of Commerce announced at the time that for Croatia, the strategic importance of wellness and health tourism is demonstrated by the current process of modernising 18 special hospitals and spas across the country. This represents a total investment of over 170 million euros, of which more than 120 million euros are grants. These commendable processes are aimed at increasing standards and categorisation to the level of four-star hotels, all while expanding capacities, building new accommodation units, restaurants and wellness facilities.
continental croatia’s best offers
With regard to investments in health tourism, it’s interesting to see how some of the most famous spas in Croatia operated in 2024. Three have been put under the proverbial microscope; Terme Tuhelj, Terme Sveti Martin and Krapinske Toplice (Aquae Vivae Krapinske Toplice).
Last year, Terme Tuhelj enjoyed total revenues of 13.32 million euros and expenses of 12.59 million euros. In total, their profit amounted to 727,818 euros, according to data from the CompanyWall credit rating agency.
Compared to 2023, it’s clear that their performance last year was actually slightly worse. Their revenues in 2023 amounted to 14.05 million euros, and their profit was more than two million.
“Terme Tuhelj is located in the center of Hrvatsko Zagorje at the very source of thermal water and medicinal mud. It is surrounded by rolling green hills and a beautiful landscape, only 40 kilometres from Zagreb,” it says on their website.
They offer swimming pools, saunas, various massages and personalised treatments, and the price depends on the treatment you choose and the duration of that treatment. Some treatments cost more than 100 euros. Toplice Sveti Martin recorded revenues of 12.33 million euros in 2024 and expenses of 10.60 million euros. Their profit amounted to 1.73 million euros, according to CompanyWall. They did significantly better than in 2023, when their total revenues amounted to 10.26 million euros and expenses to 10.24 million euros, meaning their profit amounted to 20,306 million euros.
“Terme Sveti Martin is the first Healthness resort in Europe, located in the north of Croatia. The resort is located in an oasis of peace, Međimurje, where tradition, culture and history have existed in harmony with nature for over 100 years. It’s the only European region to have won the European Destination of Excellence award for the third time. The resort is surrounded by 27 hectares of untouched, breathtaking nature, picturesque hills of vineyards, as well as playful deer. As such, the resort is known today for its idyllic and healthy natural environment,” they state on their website.
They offer several Healthness packages for families, friends, couples or individuals who want to try one of the options on their own, and the prices of these packages range from 36 euros to 171 euros, depending on the package. They offer rehabilitation, physical therapy and many other options.
Aquae Vivae Krapinske Toplice recorded total revenues of 3.09 million euros and expenses of 2.37 million, and their profit last year amounted to 1.31 million euros. In 2023, they had slightly better results, but not significantly so. In that year, their revenues amounted to 3.24 million euros, expenses to 2.28 million euros, and profit to 1.55 million euros, according to data from CompanyWall. There are also many other options for wellness and relaxation in Krapinske Toplice itself.
further investments are needed
In addition to their water park, Aquae Vivae also offers its visitors saunas, various massages and wellness body treatments. In addition to the aforementioned spas and water parks, there are many other options for wellness and health tourism across Croatia, but these are some of the most popular. Given the various investments in the development of health tourism, we can expect that this offer will increase further in the coming years, and that the country will fully tap into this excellent natural source of tourism income that is still overlooked in comparison to sunshine, sea and hotels in summer.
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