Concept of Health Tourism
Health tourism comprises of two terms healthcare and tourism and it involves a combination of resources of healthcare and tourism.
A health tourism destination highlights its healthcare resources that give wellness and
cure and tourism attractions that give peace of mind and relaxation.
Health tourism is becoming a preferred form of vacationing as its covers a broad spectrum of medical services and mixes leisure, fun and relaxation together with wellness and healthcare.
Health tourism is also known as medical tourism, wellness tourism, healthcare travel or medical value travel.
Medical tourism often refers to travelling to other countries to obtain medical, dental and surgical treatment.
Wellness tourism is the sum of all the relationships and phenomena resulting from a journey and residence by people whose main motive is to preserve or promote their health.
The main attractions of health tourism are cost effectiveness and a chance to enjoy the tourist products of health tourism destination during recuperative period.
History of Health Tourism
Health tourism has become a common form of vacationing, and covers a broad spectrum of medical services. It mixes leisure, fun and relaxation together with wellness and healthcare. Medical tourism is actually thousands of years old. In ancient Greece, pilgrims and patients came from all over the Mediterranean to the sanctuary of the healing god, Asklepios, at Epidaurus. In Roman Britain, patients took the waters at a shrine at Bath, a practice that continued for 2,000 years. From the 18th century wealthy Europeans travelled to spas from Germany to the Nile. In the 21st century, relatively low-cost jet travel has taken the industry beyond the wealthy and desperate.
Earliest Health Tourism Centres
Earliest medical tourism centres are built by Greeks, ancient Romans, Persians, Arabs, Europeans and Indians.
Greek Medical Tourism
The Asclepia Temples (built in honor of the Greek god, Asclepius) were some of the earliest healing centers where patients from around the region congregated for therapeutic purposes.
The numerous Asclepia Temples that were constructed during this time were usually established in prime “healthful” locations, often near mineral springs. Most temple complexes also included snake nurseries where serpents were farmed for mystic, healing rituals.
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