TRENDS, OPPORTUNITIES AND PROSPECTS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF MEDICAL TOURISM

SOPIO BAKURIDZE

PhD student,

Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University

Batumi, Georgia

Email: sophiabakuridze@gmail.com

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7828-5171

Abstract

Recreational-medical tourism is one of the important and dynamically developing direction of tourism.

In recent years, there's a special aspiration to establish a healthy lifestyle. Health care and growth of vital activities have become an integral part of contemporary value system. The growth of the demand of medical-recreational tourism is related to the deterioration of environmental, ecological conditions on the one hand and on the other hand, it's connected with the incease of their standard of living and needs. The growing trend of tourism activities related to recreational, business, cultural, religious and recreational purposes is mentioned in preamble of global code of ethics for tourism. It's emphasized that the universal use of tourism products is the result of the right to rest and recreate.

In the article, there have been reviewed the opportunities, potentials and prospects  for the development of one of the most important and dynamically developing direction - recreational-medical tourism in Georgia.Also there have been revealed the hindering factors. Getting acquainted with domestic and foreign literature has convinced us in priority of the mentioned direction, it showed us its importance not only in terms of health care, but also in terms of receiving economic benefits.

   Despite of the fact that some steps have been taken forward for the development of recreational-medical tourism, it still needs the support from state structures, which is reflected in the development of the legislative base, in the improvement of infrastructure, in making appropriate personnel policies and others.