The offer of medical and health services on the tourist market of Transcarpattia

Shchuka Halyna
Doctor of Рedagogical of Sciences, Professor, Professor of the Department of Geography and Tourism, Ferenc Rakoczi II Transcarpathian Hungarian College of Higher Education, Berehove, E-mail: galina_shchuka@ukr.net, ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4368-5081

Cite this article:

Shchuka H. (2023) The offer of medical and health services on the tourist market of Transcarpattia. Ed.: V.V. Kovalenko (ed.-in-ch.) and others [Propozytsiia likuvalno-ozdorovchykh posluh na turystychnomu rynku Zakarpattia; za red.: V.V. Kovalenko (gol. red.)], Scientific Bulletin of the Odessa National Economic University (ISSN 2313-4569), Odessa National Economics University, Odessa, No. 3-4 (304-305), pp. 112-119.

Abstract

Russian military aggression caused significant losses among military personnel and civilians, millions of Ukrainian citizens were forced to leave their homes. Physical injuries, psychological disorders actualize the problem of preservation and restoration of human capital. Transcarpathia is a region that has significant natural healing resources, and is traditionally considered a resort region due to the large number of sanatorium-resort facilities that provided medical and health services. However, the number of these institutions was steadily decreasing. The global COVID-19 pandemic had a particularly negative impact. Since 2018 the State Statistics Service has stopped providing a quantitative description of their activities. Tour operator companies provide contradictory information, which does not allow determining what opportunities for medical and health tourism exist in the region at this stage. The purpose of the study: to establish the possibilities of the region to take in Ukrainian citizens for treatment and rehabilitation in the coming tourist season. Methodology. A complex of theoretical and empirical research methods was used: analysis of primary and secondary information from the official websites of specialized accommodation establishments and tourist companies, interviews, analysis and synthesis, comparison, systematization, interpretation and generalization. Results and discussion. Medical and health services in the region are provided on the basis of the use of traditional spa treatment methods, which are based on the complex use of mineral and thermal waters, natural complexes with conditions favourable for treatment, physiotherapy and other non-medicinal methods. Conflicting information has been clarified, thanks to which the number of institutions in Transcarpathia that provide medical and health services this year has been determined, their medical specialization and category have been determined, the range of medical services provided has been analysed; price policy, the level of consumer satisfaction, the opportunity to receive services for privileged categories of the population and military personnel has been established. Practical significance: the information collected and refined during the research fills the gaps in the awareness of employees of travel companies and consumers of medical and health tours regarding the possibilities of treatment and rehabilitation and the base of sanatorium-resort facilities in Transcarpathia.

Keywords

health tourism, sanatorium tourism, Transcarpathia, balneotherapy.

JEL classification:Z330, Z310, Z320, I110; DOI: 10.32680/2409-9260-2023-3-4-304-305-112-119

UD classification: 338.48:615.8(477.87)

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