The Future of Health Tourism and Generation Z at the 12th CIHT

“CIHT has become a relevant regional platform that brands Crikvenica, the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, and Croatia as a developed health tourism destination,” said Vladimir Mozetič, President of the Kvarner Health Tourism Cluster. Marijana Biondić, Director of the Crikvenica Tourist Board, emphasized that health tourism is not seasonal and brings benefits year-round.

The first day featured several panels: the impact of climate change on destinations, personalization in health tourism, and health tourism and sports, with insights from experts and Olympians. A panel on spa resorts highlighted the need to modernize business models, attract investment, and strengthen public-private collaboration. The “Lifestyle Medicine” panel focused on holistic approaches, while the closing panel on digital innovation emphasized the importance of technology across all stages of health tourism.

The second day began with the presentation of the study “Generation Z – Perspectives on the Development of Health Tourism,” involving 500 students, exploring their expectations and engagement in shaping the sector. A student panel showed their readiness to create and use new services. In a neighboring hall, B2B meetings were held to network experts and foster collaboration.

CIHT 2025 was held under the auspices of the Croatian Ministry of Tourism and Sports and the Ministry of Health, with support from numerous partners and sponsors: the Croatian Tourist Board, Kvarner Tourist Board, Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, Croatian Chamber of Commerce, JGL, AmCham, Polyclinic Sinteza, Acibadem, and UHPA.