COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE ESSENCE AND CONCEPTUAL APPROACHES TO MEDICAL AND TREATMENT-REHABILITATION TOURISM
Abstract
The article provides a comprehensive comparative analysis of the essence, goals, and conceptual approaches to medical tourism (MT) and medical and rehabilitation tourism (MRT). The relevance of the distinction between these two areas is substantiated in the context of the growing global demand for services related to health and wellness. It is determined that the essence of medical tourism is to receive qualified, active treatment or complex diagnostic procedures, where the tourism component plays a secondary role. The conceptual approach to MT is purely medically oriented, requiring the presence of clinics and qualified medical personnel. In contrast, medical and rehabilitation tourism is defined as an activity focused on the restoration, prevention, and maintenance of health, using natural healing resources and integrating medical services and recreation. The conceptual approach to MRT is integrated, combining medical, wellness, and tourism components. The key differences in the organization of these types of tourism are analyzed: target audiences, length of stay, infrastructure and personnel requirements. The results of the study conclude that there is a need for a clear differentiation of these concepts in order to develop effective strategies for positioning and managing enterprises in the health tourism industry, which will maximize their competitiveness in the global market. The results of the study include the development of a comparative table of key parameters (target audiences, length of stay, infrastructure and personnel requirements), which clearly demonstrates the fundamental differences between medical and medical and rehabilitation tourism. The practical significance of the work lies in the possibility of using the results obtained by business entities for a well-founded choice of business models, the development of differentiated marketing strategies and increasing the competitiveness of enterprises in the medical and rehabilitation industry in the global market.
References
Галасюк, С. Концептуальні підходи до визначення терміну «лікувально-оздоровчий туризм». Економіка та суспільство. 2023. Вип. 47. DOI: https://doi.org/10.32782/2524-0072/2023-47-8
Кляп М. П., Шандор Ф. Ф. Сучасні різновиди туризму: навчальний посібник. Київ: Знання, 2011. 334 с. URL: https://subj.ukr-lit.com/suchasni-riznovidi-turizmu-klyap-m-p/
Шаповалова О. О., Сапа Ю. А. Сучасні тенденції розвитку «spa» і «wellness» туризму. Вісник Харківського національного університету імені В. Н. Каразіна. 2013. No 1042. С. 154–158. URL: https://international-relations-tourism.karazin.ua/resources/21d6d811ba061fe07b6266655419c44a.pdf
Мальська М. П., Бордун О. Ю. Медичний туризм: теорія та практика : навч. посіб. Київ: «Центр учбової літератури», 2018. 128 с. URL: https://geography.lnu.edu.ua/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Medychnyy_turyzm_Malska_2018.pdf
Омельчак Г.В. Аналіз сучасного стану безбар’єрного туристичного середовища України. Review of transport economics and management. Дніпро: Український державний університет науки і технологій, 2024. Вип. 11(27). С. 50-57. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15802/rtem2024/309812
Бойко М., Шандор Ф. Медичний туризм: відпочинок чи лікування? Новітні аспекти. Науковий вісник Ужгородського університету: Серія: Економіка. Ужгород: Видавництво УжНУ «Говерла», 2011. Спецвип. 33. Ч. 4. С. 17–19. URL: https://dspace.uzhnu.edu.ua/server/api/core/bitstreams/66d4af78-f9d4-40f9-8b36-c9800360222e/content
Юхновська Ю., Омельчак Г., Риженко О. Вплив цифровізації на лікувально – реабілітаційний туризм. Інфраструктура ринку. 2025. № 85. С. 259–263. URL: https://www.market-infr.od.ua/journals/2025/85_2025/42.pdf
В. Холявка, Х. Лешко, О. Мочульська, А. Кухтій. Сучасні аспекти, фактори впливу і перспективи розвитку медичного та лікувально-оздоровчого туризму в Україні. Вісник соціальної гігієни та організації охорони здоров’я України. 2019. No 1 (79). DOI: https://doi.org/10.11603/1681-2786.2019.1.10280
V.Pashkov, А. Harkusha, Ye. Gnedyk. Rehabilitation Tourism as a Part of Medical Tourism. Rewiev articles/prace poglądowe. 2018. Tом LX, Nr 1(151). С. 48-53. URL: https://dspace.nlu.edu.ua/bitstream/123456789/16203/1/Pashkov_Harkusha_Gnedyk_48-53.pdf
Medical Tourism Association. Medical Tourism Association. URL: http://www.medicaltourismassociation.com/en/index.htm
Москвяк Я. Медичний туризм: сучасний стан та перспективи розвитку в Україні. 2022. Економічні науки. № 5, Том 1. С. 135-140. URL: https://journals.khnu.km.ua/vestnik/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/2022-310-22.pdf 12. Navigating the Nuances: Medical Tourism vs. Health Tourism. URL: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/navigating-nuances-medical-tourism-vs-health-erman-deri%CC%87ci%CC%87-83ngf
I. Turski, H. Mashika, T.Tkachenko, M. Khmara, I. Komarnitskyi, M. Oliinyk. Medical Tourism: Analysis of the State of International Tourism and Prospects for Domestic Development. 2021. Universal Journal of Public Health no. 9(2), pp. 27-34. URL: https://dspace.uzhnu.edu.ua/server/api/core/bitstreams/b720a45e-58b0-47d2-af13-673366017090/content
Носирєв, О. Лікувально-оздоровчий туризм: тенденції та стратегічні вектори розвитку. Таврійський науковий вісник. Серія: Економіка, 2024. № (20), С. 321-331. DOI: https://doi.org/10.32782/2708-0366/2024.20.38
Омельчак Г.В. Медичний туризм України: перспективи vs недоліки. The XVI International Scientific and Practical Conference «Trends in the development of science and teaching methods». 2024, Sofia, Bulgaria. 286 p. С. 279-280. URL: https://eu-conf.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TRENDS-IN-THE-DEVELOPMENT-OF-SCIENCE-AND-TEACHING-METHODS.pdf
Galasyuk, S. (2023). Kontseptualni pidkhody do vyznachennia terminu «likuvalno-ozdorovchyi turyzm». [Conceptual approaches to defining the term "health and wellness tourism"]. Economy and Society. Is. 47. DOI: https://doi.org/10.32782/2524-0072/2023-47-8
Klyap M. P., Sandor F. F. (2011) Suchasni riznovydy turyzmu [Modern types of tourism]: navchalʹnyy posibnyk [textbook]. Kyiv: Znannya, 334 p. Available at: https://subj.ukr-lit.com/suchasni-riznovidi-turizmu-klyap-m-p/ (in Ukrainian)
Shapovalova O. O., Sapa Yu. A. (2013) Suchasni tendentsiyi rozvytku «spa» i «wellness» turyzmu [Modern trends in the development of «spa» and «wellness» tourism]. Bulletin of V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University. Vol. 1042. P. 154–158. Available at: https://international-relations-tourism.karazin.ua/resources/21d6d811ba061fe07b6266655419c44a.pdf (in Ukrainian)
Malska M. P., Bordun O. Yu. (2018). Medychnyi turyzm: teoriia ta praktyka : navch. Posib. [Medical tourism: theory and practice: textbook] K.: «Center for Educational Literature», 128 р. Available at: https://geography.lnu.edu.ua/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Medychnyy_turyzm_Malska_2018.pdf (in Ukrainian)
Omelchak H. V. (2024). Analiz suchasnoho stanu bezbariernoho turystychnoho seredovyshcha Ukrainy. [Analysis of the current state of the barrier-free tourist environment of Ukraine]. Review of transport economics and management. Dnipro: Ukrainskyi derzhavnyi universytet nauky i tekhnolohii, Vol. 11(27). Р. 50-57. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15802/rtem2024/309812 (in Ukrainian)
Boiko M., Shandor F. (2011). Medychnyi turyzm: vidpochynok chy likuvannia? [Medical tourism: rest or treatment?] Scientific Bulletin of Uzhhorod University: Series: Economics. Uzhhorod: Vydavnytstvo UzhNU «Hoverla»,. Spetsvyp. 33. Ch. 4. pp. 17–19. Available at: https://dspace.uzhnu.edu.ua/server/api/core/bitstreams/66d4af78-f9d4-40f9-8b36-c9800360222e/content (in Ukrainian)
Yukhnovska Yu., Omelchak H., Ryzhenko O. (2025). Vplyv tsyfrovizatsii na likuvalno – reabilitatsiinyi turyzm. [The impact of digitalization on medical and rehabilitation tourism]. Market Infrastructure. № 85. Pp. 259–263. Available at: https://www.market-infr.od.ua/journals/2025/85_2025/42.pdf (in Ukrainian)
V. Kholyavka, H. Leshko, O. Mochulska, A. Kukhtiy. (2019). Suchasni aspekty, faktory vplyvu i perspektyvy rozvytku medychnoho ta likuvalno-ozdorovchoho turyzmu v Ukraini. [Modern aspects, influencing factors and prospects for the development of medical and health tourism in Ukraine]. Bulletin of Social Hygiene and Health Care Organization of Ukraine. No. 1 (79). DOI: https://doi.org/10.11603/1681-2786.2019.1.10280 (in Ukrainian)
V.Pashkov, А. Harkusha, Ye. Gnedyk. (2018). Rehabilitation Tourism as a Part of Medical Tourism. Rewiev articles/prace poglądowe. Tом LX, Nr 1(151). pp. 48-53. Available at: https://dspace.nlu.edu.ua/bitstream/123456789/16203/1/Pashkov_Harkusha_Gnedyk_48-53.pdf
Medical Tourism Association. Medical Tourism Association. Available at: http://www.medicaltourismassociation.com/en/index.htm
Ya. Moskviak. (2022). Medychnyi turyzm: suchasnyi stan ta perspektyvy rozvytku v Ukraini. [Medical tourism: current state and development prospects in Ukraine]. Economic Sciences. No. 5, Vol. 1. P.135-140. Available at: https://journals.khnu.km.ua/vestnik/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/2022-310-22.pdf (in Ukrainian)
Navigating the Nuances: Medical Tourism vs. Health Tourism. Available at: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/navigating-nuances-medical-tourism-vs-health-erman-deri%CC%87ci%CC%87-83ngf
Turski I., Mashika H., Tkachenko T., Khmara M., Komarnitskyi I., Oliinyk M. (2021) Medical Tourism: Analysis of the State of International Tourism and Prospects for Domestic Development. Universal Journal of Public Health no. 9(2), pp. 27-34. Available at: https://dspace.uzhnu.edu.ua/server/api/core/bitstreams/b720a45e-58b0-47d2-af13-673366017090/content (in Ukrainian)
Nosyriev, O. (2024). Likuvalno-ozdorovchyi turyzm: tendentsii ta stratehichni vektory rozvytku. [Medical and health tourism: trends and strategic vectors of development]. Tavria Scientific Bulletin. Series: Economics, no. (20), pp. 321-331. DOI: https://doi.org/10.32782/2708-0366/2024.20.38 (in Ukrainian)
Omelchak H. V. (2024). Medychnyi turyzm Ukrainy: perspektyvy vs nedoliky. [Medical tourism of Ukraine: prospects vs shortcomings]. The XVI International Scientific and Practical Conference «Trends in the development of science and teaching methods». Sofia, Bulgaria. 286 p. Pp. 279-280. Available at: https://eu-conf.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/TRENDS-IN-THE-DEVELOPMENT-OF-SCIENCE-AND-TEACHING-METHODS.pdf (in Ukrainian)
