Health tourism in the context of active ageing of Slovak population

Abstract

The article examines health tourism in the context of active ageing of population. The proportion of senior age in the total European population is constantly increasing. The ageing of population becomes a global phenomenon. Currently, active ageing as a process of optimising opportunities for maintaining health, participation in public life and security in order to enhance the quality of life of elderly people can solve problems related to the demographic development. Health tourism facilities may enrich active ageing by adapting their services to the needs of visitors, whom active ageing concerns. The aim of this paper is to point at the ageing of population as well as at the growth of importance of health tourism in Slovakia in terms of the demographic structure of population. For this purpose, the research was undertaken of 175 respondents over 45 years old who, at the time of the survey (March-May 2014), used health tourism services in investigated facilities. According to the results of our investigation, it is worth mentioning that providers of the relevant facilities should explore the segments of middle-aged, elder and senior customers over 45 in detail meet their new needs by creating complex innovative products which may combine health, anti-age and social aspects.