Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
3.7
Journals
Tourism and Hospitality
Special Issues
Health Tourism: Challenges and Innovations
share announcement

Health Tourism: Challenges and Innovations

A special issue of Tourism and Hospitality (ISSN 2673-5768).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2026 | Viewed by 941

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Olga Siskou

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Tourism Studies, University of Piraeus, 18534 Piraeus, Greece
Interests: health tourism; healthcare quality and patient safety; health assessments; health policy; health economics

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Health tourism, a collaboration of the health and tourism sectors, includes medical tourism as well as spa and wellness tourism, and comprises an emerging industry with steadily increasing trends. Ageing, the scarcity of resources within national health systems, urbanization, and direct foreign investments are some of the key drivers for the expansion of health tourism.

However, the formulation of regulations, the implementation of quality assurance frameworks, addressing transcultural and language barriers, and the development of strategic synergies (i.e., between the health and tourism sectors and/or between other alternative tourism sectors, e.g., sport tourism) are some of the current challenges. Thus, governmental bodies, health units, and tourism entities have to collaborate closely, aiming for the highest level of care and services for health tourists while ensuring sustainable development and a positive socioeconomic footprint.

This Special Issue aims to publish original studies and reviews, including both surveys and observational studies, that examine potential consequences and pre-requirements for the further sustainable development of the health tourism sector (e.g., emerging destinations) and impacts of specific strategies and policies on improving patient’s/tourists’ reported outcomes and experiences from health tourism services. Moreover, review articles that describe the current state of the art related to innovative treatment pathways that could be provided to health tourists are also welcomed.

Suggested Themes and Article Types for Submissions

In this Special Issue, original research articles, reviews, and short communications are welcome. Research areas/themes may include (but not limited to) the following indicative subjects:

  • Architecture of health tourism units.
  • Economics and financing of health tourism.
  • Entrepreneurship and health tourism.
  • Health crises and impacts on tourism.
  • Human resource management in the health tourism industry.
  • ICT and AI applications in health tourism.
  • Marketing in the health tourism industry.
  • Health tourists’ reported experiences and outcomes.
  • Strategy and policy for health tourism development.
  • Quality standards in health tourism.

I look forward to receiving your contributions!

Dr. Olga Siskou
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Tourism and Hospitality is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • health tourism
  • medical tourism
  • spa tourism
  • wellness tourism

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Other

13 pages, 243 KB  
Article
Competition in Medical Tourism and Consumer Spending: Evidence from Turkey’s Growing Healthcare Market
by Ilhan Sag, Ferhat D. Zengul and Robert Weech-Maldonado
Tour. Hosp. 2025, 6(4), 186; https://doi.org/10.3390/tourhosp6040186 - 19 Sep 2025
Viewed by 432
Abstract
As competition intensifies in the global medical tourism industry, countries are increasingly seeking effective marketing strategies to enhance their market share. Developing such strategies requires a comprehensive understanding of the expenditure patterns of medical tourists, particularly in emerging destinations with limited historical involvement [...] Read more.
As competition intensifies in the global medical tourism industry, countries are increasingly seeking effective marketing strategies to enhance their market share. Developing such strategies requires a comprehensive understanding of the expenditure patterns of medical tourists, particularly in emerging destinations with limited historical involvement in medical tourism. This study aims to examine the expenditure characteristics of medical tourists with respect to treatment type, gender, religion, and country of origin. Empirical data were collected from 288 medical tourists (response rate: 82%) receiving healthcare services in Turkey, an emerging hub for medical tourism. Cross-tabulation analyses and chi-square tests of independence revealed statistically significant differences in expenditures based on the aforementioned characteristics. The findings indicate that, on average, female, non-Muslim tourists from developed countries spent more than their male, Muslim, and developing-country counterparts. Additionally, aesthetic treatments accounted for the highest average expenditures among all treatment types. This study offers valuable insights into the expenditure behavior of medical tourists in Turkey, contributing to the broader understanding of competition in the medical tourism sector. These findings can inform the development of strategic roadmaps and targeted marketing approaches in emerging medical tourism markets. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Tourism: Challenges and Innovations)

Other

Jump to: Research

11 pages, 431 KB  
Perspective
Dental Tourism in Moldova: Economic Catalyst, Medical Considerations, and Broader Tourism Development Potential
by Elisabetta Lazzari and Edoardo Bianco
Tour. Hosp. 2025, 6(4), 185; https://doi.org/10.3390/tourhosp6040185 - 19 Sep 2025
Viewed by 294
Abstract
This paper examines the burgeoning dental tourism sector in the Republic of Moldova, highlighting its significant economic impact and patient-related considerations. Driven primarily by competitive pricing, the perceived quality of dental treatments, and strategic geographical advantages, Moldova has emerged as a prominent destination [...] Read more.
This paper examines the burgeoning dental tourism sector in the Republic of Moldova, highlighting its significant economic impact and patient-related considerations. Driven primarily by competitive pricing, the perceived quality of dental treatments, and strategic geographical advantages, Moldova has emerged as a prominent destination for international dental patients, particularly from Western Europe, the UK, Ireland, and increasingly from North America. While this sector provides a crucial economic impetus to one of Europe’s most economically challenged nations, contributing significantly to (Gross Domestic Product) GDP and generating crucial employment opportunities, it also presents inherent risks related to treatment quality, potential complications, and challenges with follow-up care. This study integrates market trends, academic literature, and patient experience insights to offer a comprehensive overview of Moldova’s and Eastern Europe’s unique position in the global dental tourism landscape. Employing a narrative synthesis of diverse data points from market research reports, academic literature, and economic indicators, our findings reveal dental tourism as a vital economic driver for Moldova, fueled by competitive costs and improving standards. However, the sector also necessitates careful consideration of inherent risks, including potential complications from expedited treatment schedules and challenges with follow-up care. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Tourism: Challenges and Innovations)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-2
Back to TopTop